How to fit a leisure battery

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:36 pm

I hope you've not got plans for this weekend Mike cos I've got another job for you!

Here are the full instructions on how to fit your leisure battery.

http://www.instructables.com/id/EHJ8Q4LF0FI39R8/

If you've got any constructive criticism or spot any howlers please let me me know.

Ian and Ozric feel free to publish at will.

Cheers

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:36 pm

I'll update the howto if you find anything difficult to understand or just plain wrong so let me know how you get on.

I plan to wire up the lights, stereo, etc. this weekend so there may well be a follow on howto soon,

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:22 pm

Saw this and thought of you Mike

330106507941

I was trawling the net last night looking for parts to wire up my accessories to my leisure battery and found this item.

Re: your recent posts about rewiring lights without having to have the snip. I too am not keen to start hacking the original loom and like the idea of patching the exisiting fuse box. This item looks just the ticket but it's a tad expensive.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:26 am

Morning corblimey (and pippin).

Read through the instructions last night. There is a minor area you might want to check out (I didnt make notes - should have). The instructions (around Step 3 or 4 I think) talk about a -ve battery lead 'we made earlier', but when I looked back I couldnt find reference. You might want to re-read and just make sure (could be me being thick - not unheard of!) that everyting makes sense and that the parts list includes all the (27 amp?) leads the reader will need.

But great work - really! Off to Scout camp - must dash!

Mike

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:50 am

Hi Mike

Thanks for reading through it.

I think it's step 5 you are refering to. I have now changed it to read

"Connect the -ve cable we made in step 4 to the -ve starter battery clamp and then other end into input 6 (marked 0v) of the VSR."

Is that better?

I have read through it a few times but the trouble is I know what I'm trying to say so it makes sense to me. That's why feedback is really useful, please keep it coming.

Morning Pippin

Yeah, a clever little widget isn't it.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:15 am

Will do. I know the problem exactly. Its a wise person who invites other eyes to look over their work and give feedback. Sorry its so rushed - short on time this end as usual. I'll try and do a more considered review if I get a moment but - to be honest - I think that was about hte only area where I was left a little confused. There may be something right at the end (amybe to do with exactly when to put fuses in, test etc but I can remember - I'll look again).

Fantastic piece of work though. I'm sure all BF will join me in congratulating you. Version 2 would only need a slight expansion to cover fitting a heavy duty relay (for those who feel they must have one) etc. etc. But that all comes much later!!!

best

Mike

ParkerNorris · Post by **ParkerNorris** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 11:33 am

Corblimey

Have you got contact details for the guy who makes the battery trays ?

Thanks

alphabetter · Post by **alphabetter** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:47 pm

Meanwhile I got my leisure battery installed with the split charge today. I am absolutely knackered. My diving club were throwing out loads of wiring from old boats and trailers which I salvaged including a couple of lovely

earth straps.

Basically similar to corblimey's installation with a few wizzo modifications. I am going to use the "fridge" outlet from the relay to drive a warning light so you can see in the cab when the relay is engaged. I've also put in an override switch so that you can switch the output on to the starter battery in an emergency. I also took the main positive from the big bolt in the fuse-box instead of the battery directly. I think this makes a neater installation and safer because your feed is already fused by the wiring loom.

Plan for tomorrow is to wire the lights and kitchen to the leisure battery. Hopefully get some photos for you.

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 10:29 am

Nice one alpha.

Photos would be great I can add the to the howto if you want.

I was going to wire my internals yesterday but couldn't decide excatly what I wanted to do so I carried on building my kitchen unit instead.

I'm going to go and sit in my van in a bit, poke around with my multimeter and scratch my head until I can decide what I want to do.

alphabetter · Post by **alphabetter** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 1:12 pm

Right job done.

Here is the installation. You can see the connection to the +ve supply on the left of the photo. It is the thing under the nut on the main fusebox. On the side of the box containing the voltage sensitive relay is a set of fuses for the equipment connected to the leisure circuits.

Here is the finished job. Inside I had a separate power supply to the kitchen in the back which installed anyway so I just disconected its tee off the Bongo's circuit and connected to a new wire from the leisure battery. I also cut

the circuit to the interor ligts and connected that to the leisure battery.

While some people can't bear to cut wires I can't bear to drill holes so the control box is held down with hot-melt glue.

Does anyone know where the fuse/wiring for the radio is? I can't find it listed on any of the literature I have.

vic swan · Post by **vic swan** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:11 pm

If my memory serves me correctly, it is the top left fuse in the box by your right knee.

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:13 pm

That's right vic.

Top left number 1 (listed as interior on the fact sheet). I checked mine this afternoon. So your stereo should already be sorted Alpha

I'm going to move my starter feed to the fuse box like yours Alpha. You're right it's a neater job. I'm not sure how you'll be any safer though surely it's the 25 amp fuse that's the important one.

alphabetter · Post by **alphabetter** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:44 pm

vic swan wrote:If my memory serves me correctly, it is the top left fuse in the box by your right knee.

Yes you're right, but my radio still only comes on when the ignition is in "acc". Something odd there.

<Edit> Ah I've found the manual and see what the problem is. Need to swap a connector over in the harness to override the "acc" detect. All I need to do now is find the radio release tool! Easier said than done.

corblimey wrote:I'm not sure how you'll be any safer though surely it's the 25 amp fuse that's the important one.

I agree that the fuses in the new wiring should always blow first, but I like the idea of having a backup if something bad happens that the fuses I put in don't cover

wrster · Post by **wrster** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 10:48 pm

Wouldn't it be easier to make the 'acc' permanently live from the leisure? that way your blinds etc also work with the ignition off, from your leisure battery...

Cheers for the beer by the way...

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:05 pm

Got final bits and installed my leisure battery today. No problems at all thanks to corblimeys instructions and took about 1hr to do. Simplicity itself. Thanks mate

So now it is sitting there getting nicely charged, but not doing anything useful. Must find time to turn my attention to Phase 2

Mike