Need a photo of panel

maglett · Post by **maglett** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:46 pm

I need a photo of the rear-left internal panel of a Bongo which has fold down rear seats.

I need to know whether there is a cigerette lighter socket and a regular socket etc.

Can anyone post one on here for me?

Cheers

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:50 pm

Can't do a photo at the moment, but mine only has a cigar lighter socket.

maglett · Post by **maglett** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:59 pm

does that cigar lighter socket run off the main battery?

I'm getting my leisure battery put in place of the second battery under the bonnet.

The kitchen electrics are being removed, as is the kitchen, and the original panel put back in situ - panel is on order.

Wanting the lights and the cigar lighter to run off the leisure battery.

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:04 pm

Mine runs off the main battery but there are several threads about wiring it up to the leisure battery. It seems that the best idea is to wire it direct from the battery using a lot heavier wire than the original. Don't forget to put a fuse in the circuit.

maglett · Post by **maglett** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:17 pm

read up on this using the forum ages back but can't remember it all!

I think I recall:

1. The second battery under bonnet isn't required.
2. The leisure battery can be housed here instead.
3. Internal lights, radio and the front cigarette lighter run off main battery.

In my bongo the rear cigarette socket which was in my kitchen unit runs off the leisure battery. My coolbox was powered by this.
I'm assuming that this socket can still run off the leisure battery.
My internal lights (mid and rear of van) ran off the leisure battery too. Pesumably this is still OK with the battery relocated.

An auto-electrician is doing it for me on thurs, but he hasn't worked on a bongo before! So I need to give him the appropriate information!

vic swan · Post by **vic swan** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:01 pm

I gather a lot of people, myself included, have opted to run the items in No.3 off of the leisure battery. It involves disconnecting the top left and right fuses in the box by the drivers right knee, and connecting via an inline fuse to the leisure battery. I think Pippin drew up a fact sheet for the procedure. I found that in addition to the above, these two fuses in my bongo also control the central locking and the electric fold back wing mirrors. Hope this helps.
Cheers
Vic

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:03 pm

1) Yes (providing the main battery is powerful enough - normally 95ah)
2) Yes
3) Yes
By the looks of your post, you had a leisure battery as well as the two starter batteries. If this is so, all you need to do is run the supply from the leisure battery, you are putting in the nearside tray under the bonnet, to the existing wiring from your original leisure battery.

maglett · Post by **maglett** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:38 pm

So if the Leisure Battery goes under the bonnet, near side, this gets connected to the Main Battery for charging purposes.

The power supply from the leisure battery is then run to the lights and cigarette lighter at the rear of the van.

What about the Mains Hook-up?!
This comes in, travels along a nice white cable and dissappears into the big black metal area where the battery and some fuses are, then the white cable reappears and goes to a regular socket (which I have never managed to use!)

What happens with this?
Will I need to have some switch panel mounted somewhere?

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:59 pm

The leisure battery gets connected to the main battery for charging (you can use the leads that go to your second battery), but you will need to make sure it is disconnected when the engine isn't running or you will flatten both batteries. Your auto electrician should be aware of this and know how to do it. It is explained in earlier threads.
The power from the leisure battery is run to the rear socket etc.
It sounds as if your mains hook-up is just run from the mains to the socket - it is up to you where you wish to mount the socket. When you say you have never managed to use this, I assume you mean that you have not connected to a campsite hook-up?
Not sure why you would think you need a switch panel.

maglett · Post by **maglett** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:21 pm

Oh, I thought I could leave the battery connected.

If I were to remove the leisure battery alltogether and have everything coming of the main and spare battery, how would that work when parked up? i.e. how long could you run the lights for?
Any cool box running off a cigarette lighter would only be appropriate when engine running?
Am I better off forgetting about the leisure battery... keep it simple?

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:31 pm

No - if you leave the batteries connected, anything you use will draw power from both. The simplest way is just to disconnect one of the leisure battery terminals but, obviously, you must reconnect it when the engine is running to enable it to recharge - otherwise, your electrician should be able to rig up a simple relay as mentioned in earlier posts.
How long your light will last depends on the power of your batteries. A cool box will flatten most batteries in a few hours.
It's well worth putting in a leisure battery and is not as complicated as it sounds, especially as you've already got the rear lights and lighter wired up to it.

maglett · Post by **maglett** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:28 pm

Right! I've searched the forum, read loads and loads, and think I understand what is going to happen...!

Leisure battery replaces spare. Connected to main battery with split charger. Lights, cigarette lighters (front and rear?) and radio are wired up to leisure battery. This gets disconnected when I park up (is that park up for a couple of hours, or overnight? ).
I then reconnect when I start up again.

I read a thread that suggested something instead of having to use spanners to disconnect each time... can't find the thread now. Any ideas what it was?

With regards the Mains Hook-Up, this needs to go through an RCD then to the socket?
What's the RCD for?
Presumably the socket is 12v... what will this power? (been a while since I did Physics!)

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:01 pm

The leisure battery does replace the spare. The split charger probably will have a device to stop the main battery discharging from the lights etc. If this is so, you will not need to disconnect your leisure battery at all.
The RCD is a device that puts the current to earth if there is a short - all campsite hook-ups should already have one built in.
Voltage for the hook-up is 230v in UK and Europe so, providing you don't exceed the amperage shown on the hook-up, you can use normal household appliances. You can work out the maximum wattage by multiplying the available amperage by the voltage i.e. 8amps X 230v gives you an available wattage of 8 X 230 = 1840 watts

maglett · Post by **maglett** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:11 pm

Thankyou for all your info. Have finally started to understand it!
So split charger = no need to disconnect?! Which means I can park up, put the lights on, put my feet up, open a bottle of wine, and not get out to lift the bonnet and fiddle with a battery?!

Very much appreciated!

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:51 pm

Yes, providing it has the relay to ensure current only flows to, and not from, the leisure battery.
Sorry, missed the bit about isolating the battery without spanners - have replied on your other post - see Ebay item number 260080039631