wheres your leisure battery?

Post by **kathyshack** » 17 Nov 2006, 20:06

So, where do you keep your leisure battery, apart from under the passenger seat? I currently have a decent leisure battery under my passenger seat, but its to high to work with the swivel base i plan to install. not sure whether to buy a new battery that fits, although these aren't actually proper leisure batteries, or to relocate the leisure battery elsewhere. Slightly concerned about mounting it in the same cupboard as the gas bottle though....
mmm, just wondered what setups you guys have got?

kathy

Post by **jed the spread** » 17 Nov 2006, 20:22

a big caravan one under the rear seat.with the ebber on in the winter and a light on all night so we can look on isaac for two nights usally runs it flat.but we usually have to drive somewere and that tops it up.if you get a new one id get the biggest you can.i wish id have got a bigger one now as they wasnt much more.

jed

Post by **matt** » 17 Nov 2006, 21:53

in the cupbard below the Stove, behind the engine battery
you are correct to keep it away from the gaz bottle, Sparks etc
you do have a gas hole in the floor of the gas locker ??
course you do !

Post by **busbuddy** » 17 Nov 2006, 23:00

jed the spread wrote:with the ebber on in the winter and a light on all night so we can look on isaac for two nights usally runs it flat

thats a very short time for it to last even with the light on all night

I got kitchen and bathroom tap, cd player, truma heater, laptop, 2 phone chargers, 6 lights (5 inside,1 outside) and even after 6 days at vanfest this year the battery wasn't flat. Not checked to see what amp it is but it's under the passenger seat and much smaller than the 115amp one I had in my bay.

Post by **ROBS T25** » 18 Nov 2006, 06:21

eh jed i know its not a leisure battery but phil got me a truck battery and before we had the van we used this for lighting radio etc... and it would last all week took about 4 days to charge but its fantastic why not try get one of them roughly about the size of 2 normal car batteries i have 2 batteries in the van like most people but if we goin away for a week and no hookup would always take this as a back up to fire the van up if need be

Post by **matt** » 18 Nov 2006, 08:01

busbuddy wrote:
jed the spread wrote:with the ebber on in the winter and a light on all night so we can look on isaac for two nights usally runs it flat

thats a very short time for it to last even with the light on all night

I got kitchen and bathroom tap, cd player, truma heater, laptop, 2 phone chargers, 6 lights (5 inside,1 outside) and even after 6 days at vanfest this year the battery wasn't flat. Not checked to see what amp it is but it's under the passenger seat and much smaller than the 115amp one I had in my bay.

aha, but thats not at winter, mine lasted 7 nights at glasto, but only 1 day running an ebber at dubfreeze

Post by **jed the spread** » 18 Nov 2006, 08:27

i was going off that weekend too matt.2 nights with the ebber on fullish and a bit during the day.(was -4 outside)in summer just useing the lights at night for a couple of hours it will last for ages like it did at bashtie.

jed

Post by **busbuddy** » 18 Nov 2006, 08:55

I didn't realise ebers were that bad on batteries, I've had propex and now a truma and neither have stripped a battery that fast, they only pull 2amps at full heat.
We spent 4 days in newquay this week and with the lights and heater on for about 8 hours a day it still didn't take the battery down past half.

Having it only last one day is an immense drain, thats into fridge territory

it must be pulling about 8amps

Post by **matt** » 18 Nov 2006, 11:13

Both Jed and I are going off Dubfreeze Conditions
The ebber needs 13 point summat volts to fire
The battery would already be working hard as it never got above 3 degrees

Post by **busbuddy** » 18 Nov 2006, 12:56

ah got ya now, it's not flat but goes too low for the eber to start, the cutout for the propex is 10v and the truma about the same.

makes me wonder how they worked when factory fitted in the splits and bays with no leisure battery

Post by **ringo** » 22 Nov 2006, 21:56

Leisure battery (110ah) in the cupboard next to the rock and roll bed.
Car battery under the passenger seat. Car battery under the drivers seat.

All connected to the split charge.

I regularly sit next to a lake with the eber on for two to three days at a time. Reckon i could go for about six days without starting the engine.

Yep, the eber is a bit of pain in the bum when it doesnt start due to the battery being low - i wish there was something i could do to get round that - i don't care if it flattens my battery!

Ringo

Post by **nowra65** » 24 Nov 2006, 23:44

Hey kathyshack!
My T25 doesn't have a second battery, but i am planning to fit mine in the bottom cupboard right behind the driver's seat, that way all the wiring for lighting, stereo, etc can all be in one place, with the switches right by the left door pillar as I open the driver's door. As for the relay etc and gas being in the same cupboard, is your gas bottle not in the bottom cupboard by the front of the r/r bed when it is out?

Yours, nowra65

Post by **kathyshack** » 27 Nov 2006, 17:33

ho nowra65,
no, my van isn't a standard conversion, so gas bottle will be in a cupbaord behind the drivers seat. Its a twin slider you see.

Post by **irish.david** » 27 Nov 2006, 20:30

On the subject of eber's not starting due to the undervoltage protection, there is a way round it. Petrol ebers only use the glow plug til it's up to temperature then the glow plug is shut off. This reduces the power consumption from 150W to 15W. All you need to do is start the engine in your van and then start the eber. The alternator should easily be able to keep the battery voltage above the voltage required by the eber. Once it's running you should be able to stop the engine and the eber'll keep running (switching on the eber from cold will produce the biggest voltage drop on the battery). Assuming the ebers temp switch is working ok after a short time the glow plug will switch off and the eber only draw just over an amp which your battery should be able to handle for quite a while.....

Just remember not to do this too often without re-charging your main battery or you could end up with a van that doesn't start.

Dave

Post by **Mocki** » 01 Dec 2006, 10:20

ebbers and battery life..........
dont switch it off, it uses loads on start up, causing battery voltage drop, and no starty..... leave it ticking over on lower setting constantly and it lasts 3 times as long...... mine was on for 28 hrs last df, only switched it off when i was in bed ( waste of derv!) and only started it up twice, when i got there and 1/2 hour before i got out of bed.

ebbers wont start when the voltage at the ebber is below 11vdc, so thicker cables and shorter runs mean less voltage drop.

my leisure battery is under the( well behind) the drivers seat, as my van battery is in the engine bay, saving space.......and my drivers seat isnt a swivel...