Your Spaceship comes with a universal smart battery system. This has a larger than normal battery to allow for extra power. It is a dual-purpose battery, which means it can start your van and run your accessories.
Read the explanatory text below and/or download this handy PDF to keep on your phone.
Accessories connected to Smart Battery System
Fridge
Dual USB port beside bed
Main light on the ceiling of the van above the bed
The smart battery system is connected to a voltage cut off relay. When the battery gets low, it will stop the power to the accessories. This keeps enough power in the battery to start your van.
Your van does not plug into power at a campsite. So, no need to pay for powered campsites unless you have hired our extension lead. This lead doesn't plug into the vehicle, you can run it through a window and power devices – e.g. computers.
All batteries will discharge slowly, so if you are camping somewhere for 3+ days your battery will slowly discharge. Especially with door lights coming on or you’re trying to charge devices through the cigarette charger. We recommend running the engine for 5-10 minutes every day or two even if not driving.
Using the Fridge
We recommend using the fridge on temperature setting 2. If not driving, you are best to turn the fridge down to the warmest setting – this will help the battery last longer. When you are driving you can make it cooler as the power will be generated from the engine running.
For the fridge to work well, you should drive at least 3 hours each day to give the system a decent charge. It can be handy to hire our solar system to give the battery extra charge if not driving much each day. This is only $10 per day and will provide power if not driving very far each day.
Most people have the fridge running while they are driving, and they turn it off at night when they go to sleep. This saves the power on the battery and your fridge will stay cool until the morning when you start driving again just turn your fridge back on. This helps if you haven’t been driving long distances.
Using the Interior Lights
Always use the touch light in the main cabin. The other lights on the ceiling are not connected to the smart battery system - This mean they will not cut off when the power is low and may drain the battery and you may not be able to start the engine.
Extra Tips
We recommend charging your devices while you are driving as much as possible. Do not sit with the ignition key on and engine not running, this will discharge the battery quickly.
If roadside assistance comes out to jump start your van, fees may apply for this call out. We provide jumper cables to avoid this fee. They can be found in the back of the van and can jump start the Spaceship off another vehicle. Please read the instructions carefully because if not connected properly, it can cause electrical issues.
We change the batteries in our fleet every 2 years, so we have very minimal issues with our batteries.
We hope this information helps in understanding how your battery system works. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Main switch of the Smart Battery System
This is the main switch to turn on the power for the Smart Battery system – this needs to be switched on when you receive your vehicle.
