NEW LIESURE BATTERY CONNECTION 1993 HILO

[jawjaw]

HI aNT
I was hoping to fit a leisure batery to my van and thought it was just a case of connecting into the switches ie car- van combination below the seat in the van (pasenger side). but reading through your previous replys it seems that this is not possible. I belive both bateries would then be connected to gether when in the leisure position and both be drained down, when in use.
could you plese tel me if i am correct or is it possible to have them separate so that the vehiical battery does not get drained.

thanks john

[ant]

Hi John.
You can't just connect the batteries together, they need to be separated by a 30 amp relay. They are quite simple things to wire. The layout of the relay is stamped or painted on the cover. You will have 2 wires to a coil, one needs to go to an ignition live ( ideally the feed from the alternator light), the other to earth ( it doesn't matter which way round), the other two terminals are the switched ones so one of those goes to the 1st battery, and the other goes to the 2nd battery. Put a 30amp fuse in line on either of these two wires. Now when you start the vehicle the relay joins the batteries together for charging and when you turn the ignition off the batteries are separate again. Simples yes!
Ant

[jawjaw]

Hi Ant
thanks for your prompt reply. I will have to mull it over a wile to make it simple to me. Am i correct in thinking that the relay only comes into effect during the charging period, and that the leisure battery would have to be connected to the spare terminals on the distribution panel behind the passenger.
After use of the leisure battery and during the recharging top up would the leisure battery also be topped up from the vehicle battery.
I was thinking in having the leisure battery in the compartment next to the water tank, but reading previous comments on fitting leisure batteries i thought it may need a special sealed box with a vent through the floor.
Thanks again John
PS we have just come back from our first trip to France in our Hi Lo Betsey and had a great time. The van is made for the French roads. we met other romahomers on the way, all very enthusiastic about them.

[Derek]

Hi John

There are diagrams and explanations on this link

marcleleisure.co.uk/Sund001/SplitCharge01.htm

The leisure battery is only connected to the vehicle battery when the alternator is charging both.

I think Ant recommends sealed leisure batteries which don't need a vent through the floor.

Derek

[jawjaw]

Hi Derek
Thanks very much for the link. I did not know there was so many ways to do the charging circuit.
I must admit i was wondering if i could get away with one of those car starter packs. plugging it into the mains when available to charge, posiably the 240v socket in the van. connecting it to the van switch when wanted for lighting. and if enough power in it using it to start the van if the van battery went flat.
I suppose it isn't as easy and practical as i imagine.
Thanks again
john