[Davew]

I have a leisure battery powering my wfp system but no split charge relay yet. I have an old cheap charger in my garage that I intend to use every couple of days for now. My question is: are all chargers the same? can I damage my battery if it charges too fast? I reckon there must be a difference between them because the prices vary so much. Anyone know Jeff?

[Chris Cottrell]

I use a split charge relay and am very intersted to find out how much you charge your battery ..after not using a relay

Chris

[steve k]

I charge my deep cycle leisure battery overnight every 2 days.
I work the van for 2 days and then clip on the battery charger.
Been doing that for 19 months.

[Davew]

Yes thats what I'm doing just unclipping my pump and charging with a cheap battery charger. But are all chargers the same?

[steve k]

I use the battery charger from Halfords specifically for deep cycle leisure batteries. I don`t unclip the pump though...why?

[poole bay]

what you can do is run a wire from the  + and - from the frount battrie and run the wires to the back battrie in the back ov you car or van  just put a fuse on the + and there you go no more charging.

[Davew]

By clips I mean the crocodile variety. Surely just connecting two batteries together will just flatten both of them?

[Easyclean Windows]

chris may i ask did you have your relay installed by auto elecy or yourself if the latter how have you wired it in?

[Trademark WC]

Guy's

Just get a car sparks to do it, he will do it for £80 squid including all bits !! the split relay itself only cost £3 pound from car parts shops.

I had mine fitted 2 years ago and its been used everyday supplying two pumps all day and Ive never had to charge it or had problems. Actually the only thing that did happen was a fuse blew once and I just changed that was about 9 months ago.

Rob

[jeff1]

what you can do is run a wire from the  + and - from the frount battrie and run the wires to the back battrie in the back ov you car or van  just put a fuse on the + and there you go no more charging.

Carl Never do this.
The reason is, if one of your batteries is low or even knackered, it will always pull the good one down to its own level. even two brand new batteries should never be wired like this, as even brand new batteries are never 100% efficient. they work out at about 80-85% efficient, so if one new battery is higher, then it will always be pulled down by the worst one.

Davew
if you charge your battery every other day, then thats fine, but you will have to monitor it with a muli-meter.
I actually charge mine every day, and like steve k I use the halfords one that minds your battery for you, after an hour or two my charger switches to trickle mode, this is ideal, with your old charger what will happen is it won't switch to trickle mode and continue to give full charge, the first thing you will notice is your battery will start to look a little fatter, and what this means is your over-charging it and the plates are getting hot, and begining to buckle,this will break your battery down faster than mine or steve k's, for £30 you can put your battery on charge as often as you like and the charger will look after it for you, even if you go away for a week and leave it charging.

[Davew]

Thanks Jeff we got there in the end.

[dougster]

jeff i have been having problems with leisure batteries i buy from maplin.been advised to use the 12v 7ah .is this the correct battery for a trolley system, if not where and what should i be using thanks dougie

[Chris Cottrell]

I installed mine myself cause im dead handy that way as for how I think different models may have different ways best to refer to manufacturers instructions but having said that it aint that hard


Chris

[Davew]

And my next question is: which type of split relay should I buy?

[jeff1]

jeff i have been having problems with leisure batteries i buy from maplin.been advised to use the 12v 7ah .is this the correct battery for a trolley system, if not where and what should i be using thanks dougie

Dougie
I use that size for my backpack, what size is your pump and how much room do you have to carry a battery? If you don't have room for a leisure type battery, you can use the golf cart size or even wheel chair size, if you have a disability shop near you, pop in there and you can pick a good second hand one 12v 18ah for around a £5

[jeff1]

And my next question is: which type of split relay should I buy?

Mathew bought one from maplins and sent me the spec, The spec is fine for your needs, and don't let an auto electricial engineer tell you any different,

[Davew]

er.. and the spec is?

[Easyclean Windows]

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=32003.0#msg250104

[jeff1]

Thanks Matt
Just this second been looking for the link, but you beat me to it
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=32003.0

[Easyclean Windows]

Thats ok jeff but its steve lol..anyway jeff i have looked at the wiring on the alternator 3 wires red,grey,blue do i need to take all 3 out to find the charging light one?