[Sunshine/Cleaning]

I have run off van battery via lighter 12v no problems other than cable in the way.

I have had a solar panel for a while now works well.

[[GQC] Tim]

Hmmm, I do have a 4040 in the van as well, I'm wondering if by filling it up for a couple of hours, the solenoid would drain the van battery. Not sure.

Quite impressed by your systems longetivity Dave, makes me think to just go that route as well really, much simpler.

[darren clarke]

what size cable is best to use?

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

The pump draws at 7amps on full so 10amp wire would be fine. Dont forget to fit a fuse.

[Moderator David@stives]

Tim

I don't have an ro in the van with a solenoid, so don't know how your battery will stand up. How many amps does the valve draw ?

All I could suggest is to trial it for a week and keep a plan b back up until you are confident with it

[gto]

it would also depend on where you work, if you dont travel very far the van battery wont get a full charge.

so every day you will drain the battery without recharging it properly, especialy with winter coming using the lights, heater more load on the battery.
so for saving £60 on a battery you may get stuck at the side of the road with a dead van

[Moderator David@stives]

Never happened to me !

If it did it wouldn't be a bad trade off. One day needing a jump start against having to recharge a leisure battery every single night, I know what I would choose.

The amp draw of a pump is very low especially with a flow controller, it would take more than emptying 800 litres on one job without moving to flatten your battery.


Have you actually tried it or are you surmising

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Never happened to me !

If it did it wouldn't be a bad trade off. One day needing a jump start against having to recharge a leisure battery every single night, I know what I would choose.
The amp draw of a pump is very low especially with a flow controller, it would take more than emptying 800 litres on one job without moving to flatten your battery.


Have you actually tried it or are you surmising

Same here.

A digital varistream will tell you anyway when the battery is getting low (green light flashing) This will happen to me if I turn the flow up to full just to prime the pump & then continue to run all day on setting 1 or 2! This just goes to show the difference in amps being pulled from the battery between using electronic flow controll or runnung pump on full!

[Londoner]

I run everything off the van battery, always have.

[rg1]

Same here. My van was on a 55 plate when I got it so just to be on the safe side, I went and bought a new battery and have had no problems. Also changed the croc clips for a cig lighter adaptor, just plug it in and away you go!

[ian1972]

I have my leisure battery directly conected to van battery stays topped up never had a problem in 12 month of running or that way

[chris@c.m.s]

I run mine straight from the van battery and I've never had a problem, you only need to run a live cable from the batteries positive terminal, I think mine is about 20 amp rating with an in-line fuse, negative to the pump controller is taken of the van chassis.   

[[GQC] Tim]

Tim

I don't have an ro in the van with a solenoid, so don't know how your battery will stand up. How many amps does the valve draw ?

All I could suggest is to trial it for a week and keep a plan b back up until you are confident with it

David,

I have no idea, it's this one, from purefreedom :

http://www.purefreedom.co.uk/12v-asco-jucomatic-solenoid-valve-p-377.html

Sounds like a plan, I will keep a backup.

Does the negative actually have to go back to the van battery or is ground to chassis enough?

Regards,

@ Vince (Green)

How does running the leisure off the van battery work? Sounds complicated. Does the alternator still charge both, or does the current from the van battery charge the leisure battery?

Thanks all.

[Perfect Windows]

I have my leisure battery directly conected to van battery stays topped up never had a problem in 12 month of running or that way

The Hiace has two batteries as standard.  There's no messing about with relays or whatever, they are just hooked up to each other.  Seems to work fine.

Vin

[chris@c.m.s]

Does the negative actually have to go back to the van battery or is ground to chassis enough?

Oh why do I bother  : no bugger reads my posts anyway 

[Paul Coleman]

I've always had a split charger plus leisure battery myself.  Not tried it any other way.  Personally I prefer the idea of this as although people on here seem to have had no problems running from a van battery, I have heard of it happening.  If working that way, I would only do it if I had a power pack - just in case.  I've had a van battery fail on me before just by leaving sidelights on for half an hour or so (must have been getting old).  I ended up restarting the van by jumpleading from a 35amp trolley battery  .

[[GQC] Tim]

Does the negative actually have to go back to the van battery or is ground to chassis enough?

Oh why do I bother  : no bugger reads my posts anyway 

Oops sorry!

Did 6 hours of work today, battery still okay, just about to fill up 400l tank, we'll see how it holds up tomorrow.

[chris@c.m.s]

No problem it was meant tongue in cheek, I'd had a few cans as well  I'm sure you'll be OK with it as long as your battery is in good shape.   

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

dave why dont you try and run it off a external baterry might be best in the long run mate

[[GQC] Tim]

dave why dont you try and run it off a external baterry might be best in the long run mate

He's been using it for 4 years like that.