Mike B. Posted September 1, 2011 Posted September 1, 2011 Hi All Probably bit basic to you this but I am hopeless with electrics etc so need some help. If I fit a second leisure battery to the van and connect it to the 1st one will it charge up the 2nd one when the first is full or both of them at same time? Also do I just connect + to + and - to - and is that it or anything else I need to do? Thanks for any info Mike
BobK Posted September 1, 2011 Posted September 1, 2011 Hi Mike B. Connecting + to + and - to - will double the capacity of you battery (ampH), but keep it at 12 volt. which is what you want. If you connected + to - you would effectively boost the voltage to 24 volts which is not what you require. You charger will charge the two as though they were one large battery. Obviously you will need space, and heavy duty cables. Hope this helps BobK
Mike B. Posted September 1, 2011 Author Posted September 1, 2011 BobK - 2011-09-01 11:47 AM Hi Mike B. Connecting + to + and - to - will double the capacity of you battery (ampH), but keep it at 12 volt. which is what you want. If you connected + to - you would effectively boost the voltage to 24 volts which is not what you require. You charger will charge the two as though they were one large battery. Obviously you will need space, and heavy duty cables. Hope this helps BobK Hi Bob Thanks for that-I was thinking of putting it in the void under the passenger seat as the 1st is under the drivers seat and connecting it up with a couple of 'wagon' straps-ie the longer version of normal battery leads. I could just run these along the step edge between the cab and the habitation section which is about 1" high and would be covered by the cab carpet Mike
BobK Posted September 1, 2011 Posted September 1, 2011 Coincidence .. I was looking at the void under my passenger seat and wondering how the space could be utilised.!! Go for it.. BobK
tp002c784tp002c784tp Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 Mike B. - 2011-09-01 12:05 PM BobK - 2011-09-01 11:47 AM Hi Mike B. Connecting + to + and - to - will double the capacity of you battery (ampH), but keep it at 12 volt. which is what you want. If you connected + to - you would effectively boost the voltage to 24 volts which is not what you require. You charger will charge the two as though they were one large battery. Obviously you will need space, and heavy duty cables. Hope this helps BobK Hi Bob Thanks for that-I was thinking of putting it in the void under the passenger seat as the 1st is under the drivers seat and connecting it up with a couple of 'wagon' straps-ie the longer version of normal battery leads. I could just run these along the step edge between the cab and the habitation section which is about 1" high and would be covered by the cab carpet Mike Hi Mike When I bought my current Motorhome a Lunar Roadstar on the 2.8 Jtd, I discovered that my leisure battery was under the drivers seat, I had always dreaded having this system because of maintance. The battery is only 85amp and was situated mid seat box and was useless for checking, the only way to inspect the battery was to remove the seat. I bought a second 85amp battery and removed both seats, I then moved the battery and it's box to the rear of the the box and tied with the strap to the rear, when the seat is back in place you can move the seat as far forward as you can this allows you to check the water at any time. I did this with both batteries before I replaced the seats I run a thick battery lead from the second battery to the seat box chassis this lead is a normal battery lead, I then bought a long length of the positive cable and managed to insert this between the joining of the cab floor and the main body floor, this meant I only had to run one cable between batteries. Make sure you fit a 40amp fuse and holder on the second battery. This has worked out ideal since I fitted it three years ago. Terry
Mike B. Posted September 3, 2011 Author Posted September 3, 2011 tp002c784tp002c784tp - 2011-09-03 5:46 PM Mike B. - 2011-09-01 12:05 PM BobK - 2011-09-01 11:47 AM Hi Mike B. Connecting + to + and - to - will double the capacity of you battery (ampH), but keep it at 12 volt. which is what you want. If you connected + to - you would effectively boost the voltage to 24 volts which is not what you require. You charger will charge the two as though they were one large battery. Obviously you will need space, and heavy duty cables. Hope this helps BobK Hi Bob Thanks for that-I was thinking of putting it in the void under the passenger seat as the 1st is under the drivers seat and connecting it up with a couple of 'wagon' straps-ie the longer version of normal battery leads. I could just run these along the step edge between the cab and the habitation section which is about 1" high and would be covered by the cab carpet Mike Hi Mike When I bought my current Motorhome a Lunar Roadstar on the 2.8 Jtd, I discovered that my leisure battery was under the drivers seat, I had always dreaded having this system because of maintance. The battery is only 85amp and was situated mid seat box and was useless for checking, the only way to inspect the battery was to remove the seat. I bought a second 85amp battery and removed both seats, I then moved the battery and it's box to the rear of the the box and tied with the strap to the rear, when the seat is back in place you can move the seat as far forward as you can this allows you to check the water at any time. I did this with both batteries before I replaced the seats I run a thick battery lead from the second battery to the seat box chassis this lead is a normal battery lead, I then bought a long length of the positive cable and managed to insert this between the joining of the cab floor and the main body floor, this meant I only had to run one cable between batteries. Make sure you fit a 40amp fuse and holder on the second battery. This has worked out ideal since I fitted it three years ago. Terry Hi Terry Thanks for that--question why do I need to fit a 40amp fuse and where do I fit it?- between the end of the cable and the + post on the 2nd battery? Mike
Derek Uzzell Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Mike B. - 2011-09-03 8:23 PM Hi Terry Thanks for that--question why do I need to fit a 40amp fuse and where do I fit it?- between the end of the cable and the + post on the 2nd battery? Mike The diagrams/advice on the following website may help http://www.motts.dsl.pipex.com/second%20leisiure%20battery.htm
Mike B. Posted September 7, 2011 Author Posted September 7, 2011 Derek Uzzell - 2011-09-04 8:03 AM Mike B. - 2011-09-03 8:23 PM Hi Terry Thanks for that--question why do I need to fit a 40amp fuse and where do I fit it?- between the end of the cable and the + post on the 2nd battery? Mike The diagrams/advice on the following website may help http://www.motts.dsl.pipex.com/second%20leisiure%20battery.htm Thanks-sorted now! Mike
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