Fitting hook up and leisure battery

[Bigbear]

Hi all, can anyone tell me roughly how much it would cost in parts compared to what I should expect to pay someone to fit the following

I want to fit a leisure battery with split charger to charge when the engine is running but also a 240v hook up system that will charge the leisure battery and run a couple of sockets inside the van. Is it possible to have the three pin sockets in the van that would run on both the 240v hook up and the 12v leisure battery?
(I have a leisure battery already but no wiring, fuses etc)
How easy is this to do yourself ?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Had a quote to supply everything I need ready made to size for £199 or supply and fit for £229.

 

[sparkywig]

That's near enough the same as I charge.
You won't be able to run the sockets on both 230V and 12V though.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[*Sam*]

I purchased the parts for my instal for less than £199 but it was a slight gamble on second hand Zig CF8 and some discounted parts from a local electrical wholesales.
I fitted it with guidance of my dad (retired electrician) it was all simple stuff and fun to do.

 

[Bigbear]

That's near enough the same as I charge.
You won't be able to run the sockets on both 230V and 12V though.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is how the guy explained it, make any sense?

 

[sparkywig]

The 12V is supplying an inverter (which is a step-up transformer basically) that connects to the sockets.
You can't connect both 12V and 230V directly to a socket.

 

[Lordain Volley]

Sparky,

So you will supply and fit a split charging kit for £230? Is that correct? I am looking to get one hooked up. 8)

G.

 

[Bigbear]

The 12V is supplying an inverter (which is a step-up transformer basically) that connects to the sockets.
You can't connect both 12V and 230V directly to a socket.

So is there no way of setting up a system that can provide you with the benefits of both a leisure battery to run standard sockets and also a hook up point to run standard sockets, or is this two different set ups that run independently?

Excuse my ignorance as this is all rocket science to me!

 

[StripedHemi]

It can be all very confusing, will try to keep my reply from being too techy...


The leisure battery will provide 12v power only (to things such as interior lights etc)

the hook up will give you 240v power for the 3 pin sockets to use certain items that you might use at home (within reason) and additionally other things such as the battery charger, this is then looped back into the 12v system completing the circuit (so when you are on hook up your leisure battery is charging)

you can have 12v sockets fitted but they are not the same sockets as the 240v ones as they have a different source

the leisure battery will only charge whilst driving if its connected up to a split charge kit

The cost to have all this fitted really depends on a lot of things... how many sockets & location? are you wanting a battery charger? which split charge kit? etc etc etc its a question I ask a lot when someone asks how much to do the above

ive also sent u a pm

 

[Bigbear]

If I went down the route of just fitting a leisure battery and split charge system would I have to wire any lights, stereo etc to the leisure battery or is it still powered through the original loom/battery?

:sign0013:

 

[sparkywig]

It would be pointless fitting a leisure battery if you didn't wire anything to it.

 

[Bigbear]

It would be pointless fitting a leisure battery if you didn't wire anything to it.

That's what I thought, it's a bit more involved that I originally thought it would be!

 

[*Sam*]

Bigbear I have the following set up.

Westy hookup to an RCD and back providing a fused/switched 240v socket.

Leisure batterie to a CF8 zig unit giving you 12v sockets.
This provides a split charge system as the instructions for the Zig tells you connect the leisure batterie to a starter batterie via a fused wire as modern batteries will balance each other when charging.
I have been using this set up for nearly 2 years with no issues.

Hope this helps.

 

[Stevec]

Emil me on [email protected] and I'll send you a diagram. It's easy to install and you can get the bits off flue bay cheap

 

[aogrady]

Hi,

What sort of things are you running that you need mains 240V for? Most things are available in 12V, so just a leisure battery and split charge needed?

I am off grid, no mains, i have a inverter, but hardly used it, all my stuff is 12V, including the compressor fridge, I run LED lighting in the westy light, and both this and the radio are still off the starter battery.

All my laptop and phone chargers are either a USB socket (fitted into 12V cig lighter) or 12V operation.

I have a digital split charge system by T-Max, and a 80W solar panel on the roof does the job of on site charging

I have more details in my thread....

Alistair

 

[bluenose]

Emil me on [email protected] and I'll send you a diagram. It's easy to install and you can get the bits off flue bay cheap

can you share your diagram on the thread, I'd like to see different diagram setups people are using

There must be a way to get both a 12v inverter and 240v hookup to power the same 3 pin socket. Probably just a contactor to switch between the two power sources.

I used to work with a top sparky who drew me a circuit of how to do this. Unfortunately I've lost the diagram as it was years ago and I don't see him now :roll:

 

[Supertramp]

Very good info on this thread as I was going to ask similar questions.
Will probably be following Alastair's example. Off the grid bussing.