Leisure Battery Charging Equipment Options?

[Shaun]

I am looking to be able to charge my Focus Jam2 & Levo Expert 2017 when away in my Campervan using the onboard leisure batteries.
Could anyone advise on a suitable inverter that will work and not damage either the bike chargers or batteries?

 

[dirt huffer]

You want a minimum 400watt pure sine wave inverter if you're charging 1 battery at a time. Double the wattage if you plan on charging 2 at the same time. Going a bit higher wattage is good. I went with this 600watt inverter. Just make sure you locate it as close to your battery as possible. The farther away it is, the less efficient it will be. You could also look into getting a sine wave generator if you dont want to hook up to a car battery.

http://www.samlexamerica.com/products/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=115

Just make sure you get a true sine wave inverter. A modified sine wave inverter will not be good enough

 

[bissona]

There is a mythical 12v charger for Spesh/Focus bikes out there [see thread here] but I've never managed to find a reseller. Would love to find one as have 1 main + 2 leisure batteries in the van.

 

[Shaun]

You want a minimum 400watt pure sine wave inverter if you're charging 1 battery at a time. Double the wattage if you plan on charging 2 at the same time. Going a bit higher wattage is good. I went with this 600watt inverter. Just make sure you locate it as close to your battery as possible. The farther away it is, the less efficient it will be. You could also look into getting a sine wave generator if you dont want to hook up to a car battery.

http://www.samlexamerica.com/products/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=115

Just make sure you get a true sine wave inverter. A modified sine wave inverter will,, not be good enough

Thanks in a perfect world it would be good to be able to charge both at the same time. Each charger puts out 4 amps during charging and I have read that if you multiply the amps drawn by the voltage then it gives you the power output needed. So in practice this would equate to

4A x 230v = 920watts using this rationale I would need a minimum 2000watt output pure sine wave inverter to charge both at the same time. If as you say a higher rating is needed then a 2500watt output would be required. Further research has flagged up that it takes a lot out of your leisure batteries per charge in the region of 60amps per 500w bike battery. Looking like a petrol generator maybe the best way to go.

 

[bissona]

... Looking like a petrol generator maybe the best way to go.

I'm rapidly coming to the same conclusion (we have 3 Focus Jams to charge when camping), especially if I want the beer in the fridge to stay cold!

 

[S D]

I'm rapidly coming to the same conclusion (we have 3 Focus Jams to charge when camping), especially if I want the beer in the fridge to stay cold!

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