jossey
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| posted on 27/12/13 at 10:12 AM |
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Camper van earth 2 batteries question.
I've not been able to get my head round this.
So my campervan has 2 batteries
1 main van one.
1 in back to power lights etc.
So with the weather being so nice I am sorting the electrics out.
The charger I have can charge both batteries but and has a switch and you wire up both positive wires to the back of the unit.
But.... It only has one negative input.
Is it ok to have both my batteries connected to the same earth?
If that is the case does that mean that I can sort electrics on either battery by attaching earth to the van etc.....
Thanks
David Johnson
Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 27/12/13 at 10:28 AM |
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The best way to have 2 batteries in a camper van is to use the main battery for the vehicle electrics as on a standard van charging as standard then
all of the camper
accessories running off the second battery , normally a lea sure battery, which should be charged via a split charging relay that isolates the
batteries from each other until the engine is running and the alternator charging. That way if the 2nd battery is run flat the vehicle battery will
still be charged. Both batteries still use an earth return so could have the negatives connected together or on any point of the chassis/body that
provides a good earth .HTH
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jossey
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| posted on 27/12/13 at 10:31 AM |
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That's great thanks.
I'll get more stuff ordered then....
Cheers for the quick reply.
Thanks
David Johnson
Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 27/12/13 at 12:45 PM |
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Can you post a link to the charger?
If it's a smaller thin wire it could be for the "voltage sensing" side of the charger in which case it'll be ok just onto the
chassis. In reality all your earth wire will go to chassis earths. However you must make sure they are all good clean earth points. I have seen
vehicles where 2 batteries powering high power outputs ( like tail lifts) have earthed through cables that are not part of there own circuits i.e.
thinner smaller wires on the chassis, when the larger main earths have broken or become corroded. These cables are not ,fit to or able to carry the
high amperage's and in turn catch fire or burn out like a fuse. In these cases we usually ground all major cables at the same point.
If it looks wrong it probably is wrong.
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jossey
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| posted on 27/12/13 at 09:28 PM |
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I'll post a pic tomorrow thanks.
Thanks
David Johnson
Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.
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