cable leisure battery (1 Viewer)

[rickyW]

Hi Funsters,

I need to cable for a leisure battery, I have a ZIG CF8 unit,

can one of you knowledgeable funsters help me,
Thanks.

Best Regards,
Ricky. :thumb:

 

[hilldweller]

Lets have a bit more detail.

Where is the cable going, from - to.

What is the purpose of this cable ?

What is the length of this cable ?

 

[rickyW]

leisure battery

Hi Brian,

I think it should be wired from the Zig unit I think 2.5 socket cable to the box under the back door, approx 7' of cable , I hope that helps.

Best regards,
Ricky.

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[pappajohn]

if you mean 2.5mmsq household cable then the answer is no.

single strand copper cable will eventually break as it isnt designed to move at all....any vibration will 'harden' the ends resulting in failure.

use multi stranded flex.

 

[hilldweller]

Hi Brian,

I think it should be wired from the Zig unit I think 2.5 socket cable to the box under the back door, approx 7' of cable , I hope that helps.

Best regards,
Ricky.

So it's the charger output to the leisure battery.

7 feet.

That's a bit clearer.

2.5 ? Make sure that's not house solid cable, you need good flex to cope with the vibration. 2.5 sounds OK to me for something like 15A of charge current.

PS....

Looks like it's only 4.5A charging which is pretty low. 2.5mm is well big enough.

 

[rickyW]

wire battery

Hi Brian,
I want to know where I connect the cable from and to where and do I need an inline fuse, the ZIG is cabled to the main battery, do I connect the leisure cable to the same terminals?
Regards,
Ricky

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[hilldweller]

Hi Brian,
I want to know where I connect the cable from and to where and do I need an inline fuse, the ZIG is cabled to the main battery, do I connect the leisure cable to the same terminals?
Regards,
Ricky

Now you've opened Pandora's Box.

It's not a cable you need it's a charger module, cost from £30 on ebay to £400 from Stirling. Since I've never done this and your problem is getting clearer I'll let someone who has done it advise you.

Clue:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o...rger&_nkw=battery+to+battery+charger&_sacat=0

 

[SomeoneElse]

RTFM

Ricky do you have the manual for your zig unit?
If not search for "zig-cg8.pdf" This should answer your questions.
There is a diagram of the unit's terminals on page 6.
Terminal 1 is engine battery negative.
Terminal 2 is engine battery positive.
Terminal 3 is leisure battery negative.
Terminal 4 is leisure battery positive.

Right at the start of the document it say that the unit comes with a 25A inline fuse to be connected in the positive line near to the leisure battery. I would recommend a similar fuse near the engine battery.

After the terminal diagram it say to use 2 square mm cable I would recommend increasing that to say 4mm2, but you may be limited by the size of cable that will fit in the terminal block.

Good luck
Gordon

 

[cmcardle75]

After the terminal diagram it say to use 2 square mm cable I would recommend increasing that to say 4mm2, but you may be limited by the size of cable that will fit in the terminal block.

As the limiting factor in cable selection is voltage drop, not current carrying ability, you can just nibble some of the strands off (making sure you don't leave any strays) to make it fit.

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[rickyW]

cable battery

Thanks Brian,

Now I am confused, I thought I could connect to ZIG unit and straight to battery so it charges while driving.
as you say maybe some other funster can help
Best Regards,
Ricky.

 

[rickyW]

wire battery

Hi Gorden,
Yes I have the ZIG manual main battery is in terminals 3-4 fused at the battery, but I don't see where to connect for leisure battery,
will have another look at manual, I thought I would have to put inline fuse near leisure battery,
Best Regards,

Ricky.
ps can't wait to get it done and get out meeting other funsters

 

[Terry]

Perhaps I have read this wrong oh: but are you simply wanting to charge a LB from the zig or add an extra LB to one that you already have wired up ? If it's just a case of adding another LB then it's a simple case of poss to poss and neg to neg to join both LBs together and the zig unit will charge both LBs then without the need to wire individually
Now you mention charging from the engine ? no need to go through zig unit you simply need either a twin or single relay that basicaly switches on allowing charge current when the engine/altenator is running --A single relay usually runs either the fridge or charges the LB but a twin relay can be wired one to fridge and other to LB so that both recive charge when engine is running --wire up with right size cable for the lengh of run to both :thumb: Relays are aprox £10 to £15 ish
terry

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[hilldweller]

Thanks Brian,

Now I am confused, I thought I could connect to ZIG unit and straight to battery so it charges while driving.
Ricky.

