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second battery wiring; leisure battery addition
Topic Started: Sep 17 2012, 04:53 PM (2,584 Views)
weeme
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anyone know if there is already a second
battery loom in the van to charge 2nd battery?

weeme
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windyjools
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Highly unlikely, unless your van is ex-ambulance, or similar. The easiest way is to use a voltage sensing relay (VSR), the wiring is simple, one wire to the vehicles original battery, one wire to the new leisure battery, and one to the vehicle chassis, or 'earth'.
Use thick wires to each battery to minimise voltage loss, my system cost about £55, including the connectors fitted and ready to go.
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yiannism
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You can wire a second battery with any 4/5 point relay...
It is up to how many amps you need it to draw....
so here goes the rating of the relay to be installed/purchase.

If you need more info / wiring schematics...i can help.

Regards
John
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weeme
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Thanks John
see PM
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crinklecut
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SOmething like a zig unit out of a caravan is another option. I rate my one. They allow a mains hook up too so are even an ideal way to charge your van battery if you need it.

It depends how John's solution works out, but my zig came in cheaper than the above quote of £55 for all the separate bits, there are always a few on our well known online auctioneers, or any decent caravan breaker.

Cheers
crinklecut
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yiannism
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So let me explain in simple words how i did it in my campervan...

lets say we have a 4 or 5 port relay rated at 50amps...we need to connect only the 4 pin...so we forget the 5th( 5th pin is in the middle)...so the relay has the following pins / connections:

85-86-87-30 so here it goes....

number 30 : a connection coming from the starter battery
number 85: chassis / earth
number 86: connect to any 12v wire which is active only when you swith the key to ignition/start position
number 87: connection to the leisure / 2nd battery

between connection 30 and starter battery install inline fuse ( fuse rating and cable width up to the usage you need, amps to draw)
between connection 87 and 2nd battery, install a fuse with same rating as above.

So when you switch on the car ...the relay activates from the 12v (connection 86) and transfers power to connection 87 ( leisure battery)
This is 1 simple way of doing it...which worked for me during my europe trip this summer...


Another simple way of doing it...is by installing a cut off switch...
you just connect it inline to both batteries...and by turning on/off you giving power to you leisure battery.

more complicated way...is to install an electronic controlled split charge relay system.
If you need i can explain that also...

P.S i got a complete split charge system rated at 140amps...and i can sell it for 50euro + shipping...Brand new
( detects voltage - and powers 2nd battery according to the needs - disconnects automatically to prevent starter battery to empty))
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lasserre
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I have an IVECO Cargo Can anyone tell me if the batteries are supposed to be linked in series or parallel?
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yuha_2000
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lasserre
Jun 16 2013, 07:15 AM
I have an IVECO Cargo Can anyone tell me if the batteries are supposed to be linked in series or parallel?
Seriously! GCSE physics!

Depends on if you want 24v or 12v

red to red, black chassis! for 12v
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Bazil-S
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Hi,

Eurocargo uses 24V, so the batteries are connected in series.
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streppo
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yiannism
Sep 18 2012, 08:31 PM
So let me explain in simple words how i did it in my campervan...

lets say we have a 4 or 5 port relay rated at 50amps...we need to connect only the 4 pin...so we forget the 5th( 5th pin is in the middle)...so the relay has the following pins / connections:

85-86-87-30 so here it goes....

number 30 : a connection coming from the starter battery
number 85: chassis / earth
number 86: connect to any 12v wire which is active only when you swith the key to ignition/start position
number 87: connection to the leisure / 2nd battery

between connection 30 and starter battery install inline fuse ( fuse rating and cable width up to the usage you need, amps to draw)
between connection 87 and 2nd battery, install a fuse with same rating as above.

So when you switch on the car ...the relay activates from the 12v (connection 86) and transfers power to connection 87 ( leisure battery)
This is 1 simple way of doing it...which worked for me during my europe trip this summer...


Another simple way of doing it...is by installing a cut off switch...
you just connect it inline to both batteries...and by turning on/off you giving power to you leisure battery.

more complicated way...is to install an electronic controlled split charge relay system.
If you need i can explain that also...

P.S i got a complete split charge system rated at 140amps...and i can sell it for 50euro + shipping...Brand new
( detects voltage - and powers 2nd battery according to the needs - disconnects automatically to prevent starter battery to empty))
Yiannism..You are correct in what you wrote .But something to think about with a camper leisure battery.. ALL NEGATIVES both engine and leisure are common to earth .So if you want to disconnect the engine power supply you must remove the POSITIVE + terminal...
If you take just the engine NEGATIVE - off Vehicle can still be started .. I saw this disaster when a gentleman did a home job and fitted a small negative to earth and he turned the key to a start position and the cable caught fire as the engine wanted to start.
what a mess
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yiannism
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Hello,

You are correct on what your saying but the topics is not about charging 2 batteries..is about wiring of specific model (24v series).

My topics is about 2nd or 3rd leisure battery on 12v systems.

And what you said is correct...but actually i wrote it...if you take the wire from start/ignition switch...then if you did not install correct wire diameter...you just burn the relay..and stps there..

I tested it many times..

Also you need to know what your doing...so any extra safety. ( like an inline switch to activate the relay after you switch the ignition) this helps a lot.

John
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