Planning electrics - Day van/overnight but not a camper

[GuyT]

This is a bit of a ramble but if you can help I'd be really grateful.

I need to do some electrical planning. I've cleaned out the van (a longer job than anticipated!!) and shall start to insulate very soon.

I currently have a single battery under the drivers seat, I know Beaker mentioned 2 batteries in another post, one for starting and one for internal lighting etc but I definitely only have one battery, so I have space for a second under the drivers seat. First question - will a leisure battery fit under the drivers seat, are they the same dimensions as a regular battery (that could also be a "how long is a piece of string question)...... and then how do you determine your power requirements. I found a calculation for amp/hours recently and it seemed to make sense after I did the calculation about 5 times for bicycle lights.
I'm tempted to buy what I think is called an invertor? where it could potentially power a regular 240v household plug. Most of my use will be as a day van with occasional overnighting so really I'm looking to run internal lights and charge phones although it would be awesome to be able to run a laptop or power a slow cooker while I'm out for the day. What else do I need to be thinking about? I believe the battery will predominantly be charged off the alternator once the 'main' battery has recharged - is it called a split charger? Id also like to plug a solar panel or small (very small) wind turbine/dynamo to top up the leisure battery, if this seems to make sense.

Can anyone who has experience of power requirements give me some insight as to what I need to think about and how long a single leisure battery would last, I believe you shouldn't run a battery below 50% and as such will I need 2 and then where do you put the second? As a slight side point has anyone tried installing conduit to run cables through? One last thing, I think Ill be running all the wiring down the inside of the bodywork behind where the drivers seatbelt is mounted, is it called the A panel? there seems to be just about enough space. What sort of wire should I buy, where would you recommend putting the control panel..... questions questions questions.

As you can see I really don't have much idea but I'm willing to learn and I know what I want the end result to be so any help is appreciated

Cheers

[Beaker]

Just lost my reply to you so apologies for keeping this short.

#1. Mk 6 and 7 only had two batteries as a factory option, so yours is normal.

#2. You need a LOW HEIGHT leisure battery (lower but longer) - you should just be able to get a 100 Ah (or so) battery under the seat. Look for ones advertised as suitable for VW T5/T6. They should fit.

#3. Add up the wattage of all your lights and appliances and divide by voltage to get Amp load. For example if everthing adds up to 120 Watts, divide by 12 Volts to get 10Amps. If EVERYTHING is switched on at the same time your load will be 10 Amp hours (10Ah), so you will take 10 Amps out of the battery evey hour . If your battery is 100Ah you will be able to run for 5 hours (as you say, you only get 50%). If you only have 12 Watts of LED lights (a realistic figure) you could run them for 50 hours.

A 100Ah battery should last you several days without a fridge. You only really need two batteries if you have a lot of power hungry equipment.

#4.Inverters are only needed to run 230V (3 pin) equipment, so you don't really need one - you can buy 12 Volt slow cookers for example.

#5. Yep, Split charge system. I got mine from Simply Split Charge - easy to fit, great quality, easy to follow instructions and superb phone advice. Good info on their website too.

#6. Solar panel - good idea if you are off grid without moving for several days, probably overkill if you just weekend it.

#7. Wind turbine - terrible idea as you need to store it in the van when not in use!

#8. I'm using conduit in mine with 1.5mm marine grade single conductor wire.

#9. Like you, I looked inside the seatbelt spar - not sure it's such a good idea - no exit hole at the top for a start, and I'd hate to do anything that affects the seatbelt mechanism.

#10. My control panel is going on the side of the roof behind the drivers seat - hopefully!

[dumper]

In my van I have two 130 amp battery fitted in the kitchen unit on drivers side of van to run a inverter that is only used to run a 500 w microwave everything else is 12 v led lights night heater tv water pump and two way radio on car rally's

[Beaker]

I forgot to sat that you need to say that you need to rate your cable to the appliances you are using, and Dumper has given a good exanple.

He's using a 500Watt microwave, so usung the formula I=P/V you get I= 500/12 which equals 42Amps. However you need to over-rate the cable by usually 30% or so. In which case 8.5mm 60A wire is needed.

