TECH HELP EDITOR
Base vehicle expert
Q Should I fit a second leisure battery so I can go off-grid for longer?
Can you help with installing a second leisure battery in my campervan please? I'm not technically minded at all and seem to be struggling to find a straightforward answer to my question!
The 'van is a 2022 Elddis CV40, which came with a Thetford T2090C two-way fridge and a 100W solar panel.
At purchase, we were told that we should be able to go for a couple of days without needing to charge the battery.
At present, if we are off-grid, the battery seems to last around 36 hours during the summer. This is with just the fridge running and some use of lighting, charging phones, etc.
What I would like to be able to do is to confidently head out for an off-grid weekend (around 60 hours). Would having a second leisure battery installed be a way to enable me to do this?
Are there any potential pitfalls or issues to watch out for if I do have a second battery fitted?
Sarah Nicholls
A First read the feature on page 128, which covers this in more detail.
I believe the biggest user of 12V energy in your CV40 is the Thetford compressor fridge. The duration of times you have provided would be entirely consistent with this.
If you had a second battery similar to that already fitted, this would double the time you could stay off-grid. The only pitfalls are the space the battery occupies and its weight.
You may wish to consider fitting modern lithium ferrous batteries for leisure use, which have a much longer life, greater usable capacity and are lower in weight.
It is worth checking that your solar panel system is operating correctly and especially if flexible panels are fitted as these do seem to have a limited lifespan. Rigid glass panels have much longer lives.
Also, is the solar regulator a MPPT-type (maximum power point tracking)? These make better use of the sun on sunny days.
Clive Mott
Q When does my Fiat motorhome need a full service?
I purchased my motorhome (a Roller Team T-Line 590, Fiat Ducato, 150hp multijet 2.3-litre) in June 2019.
A full service, diagnostic scan and reset was done at 15,110 miles. There was an oil/fluid change in August 2022. The mileage is now 23,862.
My question is, do I need to get a full service now? Also, do I need to worry about a timing belt change?
The instrument panel is not giving any system warnings or messages.
Clive Ballinger
A If you have been using good-quality fuel, and have left your fuel tank full when parked up over the winter (to prevent the accumulation of moisture in the tank), it should not be necessary to change the fuel filter so soon (in terms of mileage), but an oil and filter change is advisable every year regardless of mileage. If you use supermarket or other low-cost fuel, I recommend adding an injector cleaning product at least every other fill.
The cambelt is due
