Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

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Raggy37
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Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by Raggy37 » Mon May 13, 2019 11:19 am

Hi
Newcomer to Bongoing here.
We have bought a Leisure Battery online. How do people recommend we go about fitting it?

1) Do it ourselves? (we are not techy!) If so, where can we see some decent instructions?
2) Get a Garage to do it, - specialist Bongo or any garage?
3) Get an electrician to do it?

Finally if anyone has any recommendations for garages/electricians who would do this for a reasonaable price, that would be great. We are in the Hastings/Eastboiurne area of East Sussex.

Many thanks

Ps - The battery is a Power Plus ABS Leisure & Marine Type XD36.
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g8dhe
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by g8dhe » Mon May 13, 2019 11:44 am

You may need more than just a battery, infact its normal to choose the battery AFTER fitting the battery tray to make sure the physical size of the battery will fit in place!
You need a battery Tray for the nearside,
you need a Split Charging System,
you need a Swap loom,
all of these can be bought online https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/bespokeautoe ... pg=&_from= he also does battery trays.
Its not difficult to fit yourself and there are a variety of installers who know what is required, however your average garage are not always the people to refer to they understand engines and chassis in general but unless they have a campervan themselves would not appreciate what is required for installing a LB system.
Geoff
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Raggy37
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by Raggy37 » Mon May 13, 2019 12:23 pm

The vehicle previously had a leisure battery so I think we have all them, we certainly have a battery tray.

So if I don't go to an average garage, what is our best bet? Who should we go to, or where would we find decent instructions to do it ourselves?

Thanks
Bob
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by Bob » Mon May 13, 2019 1:11 pm

Bongos are not fitted with leisure battreies as standard.

However, some from the North island have two starter batteries due to very cold winters, so will have a second battery tray. It's possible the second starter battery has been removed so bear in mind the possitive lead may well be live.

If yours has this there will be a switch with an engine icon on the dash.

If you have wiring for a leisure battery just put the new one in place, clamp down and connect leads, bering in mind the possibilty of a live connector.

Otherwise I would recommend an auto electrician or possibly somewhere that works on motor homes.

If you pop a rough location in your profile we may be agle to suggest somewhere. :wink:
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g8dhe
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by g8dhe » Mon May 13, 2019 2:25 pm

The kits that Karl BAES Chadwick supplies do have excellent instructions on installing each part and Karl is on this forum from time to time so may pop up he isn't close you however unless your planning on a trip to Wigan way!
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Raggy37
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by Raggy37 » Mon May 13, 2019 8:22 pm

Bob wrote: Mon May 13, 2019 1:11 pm Bongos are not fitted with leisure battreies as standard.

However, some from the North island have two starter batteries due to very cold winters, so will have a second battery tray. It's possible the second starter battery has been removed so bear in mind the possitive lead may well be live.

If yours has this there will be a switch with an engine icon on the dash.

If you have wiring for a leisure battery just put the new one in place, clamp down and connect leads, bering in mind the possibilty of a live connector.

Otherwise I would recommend an auto electrician or possibly somewhere that works on motor homes.

If you pop a rough location in your profile we may be agle to suggest somewhere. :wink:
The Bongo definitely already had a leisure battery, but it was old and worn out so got taken out.
So most of the wiring should be there, but we want to make sure everything goes through the leisure battery (lights, etc) rather thanthe main battery, so we need someone who knows what they are doing.
We are in the Hastings/Eastboiurne area of East Sussex. Thanks
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by g8dhe » Mon May 13, 2019 9:35 pm

You can check yourselves if there is a swap loom already fitted, remove the cover to the fuse panel down by the drivers right knee and if there are 4 wires replacing fuses on the top row then you already have a swap loom fitted, the 4 wires should lead back off to an added fuse panel usually located near to the where the LB sits, there will also be a couple of other larger fuses feeding the charging Relay which will be located again normally under th bonnet somewhere the two fuses will be located close to each battery terminal, be aware that the one feeding the LB will be LIVE when the vehicle is running as it will be connected via the relay to the SB terminal!
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ade33
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by ade33 » Tue May 14, 2019 3:50 pm

If you don't like the idea of doing it yourself, you could do worse than Harris Motors in Woodingdean, just outside Brighton. We use them too look after our van and I'd bet they would be able to sort you out. There's always a brace of Bongos outside and they're a good bunch.

edit - welcome to the site btw, we're based in Seaford.
Raggy37
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Re: Leisuer Battery Fitting - Newbie Question

Post by Raggy37 » Fri May 17, 2019 8:48 pm

ade33 wrote: Tue May 14, 2019 3:50 pm If you don't like the idea of doing it yourself, you could do worse than Harris Motors in Woodingdean, just outside Brighton. We use them too look after our van and I'd bet they would be able to sort you out. There's always a brace of Bongos outside and they're a good bunch.

edit - welcome to the site btw, we're based in Seaford.
Thanks for the tip ade, we might try them.
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