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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

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

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 :

(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

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!!

Re: leisure battery
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:58 pm
by flipflop
nice one!!
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.