Camper wiring - what actually happens?

[silas ))))))]

Hello, currently istalling the electrics for my leisure battery and plugs etc... have fitted the relay but not the leisure battery yet.

My relay is an intelligent voltage sensing one (no wire to alternator or ignition live.) The main use of the leisure battery is going to be to play music with the engine off, so with my stereo wired as standard when i switch the ignition off will the stereo draw power from the main bat or leisure bat? also interior light? i.e. anything thats already wired to the starter battery. IF NOT, do i need to wire a switch in? or re wire it all to the leisure battery?

I have a head unit running to amp (amp wired to leisure bat) to the head unit isn't using internal amp.

And one more ... To install a 240 plug off the leisure battery do i have to use one of the inefficient car invertors or can i use a distributer box or similar.

MAny thanks

[snobbie45]

Hi Silas
Normaly most Voltage sensing relays have a voltage adjustment, this is normally set to allow your main battery to reach a good voltage before passing a charge to your secondary

Battery. When your vehicle stops, such as when camping the main battery is isolated , and all services in the camper are fed from your auxillary battery. You can buy a piece of equipment

If you have a mains charger, that when your Auxillary battery is fully charge from the mains, the equipment then passes charge to your main battery. a lot of Motorhomes have this built

in as standard. Hope this through some light on the subject.
Best regards
Snobbie45 (Brian)

[silas ))))))]

Thanks snobbie .

So i need to buy that 'piece of equipment'?
sorry to sound nieve but don't want to spend uneccassarily. With the keys out the radio won't come on. To change that i can run the headunit power to a live feed? so i don't need to turn the key 2 clicks. with the keys out of ignition would the radio drain from main battery or leisure battery? i assume it will drain main batttery as the main battery and leisure battery are only connected via the relay.

So what is the bit of kit i need to isolate the main battery when the ignition is off. same questions for interior lights.

Thanks

[ake]

The radio will drain the main battery, presuming it is the standard fit, you could rewire it and the lights to draw from the leisure battery, You need a split charge relay to isolate the Leisure battery when engine is off. To run a 230volt point from the leisure battery you will need an inverter to convert the 12v DC from the battery to 230v AC

[silas ))))))]

I have a relay installed! this one...http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SPLIT-CHARGE-RELA ... 911.c0.m14

So how do other people do it? is it not possible to have the radio run off main battery when engine on and then run off leisure battery with engine off?

Ta

[Breakdown Biker]

Hi silas,
The relay you've got is only for splitting the charge, not the supply.
The main (starter) battery is designed to give bursts of high power for short periods of time and will drain quite quickly if running audio/lights etc. with the engine off. It dosen't drain with the engine running coz the alternator is constantly supplying more charge.
A leisure battery is designed to supply low power over a long peiod of time, so the simple solution might be to connect your accessories to it.

If you intend to have a 240v supply for your sockets you will need a distribution unit but they're not cheap to buy new.
http://www.zig-electronics.co.uk/products.htm

You'll also need a consumer unit (fuse box) for safe supply of the 240v electricity
I've got pics in my build thread
viewtopic.php?f=58&t=43816&start=0

Hope this helps ya mate.

[silas ))))))]

Cheers for the replies, think i will wire a manual switch in to run the radio from main bat when driving and leisure battery when still.

Might go for the inverter option as it seems cheaper option. Although i know they are stupidly inefficient.