2nd auxiliary/leisure battery - Westfalia

[craigy345]

Im thinking of increasing my (leisure) battery capacity for when I haven't got hook up for at shows etc...

I have 1987 Westy 1.6TD so...
I already have my current leisure battery under the drivers seat and my vehicle battery in the engine bay.

What Im thinking is a further battery under the empty passenger seat (to double my current capacity)
Im sure this has been done numerous times before.
So some advice please...

What size cable do I use? do these need to be fused next to the battery (what size fuse)?
Do I need to run + to + and - to - on both batteries or can I just + to + and earth the 2nd battery to the chassis?
What is the best route for cable access? do I need to go out and under the van or can I go through the side of the seat box and under the carpet and insulation?
Is the current Westfalia system up to charging two batteries? (alternator and mains charger) I plan to swap out my main charger for a CTEK MX10 or MX25.

Thanks in advance

[craigy345]

Still looking to do this....

Anyone help?

[nobbyfox]

Hi,
Why restrict yourself with a battery to fit behind the seat?
Just get yourself a large capacity battery (110ah or greater) and stick it under the bench seat.
You can buy a voltage sensing relay kit from Ebay/Amazon and connect to the starter battery.

I too have a Westy (1990 vintage ) and plan on doing this in the next few months

[Adeybruce]

Craigy, I went for putting another battery under the passenger seat - I saw this as dead space unlike under the bench. I ran a big fat cable (can't remember the size) internally between the battery boxes - out via a grommet from the side of the box, under the carpet, across the isle and up the other side. I earthed to the body rather than run another cable. Holes already exist, so just grommets required.

Hope that helps.

[craigy345]

Craigy, I went for putting another battery under the passenger seat - I saw this as dead space unlike under the bench. I ran a big fat cable (can't remember the size) internally between the battery boxes - out via a grommet from the side of the box, under the carpet, across the isle and up the other side. I earthed to the body rather than run another cable. Holes already exist, so just grommets required.

Hope that helps.

Abeybruce,
That's great, thanks!
That was exactly my thoughts too.

I just wasn't sure on a couple of things?
The route of the cable? Either through the side of the seat box or bottom and under outside the van. - will now look at your suggestion.

Not sure on what size the connecting cable needs to be? & I assume it needs to be fused? - what size fuse?

Thanks for your help!


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[jacobh]

I put an extry battery under the passenger seat (for me it is the driver seat ) and I used this set:

https://www.bluepowershop.nl/accu/accus ... r-kit.html

To connect the extra battery to the existing one. I ran the 10mm2 kabel under the carpet, removed some insulation.
Drilled holes in the battery boxes. I used grommets to protect the cable. Where the cables come in view outside the
boxes I used black heat shrink so that you don't see them that much.

What I also did is put a large fuse (120A) on BOTH side of the cable near the battery each pole. The extra battery is grounded
to the chassis in its own box.

Jacob

[R0B]

Blimey.You paid £95 for that kit.

[craigy345]

I put an extry battery under the passenger seat (for me it is the driver seat ) and I used this set:

https://www.bluepowershop.nl/accu/accus ... r-kit.html

To connect the extra battery to the existing one. I ran the 10mm2 kabel under the carpet, removed some insulation.
Drilled holes in the battery boxes. I used grommets to protect the cable. Where the cables come in view outside the
boxes I used black heat shrink so that you don't see them that much.

What I also did is put a large fuse (120A) on BOTH side of the cable near the battery each pole. The extra battery is grounded
to the chassis in its own box.

Jacob

Am I missing something?
I don't understand why I need a kit, I have got a Westfalia so it is already fitted with a split charge relay that separates the main and aux batteries.

I'm looking to increase my leisure battery capacity by adding a 2nd one under the other seat.

Is it just not a case of earthing the battery and + to + with inline fuses and suitable gauge wire?

Thanks for any help.


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[jacobh]

I paid 69 euros (60 GBP) at the time. The price has increased quite dramatically...

The victron has more intelligence than a standard relay. If you already have one you wouldn't need this one.

Don't know how the westfalia one works but the one I used separates the leisure from the main so no energy can
flow from the leisure to the main. It starts charging the leisure only when there is enough energy put in the main.

My Westfalia (Vanagon) didn't come with a relay for an extra battery.

Jacob

[chewbacca]

You just need to link the positives together so it acts like a single bigger battery. Earth the second to the bodywork.
Try to use the same battery in each side though to aid with charging.
The wire connecting the batteries needs 2 fuses, 1 at each end. If it get shorted to earth both batteries will need to be isolated, hence a fuse each end.

I routed mine under the vehicle, just because it was easier than fighting with the interior.

[craigy345]

You just need to link the positives together so it acts like a single bigger battery. Earth the second to the bodywork.
Try to use the same battery in each side though to aid with charging.
The wire connecting the batteries needs 2 fuses, 1 at each end. If it get shorted to earth both batteries will need to be isolated, hence a fuse each end.

I routed mine under the vehicle, just because it was easier than fighting with the interior.

thanks very helpful