[Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle]

Having feeling the effects of a split charge failing, and gooseing my maim battery, I dnt really want to connect another.

As I replaced my battery last week, I knocked a guafd off and noticed a few thick cables, onto a 'bus-bar' type of thing.... Im assuming one of them is an ignition live. So i'l find out which it is, then take perhaps a 10mm cable from tht to the battery the runs the wfp, then hopefully....hopefully.... The 2nd batt wil be charged when ignition is on, and when ign off, there (should) be no chance of it drawing current from main batt...

Any opinions on this? Thanks

[Smudger]

Yep sounds complicated and if the ignition is on wont it still be drawing off the van batt  ??

at least with a split charger you won't drain the main batt with the engine off...

Darran

[gto]

You want a relay, then a switched line from your ignition.
Your lighter socket will probably be ignition switched for an easy connection.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

what you wanna do is connect it
to a exercise bike in the back
of yr van n pay a young lad to pedal 

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

dean taberner does this n it
works for him
might not for dave morris or huw c

[SB Cleaning]

Having feeling the effects of a split charge failing, and gooseing my maim battery, I dnt really want to connect another.

As I replaced my battery last week, I knocked a guafd off and noticed a few thick cables, onto a 'bus-bar' type of thing.... Im assuming one of them is an ignition live. So i'l find out which it is, then take perhaps a 10mm cable from tht to the battery the runs the wfp, then hopefully....hopefully.... The 2nd batt wil be charged when ignition is on, and when ign off, there (should) be no chance of it drawing current from main batt...

Any opinions on this? Thanks

why did the split charge fail on you Ryan?

I was thinking of getting one set up myself.

[Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle]

what you wanna do is connect it
to a exercise bike in the back
of yr van n pay a young lad to pedal 

Yeh m8 I thought about this

[Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle]

Having feeling the effects of a split charge failing, and gooseing my maim battery, I dnt really want to connect another.

As I replaced my battery last week, I knocked a guafd off and noticed a few thick cables, onto a 'bus-bar' type of thing.... Im assuming one of them is an ignition live. So i'l find out which it is, then take perhaps a 10mm cable from tht to the battery the runs the wfp, then hopefully....hopefully.... The 2nd batt wil be charged when ignition is on, and when ign off, there (should) be no chance of it drawing current from main batt...

Any opinions on this? Thanks

why did the split charge fail on you Ryan?

I was thinking of getting one set up myself.

Dont know why it failed m8, just know that when engine turned off, and using wfp, it allowed me to drain battery.. It always happened on a flat road so was hard to bump start ha

[Ian Sheppard]

Interesting one, I am no electrician - It will depend where in the circuit your relay is. The idea of a split relay is that your leisure battery should only draw a charge while the engine and alternator are running.
With the engine of the circuit to the alternator and vehicle battery should be broken.

Sounds like you have a direct connection between the batteries so once the leisure battery is used the system is drawing current direct from the vehicle battery. You need to find a friendly vehicle electrician.

Dont know if you are using a controller, there are controls with the split relay built in

The charging controller with a built in relay will only draw current from the alternator while the engine is running.
remember if you take 4-5 amps for 5-6 hours in a working day but spend only 2-3 hours driving (and charging via the split relay) you will not put back in, what you have taken out.

[gto]

they are supposed to auto sense the battery voltage on the main battery, then switch the charge over to the second when full.
perhaps your split relay has a faulty level sense and thinks the front battery is always full, allowing it to discharge.

if you add a relay before the split charger, like i suggested it will seperate the batteries when the ignition is off.

get yourself a volt meter and check your batteries with the van running, make sure the front is getting 13-14v and the back should be 12v (until it switches)

[Spruce]

they are supposed to auto sense the battery voltage on the main battery, then switch the charge over to the second when full.
perhaps your split relay has a faulty level sense and thinks the front battery is always full, allowing it to discharge.

if you add a relay before the split charger, like i suggested it will seperate the batteries when the ignition is off.

get yourself a volt meter and check your batteries with the van running, make sure the front is getting 13-14v and the back should be 12v (until it switches)

Some of them have a little adjusting screw - ie the one from Brocott. Sometimes they 'wander' off adjustment  and need to be tweeked. Brocott technical hotline will explain how to adjust the unit they supply.

Spruce

[traps7]

Interesting one, I am no electrician - It will depend where in the circuit your relay is. The idea of a split relay is that your leisure battery should only draw a charge while the engine and alternator are running.
With the engine of the circuit to the alternator and vehicle battery should be broken.

Sounds like you have a direct connection between the batteries so once the leisure battery is used the system is drawing current direct from the vehicle battery. You need to find a friendly vehicle electrician.

Dont know if you are using a controller, there are controls with the split relay built in

The charging controller with a built in relay will only draw current from the alternator while the engine is running.
remember if you take 4-5 amps for 5-6 hours in a working day but spend only 2-3 hours driving (and charging via the split relay) you will not put back in, what you have taken out.

I had one of these but you have to manually turn it on and off before and after each journey. Better of with an automatic intelligent one IMO.