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Hi there,

Just picked up myself a T4 campervan.

I can cool the fridge before I go with power from the house, then transfer to battery power while traveling, then gas or electric hookup when camping, that fine,  there are 2 x 3 pin plugs that will run off the van battery only oh and 2 lights, but I am worried about running out of power, obviously if I can plug into electric on site thats fine, then the kids can plug in anything they want, but if I go last min and electric are booked, I want to be able to run a few things off the battery like fan heater, tv, charge up things like gameboys. would it pay to have a second battery thats charges while driving, then i wont run out as easy, Sorry if this sounds confusing. also do you know anyone who does electric on campers in the southampton area if I decided to add this other battery.

cheers matys,

We used to have an Autosleeper Frisky (Ford Transit SWB pop top) which only had the one battery. We went away a couple of times without EHU & were ok for a weekend, but we only used the 12v for lights & water pump.

If you want to run more I think you would do with getting a second, leisure battery. fitted. Any competent auto-electrician should be able to do it.

Beware of using a fan heater as they draw a lot of current and would flatten any battery quite quickly.

A Leisure Battery is the only way to go, Jules / piece od mind and all that.

Go to Towsure in Southampton , i think the kit to wire it to the alternator is about a tenner ( Battery about £ 45 squid iSH / and i think Towsure will fit it for you

for not alot!

Contact: Towsure ltd

Hakweswood road, Northam Bridge, Southampton SO18 1AB tel. 023 80 33 99 80

Hope this helps M8

Best NANNYCATCH

Thanks for that, I do shop at Towsure quite a lot, so will pop in there soon, should be ok for ,one night away, Going to Holmsley 4 April with electric hookup in the Tent so will be fine for that trip.

Thanks again

Jules

Just one question, How do I use the Power from the 2nd battery, wont I need some 12v sockets, at the moment I have 2 x 3 pin plugs for when I'm plugged into 240v. the car battery is connected to the lights and waterpump only.

Jules

If you have a cigar lighter in the dash / just buy a triple 12v cigar lighter unit and just plug it into the dash!

If you haven't got one , have one fitted @ Towsure when you have the leisure battery fitted! it won't cost much.

Best

NANNYCATCH

Hi Julis

What I have done in my Motorhome is to take a second leisure that can be used for T.V. etc and make sure that its fully charged whilst at home, its wired into a seperate socket, and I have found that it gives me a full weekend T.V. viewing on the main programs, ( well you must know whats going on in Cornation St ),plus I also take a small battery charger in case I needed to recharge whilst on site but to date I have never needed to do this. If the battery runs out it donot cause any problem with the van/car battery

plus viewing T.V for approx 8 hours on a 110 ah battery

Thanks for all the information,

The above answer would solve the tv problems for the kids, but what about the fridge.

I have been trying to get a price out of a few motorhome dealers in the southampton area to wire in a 2nd battery, so i can just flick a switch and the fridge will run off the leisure battery, only trouble is i'm sure they will have to get to the back of the fridge to connect it all up, rather a large job will have to dismantle the cupboards around it, is it worth all the hassle?.

Jules

Hi Jules

Never ever run a 3 way fridge on 12v  from a battery, it wont last long at all, the 12v connection on a fridge is for running while driving only and needs connecting to the starter batter via a relay.

George

Thanks for that, didn't realise i should not run fridge on 12v on site.

Anyway a bit of progression, one of the dads up the school offered to get me a battery from his work and wire it in, for cash of course, so far the battery is fitted under the seat all wired so i can run the lights and water pump off it, just need to decide where and what sockets to have, either 2 pin or cigar lighter sockets, then i'm nearly there, can't wait, been putting of going away till it's all done.

but then i got another problem, the water pump started to leak, he had a look but might need a new one, not sure what one to buy, it says whale Evenflow 500 EFO500 on the side, picked one up from towsure but it was an inline one the one i need is a bit more involded, so will take it back and ask for their advise.

Hi Jules

Just a quick one that others forgot to mention. Before your friend fits your second battery make sure that it is equal amps to your existing one i.e. if you have an 85amp make sure your second one is an 85amp never fit unequal amperage i/e. an 85 with an 110 or you will allways draw from the weak one and defeat the object.

Cheers YOBO 999