Leisure Battery

[Keir]

Hi,
New to the forum, recently purchased our first Bongo and I'm kitting it out for some camping in the summer.

I have purchased a change over kit to split charge the batteries but the change over kit only accounts for the vehicle originally having only 1 battery. As far as I've read, the second battery I currently have is a cold start battery. I wouldn't be too keen on removing this battery and then rerouting the power cable to the other original battery as surly I'd be dropping at least half the power. The only way I can see this working is to keep both original batteries and fit the leisure battery with the split charger. My conundrum would then be, has anyone managed to squeeze in a 3rd battery under the engine bay? if not my only option would be to fit it under the permanent bed I have fitted near the back door........

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Keir

[cmm303]

In UK climate one starter battery is adequate. The Bongo is an excellent starter and with interior lights, music and leisure draining the new LB, one SB should not struggle. (If it does there is something else wrong). Replace the passy side starter battery with your leisure battery. The original +ve lead is also replaced with the +ve from your split charger.

A search on here should find discussions about what to do with the redundant +ve lead as it remains live. Choices range from thoroughly insulating the end and securing it out of the way (the quick and dirty) to disconnecting it further back in the loom.

[Bob]

Good advice from Chris, and welcome to the Forum.

The two battery option is only for the very chilly part of Japan, most have only one SB anyhow.

[Keir]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice, I will take the second battery out, I carry a battery booster anyway should it struggle at all.
I was looking from the point of view that both batteries were wired individually when in reality, as your reply states, they are wired together so all I'm doing is remove or safely disregard the cable going to the 2nd battery.


Cheers for the advice

Keir

[cmm303]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice, I will take the second battery out, I carry a battery booster anyway should it struggle at all.
I was looking from the point of view that both batteries were wired individually when in reality, as your reply states, they are wired together so all I'm doing is remove or safely disregard the cable going to the 2nd battery.


Cheers for the advice

Keir

yes, you've got it. In the two SB setup they are connected in parallel.

[mikeWalsall]

The northern specification Bongos have (among other things) two starter batteries wired in parallel giving you twelve volts but double the amps ..

In the UK most use the nearside battery tray to fit a leisure battery in (mine is 110AH)..

The off side is still the starter battery .. I have fitted a land rover 95Ah heavy duty one ..