2nd battery help

[ROGER DODGER]

hi all im looking at putting a 2nd battery in me bongo and im thinking of putting it under back seats, its just to power a small tv and a light, iv heard that there is a gizmo that plugs into the ciggy lighter then onto battery that will charge it when running does anyone know about this?

[g8dhe]

The Bongo is designed with a second battery in mind that fits under the bonnet on the Nearside.

Fitting a lead acid battery inside the vehicle is possible but not often recommended as it needs to be securely mounted and then if you want to charge it you will have to run a cable from the starter battery / alternator and it will need to be a heavy duty type.

Most opt to use the Willinton kit available from EBAY not the cheapest, but by far the most common, its excellent quality, comes as a kit with nearly all the electrical aspects already sorted and its just a case of mounting the bits and plugging it all up. He does full kits with everything accept the battery or just parts as needed.

Then you can plug any 12 volt items into the cigar sockets, and have the lights, blinds, radio etc powered from the Leisure battery, without any fear of discharging the starter battery.

[ROGER DODGER]

thanks for that yes maybe the best idea but im sure iv seen somewhere that you can charge a battery from the ciggy lighter, i was thinking of bolting a metal box under seats then running a 12v extention the the tv

[westonwarrior]

cigarette lighter is only powered by 10 amp system where as the pucker willinton kit charges at about 70 amp so by trying to charge from the cigatette lighter you risk blowing the fuses or worse.

mounting it properly under the bonnet with the correct kit is so simple and then running any wires to what ever you want to power is by far the safest way and most ecconomical in the long run

[dobby]

I agree with the above, batteries are best kept under bonnets. Fumes, safety in a crash etc.

Check under your bonnet just in case you have a twin battery model. If not by a battery tray and willington kit. It's a neat and well made bit of kit and the price is right, also it comes with a distribution fuse board that lets you easily patch out circuits to leisure battery feeds (Radio, interior lights, blinds etc.)

[Tony C]

Carrying a lead acid battery inside the vehicle is a no no as it gives of fumes when charging with danger of exploding, they should always be in a sealed box & vented to the outside.

The willinton kit is by far the best solution, but if you don't want to fit a second battery under the bonnet then perhaps one of these would do what you require?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEALEY-RS1-BOOSTE ... 2c53c26bcb

They will charge from the cig lighter & you have the bonus of a jump start if main battery is flat.

[Scott]

Many moons ago, I was the passenger in a VW LT van (the battery is stored behind the passengers seat), we had an accident in the snow and along with a collection of broken bones and a punctured lung the battery exploded on impact and destroyed my new sheepskin coat. I didnt realise at first (as I was laid up for a few weeks) but when I went to put my coat on it looked like it had been eaten by moths, big moths

I think I prefer the battery tucked away under the bonnet

[Alison01326]

Can't imagine why you'd want a vat of acid inside the Bongo, using up valuable storage space! How were you going get the power from the battery to your small TV and lamp? Surely not with crocodile clips?

Irrespective of the hazards, it's a much neater solution to put the battery under the bonnet and buy a Willinton kit. I have one, as to many others on here, and it makes life very simple. All of the electrical bits can be wired in to your leisure battery (electric blinds if you have them, radio, 12v socket/cigarette lighter, interior lights) and of course it charges your leisure battery while you are driving, Pretty much fit and forget!

[ROGER DODGER]

yep the willington kit sounds like the answer. i wasnt just goin to put battery under seat it was going in a metal box with a cigar lighter fitted to the side and not with just crok clips. but i think a battery under bonnet the best way like you say i wud be using storage space up

[dobby]

yep the willington kit sounds like the answer. i wasnt just goin to put battery under seat it was going in a metal box with a cigar lighter fitted to the side and not with just crok clips. but i think a battery under bonnet the best way like you say i wud be using storage space up

Good luck with it, it's a good bit of kit and the fuse patching cables are really useful - no more flat starter batteries because interior lights etc have been left on

Be good to hear how you get on.