rachel
15+ posts.... a Uni wheeler!
Posts: 28
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Post by rachel on Apr 17, 2007 11:43:51 GMT
Hi all, thanks for the reply about the hose, we bought and fitted a new orange one on the weekend. some more questions for you please! How does the leisure battery charge, is it from the car (when you drive), also I have just steralised the water tank with some milton tablets but is there an easier option of emptying the tank rather than pumping it through the tap. thanks in advance rachel ps - does the water pump use a lot of battery power, so far we have used the leisure battery only for lights and water pump but not sure how long it would last. thanks
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Post by ant on Apr 17, 2007 12:31:27 GMT
Hi Rachel.
Your leisure battery is charged by the vehicles alternator via a 30 amp relay. When your vehicle is running the relay effectively joins the two batteries together and they are charged together. If one your batteries is much lower than the other they will try to equalise when they're joined, hopefully the wiring of your relay is such that it is only triggered once the engine is actually running, that way you will always be able to start the vehicle even if you leisure is very low.
Don't worry about the power used by the pump, in normal use you only run it for short periods and the battery can easily cope with a weeks camping use of both lights and pump.
Pumping the tank out until the pump makes a loud noise the open the tank and sponge out the rest is the only way to clean it ( use a new sponge each time if you're windy about germs!)
Thanks
Ant
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baldybantam
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 54
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Post by baldybantam on Apr 29, 2007 21:16:10 GMT
Question for Ant Hello, regarding the above reply, if you charge the main battery under the bonnet with battery charger, does this in turn charge the leisure battery. Alternately, if you connect the electricity supply to the van, which also charges the leisure battery, does this in turn charge the main battery. Very confusing all these batteries  baldybantam |
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Post by romingtim on Apr 29, 2007 21:40:18 GMT
Hi Baldybantam,
I can answer that one for you, with Ants permission of course!
The two batteries are wired separately, that's why you can run the leisure battery flat and still start the engine.
When you turn the ignition on an electrical relay is activated (as Ant mentioned earlier) that links the two batteries so that the alternator will charge them both while the engine is running.
Turn the ignition off and they are separated again. This means that charging one will not charge the other, be that by a battery charger or Electric Hook up.
It is possible to alter the wiring so that when on hook up both batteries are charged but not something that you should undertake without being confident about what you are doing, and not something you are likely to need unless you are thinking about parking up somewhere for months!
Tim
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Post by Pauline on Apr 30, 2007 6:47:46 GMT
Talking of batteries, something I've often wondered, but never needed to use so haven't queried it so far is battery charging via the zig unit. On the Zig unit control panel there is a rocker switch, with a picture of a car at the bottom and caravan at the top.
When in the caravan position we assume it is running from the leisure battery and likewise assume that in the car position it is running things from the vehicle battery.
But having read the post from Tim I now assume that even if it's in the car position the vehicle battery will not be charged when on EHU. Is that right?
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Post by ant on Apr 30, 2007 7:36:11 GMT
Hi Pauline.
Yes you're right, on all post about 2001 Romahomes you cannot charge the vehicle battery via the Zig unit. The reason being that the Zig unit was effectively joining the two batteries together which meant that you could have run both batteries down together! The whole point of having two batteries is that you can run one down without the fear of not starting the vehicle.
Ant
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Post by ant on Apr 30, 2007 8:02:21 GMT
Hi Tim. You don't need my permission to answer questions, I normally wait to see if anyone can answer the questions before answering myself ( that way I get to learn what sort of things my customers might need more detailed explaining when I'm handing over a vehicle, it all seems simple to me but i,ve been doing the same trouble shooting for 25yrs! ). So answer away - I'll be watching!!
Ant
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Post by Pauline on May 1, 2007 6:17:23 GMT
So answer away - I'll be watching!! Ant oooooo, is there a prize for the best answer? ;D |
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Post by ant on May 1, 2007 7:32:03 GMT
You've let this prize winning streak get the better of you Pauline, You can't win a prize for everything!
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rachel
15+ posts.... a Uni wheeler!
Posts: 28
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Post by rachel on May 1, 2007 9:08:23 GMT
You lot are all mad !!! thanks to Ant for his help
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