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Power Source: In-built vs external battery
Understand the pro’s and con’s of inbuilt batteries vs external power
Motorised movers – or electric jockey wheels – are designed to be powered in one of two ways. They can either have an in-built lithium battery OR they can be battery-less and instead connect to an external battery source during operations. This is a design difference where all the pro’s and con’s are not always understood. The upfront convenience of an in-built battery needs to be weighed up against the long-term hassle-free external battery solution. Let’s break it down.
IN-BUILT BATTERY | SELF POWERED
These movers contain their own lithium battery that is re-charged between uses.
BENEFITS
One less thing to think about when purchasing your mover – it’s all in there ready to go.
Plus, no connection leads running outside of your mover.
DRAWBACKS
An inbuilt battery is convenient right up until it isn’t. If it needs a recharge and you’re not near power or it simply won’t recharge…..you’ve got no back up.
To maximise long term battery health and minimise the likelihood of battery replacement (which can be expensive) you’ll need to invest time in battery care; ensure it is regularly charged but not overcharged to keep it performing well.
EXTRA INFO
If you are considering a mover with an internal battery, we’d suggest making sure it is fast-charging and long lasting (like the All Terrain Mover from Optitec). You don’t want to be left without power halfway through putting your van or boat away.
Battery-less | Connect to an external battery
These movers need to be connected to an external 12V battery whilst in use. This could be your caravan’s batteries (with a two-way connection to draw power out), a deep cycle battery or jump starter pack.
BENEFITS
The absence of a battery inside the mover allows the machine to be lighter and more compact. There is less ongoing maintenance and less risk that you’ll be stuck unable to use your mover due to power issues (there are always multiple power options available not dependent on your mover).
DRAWBACKS
There’s some additional effort upfront to determine your power source. Not all caravans are fitted with two-way power and not every portable battery is suitable for the heavy current draws of motorised movers. Therefore, a little bit of research is needed upfront to get yourself set up appropriately.
OUR VERDICT
If your choice in motorised mover comes down to battery set up, we believe external battery power is the best option! A little bit more effort and thought to find the right external battery source upfront is much less hassle than ongoing battery maintenance or worse, a battery that doesn’t work down the track.
But, we hear you ask, doesn’t your All Terrain Mover have an internal battery? Yes, it does. If we had the choice, we would have designed the All Terrain Mover to be an external battery, but it’s level of power/torque requires 24V which is not readily available as an external battery. Therefore, in-built was the best solution for this mover. We have ensured that it is quick-charging and long-lasting. The All Terrain Mover battery can also be quickly and easily removed from the machine to be charged and cared for inside the home rather than forgotten about in your shed or garage.
The Optimover V3 remains light and compact with the help of being battery-less. It can be connected to almost any 12V battery source and this minimises ongoing care and maintenance required for the machine. If you don’t already have a 12V battery source we recommend purchasing the Repco 1200AGM Battery Pack which is just $169.
Talk to the Optitec team → We’re always here to help. If you have a question about sourcing an external 12V battery or want to know more about caring for internal lithium batteries we’d love to chat and give you more guidance.