Silly leisure battery in van question

Silly leisure battery in van question

Author
Discussion

Pesty

Original Poster:

42,655 posts

255 months

Thursday 13th February 2020
quotequote all
When the van isn’t in use the main battery drains pretty quick.

I’ve put a small solar panel to help but if it gets too low the fuse blows and no charge at all goes in.
I’ve been disconnecting the leisure battery at the negative terminal. This seems to have cured the issue the solar is enough to keep main battery topped up.

Just wondering if this is dangerous in anyway I’m disconnecting at the leisure battery side.

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Thursday 13th February 2020
quotequote all
I'm guessing camper van rather than caravan?

If so then yeah sounds like the charge is being pulled out of the engine battery into the leisure one and taking the neutral off would sort it. You could take both terminals off just make sure you keep them away from each other and the body work.

There should be a relay between the main battery and leisure which will only connect the leisure battery to the main vehicle electrics when the engine is running. Maybe this isn't working?

Pesty

Original Poster:

42,655 posts

255 months

Thursday 13th February 2020
quotequote all
Thanks

It’s probably Wired backwards, van is great wiring less so. Good point though I’ll check it out .

Darryl247W

564 posts

122 months

Thursday 13th February 2020
quotequote all
As C0ffin D0dger says, what you need is a split-charge relay.

Good concise explanation here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1i4ENhWhi8

Pesty

Original Poster:

42,655 posts

255 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Thanks I’ll take a look. It may have one buried somewhere.