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leisure battery

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 8:11 pm
by flipflop
Hi

Sorry if this has already been asked!

My leisure battery is charged via the hook up, is there a way of charging it from the engine also?

Just thinking of trips away with no hook up etc

cheers =D>

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 8:24 pm
by mister munkey
Short answer, Yes.

You need a Split Charge Relay kit. Most popular & easiest to fit is a Willinton, available from ebay but he doesnt list too often.

Someone on here should have at least an email contact they could pass on to you . . . .


EDIT: Found Him!!

Send a messege . . .http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/willinton&ssP ... X:SELLERID

:D

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 8:27 pm
by jamiemacp
Was just about to post a very similar question.
I have two batteries, but have no idea if vehicle charges them both and if so how much use I can get while parked up?
Am going to a festival in Northern Scotland and site has no power, so how much use can I expect from the batteries for lighting etc? Is there an easy fix for keeping track of bettery level while parked up?
Thanks
jamiemacp

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:01 pm
by flipflop
oohhhhhhh

I knew there was another question I wanted to ask!! yeh how to know how much charge is left

cheers

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:07 pm
by dave_aber
You could fit one of these :

Image
(Click for eBay Auction)

I've got one fitted in the right-hand switch bank in the instrument binnacle, with a change-over switch allowing it to measure either battery.

If you have 2 batteries, what you need to establish is - are they wired together (i.e. Mazda Winter Fit) or wired seperately (i.e Starter Battery and Leisure Battery).

To suss this out, follow the + cable from the passenger's side battery to the driver's side one. You might have to dig out the cable a wee bit. If it is a direct connection, then you have the Mazda Winter Fit. If it goes via a split charge relay unit (wee box of some sort) then it's probably a leisure battery.

Another pointer is - does anything work with the key out of the ignition? Radio, cig lighter and blinds are likely candidates for being powered from a leisure battery. If none of these work with the key out, then it's probably a winter fit.

If you have the winter fit, then you are likely to flatten the batteries over the weekend away, and will need a jump start :(

You could always disconnect the neg lead from one battery to prevent it from discharging whilst camping, and reconnect it to get going in the morning....

As mentioned by MM - the Willinton kit is the rolls royce solution to this. Not cheap, but very good - and worth the price IMO.

HTH
Cheers
Dave_Aber

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:03 pm
by flipflop
interesting !

My radio is deff run off the leisure batt , cig lighters only power when key in.

will have a look at that cheers

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:45 pm
by cozmo1589
mister munkey wrote:Short answer, Yes.

You need a Split Charge Relay kit. Most popular & easiest to fit is a Willinton, available from ebay but he doesnt list too often.

Someone on here should have at least an email contact they could pass on to you . . . .


EDIT: Found Him!!

Send a messege . . .http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/willinton&ssP ... X:SELLERID

:D
Just a quick note on the split charge relay kit from Willinton, fitted mine today, cost about £100.00 and worth every single penny, what an absolutely fantastic bit of well engineered kit with easy step by step instructions!! :wink:

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:58 pm
by flipflop
nice one!! =D>

easy to fit for a novice?

Re: leisure battery

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:59 pm
by dave_aber
Very easy fit, good clear instructions. Absolutely first-rate kit.