Leisure battery via alternator

furyash

Guest
Hi. I have just joined the world of campervaning and so far I am loving it :) I have always wild camped with my tent, and this is just an extension of my wild camping fun.

My van is a SWB Iveco Daily 29l9, with lights throughout, a heatsource 1600 and an electric hook up with two power sockets. The trouble is that everything is powered off the vans battery, so when we are parked up, with the lights and music on, I always worry about draining the battery, and once it gets to winter I am going to need the lights and heater on a lot more (I live in Scotland).

I have been reading up on leisure battery's all over the net, but I am finding it all very confusing. I only wild camp, so use of the EHU whilst away wouldn't really be an option, and solar panels in Scotland in the winter?!?!? So I am thinking of charging from the vans battery or alternator, I realise this has mixed reviews, but for me I think that is the best solution.

Now the next problem is that I am a complete ape when it comes to anything electrical, and struggle to understand any of it! Pictures are best. Could anyone suggest any links/point me in the right direction of what needs to be done (listed in detail), as well as all the parts (what cables, split chargers ect) I need please? Or could anyone here tell me what I need to do and buy?

Thanks very much for any help, I feel like a rabbit in the headlights right now!

Ash
 
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along - but the issue is probably with efficiency.
If you're driving around every day, then a split charge relay will do you fine.

If you're stopped, then it may get rather expensive - however, I've been trying to work out relative costings myself.
I suspect for me, having a 6lt TD, it'll certainly be cheaper to run the 4kva generator I have, despite that being far from cheap to run!

Also, alternators aren't the most effective way to charge up leisure batteries - not a problem if you're driving anyway, but if you're running the engine just for that, may be worth looking at things like the sterling 'battery to battery' charger.

A van I used to have, the previous owner had just put a switch in, which you flicked on when driving. Seemed to work ok, though a less sophisticated solution and there's no doubt ways it can harm the batteries etc.
 
how split charge relays work and why we need them.

that would do the job,but I prefer the heavier duty 40amp Smartcom relay,which I know has adjustment on it. these relays 'sense' when the alternator is spinning and charging,ie when the engine is running.this causes a switch inside to close which then connects the van battery to the leisure battery. now both batteries are being charged by the alternator..the switch closing also connects the ''fridge'' connection to the van battery.this ensures the fridge is connected to the van battery only when the engine is running. when you turn off the engine, the switch in the relay opens and disconnects the van battery.now the fridge can only run off the 240v hookup or the gas.as the LB is also disconnected from the van battery,there's no fear of running flat the van/starter battery.
these relays are easy to fit as it used to be necessary to connect relays to the ignition wire to the alternator,difficult for a diy-er, but fuses are vital for safety reasons,a lot of power is being harnessed here !
 
geebus said:
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along - but the issue is probably with efficiency.
If you're driving around every day, then a split charge relay will do you fine.

If you're stopped, then it may get rather expensive - however, I've been trying to work out relative costings myself.
I suspect for me, having a 6lt TD, it'll certainly be cheaper to run the 4kva generator I have, despite that being far from cheap to run!

Also, alternators aren't the most effective way to charge up leisure batteries - not a problem if you're driving anyway, but if you're running the engine just for that, may be worth looking at things like the sterling 'battery to battery' charger.

A van I used to have, the previous owner had just put a switch in, which you flicked on when driving. Seemed to work ok, though a less sophisticated solution and there's no doubt ways it can harm the batteries etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for your reply Geebus. The van is my daily runaround, so I would hope that would be enough to keep the charge up? I think that the Durite split charge relay I have posted works in the same way as the one you have described at the bottom of your post, except it switches itself on and off?

Thanks.
 
geebus said:
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along - but the issue is probably with efficiency.
If you're driving around every day, then a split charge relay will do you fine.

If you're stopped, then it may get rather expensive - however, I've been trying to work out relative costings myself.
I suspect for me, having a 6lt TD, it'll certainly be cheaper to run the 4kva generator I have, despite that being far from cheap to run!

Also, alternators aren't the most effective way to charge up leisure batteries - not a problem if you're driving anyway, but if you're running the engine just for that, may be worth looking at things like the sterling 'battery to battery' charger.

A van I used to have, the previous owner had just put a switch in, which you flicked on when driving. Seemed to work ok, though a less sophisticated solution and there's no doubt ways it can harm the batteries etc.
Click to expand...

