Hardwiring 12v 25amp Anderson connector to run 12v motorhome electrics

[Moped]

I have noted that several larger portable power stations have 12v 25a Anderson outlets. These can be used to power your 12v system in your camper or motorhome as an alternative and more efficient way than using the onboard power station inverter with a hook up arrangement.

Given the original equipment leisure batteries are already fitted and wired in, I was thinking that using a 3 way switch (off, battery 1, battery 2) and placing the switch between the inline fuse and the leisure battery, it would be possible to wire the Anderson lead and the leisure battery leads to the switch that enables you to select either the leisure battery or the portable power station to run the 12v power circuit. You might need two switches, one each for the positive and negative circuits to and from the leisure battery.

Has anybody done this with a power station Anderson outlet port and if so how have you set up the connections to run your 12v system?

In the way I have suggested or another method?

In fact has anybody done this type of fix for any secondary 12v power source using an either/or arrangement where they require one battery to be portable?

 

[wildebus]

I use the 50A Anderson Plugs extensively in my Motorhome, as well as 3-way isolation switches.
Using one switch I can select the full battery bank (the default), the Lithium part, the Lead Part, or neither.
If I choose neither, I can plug in another 12V source into an Anderson plug to feed into the system. Usually that Anderson plug is there to connect a tyre compressor (power out) or a auxiliary 20A AC Charger (power in). It would be very easy to connect a Portable Power Station into that Anderson plug.

 

[Moped]

I don’t want to alter any of the existing Sargent lead acid OEM electrics but do want to boost 12v power reserves, if lead acid reserves run low, by having the option of switching to a high powered 200ah lithium battery which can be charged independently.

Now that the switch idea and a simple plug in connector has been verified to work I can investigate further.

The only issue I can see is that it might affect the Sargent control panel but there is a lithium setting so this would probably need to be switched from lead acid to lithium at the same time as the battery is switched over. Clearly you need to be able to verify independently how much juice is left in the lithium battery so one with a Bluetooth type feature and app would be useful.

The Sargent AC 240v system would not be available as this is an off grid arrangement so it is not impacted by this.

 

[merl]

You don't need to switch the negatives,, basically ALL of the negatives are connected together and then you put your changeover switch in the positive supply with the Common to the system electrics, one of the switch terminals to the hab battery and the other to the positive on the Anderson that plugs into your portable supply. I'm not familiar with the fine details of your particular Sargent system but it may be a good idea to get a changeover switch that 'makes before breaks' so that the system doesn't lose all power momentarily when swapping over, if it does you could have to re-start the control panel, tv etc back up.
The lithium setting on your Sargent will set the battery charge profile but as you wont be charging from the mains this isn't relevant.
I would expect the output on the portable to be fused inside the unit its self but best to check and add a 20/25A fuse if not.
The sargent systems readout of available remaining power will most likely be inaccurate when you switch over to the lithium so agree with getting one with blue tooth app to monitor the available power accurately is always a good idea.
All pretty simple but if you need a wiring sketch just ask.