Batteries

[marley]

Hi, I am considering adding a second battery, is it simply a matter of connecting them in parallel or is there more to it?

[Happy Traveller]

Hello Marley

 

I’m presuming that you’re talking of a second leisure battery. I have an SK and my leisure batteries are under the nearside bench seat. I had a second leisure battery fitted by Brownhills before delivery when my van was brand new. I’ve subsequently replaced them both simultaneously myself. There is plenty of space. You are right that they need to be connected in parallel. Two things are important. One : you must at least fit a transverse bar tight to the front edge of the new battery to stop it sliding forwards particularly in an emergency stop or worse in an accident. Two : you should preferably use a thick insulated cable with bolt-tightening connectors to the terminals (positive to positive, negative to negative). Make sure that these connectors are very firmly fixed. At the end of my first journey home (120 miles) I looked at things as you do and found that one end of the positive to positive had vibrated off the terminal luckily without shorting on anything. Unattended to this may have been dangerous but at a minimum it would have made this second battery ineffective. I understand that it’s better when connecting a second battery to have it of the same power, age and construction.

 

Best wishes,

 

Keith.

[Fred & Gill]

Hello Marley, saw this post a little while ago but Usually I use my very old ipad which I can’t get to log in with and it’s taken me a long time to get around to replying on the computer – sorry if is it too late and I hate to see posts go unacknowledged. I assume that this site is not used as much as the Facebook site ( I don’t use facebook, so can’t say for sure)

I am not someone who can really advise on electrics from an expert input, but I have read lots of comments and advice on various forums over the years.

It is a straightforward procedure to connect them in parallel (using correct procedure & cabling size) and batteries of similar age and power.

I believe that there is a general rule of about 10 x charging rate so for us about 180 amp for 2 batteries ….

I am a little rusty on this information, but it can probably be verified on the a and n caravan services website (listed under atlantic caravans) on the information section on our website. Searching out and about live or the motorhome fun forums will also give you more information.

best wishes, Fred

[marley]

Hi all, thanks for the info just needed to confirm what I was doing things in the correct manner so thanks again

[Author]

Posts