Bongo Fury

I have recently purchased a 100 amp Numax leisure battery, the battery tray will be ordered this week and installed , I was just wandering has anyone purchased the mazda Bongo split relay on offer on Ebay for £40 and will it suit my needs .

I know absolutely nothing about electrics, I just want to be able to use the leisure battery and not worry about draining the main vehicle battery when starting up the next day.

i think waycar8 bought his split relay from an ebayer ,he was impressed with it and very easy to fit .i think the bloke selling the battery trays (the moulded ones also sells the split relays ,i think his name is willington or something like that exelent trays i bought one myself

Seller is Clearcut Conversions.

They do Bongo conversions so they should know what they are doing and have many recommendations on this site.

But.... is the relay a voltage sensing relay (VSR), which would make the wiring so much easier?

And then you need to wire in the various items that you wish to run off of the leisure battery. Does the wiring account for that?

Start here http://www.instructables.com/id/EHJ8Q4L ... /?ALLSTEPS for simple steps to install your own.

There has been much discussion on split charging and the concensus seems to be that a voltage sensing relay is the best way to go. The only make I know that do a 70 amp VSR are Nagares (as sold by Willinton on ebay). They are quite difficult to get hold of. Willinton does sell then on their own for around £26, but not as far as I know as part of a kit. I have sold a few relay kits on ebay my self and whilst I have not got the time to make any more at present I am happy to give a list of components to make a Voltage sensing split charge relay kit.
You can make one with a standard relay, but so many people have reported problems with the sediment and charge light glowing that there seems little point persueing this route.
Also you will want to run your ancillaries from the leisure battery as there is little point fitting a leisure battery otherwise.

-Obtain a VSR - the amperage capacity will determine the wire and fuse capacity required.
-I use a 4 fuse box to safeguard all connections although you could use separate in line fuses.
-Wire from main battery +ive to VSR via fuse.
-wire from VSR to leisure battery+ive via fuse.
-wire from VSR to earth.
-wires from leisure battery to main fuse box (see pippins instructions) to feed ancillaries.
-earth straps for leisure battery (equivalent size to input current).

This method requires approx 7 meters of wire 30A/70A, a VSR, 4 fuses or a fusebox and some crimps and ring crimps (or battery clamp fittings).
Using a 30A VSR i would guess the parts would cost circa £30-£40 to source, but substitute a 70A VSR and appropriate increased wire and you will be looking at nearer £60 for the parts to make a complete loom for your leisure battery set up.

I would certainly recommend going for a higher output set up if you intend to give your leisure battery a good kicking such as using inefficient 12v coolboxes etc. If you completely drain a leisure battery then it is likely that you will blow fuses on the charging system if it is set up with say a 30A relay as the initial high charge is experienced.
If you have moderate useage, say a compressor coolbox and radio / lights etc and will be travelling each day then you are unlikely to require much more than a 30A set up.
Horses for courses I suppose, but if your doing it from scratch, may as well go for 70A set up if you can find suitable parts.

madmile wrote:Horses for courses I suppose, but if your doing it from scratch, may as well go for 70A set up if you can find suitable parts.

I totally agree. Better to have the extra capacity and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Thanks,



I think I will buy the one off Ebay with the 70 amp VSR for £40 and get my bro to fit as he is an electrician and i am not !!

Is this the relay 250150957067 on ebay you are refering to? As boyfrombrasil has pointed out this is being sold by clearcut conversions and does not appear to be a voltage sensing rely (note the forth low current "trigger" feed to the relay).

Personally I wouldn't go for it for the reasons Madmile has already pointed out. If you read my Instructable I list a suitable relay in the parts list. It's only a 30A one but it should be fine. If you can get the Nagares from Willinton go for it but unfortunately he doesn't appear to be selling them at the moment.

If you prefer not to snip your Bongo loom to patch the power take a look at this thread
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... hp?t=11189