Leisure Battery help

[Morag]

I'm about to start fitting a leisure battery to my Bongo. I've got all the leads made as per Corblimeys fab instructions and I'm about ready to go. I've got a 'twin battery' North Japan Bongo so I already have a battery tray installed. I also have a long positive lead running from the second battery across the top of the engine which travels to a large bunch of leads and cables and I believe re-emerges and attaches to the positive on the starter battery. What do I do with this lead when I'm fitting the leisure battery?

[2sticks]

With a factory fitted twin battery installation, this cable is connected to the starter solenoid together with the cable
from the standard battery, presumably to balance the cable resistance from each battery.

If you are fitting a leisure battery, then this cable will not be needed, just fully insulate the battery terminal and fix it
somewhere convenient in case you want to return to the original installation. With the right terminals you could also
use it as the positive charging supply for your leisure installation.

[Morag]

Okay, I hope I've got this right. I can just insulate the terminal where it attaches to the second battery, carry on flollowing corblimeys instructions and it will be okay? What has caused the confusion is that when I took the connector off of the positive end of the starter battery there was an L shaped connector and a smaller terminal connection to a thinner cable. I was worried they were somehow connected to the second battery as I can't see where the second battery cable goes due to it be covered in cable wrap.

[francophile1947]

No problem - only the large cable runs between the batteries, and this can be dealt with as 2sticks said.

[Morag]

OKay, next problem, I thought I was being smart using the battery tray which housed the second battery but my 110ah leisure battery won't fit (too tall). Do I have to irder new moulded battery tray thingy from Ebay or has anyone used a 110ah battery that fitted the standard tray.

[boyfrombrasil]

What size is the normal engine (AMP/H) battery?

As I have read everywhere that the leisure battery should be smaller than the main one! So maybe you are heading towards further problems.

Perhaps someone could tell us why this should be the case, although I guess it has something to do with the split charge relay.....?

Maybe it would be easier for you to buy a leisure battery thats fits in the space.

P.S. In the process of getting the bits for a leisure battery myself so I haven't fiited one yet. They say a little knowledge is dangerous.....

[madmile]

The leisure battery does not have to be smaller than the main bongo battery, but lack of space dictates that it is unlikey to be much bigger.
I replace most batteries on my bongos with a 95-100amp battery. The space to put in a leisure battery is limited to approx 34cm long and approx 21cm height. You will find many 110amp batteries just a bit to big - if not for the space then they may still be a bit long for the tray.
Of course, going for a more compact battery which is high power usually increases the cost.
I have settled on a compact 105 amp battery for my conversions and it has additional screw on terminals as standard so you can dispense with battery clamps.

[moonshine]

I second that Madmile. Most boats have leisure batteries many times the capacity of the engine battery. I have 220 ah leisure batteries on mine, with about 75 - 80 ah engine battery. Don't know where that idea started.

[daveblueozzie]

Have fitted a leisure battery tray (moulded plastic ) and a 110 amp battery,l bit of a tight fit but it does fit , all ive got to do now is wire it up