Motorhome battery: what is a booster and what is it used for?

As we have seen in previous articles about the batteries of our motorhomes, we know that they are recharging while the engine is running. However, many times (too many or more than we would like) not enough or all that we need are loaded.

Motorhome battery: reasons why they are not charged enough

  • If we have gone out for a weekend to not very long distances (100 or 150 km) and we have drawn quite a lot of current from our batteries. When we return, we do not give the alternator of our motorhome time to recharge what was spent.
  • It also occurs in longer vacation. We spend a couple of days or three in one city consuming batteries and then we move to another nearby city (250 or 300 km). Again, the alternator does not have enough time to recharge what is consumed.
  • Yes we returned from a weekendAt night and even more so in summer with the air conditioning on, most of the current produced by the alternator is used to recharge the engine battery, sending little or no current to the passenger compartment batteries.
  • It also sometimes happens that, even after having traveled quite a few kilometers, the passenger compartment batteries are not fully charged. This is because the alternator of our motorhome has a automatic system to avoid damaging the engine battery. This system detects that the battery is fully charged and reduces the generation of current (stays in float) and sends very little to the other batteries
  • Finally, a very general problem in almost all the motorhomes that I know, is that the cables ranging from the engine battery (or from the alternator) to the passenger compartment they are of very little section, which appreciably reduces the current that passes through them and, therefore, the amount of charge to our batteries.

The conclusion: we are running out of charge in the batteries and  over time they are sulfated and substantially shortening your life. I have heard many times the complaint that "the batteries I bought have turned out very bad despite what they cost me." This could be solved if we had installed in our motorhome a team that measured the REAL load intensity, we would see that most of the time less than 10 or 15 amps reaches the batteries.

What are boosters and what are they for?

Boosters are devices that give us a large charging intensity for our living area batteries regardless of all the factors that I have previously mentioned (25 or 40 amps), so in a short time and a few kilometers we fully recharge our batteries.

The best models on the market give full load even when the engine is idling. It does not need to be accelerated, they also adjust the load to the type of battery we have (AGM or GEL or Acid) and regulate the float current by disconnecting when the batteries are charged and also protects the motor if necessary, if it has a very high consumption such as lights or air conditioning so as not to overload them.

Installation is not complicated: we must bear in mind that a suitable section of cable must be put in, with a 45 amp fuse and do not forget to put a temperature sensor so that it automatically disconnects if the temperature of the batteries rises too much, avoiding overheating and over gassing . What I do recommend is that the model has an IUoU charging system.

As always, any questions or queries are at your disposal in the comments on this article or by sending us an email through Contact Form.

A hug and see you on the road!

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Comments (14)

joi

I am interested in installing a booster in my CHALLENGUER 260 motorhome (Fiat Ducato 2019 2.3 150 CV).
I have an acid battery for the motor and 2 AGM batteries of 95 Ah for the card and also a 140 W solar panel

My questions are:

– Which booster is the right one?
- Can you install it for me?
- How much would the installation cost me?
- How long should I leave my motorhome at your facilities?
– It opened the possibility of installing it myself (sending me the wiring diagrams
)
Thanks and regards.

Jose Miguel

Raquel

Hello!
I need help: I have a second battery installed in my van and I left a 12V USB plugged in this week and it seems that the battery was at a minimum.
As I have a booster connected, it has been recharging today (I imagine, because the booster could be heard all the way), in addition I have tried to plug things into the 12V sockets, including the stationary heating, and they work.
But I have a problem with the transmitter: I have a Ctek transmitter installed, but it does not connect. Since June 9 it tells me that it had 10% but it is not updated in the application. I have reinstalled it, uninstalling the application etc ... and nothing .. It does not connect.
Do you know what could be the cause of that? If the battery has charged something, it should connect, right? It is simply a transmitter.
Will you tell me something, please, because I have no idea and I can't know how much battery I have 😢

JOSE CERVERA

Good afternoon, I have an Alternator in renault master of 150 Now, the question is the Booster Power Service Plus of 40A says that it is for maximum 110A alternators, so I can not mount it?

Fernando

Where can I buy this system and where can I see the connection diagram for its implementation. Thank you

José

I am interested in installing a booster in my CHALLENGUER 260 motorhome with an engine (Fiat Ducato of 2019 2.3 of 150 CV).
I have an acid battery for the motor and 2 AGM batteries of 95 Ah for the card and also a 140 W solar panel

My questions are:

- Which booster is the right one?
- Can you install it for me?
- How much would the installation cost me?
- How long should I leave my motorhome at your facilities?
- It opened the possibility of installing it myself (By sending me the wiring diagrams
)
Thanks and regards.

Jose Miguel

Carlos Claros

Good Morning!!
I would like to put a booster on my new van.
Would it be possible for you to install it? And how much could it cost me?
Thank you

Alan

Hi, I have a 2017 vw caravelle with star stop and they tell me that it is a problem to put a second battery that needs a special relay
Can you advise me please

Iratxe

Hello, with our motorhome connected to 220v power, the relay began to beep (150hp 2018 Fiat). The following weekend that we have used it we have run out of battery or heating (we realized it at 8:00 am). We have a solar panel and this had never happened to us, even in the snow we had been very comfortable and everything worked great. What can be? Thanks a lot.

Zacharias

Hello, why did my ac stop at a roundabout when I was driving with the engine start-stop system and the battery was exhausted

Andrew

Good evening, I have a Renault Trafic 3 with start stop, car battery 70 master, auxiliary battery 150 master, what Booster do I need, how many amps and which brand is the best, thanks

Eduardo Torres Martinez

I am interested in installing a 25 Ah booster in my motorhome (2016 Fiat Ducato, 2.3 130 hp).
My questions are:
- Can you install it for me?
- How much would the installation of a 25 Ah cost me?
- How long should I leave my motorhome at your facilities?
Thanks and regards.

Eduardo Torres

Erika

Good evening, it is a Eura Mobil motorhome with more than 18 years. We just changed the engine battery and now it is the passenger compartment that is causing problems. The alarm has come on and the battery level is low. The refrigerator is gas but we do not know if it is related because it cools very little. I would be grateful if you would tell me which is the best option on the market and if it should be done in a motorhome or mechanic workshop in general. Thank you.

Comercial Caravaning

Good afternoon,

In this case, the best thing would be to do a complete review of the electrical system in a motorhome workshop to see what the problem would be.

If you wish, write us an email to postventa@comercialcaravaning.seryson.es so that our partner can tell you the procedure.

In principle the refrigerator should not have anything to do with this issue but as I say you have to see it.

Thanks a lot.

Mariano Ostos Mota

Hello, good morning, I have a question:

I have a motorhome that the engine does not work, it has been idle for 15 years, and I have installed it on a plot of land,
The battery system consists of two connected batteries, the car engine is separate.
It has a 25 amp charger for the connection to the network, my question is if with a generator of 800-1000 watts I could charge the system well and how much time would I need,

Thank you.

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