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Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

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Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby Fudoshin » Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:22 pm

Hi all,
I've had a lwb dciv limited from new (2yrs old now) and have just got around to asking a question that's been bugging me for a while. The van was pre ordered by the dealer for stock so I didn't choose the options but it came pretty loaded including the auxiliary battery and 230v socket- brilliant I thought until I realised that it only works when the ignition is on (position 2- ie ignition lights on he dash). Is it me or does that complete defeat the point of having a second battery that you can run things off wihout draining the main battery? It seems to me that if it only really works when your driving you'd never drain the main battery anyway....? The 12v socket on the dash is however constant live- does this run off the main battery or of the auxiliary? Should it be that the 230v socket is constantly live ( like you'd have if you install a leisure battery for the same purpose)?

I generally love the van but this and the inability to be able to get out of the tail lift (many posts on here about that!) just seem completely stupid especially when it's such a well thought out vehicle other than these points...

If this is how the 230v should be has anyone switched it to constant live? How easy was it and did you do it yourself or get someone else to - if so who?

Thanks in advance for your time!
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby S60r » Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:22 pm

Hi, same van as you.

I was looking into the 230v inverter but ditched the idea as my findings were as you describe. Instead I may get a leisure battery and a "proper" inverter added to charge tools. The oem is really low power and needs ignition as you say.

Hopefully someone will come along who has the answer to your question as I'm sure there are a few who would want to do this.
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby vanvliet » Sat Sep 17, 2016 2:53 pm

As a related aside - you can ordera Ford Programmable battery guard but it isn't compatible with the Ford inverter
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby ake » Sat Sep 17, 2016 3:46 pm

Fudoshin wrote:Hi all,
I've had a lwb dciv limited from new (2yrs old now) and have just got around to asking a question that's been bugging me for a while. The van was pre ordered by the dealer for stock so I didn't choose the options but it came pretty loaded including the auxiliary battery and 230v socket- brilliant I thought until I realised that it only works when the ignition is on (position 2- ie ignition lights on he dash). Is it me or does that complete defeat the point of having a second battery that you can run things off wihout draining the main battery? It seems to me that if it only really works when your driving you'd never drain the main battery anyway....? The 12v socket on the dash is however constant live- does this run off the main battery or of the auxiliary? Should it be that the 230v socket is constantly live ( like you'd have if you install a leisure battery for the same purpose)?

I generally love the van but this and the inability to be able to get out of the tail lift (many posts on here about that!) just seem completely stupid especially when it's such a well thought out vehicle other than these points...

If this is how the 230v should be has anyone switched it to constant live? How easy was it and did you do it yourself or get someone else to - if so who?

Thanks in advance for your time!

12 volt socket on dash isn't constant live, it's timed, it goes off a few minutes after key is removed.
Any inverter, even the puny 150w ford one would quickly kill a battery if left live all the time
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby lambertrs » Sat Sep 17, 2016 4:02 pm

I have this setup with twin batteries on my van and sometimes run a 12v fridge off the seat aux point
does anyone know if this would drain one or both batteries when the engine isn't running
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby ake » Sat Sep 17, 2016 4:45 pm

lambertrs wrote:I have this setup with twin batteries on my van and sometimes run a 12v fridge off the seat aux point
does anyone know if this would drain one or both batteries when the engine isn't running

Only the front battery
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ake
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby botacco » Wed Sep 28, 2016 12:41 pm

ake wrote:
lambertrs wrote:I have this setup with twin batteries on my van and sometimes run a 12v fridge off the seat aux point
does anyone know if this would drain one or both batteries when the engine isn't running

Only the front battery

I've also bought a 12v fridge but I found out that the 12v outlet runs only for 30 minutes, then it is automatically switched off.

Any solution to run the fridge on the second battery without adding a leisure battery?
The fridge (Waeco CF50) already has a controller that switch it off when the battery level is too low, so there is no risk of running low of battery.
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby Altransit » Wed Sep 28, 2016 4:12 pm

If you keep running down the auxilliary battery, you will kill it, as they are not designed to cycle their charging. You really need to fit a proper leisure battery to run your fridge, these batteries will happily charge, discharge, charge, for as long as you like without damaging them
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Re: Questions regarding auxiliary battery...

Postby mavericktc » Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:24 pm

Bumping this.

The 12v socket in the dash (not above the dails under the lid, the one "above" the climate controls), what battery does it run from?

I'm thinking of buying a waeco cooler and ask the dealer to make the socket permanent live but it would be bad if the socket drains on the starter battery.
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