Ian0354 Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 All help greatly appreciated. On previous holidays with our James Cook we have managed with my manual wheel-chair but I am going to need to carry my buggy on the camper for our summer tour in July. Now, when I carried the buggy on my Hymer, although I tried using a solar panel, I nearly always charged the batteries on hook-up but this time we are going to use aires mainly so I need the camper’s electrics suitably modified. The buggy has two 12v 40ah gel batteries. For reasons of weight distribution, security and convenience I don’t want to carry the batteries on the buggy (on a rear carrier) and I can conveniently house them close to the leisure batteries for travel. I know that I could very easily run the buggy’s mains charger through an inverter but I think this is an illogical way to supply the 12v feed while travelling. I can easily get to the leisure batteries to link to the leads which run from the split charging circuit. I can either have the two batteries linked for charging purposes or keep them separate. When the batteries are charged on the mains the power is connected through a 3 pin DIN plug and socket which, while it may be OK for the 3 amp charger, it would be inadequate to handle the power supplied by a 100amp alternator. Will this power need to be attenuated for my requirements? The position the batteries will be in for travel will require the new loom to be, at the most, 2 metres long. What I need to know is what the extra wiring loom needs to comprise of to enable this task. Would I be best having a manual control so that I could select leisure or buggy charge or, ideally, is it possible to have automatic control without it costing a fortune? I have today enquired at my garage as to whether there is anyone local who could do this work and apart from the local Lucas workshop they can’t suggest anyone so it’s down to getting the loom made and then tested professionally. I am no vehicle electrics expert (by any means) but I know what a diode does (just!) and I can solder well but I wouldn’t have a clue what value components I would need to use (Maplin or RS catalogue numbers would be helpful, if anyone can help?). Comments and advice would be appreciated, especially by anyone who has done this type of project before, or from any of our electrical gurus. My apologies for posting on two forums
Guest peter Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 You could possibly use a relay as used on towcars when towing a caravan. It puts 12V to the 'Van when engine is running only. To stop fridge running down engine battery. They are not expensive and are connected directly to the engine battery with an inline fuse. I'm not an expert but this could be a cheap option. I know that Chav's use them to charge up an auxilliary battery to power the enormous stereo systems they love so much.
Clive Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Firstly you need to confirm that should you use a mains hookup that the buggy batteries are either charged via the buggy,s own charger connected to the mains or that the vans own built in charger is suitable for gel batteries. i.e. it does not apply more than 14 volts to the batteries. If the above is confirmed then I would be very tempted to connect the buggy batteries directly in parallel with the leisure battery. No diodes, no special switchery, just for safety a 20 amp fuse in the positive feed and use something like 2.5 or 6 mm sq wire to connect them. Then the alternator will be charging the starter, leisure and buggy batteries simultaneously so the buggy batteries will not recieve such a great charge. I have seen the DIN connectors you refer to on another buggy and these are bigger than those we normally associate with audio. If they are adequate to convey the running current of your buggy then they should be equally suitable for charging. RS Components sell them. If you use this simple aproach then don,t forget to disconnect the buggy batteries when you park up otherwise you will be using them to run your van as well! If your memory is not that good then you will need to fit another "split charge" relay for the buggy battery charging. Details of split charging is on http://www.motts.dsl.pipex.com/SPLIT%20CHARGING%20SYSTEM.htm Do you live far from Telford? I know a man who may just be able to do this work for you. Good luck C.
Ian0354 Posted January 4, 2007 Author Posted January 4, 2007 peter - 2007-01-04 10:32 PM You could possibly use a relay as used on towcars when towing a caravan. It puts 12V to the 'Van when engine is running only. To stop fridge running down engine battery. They are not expensive and are connected directly to the engine battery with an inline fuse. I'm not an expert but this could be a cheap option. I know that Chav's use them to charge up an auxilliary battery to power the enormous stereo systems they love so much. Peter, Thanks for your comments. Using a relay is an idea that had gone through my (almost empty!) mind. It is controlling the system so that it would work only once the MH leisure bank have taken all they require that puzzles me, hence my desire for an automated switching control. I'm sure there is enough combined knowledge on here to sort out whats needed. Happy travels, Ian
Ian0354 Posted January 4, 2007 Author Posted January 4, 2007 Clive - 2007-01-04 10:42 PM Firstly you need to confirm that should you use a mains hookup that the buggy batteries are either charged via the buggy,s own charger connected to the mains or that the vans own built in charger is suitable for gel batteries. i.e. it does not apply more than 14 volts to the batteries. If the above is confirmed then I would be very tempted to connect the buggy batteries directly in parallel with the leisure battery. No diodes, no special switchery, just for safety a 20 amp fuse in the positive feed and use something like 2.5 or 6 mm sq wire to connect them. Then the alternator will be charging the starter, leisure and buggy batteries simultaneously so the buggy batteries will not recieve such a great charge. I have seen the DIN connectors you refer to on another buggy and these are bigger than those we normally associate with audio. If they are adequate to convey the running current of your buggy then they should be equally suitable for charging. RS Components sell them. If you use this simple aproach then don,t forget to disconnect the buggy batteries when you park up otherwise you will be using them to run your van as well! If your memory is not that good then you will need to fit another "split charge" relay for the buggy battery charging. Details of split charging is on http://www.motts.dsl.pipex.com/SPLIT%20CHARGING%20SYSTEM.htm Do you live far from Telford? I know a man who may just be able to do this work for you. Good luck C. Clive, Thank you for your comments. Taking your points in order; The leisure batteries fitted to the James Cook are of the gel type so am I right in thinking there shouldn’t be any problems with too much charging voltage when using mains hook-up? The buggy’s mains charger is switchable for battery type. In your second point you mention connecting the buggy batteries in parallel with the leisure batteries. I had discounted this in my mind because I have read so many times about making sure that all batteries are of the same size and age. While all the batteries are of gel type the leisure bank consists of 2 x 80amp while the buggy batteries are 2 x 40amp. Would there be a problem or would the fact that they would all be being charged at the same time effectively solve this? I note your point “simultaneously so the buggy batteries will not receive such a great charge”. Next, the DIN connector used on my buggy is only used for the 3amp charger and not for the running current which is passed by a quite hefty two pin plug/socket. Maybe if I could match this connector this would be the ideal way to connect to the wires from the leisure bank. I've just been looking through the RS catalogue but couldn't find it, still when I have more time. I know what you mean about Telford but it is a long way from Lowestoft. Thanks again. Regards, Ian
Brian Kirby Posted January 5, 2007 Posted January 5, 2007 If you find yourself driving in rain, with the headlights on, I do just wonder whether the alternator will be able to keep up.That is 240AH of leisure & buggy batteries, the starter battery, the fridge, the headlights, probably the demister fan, and the wipers! Possibly just a bit more than Herr Mercedes may have contemplated?Unless that sparkle on your 'van is an extra-terrestrial power supply, that is :-)
Ian0354 Posted January 5, 2007 Author Posted January 5, 2007 Thanks Brian, That was one thought that was leading me to think of a supply that could be switched, but being a smallish MH I could easily get to the loom to disconnect if I experienced a problem with wipers, etc. The sparkle, perhaps true solar power! Happy travels.
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