Leisure Battery - unconverted Bongo

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Bongoloid
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Leisure Battery - unconverted Bongo

Post by Bongoloid » Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:48 pm

Dear all

We would like to have a leisure battery and electric hookup fitted to our unconverted bongo. We are not interested in a conversion as we have an awning / erde trailer / camping equipment and kids.
Can anyone recommend anywhere in the Kent area as we like to have nights away in the bongo without putting up the awning so would be nice to have internal electrics or not worry about the radio / fridge etc.. ?

Thank you

P.s. I am useless at anything diy so that's not really an option
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by mikeonb4c » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:46 pm

Bongoloid wrote:Dear all

We would like to have a leisure battery and electric hookup fitted to our unconverted bongo. We are not interested in a conversion as we have an awning / erde trailer / camping equipment and kids.
Can anyone recommend anywhere in the Kent area as we like to have nights away in the bongo without putting up the awning so would be nice to have internal electrics or not worry about the radio / fridge etc.. ?

Thank you

P.s. I am useless at anything diy so that's not really an option
These guys know their Bongos and sell a battery tray:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332088765274

And this guy gets v good reports for the leisure battery wiring kits he sells (though this is an extra item for moving Bongo ancillaries across to LB power)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282309319412

You could send him a message to ask if he has any kits.

Once you've got the bits DIY is pretty simple (though i note you're not up for that!) or you could google for a local autoelectrician.
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by Bongoloid » Wed Jan 25, 2017 10:35 pm

Thanks Mikeonb4c

Is it possibly to get Electric hookup added to an unconverted bongo as it would be nice to have power sockets inside as well?

Cheers
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by Bob » Wed Jan 25, 2017 10:43 pm

Yes, that's perfectly possible. Just need to fix the kit in place.

A cheaper/simpler option is something like this:

http://www.leisureoutlet.com/mains-hook ... Gwodp6gBJg

Similar can be had from most camping suppliers and on line. Just put the socket end in through a slightly open window or the rear door. Just don't slam it fully shut. :wink:
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by Bongoloid » Wed Jan 25, 2017 10:55 pm

Thanks Bob , we have one of those that we use in the awning but not sure about leaving a window open all
night. Putting the awning up is a pain for the quick one nighters so would be nice to have electrics inside
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by Bob » Wed Jan 25, 2017 11:14 pm

You only need to have the window open about 1/2", no problem in summer, or just put it in through the rear door and close gently on to the first latch. :wink:

If you are hard wiring sockets you will need a circuit breaker and while you're at it you could fit a charger for the batteries to top them up while pluged into mains. 8)
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by Bongoloid » Thu Jan 26, 2017 7:22 am

Thanks again Bob

Hard wiring would be preferable but way out of my league so any fitter recommendations or anyone had this done ?
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by janie » Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:47 am

Hi,

If you run the wire through the back door (tailgate), the door will shut without damaging either the door or the wire.

Jane
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by mikeonb4c » Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:52 am

Bongoloid wrote:Thanks again Bob

Hard wiring would be preferable but way out of my league so any fitter recommendations or anyone had this done ?
If you call AVA Leisure or 321Away i daresay either of those might be able to do all the work in one trip over to them. But aggregate cost will add up of course.
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by vanvliet » Sun Jan 29, 2017 5:22 pm

[quote="Bob"]You only need to have the window open about 1/2", no problem in summer, or just put it in through the rear door and close gently on to the first latch. :wink:



I had one of these camping circuit breaker units (single socket) fitted in the passenger footwell on a small wooden board -there are bolts already in place in this location so it was a cinch .The cable passed through a large grommet in the bulkhead and I fitted a female plug to the shortened cable to the left of the coolant expansion tank .I was able to plug in the hookup under the bonnet which could be closed leaving just enough room for the cable above the radiator . It took me about an hour to fit and it worked a treat and cost me £20 all in as these camping units are readily available both new and second hand. If you can wire a plug you can do it!
Bonus was that ,with the bonnet closed, nobody could pinch the hookup cable without cutting it :D
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Re: Leisure Batery - unconverted Bongo

Post by mikeonb4c » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:00 pm

vanvliet wrote:
Bob wrote:You only need to have the window open about 1/2", no problem in summer, or just put it in through the rear door and close gently on to the first latch. :wink:



