Help! Electric or battery?

Post by **marcawalker** » 21 Feb 2006, 14:15

Im just preparing my new van for the summer and last weekend i was checking out to make sure all the electrics work.

I have an electric hookup and when pluged in it made a plug socket live and also ran the fridge. But thats all - is this right?

The two interior lights are currently wired up to run off the leisure battery.

I am also going to put a lcd tv in the van this year, what would i run this off.

Can someone please tell me what the hookup should provide power for and what should run from the battery? or is it possible to use the battery and then the power when i pay for an electric hookup?

many thanks for your advice.

Post by **redstar** » 21 Feb 2006, 17:33

i presume your hook up goes in to a consumer unit inside the van (fuse box) and then through said fuse to the fridge... The lamps are 12v d.c. so wont/cannot work on 230/240v a.c. power. .... unless you are running through a transformer... what is installed in the van at present? are there any power (13a) sockets????

Post by **Cate** » 21 Feb 2006, 19:01

Some conversions run the lights off the leisure battery, some off the main battery, some put lights in to run on mains electric, all depends on your conversion and how far they went.
You really do want the fridge to run on mains electric when hooked up, if you try to run it off your battery it will flatten it.

Use the leisure battery for your lights, fridge when your engine is running, tv, whatever, but as soon as you hookup let the mains do the work, you're paying for it!

Post by **marcawalker** » 22 Feb 2006, 10:21

Thanks for the advice.

In the van is a ceiling light, a light above the sink, electric water pump, fridge and a 13 amp plug socket. (there is a fuse box in the wardrobe which controls the power).

The elctric hook up (when ppluged in) will work the plug socket and the fridge which is fine.

But everything else runs from one leisure battery stored in the cupboard and the wires are all there but not connected to it yet.

So im a bit confused as this battery is never going to get charged unless i charge it from the mains as its just sitting there?!!

Any suggestions on wiring this van back together?

Post by **Mocki** » 22 Feb 2006, 10:43

if you dont have a ZIG, get a "intellegent" charger, hardwire it, then when you hookup it will carger the battery and you shouldnt have to worry, its better to be all 12v and power it from a transformer or battery charger, than have lots of mains stuff you wont use 90% of the time......
your going the right way as you are imo