Club 80-90 Forums

Leisure battery split charger please explain how it works ?

On my previous van it had a ZIG unit so I worked that one out !

The new van I am hopefully buying this week doesn't have a zig unit but does have a leisure battery, my understanding is this...

1. It will charge when driving

2. It powers 12v Lights & sink

3. It wont effect the starting battery (in the engine compartment)

4. Can it be charged when plugged into EHU ? (this bit I don't know) or is this when you need a ZIG unit

5.If there is a cable going from the fuse box to the battery could this mean it does charge it ( cant remember if there is a cable but if there was so to spk!)

6. Is it easy to fit a ZIG unit and would all the exsisting set up have to be taken out ? cost ?

7. Thank you in advance !

1 Yes if its working as it should.
2. Yes, if they are wired into it.

3. ? T25 standard engine battery is behind drivers seat normally.
4. No idea
5. No idea.

6. dont know.

Diesel engine battery has always been in the engine compartment !

A split charger will only charge when the engine is running after the alternator light has gone out .
You will need to check if you have a mains charger for charging on EHU , but if it hasn't a simple intelligent mains charger can be hard wired in easily , and won't affect the split charger

thanks for help if/when I get the van will take a picture of leisure battery and the surrounds...

simple intelligent mains charger

how would I know if it had this already ?

would this mean that when plugged into EHU the battery would be getting charged and the lights from the leisure battery would be able to be used ?

intelligent mains charger where would I get one etc ?


forget to add the EHU in the van is for plug sockets

do you mean something like this

http://www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk/zig-x ... -261-p.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


?

[quote="Mocki"]Diesel engine battery has always been in the engine compartment !

Wonder why they did that ?

vanisveryrusty wrote:

Mocki wrote:Diesel engine battery has always been in the engine compartment !

Wonder why they did that ?

if there was enough space in a petrol engine bay im sure vw would have put the battery there, cant see there being any other reason for having the battery/batteries behind the front seats, but it does make jump starting easier

Less cable, less voltage drop from alternator and to the starter. Cheaper on heavy cable. Doesn't take a lot of thinking about.

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Less cable, less voltage drop from alternator and to the starter. Cheaper on heavy cable. Doesn't take a lot of thinking about.

Is there really no space in the petrol now ?
Modern batteries smaller with more power etc.

vanisveryrusty wrote:

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Less cable, less voltage drop from alternator and to the starter. Cheaper on heavy cable. Doesn't take a lot of thinking about.

Is there really no space in the petrol now ?
Modern batteries smaller with more power etc.

There's plenty of room in a petrol engine bay ...



I've cosen to fit a 3 gallon diesel tank for our Eberspacher where the battery would be on a diesel. On the other side is our lpg system's vapouriser but with the warm air unit removed a starter battery could just as easily fit there.

Ian.

I have my main battery in the engine bay on my 2.1 on the n/s in front of the tail light cluster and my ebberspacher fuel tank on the o/s in front of the tail light cluster , wasted space used !

Shorter cable runs to the starter and alternator and frees up space behind the drivers seat for the leisure battery

This is exactly what I meant.
If there is actually room in the Petrol, and in the diesel, why did VW only put the Diesel battery in the engine bay ?
Good news anyway, may well be a mod that i carry out.

Ian Hulley wrote:

vanisveryrusty wrote:

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Less cable, less voltage drop from alternator and to the starter. Cheaper on heavy cable. Doesn't take a lot of thinking about.

Is there really no space in the petrol now ?
Modern batteries smaller with more power etc.

There's plenty of room in a petrol engine bay ...

We've got an injection ECU there... (and US market vans had injection from the get-go, even on air-cooleds)

Adrian it Is all on a cable and can be moved slightly

You can't put the battery there on a air cooled anyway or it would not be very air cooled would it :0
And that's why vw didn't do it