Fitting 2nd leisure battery but no wiring loom for it

[Bockhamptoner]

Just bought Burstner Elegance 686 2005 and the previous owners threw in a new leisure battery they hadn't got round to fitting as a 2nd. I've just lifted the floor pannels and I think I see why. I would have expected that a van with two battery wells would have been wired for twin batteries, and it isn't... I suspect that's why previous owners didn't fit it. It is an identical battery to the original.
The loom looks bog standard, no bodgy connections or extras, no wires wrapped in electrical tape, which is good... Can I just use some cable and just + to + and - to - and Bob's my uncle, it will be charged and used to help extend non-EHU weekends? ...or is that too simplistic?
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Bockhamptoner]

...and, will the onboard monitor thing fitted above the door know there is an extra battery?

 

[Emmit]

Could I ask, Where were you looking for the leisure battery?

On our Aviano, the van battery is under the passengers feet and the two leisure batteries are half way down the nearside behind a locker.

 

[Itsmcb]

That will work, yes. Better to do it as per the diagram. You should also fuse the positive link close to each battery unless they are really close together.

You may also need to reset your control panel so that it knows your battery capacity but someone who has the same van would know about this better.

 

[TheBig1]

when you link a second battery, the charger and monitor see just one bigger battery

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[autorouter]

Will the two leisure batteries be very close to each other, or will they be in separate compartments? If they are separated, you'll need to put a fuse at both ends of the positive link wire. If the monitor is the type that tells you the 'Ah' state of charge or percentage charge, there will be a menu setting to tell it the new Ah capacity, otherwise you will get strange results on the gauge.

 

[Bockhamptoner]

The batteries are in the floor in the centre of the vehicle, they are about 30cm apart. Thank you for the advice I will fuse as mentioned.
Kevin

 

[tonyidle]

The batteries are in the floor in the centre of the vehicle, they are about 30cm apart. Thank you for the advice I will fuse as mentioned.
Kevin

No need to fuse if they're that close together unless the link cable passes through a metal bulkhead or divider.

 

[Gaston aires]

Just connect the two positive to positive etc. That simple.