We are both confused. I did not know the Zig had two outputs so my error.

 

[Terry]

Hi Brian if memory is right the zig cf8 unit is capable of charging both LB and engine battery with a switch -Rocker type ,say left LB middle off and right engine B-- BUT IN BOTH CASES THE CHARGE COMES FROM HOOK UP NOT ENGINE ---I THINK THE op IS EVEN MORE CONFUSSED THAN BOTH OF US
terry

 

[rickyW]

wire battery

Hi All,
I do not have a leisure battery in my van,
so can't wild park,
I would like to fit a LB so I don't run my main battery down,
so I am starting from scratch, the zig is wired to main battery so zig works lights etc off van battery. I am sorry if I have not explaining myself properly,
Ricky.

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[SomeoneElse]

Ricky, Its becoming clearer, me at least.

You have just one battery in your van, an engine battery to start the engine and run the usual vehicle electrics.

It is also wire to your zig unit as a leisure battery so you can use it for habitation equipment, lights etc, as well.

You are fearful that this will discharge the engine battery to a point where you can not start the engine.

You therefore wish to add a second battery to act as a leisure battery this would power the habitation equipment while leaving the engine battery to its primary purpose.

Therefore you need to remove the engine battery wires from terminals 3 and 4. They can then be connected to terminal 1 and 2 as specified in the manual. Your additional battery can then be connected to terminal 3 and 4, where it will act as the leisure battery and power the habitation area.

The Zig unit can act as the manually equivalent of a split charge relay, by set the unit to touring mode. But only do this while the engine is running, as it looks like the two batteries are connected together. With the engine running both batteries will be being charged. Without the engine running the engine battery could become discharged trying to charge the leisure battery.

Is that better?
Gordon

 

[rickyW]

Thats great Gordon,
there was no manual for anything in the van,
so had to download manuals for all equipment and trying to get my head round it all I must have missed the bit for wiring a LB, but that has been a great help, so now off to buy some cable and cable it in, then I can finish the roof and get on the road.
Thanks again,
Ricky.:thumb:

 

[hilldweller]

I am sorry if I have not explaining myself properly,
Ricky.

You're not the first not the last. But as long as you get there in the end.

You'll just be in time for winter.

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[TheBig1]

dont forget if you fit a leisure battery you need to put it in a vented locker and provide it with a means of charging. so put a relay under the bonnet near the engine battery. get a voltage sensing relay for under £10 and you just fit a fused wire from engine battery to the relay, and then from the relay to leisure battery. this will then charge the leisure battery when the engine is running

using the zig to distribute the 12v from the leisure battery is fine just connect as described above. get it wrong and you will be flattening your engine battery still as it will be connected direct to the leisure battery battery. the leisure battery may also be damaged by trying to start the engine off it, although it would blow the fuse

 

[rickyW]

Thanks Big 1,

I have read the zig manual through and it looks simple enough but that may not be the case when I start but will try it,
What will be the best cable to buy.
Ricky.

 

[rickyW]

Hi Gordon,


you have my problem exactly, I obviously did not explain my problem clearly, Is it 2.5 or 25 mmsq cable I need?, my big problem is running the cable discretely if it is 25mm, and of course I will have to cut hole to vent it,and find the best place to put battery.

Ricky.

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[SomeoneElse]

Ricky
I refer you to my earlier post.
The manual say 2mm2 (thats 2 squared millimeters, the area of the copper conductor) I consider this to be woefully inadequate.

I suggested that you use at least 4mm2 . However other practical considerations come into play.

1. The size of the terminal block on your Zig unit.
2. The battery connections.
3. and as you say the cable run.

If it was me I would use 6mm2 and use these at the Zig end.

and these two at the battery end

But I do have the correct crimping tool for insulated terminals.
What terminals does your new leisure battery have?

FYI
4mm2 cable is also known as 65/0.30
6mm2 cable is also known as 84/0.30

All the best
Gordon

 

[rickyW]

Hi Gordon,

Thanks for all that info it is great.



I have not got the battery yet it is a mates while I figure out the cabling,



he has it to keep it charged it was one he had lying about and kindly said I could have it, but with your info I will ask him about the terminals and buy appropriate connectors, the cable you said will not be to thick to hide through the cupboards into the storage box that I sit on when parked after I vent it.



Ricky.:thumb: