Kiltox Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 I want to fit a leisure battery and split charging system to my Kangoo van so that it can power battery chargers for tools, laptops, etc as well as run work lights, beacons etc without risking the starter battery Anyone good at this kind of stuff and able to offer any advice? I assume it's very similar to what you'd find in a camper van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3VOM Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 There's a build-your-own-camper-van forum which I can't remember the name of. Will edit in a few minutes.I think it is this http://sbmcc.co.uk/forum/You may have to sign up to read stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jifflemon Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 You can do it with a standard 4 pin relay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 Is it going to potentially ruin the alternator of unknown health on a 15 year old high mileage van? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairymel Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 get one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30-AMP-Auto-dual-charging-trailer-towing-towbar-relay-/262299401775?hash=item3d12433e2f:m:mOtP37bcWgqaA0qWymDHfUg or search yourself for an auto split charge relay just run a fused feed from your van battery directly to the relay and then connect the relay output to the extra battery. it only switches the feed when the alternator is providing charge voltage so its pretty much plug and play shouldn't break anything dave21478 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike60 Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 I had a big old coachbuilt Transit MK2 which had 2 batteries under the bonnet for Transit type stuff and 2 batteries in the tail for the the camper type stuff. All 4 charged together from a standard alternator with a relay linking them which dropped out when the ignition was switched off.No problems in 11 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSdriver Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Have a look at thishttp://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/store/more-docs/SterlingAdvancRgs03.htmSterling do lots of stuff for multiple battery scenarios that I don't really understand. All I know is that I have got a black box from them on my boat because there are three battery circuits (one for engine starting, one for domestic stuff and one for the anchor windlass) and I was told that I needed one. If you are interested pm me and I will find out more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Hairymel is right, get a voltage sensing relay off ebay and save messing about with seperate feed from the alternator.I did this in the Land Rover, fitted a second battery behind the passenger seat which I power a massive 240v inverter from for power tools out in the field. hairymel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 This is something I know a lot about, I spent years doing this on the cheap when I wired campers for tight people. I now do it " not on the cheap" when wiring campers and trucks for people who arent tight. Theres two workable ways. Way 1 is "cheap £14 wanky ebay auto sense split charger and loads of thin wire"This works, but the relay will realistically only handle 15A tops so if you use thick wire there's not enough voltage drop and the fuse blows. These are designed to be used to keep a caravan battery charged when you're driving, with a huge length of wire limiting the charging current.If you fit one to a camper with short thick wires, you'll blow 20A fuses often., So you have to use shitty thin wire. No matter what, the relay will fail after about a year tops. If you fuse them at 35 or 40A like they claim to handle, they will melt the casing and weld the relay contacts shut Way 2 is to use a "proper" split charge relay and proper wire that will handle everything your alternator will give out.The leisure battery will charge much faster, you won't blow fuses all the time but you'll need to spend £60 instead of £30. Disadvantage is that the leisure battery will charge at a much greater current so it'll actually slow down charging of the main battery. In practice this isn't an issue unless you flatten both. Durite make a decent self sensing 140A relay. part no 0-727-33. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-727-33-12V-140A-140-AMP-DURITE-SPLIT-CHARGE-VOLTAGE-SENSITIVE-RELAY-CAMPERS-/262235781447?hash=item3d0e787947:g:W4sAAOSwaA5WlrjxUse 4AWG wire and a 100A fuse as close as practical to the positive terminal of both batteries. Kiltox and mat_the_cat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 As close as possible to both batteries? One is going to need to be in the back of the van and one is obviously under the bonnet.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_Green Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 +1 on the Durite split charge unit. And Durite inverters are great. Other stuff doesn't last. There was a thread on all this stuff with useful info not that long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 So... mount the Durite relay under the bonnet using a short length of 4AWG wire and 100A fuse/circuit breaker and chassis ground then run a length of wire to the back, connecting to the positive terminal of the second battery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_the_cat Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 As close as possible to both batteries? One is going to need to be in the back of the van and one is obviously under the bonnet....2 fuses, each as close as possible to each battery. If the cable chafes through anywhere along the length, a huge current can flow to earth from either battery... Kiltox 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted June 6, 2016 Author Share Posted June 6, 2016 2 fuses, each as close as possible to each battery. If the cable chafes through anywhere along the length, a huge current can flow to earth from either battery... Ahhh, got it! Sounds simple enough, I'll need to see how easy it'll be to run wires through the bulkhead etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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