Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

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Wibbly
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Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

Post by Wibbly » Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:28 pm

I currently have a leisure battery fitted with a PMS 3V/H Power Management System.

1. The battery is only charged by using the hook up cable (not by the alternator when the engine is running)
2. There is a useful 'cigarette lighter' socket in the rear (mounted in the passenger side plastic rear seat pocket trim). But it's only live when the ignition is on, so must be connected to the main battery.

Is 1. expensive additional work to have it optionally charge when the engine is running? What kind of cost is involved?
Is 2. a lot of work to have the socket rewired to be connected to the leisure battery only? What kind of cost is involved?

And anyone in the South East recommended for either of these kind of jobs?
sema4
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Re: Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

Post by sema4 » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:33 pm

1. I am not sure about how the PMS system works - but fitting a Voltage Sensitive Relay and wiring that up to your leisure battery is a fairly easy job. It does depend on where you leisure battery is. When we got our van the leisure battery was in the back, I got a tray and moved it under the bonnet. Just if it is in the cabin of the car then it's a more difficult job as you need to get a wire to it.
2. Very much depends on what you have in the vehicle - and if you can trace the wire easily or not. You might have to do a bit of investigation behind panels etc to see where the feed for the socket goes.
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g8dhe
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Re: Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

Post by g8dhe » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:54 pm

Not that expensive and a forum user also does a kit for both the SPlit Charge Relay and Swap loom to enable powering of sockets, lights and blinds etc when static. https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/bespokeautoe ... ervices_uk
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Rickster
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Re: Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

Post by Rickster » Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:28 pm

I think I've seen split charge kits available for about 40 quid but I can't remember where.
Putting the battery in the back makes it hard work to fetch a big cable through, although it's not impossible.
Rickster
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Re: Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

Post by Rickster » Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:35 pm

sema4 wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:33 pm Very much depends on what you have in the vehicle - and if you can trace the wire easily or not. You might have to do a bit of investigation behind panels etc to see where the feed for the socket goes.
The feed for the rear fag socket runs along the roofline, above the headlining, dropping down to the front crash bar area then to the driver's fuse box.
The wiring for the aforementioned socket is about half a mil diameter, the ground taps into the light cluster ground at the rear of the van, it is supposedly rated up to 10 amps, I would not be happy even putting 5 amps through it, I sent a new heavy feed to it instead, adding another socket for good luck.
Wibbly
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Re: Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

Post by Wibbly » Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:08 am

> The wiring for the aforementioned socket is about half a mil diameter, the ground taps into the light cluster ground at the rear of the van,
> it is supposedly rated up to 10 amps, I would not be happy even putting 5 amps through it, I sent a new heavy feed to it instead, adding
> another socket for good luck.

Yeah, and I've noticed the main cables from the leisure battery are pretty thin (albeit fused) :-(
sema4
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Re: Sorting leisure battery configuration & wiring

Post by sema4 » Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:08 pm

Wibbly wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:08 am Yeah, and I've noticed the main cables from the leisure battery are pretty thin (albeit fused) :-(
Our van suffered from that. I went OTT and wired 4 gauge from the leisure battery to a fused distribution board in the back.
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