[ake]

Rwd MK 7 had twin batteries as standard, optional on fwd

All MK 6 had single battery as standard

[GuyT]

Thanks for the input chaps. I'll be back with more questions no doubt

[hectors-tranny]

I found 12 Volt Planet really helpful when I did my last conversion. They are more than happy to answer questions and do a ready made split charge kit.

http://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/split-charge-kits.html

(And no I don't work for them and I'm not on commission - just a happy customer!)

[GuyT]

I found 12 Volt Planet really helpful when I did my last conversion. They are more than happy to answer questions and do a ready made split charge kit.

http://www.12voltplanet. class="skimlinks-unlinked">co.uk/split-charge-kits.html</span>

(And no I don't work for them and I'm not on commission - just a happy customer!)

thanks for the recommendation hectors-tranny.

Is there anywhere else to shop for comparison, other than ebay, I've come to realise 12v lighting isn't cheap and I'd like to atleast ideally compare. I spoke to 12voltplanet and they were helpful but when I added up the basics I was a little suprised at the cost, maybe its just my 'tightness' showing

[Beaker]

I got my split charge kit from Simply Split Charge:

http://www.simplysplitcharge.co.uk/store/?gclid=CJjn5vKu0dECFU06GwodUMYIXA

I got three of these from Beam LED:

http://www.beamled.com/20-led-12v-smd-tube-light.html

Ten pack of these from Clearcut Conversions (fitting 9 of these into my ceiling):

http://clearcutconversions.co.uk/shop/mini-led-spotlights-18mm/

And two spot/reading lights that the wife took a particular liking to from ebay - can't remember which seller off the top of my head.

Basically looked at what would work best for me, then found the cheapest reputable seller.

The thing that suprised me was how much wire I needed to hook it all up. I ordered 20 metres and it hardly scratched the surface - had to repeat my order!

[GuyT]

Thanks for the suggestions but I just bit the bullet and ordered it all from 12voltplanet. I figured right now I'm learning and I'd rather pay a little more and "pay" for some advice and get it right. The chaps at 12voltplanet were very helpful. This is the first conversion. Anyway its all enroute via DHL

Second question, can I cut a hole in here..... I appreciate I can, but I don't want to and then fail an MOT for cutting into a structural element of the van!!

20170118_171817_resized.jpg

(its at the bottom of the seat belt pillar behind the drivers seat)

I intend installing a battery monitor which is about 100mm square. I figure I can but any advice would be appreciated.

Its all coming along nicely (very slowly too it seems) but its taking shape

Cheers

[Anglesonian]

i am thinking of doing pretty much the same so will be following this post closely

[Beaker]

There's a grommet in the rear side of it, so there is already at least one hole in it. Is that a hole under the black square, or just a depression?

I was looking at this exact location for my fuse box, but that would only need two small self tappers.

[GuyT]

I'm going to take a closer look today and I think it is a hole under the depression, I think there are 2 infact.


On this next question be patient with me please, I dont really get electrics although even thinking about it this morning it makes sense as to why there is a fuse box!!


I have bought some 12v LED lights, these:

http://ribblesdaleauto.co.uk/products/l ... 12v-7515c/

from 12vplanet but anyway


How do I work out the 'draw'? To work out what fuse I would need to put in? I will have 3 on one circuit and 2 on a seperate. The packaging says equivalent to a 30w bulb but that doesnt help really.

Any help appreciated.

I also get the feeling, that like everything upto now, the basic electrics are going to take longer than I anticipated

[GuyT]

This is what the "pillar" looks like with sticky bits removed

20170127_141451_resized.jpg

and when I buy the basic battery monitor I think it will be mounted on the face (I still have to buy a split charge kit and work out how to get from the battery to the battery monitor to the fuse box etc but I'll get there)

and the I anticipate mounting the fuse box, as below:

20170127_142607_resized.jpg

the fuse box is also a little bigger than I anticipated


Over and out for now

[paulrichardson]

Hi,

Here is a link to the battery I have under the drivers seat in the forward position:-

http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/volkswagen-t5-90ah-xplorer-low-height-leisure-battery/

It is exactly the same battery I bought for the Vans own battery (rear position).

Both have worked perfectly.

Regards,

Paul

P.S. great service from Alpha.