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Inspired by another post, I thought I would have a look at loading from a switched off battery charger. We have a very small gel lead acid battery used for a door sounder that requires regular charging. Say once a month or so. If we leave the battery charger connected it only lasts a few days...

Frightenly when my leisure batteries are 50% discharged, this is the kind of voltage that is seen. The voltage figure is recorded by my Victron BVM. As I'm unable to see a detailed history log I don't know at what loading this takes place.

Though when checked with an installed volt meter they generally have some kind of load on them.

I'd start to worry at anything below 11.5 volts.

Very good report Dave. I just guessed it would work that way and it's nice to see it proved. Before going solar, the alternator via an inverter would provide all the 240 volts to the habitation needs including a domestic fridge. So when we parked up the leisure battery would be fresh for our stay.

DC AC DC easy and adaptable too.

Yes

Midsummer energy, semi-flexible panels

Mill scale is a bugger to remove, so we always use cold rolled steel tubing. It's stronger too. When we use sheet steel we use refrigeration grade steel. Zintec, this has better corrosion resistance than most other grades of mild steel. Can be welded with no issues.

I have a pair of the same technology and intend to buy another pair soon. Not tried in anger yet as they are for my Plaxton conversion. The price from bimble seems very good. Just remember they take up a lot more room. (Watts per square metre)

Love your draws ;)

Many coachbuilders commit this sin. A simple trick is to use an impermeable insulator between them.

So Anita tells me, nothing can compete with my snoring :(

Personally, if your thinking about a charger just for storage I'd be tempted by one of those smaller Victron ones. Say around 15amps. It's not like you'll be charging in a hurry to go somewhere. Once it's done it's business it goes into storage mode.

It could just about cope with the fridge kicking in, but sounded heavily loaded. That said it runs for about 6 hours on very little fuel so good for emergencies. Finally I returned home to find Murky's leisure batteries fully charged, funny what a little sun will do. This morning I switched on...

One thing I've thought about with big chargers, is the power required to run them. Ok the multiplus can limit the loading on an external power source, but it can still be a lot of amps if you rely on external charging. I remember using 3 7.5amp chargers with a 1kva silent smart generator...

Sun tomorrow, so should get some Wh’s ;)

Sadly that was Wh, about to edit.

I got 160Wh in Doncaster yesterday with 400watt array, though it is shadowed by the house until the afternoon. As soon as I'm mobile again I'll fit two more panels.

I can't confirm for sure, but that's a very deep pressing for steel if it is. The corroding fasteners above the windscreen also suggest it's grp. Well worth asking.