I had one of these camping circuit breaker units (single socket) fitted in the passenger footwell on a small wooden board -there are bolts already in place in this location so it was a cinch .The cable passed through a large grommet in the bulkhead and I fitted a female plug to the shortened cable to the left of the coolant expansion tank .I was able to plug in the hookup under the bonnet which could be closed leaving just enough room for the cable above the radiator . It took me about an hour to fit and it worked a treat and cost me £20 all in as these camping units are readily available both new and second hand. If you can wire a plug you can do it!
Bonus was that ,with the bonnet closed, nobody could pinch the hookup cable without cutting it :D
That sounds like an excellent idea to me. Cutting a hole in the metalwork in the side of the Bongo and fitting a hookup socket may look 'camper-cool' but it is an extra cost and could cause extra rust it seems to me. Understandable if the fitted kitchen and its 240v powerpoints are directly inside, but otherwise (or anyway) I like your solution.
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Re: Leisure Battery - unconverted Bongo

Post by g8dhe » Sun Jan 29, 2017 9:01 pm

Just bear in mind that they aren't designed for fitting in vehicles, they are meant for use in tents.

The reason that this raises problems is that if a fault does develop it will be to the chassis of the vehicle, which is raised up and insulated from earth by 4 rubber wheels. In a tent any fault will develop directly to earth itself.

Now think about the situation of a fault developing the chassis of the vehicle becomes live (to some extent) those inside the vehicle will be fine. However anyone entering or leaving the vehicle will be holding on to the chassis and then putting there shoes onto the ground - result an electric shock between arms chest (heart) down to the feet - good luck!

This is why in a proper installation in a vehicle, the first connection is from the EHU Earth pin to the chassis of the vehicle, the chassis cannot now become live unless the Earth wire in the EHU cable is broken. If you also follow all the rules you will also have a separate connection to a a proper earth spike, to handle this problem as well.
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Re: Leisure Battery - unconverted Bongo

Post by Bongolia » Sun Jan 29, 2017 9:33 pm

g8dhe wrote:Just bear in mind that they aren't designed for fitting in vehicles, they are meant for use in tents.

The reason that this raises problems is that if a fault does develop it will be to the chassis of the vehicle, which is raised up and insulated from earth by 4 rubber wheels. In a tent any fault will develop directly to earth itself.

Now think about the situation of a fault developing the chassis of the vehicle becomes live (to some extent) those inside the vehicle will be fine. However anyone entering or leaving the vehicle will be holding on to the chassis and then putting there shoes onto the ground - result an electric shock between arms chest (heart) down to the feet - good luck!

This is why in a proper installation in a vehicle, the first connection is from the EHU Earth pin to the chassis of the vehicle, the chassis cannot now become live unless the Earth wire in the EHU cable is broken. If you also follow all the rules you will also have a separate connection to a a proper earth spike, to handle this problem as well.
Would connecting the earth of the "extension lead" to the vehicle chassis sort this problem?
I am thinking if this type of device were fitted permanently to the vehicle.
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Re: Leisure Battery - unconverted Bongo

Post by vanvliet » Sun Jan 29, 2017 10:28 pm

g8dhe wrote:Just bear in mind that they aren't designed for fitting in vehicles, they are meant for use in tents.

The reason that this raises problems is that if a fault does develop it will be to the chassis of the vehicle, which is raised up and insulated from earth by 4 rubber wheels. In a tent any fault will develop directly to earth itself.

Now think about the situation of a fault developing the chassis of the vehicle becomes live (to some extent) those inside the vehicle will be fine. However anyone entering or leaving the vehicle will be holding on to the chassis and then putting there shoes onto the ground - result an electric shock between arms chest (heart) down to the feet - good luck!

This is why in a proper installation in a vehicle, the first connection is from the EHU Earth pin to the chassis of the vehicle, the chassis cannot now become live unless the Earth wire in the EHU cable is broken. If you also follow all the rules you will also have a separate connection to a a proper earth spike, to handle this problem as well.
OK I am convinced - maybe not such a good idea after all :shock:
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Re: Leisure Battery - unconverted Bongo

Post by g8dhe » Sun Jan 29, 2017 11:43 pm

Yes if you connect the incoming Earth to a suitable point on the chassis, direct from the block not via a socket, then that makes a substantial improvement. However it does also mean opening up the block and running an earth wire back out, keep the length of earth wire as short as possible and make sure that it can't be broken / disconnected by being pulled etc. best to have the block screwed down firmly.
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