Batteries again

[cheffy34]

Hey guys n girls i've read loads of posts on leisure batts n that but now i'm i understand the workings of deep cycle n that to an extent, but your thoughts on this would be appreciated before i waste some of my hard earned cash, all i want to run off it is my stereo, dvd, playstion which gets use everyday for a couple of hours parked up, if i run it from my main battery i assume it will kill my starter bat in time am i rite, if so will another starter batt be enough to power the toys, if that the case what is the cheapest n easiest way to do it come to the rescue please guys i can't make the desision

[mikeonb4c]

I'd get a leisure battery out of choice as what you want to run is relatively low power and well suited to an LB if I understand the advice on here correctly. On the other hand, if you already have a spare starter battery I'd have thought it would cope fine. Is yours a twin starter battery Bongo (as found in the cold north of Japan)? If not, how are you planning to charge the extra battery?

[Aethelric]

Hey guys n girls i've read loads of posts on leisure batts n that but now i'm i understand the workings of deep cycle n that to an extent, but your thoughts on this would be appreciated before i waste some of my hard earned cash, all i want to run off it is my stereo, dvd, playstion which gets use everyday for a couple of hours parked up, if i run it from my main battery i assume it will kill my starter bat in time am i rite, if so will another starter batt be enough to power the toys, if that the case what is the cheapest n easiest way to do it come to the rescue please guys i can't make the desision

Lets see - (everything is guesses, - but educated ones)
Stereo, assume normal radio and no fancy power amp - maybe 8 watts
DVD - screen is heavier current - maybe 20 watts
Playstation - 20 watts??
(you can probably check the figures on the data sheets or on the equipment itself
You wont have the stereo and the DVD on at the same time (surely??) so max power ie around 40 watts. Divide by 12V thats 3.3Amps. For two hours thats 6.6Ampere hours - from an 80AH battery thats less than 10% of capacity. If you make sure you don't have your lights on, your starter battery should be fine - BUT when you start the bongo it will recharge at around 20A so it needs around 15-20 minutes running to recover.

Dave

[Glenda]

Cheffy.
I don't know how much you would get a second starter battery for but would you still need the split relay and connection? From this forums information I bought a Numax 110amp leisure battery £80, plus battery tray and a split relay from Willinton on ebay. Then I spent 2 days in all the electrical wholesalers in Brighton trying to get all the pieces for the fitting to no avail. That night I saw on this forum that Willinton was now fitting kits which had all gone. I contacted him and was told he'd send a kit on with fitting instructions when ready. It duly arrived today. I think another £57 + battery tray.

So for just over 2 tanks full of battery you can fit a good leisure battery in an hour or so. I can't fit mine as Bongo being picked up tomorrow with a few days test driving around Devon and Dartmoor. We already have to take the table and chairs down on the train and a 35kg leisure battery may be too much.......

[cheffy34]

Hey guys n girls i've read loads of posts on leisure batts n that but now i'm i understand the workings of deep cycle n that to an extent, but your thoughts on this would be appreciated before i waste some of my hard earned cash, all i want to run off it is my stereo, dvd, playstion which gets use everyday for a couple of hours parked up, if i run it from my main battery i assume it will kill my starter bat in time am i rite, if so will another starter batt be enough to power the toys, if that the case what is the cheapest n easiest way to do it come to the rescue please guys i can't make the desision

Lets see - (everything is guesses, - but educated ones)
Stereo, assume normal radio and no fancy power amp - maybe 8 watts
DVD - screen is heavier current - maybe 20 watts
Playstation - 20 watts??
(you can probably check the figures on the data sheets or on the equipment itself
You wont have the stereo and the DVD on at the same time (surely??) so max power ie around 40 watts. Divide by 12V thats 3.3Amps. For two hours thats 6.6Ampere hours - from an 80AH battery thats less than 10% of capacity. If you make sure you don't have your lights on, your starter battery should be fine - BUT when you start the bongo it will recharge at around 20A so it needs around 15-20 minutes running to recover.

Dave

So in theory Dave i should be ok to take staight from my battery then as long as i don't overdo it, you are rite no fancy amps and no not even i can manage to play all three at the same time so hopefully i don't need to shell out any xtra dosh on trays, bats, split relays and the like, i dont really do camping it really is used as an mpv cause i couldn't bring myself to buy one of those shocking renaults or vauxhal mpv's

[Aethelric]

If you've been OK up to now Cheffy, then you should continue to be. But I looked on the web and the playstation2 takes 45watts, and the playstation3 takes over 300watts

If its the playstation2 you're not using much more power than you would be leaving your side lights on (4 6w bulbs plus another 6w for the instrument lights is 30watts) . I don't think anyone would worry about leaving sidelights on for a couple of hours Check the power taken though.

Dave

[mikeonb4c]

Unless I've misunderstood, it sounds like you are now considering only having one battery? Could well be OK, but maybe it would be worth fitting a digital voltmeter on the instrument panel, or a low voltage cutoff for the devices provided the cut-off point isn't too low, so you have warning/protection if you are getting into the danger zone. Also, what AmpHr is your current starter battery and are you confident it is in good nick.

[cheffy34]

If you've been OK up to now Cheffy, then you should continue to be. But I looked on the web and the playstation2 takes 45watts, and the playstation3 takes over 300watts

If its the playstation2 you're not using much more power than you would be leaving your side lights on (4 6w bulbs plus another 6w for the instrument lights is 30watts) . I don't think anyone would worry about leaving sidelights on for a couple of hours Check the power taken though.

Dave

MMMMM it is a ps2 not actualy fitted it yet but going to thanks for the advice Dave





Unless I've misunderstood, it sounds like you are now considering only having one battery? Could well be OK, but maybe it would be worth fitting a digital voltmeter on the instrument panel, or a low voltage cutoff for the devices provided the cut-off point isn't too low, so you have warning/protection if you are getting into the danger zone. Also, what AmpHr is your current starter battery and are you confident it is in good nick.

_________________
I Bongo, therefore I am...
Bongoing, BonGoing, BonGone

Nope mike i'm not cofident the battery is good but reckon i'm gonna find out, do like the sound of digital voltmeter and low volt cutoff got any links i seem to remember some thread about it before

again thanks


Dar