Bongo Fury

About to order a willinton kit and thought best to check what batteries we already have as I'm certain we have the winter pack installed.

Now both these batteries are 55ah and I am guessing that one by itself just will not have enough 'ooomph' especially come winter time. If it was ok then after reading up I understand that it's not wise to go higher ah than the main battery?

So am I correct in thinking that as well as the kit, I also need to buy 2 new batteries of higher and equal ah?

Ignore that advice about not going higher than the starter with the LB, go as big as possible, which if you go for a 110ah LB means you may have to modify the tray on passy side slightly, the remaining starter battery may still have enough oomph, what's the CCA (cold cranking amps)?

I'm doing the same thing this weekend to my twin battery set up, not intending to change the batteries at all and will cope with the second starter battery acting as a leisure battery for the short term.

Fingers crossed!

I thought about just using the 2nd 55ah as a temp leisure too. Not sure how long that will last because of plate thickness?? but I reckon it should run the internal lights for a couple of hours over 2-3 nights. Not much else on top of that I guess and would it take longer to charge?

@missfixit70

I read (scanned quickly) about CCA but will need to do more homework .

I take it it's not the kind of thing wrote on the side of the battery.

If your budget(s) can run to a new S/B then a powerful one (95Ah for example) is a good investment I think. I suspect that some of the poor starting problems that are put down to glowplugs may be caused at least in part by having a S/B that - whilst it may just about turn the engine OK - is not powerful enough to maintain voltage to the glowplugs. With a big S/B you know you should be on solid ground. 55Ah S/B is on the small side for a Bongo really.

missfixit70 wrote:Ignore that advice about not going higher than the starter with the LB, go as big as possible, which if you go for a 110ah LB means you may have to modify the tray on passy side slightly, the remaining starter battery may still have enough oomph, what's the CCA (cold cranking amps)?

I recently fitted a Bosch 110ah LB (Costco £81) which need no alteration to the tray, ok it's a bit fidly getting it in but it WILL fit with mm's to spare.

dandemann8 wrote:

missfixit70 wrote:Ignore that advice about not going higher than the starter with the LB, go as big as possible, which if you go for a 110ah LB means you may have to modify the tray on passy side slightly, the remaining starter battery may still have enough oomph, what's the CCA (cold cranking amps)?

I recently fitted a Bosch 110ah LB (Costco £81) which need no alteration to the tray, ok it's a bit fidly getting it in but it WILL fit with mm's to spare.

Is that on the original twin battery tray?

No Kirsty, I also fitted a full Willinton Kit including tray.

As I suspected, talking about two different things So, as I said the original factory fit tray that is fitted with the twin battery set up (smaller than the Willinton one that is designed around a Numax 110AH LB) will probably need some alteration to fit a 110AH battery in it.

missfixit70 wrote:As I suspected, talking about two different things So, as I said the original factory fit tray that is fitted with the twin battery set up (smaller than the Willinton one that is designed around a Numax 110AH LB) will probably need some alteration to fit a 110AH battery in it.

Wrist slapped.

Looks like more homework and a measuring tape out tomorrow then.

Will be interested to hear how you get on this weekend TechnoTurkey.

I recently fitted a Alphaline 58513 ah cap:95 from performance batteries, good price prompt delivery and so far giving good service

Well, I fitted the kit yesterday and it all went very well. However when I went to test and start the vehicle the main battery was dead as a dodo - I imagine that it has been this way for a long time as there was literally zero charge! This shows that it will start fine on one battery as effectively this is what it had before I fitted the kit.

I then swapped the second battery over so I could use it as the starter battery and the engine fired up with no problem at all. Luckly I'd got another starter battery in the garage so I've popped that in as the temporary leisure battery until I can get a proper one.

Excellent stuff TT. What ah battery have you got as the SB out of interest?

I need to factor in the cost of two batteries and the kit although saying that I just remembered a mate of mine who might have a couple of batteries lying about.

Almost forgot, how did this bit go as I see Martin has written this -

Note:- Fitting a kit to a vehicle with factory fitted twin starting batteries will require modifications to be made to the original wiring as the positive lead to the secondary battery can not be used with a split charging kit.

I had the twin battery (winter pack) set up & I used the existing batteries as l/b & s/b without any issues so far (it was converted July 09) that I am aware of, always starts OK even during the last, fairly cold, winter (although I did go through a set of new Blueprint heater plugs very quickly). My Bongo is unconverted & the longest I have used the l/b for is 5 nights with interior lights, blinds, radio (not much) & phone charging. I know the l/b won't last & when it fails I will buy a proper one. As & when the start battery fails I will up the AH with its replacement.

The starter lead from, what is now the l/b, was just disconnected & well insulated, then zip tied to a convenient point (not metal) well away from anything for it to chafe on.