Bongo batteries

Steve L · Post by **Steve L** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:43 pm

Hi all,
I've searched on the site and although there is plenty of information regarding fitting leisure batteries I cannot find the answer to my questions.
There is also very little in the Bongo users manual.
My bongo already has two batteries, which look to have been fitted as standard. The nearside one I assume is the starter battery as the positive lead goes towards the engine.
The one on the offside has a relay/fusebox on the positive side.
My questions are:-
1. Which of the batteries will I be using when plugging into either the front cigar lighter socket or the rear 12v plug.
2. Will the alternator automatically charge them both up (the batteries).

I already have a portable 3 way fridge which I intend to use on 12v (only when the engine is running) and wandered which was the best connection to use.

Thanks

Post by **westonwarrior** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:47 pm

Starter battery is on the off side
Some Bongos from nothern japan had a second starter battery fitted for the cold
if that is so you can disconnect it and use that as the lesiure battery

Steve L · Post by **Steve L** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:54 pm

Thanks for that, so the nearside one I currently have is defunct other than for starting in cold weather and all the interior power is routed to the offside battery. Have I got that right?

madmile · Post by **madmile** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:28 pm

No - If you have the twin battery set up then they are both used all the time for starting etc.
The bongo will happily start on just one, so the other can be disconnected and replaced with a proper leisure battery. There is nothing to stop you using your spare as a leisure battery, but it will not last long or perform well as it is not designed to be used this way.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:29 pm

No, the two batteries are connected in parallel.

They are equal in charging/discharging and function.

You will need to do some fairly complex (and skilled) rewiring to use the passenger side one as a leisure battery.

There has been much discussion on this topic and there is a lot of info in the forum to help you. Try the search function (at top of this page) by typing in (without the quotation marks) " secondary AND battery ".

If you are not technical/electrical then you will need to call in an expert - vehicle batteries are dangerous beasts.

Post by **westonwarrior** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:36 pm

ty I was looking for the correct info but you beat me to it.

I stand corrected on the battery use
but I read in Morags thread about leisure batterys to just disconect the starting feed from the second battery and insulate it did I read wrong

madmile · Post by **madmile** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:56 pm

I think I would echo pippins warning, that if you are not happy with wiring, then best left to people who are competent to carry out such work. That said, a good many people on this site have followed the advice given by pippin and others (corblimey etc) and produced very tidy leisure battery set ups.
The wiring will involve approx 7-10m of cable with 4 fuses and a relay, not to mention probably tapping into the main fusebox. Nothing (IMHO) that a competent DIY person could not accomplish given a couple of hours and the correct tools etc, but obviously there is plenty of room for mistakes if not totally sure.
Weston Warrior - you are correct in reading morags post - the battery on the passenger side can be isolated by removing the terminal and insulating it(best to also cable tie it into a safe position where it will not cause the insulation to chafe.