Fitting a leisure battery under R&R seat

[crookedmouth123]

Hello you wonderful people!!
I'm planning to fit my 110ah leisure battery under my R&R bed as it is to large to fit under passenger seat.

Has anyone fitted a battery there before? If so how did you get the cables to the engine bay ?
Another thing I wanted to ask is when I have the lb fitted, how do I hook up my stereo/12v to it? I have bought a 8 way fuse holder yet I don't see how I actually attach it to the system, so I have the wrong thing?? Do I need a distribution block or something? Do domestic ones work?


Thanks in advance,
Dan

[CovKid]

Was going to answer but I think I've done so hundreds of times. Try the search for 'leisure fusebox' - see what comes up.

[crookedmouth123]

Thanks covkid, I have been looking at the information you pointed me towards, i just still can't work out how the power gets to the fuse box itself, I'll keep looking when I get home in on my mobile phone at the moment.

Any ideas about how to get the cables to the engine bay? Do I drill a hole under the back seat and get it through under the van.
I'm sorry if I'm asking questions that have been answered here a thousand times, I'd really appreciate even a link to some information.
Thanks alot, Dan

[CovKid]

Fit battery so its secure. Earth is always earth and common to both batteries so your black (earth) lead bolts to chassis (up to you how you do that but should be substantial, not a self tapper. Red doesn't go to engine bay. Have you seen this first? You need a way to charge it.



https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ca ... it_charger" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can fit intelligent split chargers but you can also use a simple 40amp relay as above - for about a fiver. Thats what I have in mine and have had no issues charging.

Once thats done, you can move onto fusebox which is pretty easy. If you were a bit nearer I'd happily lend a hand, but I'm sure we can talk you through this.

[crookedmouth123]

That all makes perfect sense to me, I have a voltage sensitive relay (duralite) would this be hooked up inside the engine bay? what i'm not sure about is how to get the cable from the relay to the leisure battery under the seat, would i drill a hole and feed it through? i'll fit conduit to any cables exposed of course.
That being said I wanted to get this done by Saturday because me and the mrs are going on a little trip to Cornwall, I'd like to buy everything i need for the installation now, will my 8 way fuse box= (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DURITE-8-WAY- ... 3cfe1add11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) be enough, i'm unsure how to get power to it, do i need to buy any additional gear?


So far I have :

Leisure battery/cables/connector clamps/battery box/VSR/8 way fusebox.
anything vital missing from that list??

I have been searching the wiki but nothing is making sense! :p


That's really kind of you to offer to help me, if i was closer i may of taken you up on that offer!

[crookedmouth123]

also am i right in thinking that because my relay is voltage sensitive I dont need to connect it to an existing wire, just to earth it and connect positive and negative?

[MidLifeCrisis]

also am i right in thinking that because my relay is voltage sensitive I dont need to connect it to an existing wire, just to earth it and connect positive and negative?

If you are using a voltage sensitive relay then you don't need the green wire that comes from the alternator in the pic in the above post (the relay senses the increase in the voltage at the starter battery, which occurs because the alternator is charging it, and closes the relay switch so that the starter battery positive and leisure battery positive are connected).

[California Dreamin]

also am i right in thinking that because my relay is voltage sensitive I dont need to connect it to an existing wire, just to earth it and connect positive and negative?

'Split Charge relays' whether they are tradional (needing a trigger wire from the alternator) or voltage sensing, basically 'join' you starter and leisure batteries together when the engine is 'running'.

So you need a good heavy wire (45 amps at least) between your starter and leisure batteries (smart relay in the middle and fused ...30/40amp, close to the starter battery).

Martin

[crookedmouth123]

So I got everything set up according to the diagram you kindly posted, now how do I connect the fuse box to the leisure battery?? Thanks

[MidLifeCrisis]

So I got everything set up according to the diagram you kindly posted, now how do I connect the fuse box to the leisure battery?? Thanks

You don't really connect the leisure to the 'fuse box'; you connect the leisure battery to each 'fuse' in the fuse box.
So you run a wire from the leisure battery positive to each fuse that you want to use.
(Alternatively run a much heavier cable from leisure to first fuse, then daisy chain from that fuse to each of the other fuses in the box - if that makes sense)

[marlinowner]

Unless you have a fuse box with one connector for the input, then just use thick wire to connect that to the leisure battery positive terminal.

PS Forget the above, just looked at the ebay listing for the fusebox you bought...

[CovKid]

Yep, you'll need to bridge all the tags on one side of the fusebox together. connect from battery positive to that side - output will be on any terminal the other side that has a fuse fitted. You could either solder those tags together with some reasonably thick wire or or use crimp spades linking each to its neighbour.

I know you've already bought that one but this type is most commonly used because those links are already there and you've only got one connection to battery to make then.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Way-Blade-F ... 4ae51c854e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - 6 way

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-Way-Standa ... 4199a00ea1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - 12 way (good price too)

All the screws at the top in this pic are a common earth point which would go to chassis or battery negative. Left screw at bottom supplies fuses on left, and the right - right accordingly. I'm fairly sure you can actually use that type of fusebox to provide power from both leisure and starter batteries or just the one as I think bottom screws are independent unless you link them. Make sense?

[crookedmouth123]

Thanks for your help!! I managed to get it sorted!!
I used that fuse holder I bought off ebay and just bridged one side of it.
I'm really happy with the job I done, all neat and tidy and worked first time, first time for everything!!!
Thank you all!

[crookedmouth123]

Thanks for your help!! I managed to get it sorted!!
I used that fuse holder I bought off ebay and just bridged one side of it.
I'm really happy with the job I done, all neat and tidy and worked first time, first time for everything!!!
Thank you all!

[nicq]

A point to ponder.
One thing that does not seem to be mentioned is batt safety as far as explosions. If you have ever see one go you would realise why thet fit them in a metal container with a metal lid. Not only does it do damage the acid goes everywhere. Just a thought under your bed.
It happens quite a lot !!