New (1 Viewer)

[Johno1]

Wanting to add extra leisure battery and a battery to battery charger to my new bailey Approach, had a look at the cables from the battery to where they disappear and can see a oblong plastic case with I think "current monitor" on the lid about 3" long and 1" wide, lifting the lid a bit I can see a printed card where +/- cables are fixed each end, in and out , no other wiring, is it a fuse?

 

[Organplayer]

organplayer

Hi. We too have a new Bailey Approach 740, andhave had a Sterling 50amp battery to battery charger fitted by Van Bitz together with a Webasto Air Top heater and Strikeback alarm. The second 110amp battery was included in the purchase price of the van, together with a double lens rear view camera. To be "belt and braces" we had our two 110 watt solar panels from previous van put on the Bailey. So far we have not had to use the Webasto heater. As to your enquiry about the cable on the l/battery, I can"t help. A phone call to Bailey technical department may prove advantageous.I have phoned them a few times with quiries I have had and they are helpful. Hope you are as satisfied with the 740 as we are. Two of the Bailey models have just been voted best m/caravans in the "up to £45000" class, taking 1st and 2nd places. Best of luck.

 

[Johno1]

Bailey 740

Hi, not used van yet and moving from a caravan I am am trying to achieve a level of independence from hook ups. I have always attempted jobs myself and not happy if it is not "perfect" have been critical of work that I have paid TRADESMEN to do, eg the rear view camera that was dealer fitted before delivery and was a right mess, some lunatic (electrician let loose with a drill and a tube of silicon) puts a hole for the cable near the camera not behind. So I wonder if Bailey would give the information I want to a layman?

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[Organplayer]

organplayer

Hi Johno. I take your point about dodgy standard of work carried out by so called "professionals". There was a time when I tackled most jobs, but after sailing thru the air with not the greatest of ease when the ladder departed the side of the van a few motorhomes ago, and what seems to be the very complicated electronics on later models, I do nowt. I found Van Bitz and EsanJ, in Poole to be very reliable. You will find the 740 a very warm second home. At least the Truma boiler which w e found t be very efficient, does not discharge the water from the boiler when the temp. drops to 3deg. As for contacting Bailey, as I stated previously, they have always been receptive and helpful when I have phoned them. You have nothing to lose in giving them a try. I did find the waste water tap too low to slide the mobile emptying tank underneath,so I cut approx 1 inch off the bottom of the tap which has solved that little niggle. Please let us know how you get on in your endevours. Best of luck and safe travels.

 

[hilldweller]

is it a fuse?

I think the clue is on the lid. I would expect two thick wires and one or two thin ones, it will be connected to some form of battery monitor, which could be in the main control panel of the van.

 

[Johno1]

monitor

I could understand if like that but the device is in line on the tails from the leisure battery approx 1ft from battery no thinner wires coming away from it just the thick red and black going of out of sight, will take another more detailed look and write things down later, van in storage, Phil

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[Johno1]

Approach battery

Hi Organplayer, where did they fit the second battery? I have bought the battery and a through the floor battery box with lid intending to fit near the back of the installed leisure battery under left hand bench seat but am open to better ideas.Phil

 

[Organplayer]

organplayer

Hi Johno. Sorry for late reply. Took van to Peugeot dealers for two recalls, then gardening (ugh) and have only just switched this box of trix on. I will have a gud look at the battery and b to b charger set up in morning and reply on here.

 

[Organplayer]

organplayer

Hi Johno. I have jst sent you a reply, but sent on the sent e mail part of this box o trix. If you hav"nt received it I will send it again on this site. I really am trying to get used to this electronic wizardry.

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[Johno1]

extra battery

Cheers, just ordered a Sterling 50amp B2B charger already got battery and box , just a thought does the new charger show volts on Leisure battery on the indication panel above the door when engine is running? Phil

 

[Organplayer]

organplayer

Hi Johno. Yes the increasing voltage of the l/battery w hen being charged by the Sterling set upis shown on the Bailey panel, and on the solar panel readout as well. When the Bailey panel shows charge rate at 4.5 to 5 amps the Sterling remote control shows 7amps. I mention this for what it"s worth. As for the Peugeot re-call, I gleaned this info from another kind soul on this really informative site. Contact Gurjit Chinji, Customer Relations Manager, Peugeot, on 02476 884184. Inform him of the VIN of your Bailey. The re-call codes are ZEC for a software upgrade, and ZDL which relates to a heat shield between the exhaust system and steering gear. At the garage a third re-call was mentioned to me,which did"nt apply. This third re-call concerned the spare wheel fixing winch which has received some attention in the motorhome press and on this site. As the Bailey is on an Alko chassis, this re-call did"nt apply. I hope you can make sense of this rather garbled message, I am bashing away whilst one eye on this and the other on the tv and French Open tennis. Best of luck.

 

[Johno1]

Johno

Hi Organplayer, so charging at between 4 & 7 amps, this does not seem much of a charge I would be interested if you did a little experiment, say disconnect from the hookup and use the 12v for a few hours and then run engine and see what the initial charge amps are? I have been reading what I can find on these B2B chargers and they need to be disconnected from the engine battery on the factory setup using a changeover relay otherwise you are still just receiving the regulated charge from the alternator, was a changeover relay fitted? Im not an electrician but tend to do a bit of research before tackling jobs and this is just my understanding of the requirements on this setup, Phil

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[Organplayer]

organplayer

The van is not on elec.h/up. I have two 110watt solar panels on roof, and the readouts on the panels (Bailey,solar and Sterling) all showed 14.3v before I started the engine,so therefor the batteries did"nt require such a heavy charge. We are away in couple of weeks, not on hook up, and we shall see how all this works then. Of course this time of year with the solars and hopefully no requirement for much heating, the Sterling won"t be fully tested, if that is the right phrase. Whilst we are away no doubt the Oyster set up will be used a fair bit (think it is the final w/e of the French tennis championships). We watched Wimbledon finals couple of years ago whilst we were in Poland. Have fun

 

[Johno1]

Johno

Hi, It sounds like a very efficient 12v charging system you have there, reason I mentioned the relay is that it seems that these B2B chargers have been fitted after getting misled by the advertising stating simple to install and not realizing that if a relay has not been used to isolate the L/batteries from the system then a loop is made back to the engine battery and the B2B will not perform as designed,
Will be using the Approach for the first time this weekend on the N/Yorks moors, so will become a bit more learned about using a Motorhome and should be able to then appreciate this Forum more and more.