I had a 70amp relay, in-line fuses etc, last time.....after speaking to my garage I now have a very heavy battery cable from the starter battery to the Aux battery with a heavy duty cut off switch in between and it's working well....I only do weekends away so this method works fine for me...the Aux battery is a heavy duty van battery Not a leisure battery.
 
n brown said:
that would do the job,but I prefer the heavier duty 40amp Smartcom relay,which I know has adjustment on it. these relays 'sense' when the alternator is spinning and charging,ie when the engine is running.this causes a switch inside to close which then connects the van battery to the leisure battery. now both batteries are being charged by the alternator..the switch closing also connects the ''fridge'' connection to the van battery.this ensures the fridge is connected to the van battery only when the engine is running. when you turn off the engine, the switch in the relay opens and disconnects the van battery.now the fridge can only run off the 240v hookup or the gas.as the LB is also disconnected from the van battery,there's no fear of running flat the van/starter battery.
these relays are easy to fit as it used to be necessary to connect relays to the ignition wire to the alternator,difficult for a diy-er, but fuses are vital for safety reasons,a lot of power is being harnessed here !
Click to expand...

Hello, sorry, that's confused me a bit. So do I need the 40amp smartcom relay as well as the durite split charge relay I posted? I thought the Durite split charge sensed the alternator spinning/extra power and then switched to charge the leisure battery as well? I don't have a fridge, just a very small cool box, I don't think it would take much power to cool it??? My hook up is only connected to two plug sockets.

Thanks
 
AuldTam said:
I had a 70amp relay, in-line fuses etc, last time.....after speaking to my garage I now have a very heavy battery cable from the starter battery to the Aux battery with a heavy duty cut off switch in between and it's working well....I only do weekends away so this method works fine for me...the Aux battery is a heavy duty van battery Not a leisure battery.
Click to expand...

Cheers. Sounds good, but I use the van a lot, and once I have this rigged up I am planning on using the lights/radio/heater/cool box a lot more as well, so I going to invest in a good battery. The Durite is 140amp, that's good right?

Thanks
 
I would suggest using the Smartcom instead of the lower rated Durite,but either will work
 
I starting to figure out that I don't need to charge directly from the alternator, battery to battery will work with a split charger (right?), and it is better that the van is used a lot to keep the charge up (right? It is my daily run about anyway). So alternator to van battery to split charger to leisure battery correct? And then do I need to go to inline fuses to electrics (lights/heater etc?), or can I go from the leisure battery directly to the electrics?

Thanks again.
 
ha ! sorry mate,i'm getting lost between these 2 threads and missed the last system and got it mixed up with the Iveco 30a one you linked !
if you can afford it that one for £90 is the best bet,no doubt about that. but if you can't afford that, a 40 amp Smartcom at £15 will do the job,but not as well, sorry for the confusion !
 
on the same theme vwalan do you think that a normal lead acid car battery is just as good as a leisure yes in know about the plates thickness and all that ut im sure i read on the sterling website that most leisure batteriers are just rebadged car batteries, you thoughts on this alan would be good
 
hi. over the years have tried them all .i come back to a good quality truck battery every time . usually cheaper lasts longer and works ok . yes forklift batteries are better but cost more so for me truck ones work fine . i usually have big ones and some the same size as engine battery so in emergency i can shift one or two to get the truck going .
but in my earlier vw,s a 100amp truck battery worked fine .
 
vwalan said:
for years all i had was a thick cable going from engine battery to a leisure battery . the neg of lb to earth or metal of van .
had one of those big red tractor type switches in the positive wire . start up ,turn switch to charge leisure battery .stop turn off switch .
you soon get the hang of it .MARINE SINGLE POLE BATTERY CUT OFF SWITCH 12/24V 100AMP | eBay.
Click to expand...

Hi, really, you recon that's ok? What set up are you using now? If all that's need is a thick cable, some terminal points, and a turn/cut off switch and an earth cable then Im laughing! Much cheaper!!!! But would it be as reliable? Would the health of the battery's/electrics suffer? Would I have to monitor the battery's with a multi-meter more often?

Thanks
 
vwalan said:
hi. over the years have tried them all .i come back to a good quality truck battery every time . usually cheaper lasts longer and works ok . yes forklift batteries are better but cost more so for me truck ones work fine . i usually have big ones and some the same size as engine battery so in emergency i can shift one or two to get the truck going .
but in my earlier vw,s a 100amp truck battery worked fine .
Click to expand...

thanks for that info alan
 
totally different now i use 240v fridge washing machine etc .have a different life style .i leave here for 6 months dont have ehu .just use the sun and a 24v battery to 12v battery charger , the sun powers 6 solar panels that feed 600amp of batteries plus 100amp spare in the unit . thats run off the truck bat to bat . but i connect it during driving .
but just for weekends and a bit of tv radio cassette computer use . i would use the old system . couple hrs tv or couple hours computer . radio doesnt use much . tell us what you want to use etc we can advise more . but i thought you were just weekend camping . not 6 month touring .
i used the cable system on my truck originally but no computer no fridge no washing machine .
cassette radio off 12v .
horses n courses now i live in luxury when away .
even changed the fridge for a fridge freezer . big inverter to allow lots of 240v use.
 
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