Charging and maintaining a leisure battery for a caravan or motorhome
Caravans only use leisure batteries, and these need to be charged to ensure your motorhome or caravan receives the power it needs.
Most motorhomes have two different batteries:
- One that is used to start the vehicle’s engine.
- A second leisure battery that powers other appliances within the motorhome.
Charging a leisure battery is a simple process. For motorhomes, whenever the vehicle’s engine is running, both your leisure battery and the starter battery will be charged using a split charge system. For caravans, it’s also possible to charge a battery while driving but the caravan will need to be carefully wired through the tow bar into the car.
When not driving, a leisure battery will be used as the only source of power in both a caravan and a motorhome. To help support this, many have onboard charging facilities that can be connected to a charging point like you’d commonly find on a campsite.
It’s also possible to charge a leisure battery using a solar maintainer. Providing a greener way to power your caravan or motorhome, solar panels come in various sizes and are also ideal for off-grid travellers who don’t have easy access to charging points.
During the off-season when you won’t be using the battery, it’s best to use a smart charger to keep the battery topped up and to monitor its condition. Before doing so, make sure you’re using the correct type of charger for your battery and refer to the manufacturer’s instructions. The charger then needs to be switched to the correct settings for your battery.
Top tip: Always check that your smart charger is safe for unattended charging.