new bongo owner camping power supply question

[bongobaz1]

Hello all!
We just picked up our 1st Ford Freda on monday this week and love it!

Just have one question for now...which is....

there is a hook up connection on the passenger side rear and on the inside there is only a rear cigerrette light socket that runs the cooler box
so i assume the cooler box runs off the leisure battery and if i connect to hook up it will run from that?
is there something i need so i can have a normal plug socket in the back for phone and laptop chargers?
do i just need one of these?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-MINI-AC-2 ... 2c68dc3b3d

thanks in advance

[g8dhe]

Welcome!

If you have a Hook-up socket on the side, then somewhere in the van should be a small "consumer unit" that will provide the necessary circuit protection facilities - what are connected to the circuits will vary! Its down to who ever did the conversion - don't assume you have anything until you have managed to check it out!
Do you have anything marked Zig or PMS with switches and fuses etc. located anywhere these are the most common makes of power control systems for vans, if you do let us know what the number is "Zig marque 1" / "Zig CF9" or "PMS3-V" or whatever. Having the hook-up on the passenger side is less common, its normally fitted on the offside of the vehicle where the conversion is, however maybe you have a conversion unit mounted on the passenger side ?

Cooler boxes are VERY hard on the Leisure Batteries (L/B) be warned, you won't get many hours of use on the battery alone, most conversions use a compressor fridge if you want it to run off the battery for several days.
To charge phones and other low power devices that use a USB connection then consider these http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... b+chargers rather than the invertor type of unit. Also if you have a Hook-up it would be strange to not already have a couple of mains sockets somewhere fed from the devices/consumer unit mentioned above!
For laptops you can either use a standard mains socket on the Hook-up with its normal charger or if you want to run from 12 volts then something like http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... p+chargers which will run off 12 volts (in most cases!)

[bongobaz1]

this is what i have got










ive just also found this white and blue lead now??
will that be for the hook up? will i need some kind of adaptor?
i can see the leisure battery conect through a box onto the main battery so will that be a split charge thing?
sorry all to new to this!

[Roger c]

Can't answer any technical questions but looks like your conversion was done by the same place I got my bongo:

Bringmeabongo.com?

[windywatson]

Hi and welcome to the club.

Taking a look at your photos, it would appear that your mains hook up on the outside of your van has been installed just to get a mains supply inside the van. There is a further plug that I can see in one of your pics of the other end of a 240v (white cable into grey/blue female plug) cable, I would suggest that that is on the other end of the mains hook up inlet socket.
You could therfore purchase a camping mains hook up that usually comes with an RCD & a couple of mains sockets to plug into this. If it were me I would look to install a purpose made caravan/motor home unit as mentioned in the above post.
However, not wanting to dampen your excitment. But looking at the photos I would strongly suggest that if you can, you should get some help to have the electrical system checked out & perhaps improved. That also includes the liesure battery split charging system that is not particularly wired well, should have at least some relavent coloured wiring for positive 12v wires etc. Not very tidy or proffessionally done.
Let us know your whereabouts & you may get a club member with the knowlage to help & pay you a visit to asist if you cant do it yourself.

Or join us at the Rutland Water meet on national bong day East Midlands group & pick the brains of a number of members.

Cheers

[g8dhe]

It rather looks like you have a Hook-up plug on the outside which just leads to hook-up socket;

Unless you have a further unit within the rear cupboard, which is the consumer unit etc.
At present it rather looks like its just a way of getting the mains into the rear neatly but possibly nothing connected to it....
The grey curved box is simply a 4-way cig.socket outlet, which presumably is connected to the L/B ?
The PCT Voltron 1220 is split charge relay system to enable charging of the L/B from the alternator, the wiring doesn't look adequate either! More seriously I can't see a fuse in the white wire running from the S/B to the unit - like wise I can't see a fuse in the White lead from the L/B to the relay either. I jest not when I say that unless those fuses are just not visible in the photo's then your vehicle is a serious fire risk. The batteries will happily put out 400-600 Amps if either of those wires touch earth due to a frayed insulation or your in a minor collision which traps those wires. If your not sure that those fuses are present then get a qualified automotive technician to check out that entire electrical setup ASAP!!!

[windywatson]

Hi me again,

Didn't want to scare you on my last post, but as it's now been mentioned. Your LB wiring does pose risks. There is always the potential to have an electrical fire when circuits are not adequately fused etc.

Cheers

[bongobaz1]

im getting the torch out now to go look for a fuse

[bongobaz1]

right there is defo not a fuse from the white wire going from the l/b into the pct volton box then onto the main battery!!
i will pop it to a auto sparky tomorrow for sure!
also it must be from 'bringmeabongo.com' as some of the photos on there website are on the same add as i bought mine from off ebay
see here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170979882962? ... 1423.l2649

also looking at that site am i just missing that white box in picture 2?

and if thats the case where can i get one and how will it power the electric sink thing?

grrr have i been stung with this one??????

[windywatson]

I suspect that the sink is supplied by a 12v dc submersable pump on the end of the pipe that is in the water bottle. This will have a cable that will be switched by the tap on the sink to make the water flow. So you may have a 12v supply for that from ither the cigy lighter socket or the liesure battery. You may find that the installer of your system has wired the lighter socket at the back to the LB?
Get it all checked out & have it explained to you what is powering what. Personally I would get it all rewired by someone with better skills. By the way I couldn't see a fastening strap across the top of the liesure battery, so check that that is not free to move around. It may be fastened at its base, but mine is the same as the main battery, having a metal bar across the top.

I'm an electrical/electronics trades person myself, and can tell you that whilst your stuff may well work. It hasn't been done by anyone that is showing any quality workmanship.

All the best with getting it checked out.

Cheers

[bongobaz1]

thanks will go to a auto sparky tomorrow and will head over to rutland water too for any members advice / help too!
theres still a few buttons on the dash i dont know what for and a turbo timer too?

[windywatson]

Thanks for the "thanks", your welcome. Look foward to seeing you at Rutland

Cheers

[g8dhe]

Oh my, yes it looks like your missing the the "white box" they didn't look for anything small or sleek did they! I somehow don't think your going to find a charger or 12 volt supply either from the mains to keep the L/B topped up when on site!

[briwy]

Looks like a fan on the window, if it is then it has probably had a Bongo kitchen unit fitted originally as they had a fan in that position. Looks like the Bongo kitchen has been taken out and that unit fitted. If that is the case then there may be addition wiring behind the panel which also needs checking out to make sure there are no problems with it.

[mikeWalsall]

I have a 240 input on the drivers side .. this 'feeds' an RCD (Earth leakage) unit ..then 240 'domestic' 13 amps sockets inside the van ..



Rather than having PCT caravan split charger like you have .. which is generally used for the grey plug on the tow bar when towing a caravan .. mine is fitted with a Zig unit for leisure battery charging ... fridge etc: ..