How's this electrical setup? (1 Viewer)

[Elias]

I've mostly finished the wiring for the camper today, just need to wire up the water pump and a couple more lights.

Whats everybody's thoughts on this setup? I'm no electrician but I'm sure the majority is just common sense...

I've run 10mm2 cable from the solar panels/controller/between batteries. All other cable is 6mm2 apart from the lighting which is really thin speaker cable stuff. There is a breaker from the battery to the fuse board which is rated 32v/30amp (this came from a previous build that I bought part built)

Im not sure if I need to add a couple of inline fuses on the main power cable? I'd also like to add a main switch for when we're out for the day and maybe another switch to turn off the solar setup.

 

[Stealaway]

Dire - without even considering the cable sizes it looks like a plate of spaghetti without a plate. You need at least some sheathing and cut the cables to length to tidy up. Do you now know what wire goes where?

 

[Richard n Ann]

Looks OK to me. Perhaps the odd cable tie wouldn't go amiss but it will work the same without

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[SuperMike]

I’m sure it works, but my first impression is it is a bit of a birds nest. Like that it is easy to damage, there are lots of unsupported connections, and it’s all subject to vehicle vibrations. Neat and tidy and run in conduit or personally, I’m old fashioned, and would have laced it all. But then, I’m partial to a bit of lacing, it’s a dieing art.

 

[TheBig1]

if you had taken your time and run the cables neatly and supported, it would save space and problems later on. looks like a real fire hazard without the batteries being fused near the terminals

 

[Wissel]

What distance in length is between the leisure batteries and your starter battery?
What are running from the batteries? Are you using an inverter?
How are you charging the leisure batteries?

First thoughts are, I'm not sure if 10mm cable is enough (hence the above questions)
Second thought is the joins between the cable and the battery lugs. Ideally the lugs should be in contact with the whole cable, otherwise your not using the full 10mm which will lose voltage and could heat up. I mean fire type heat up, if too much current going through them.

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[Stealaway]

This must be a wind up. Who would use speaker cable for anything on 12v!!!

 

[Wissel]

This must be a wind up. Who would use speaker cable for anything on 12v!!!

I hope you're right. Not so much because of the speaker wire, more because of the joins in the main 10mm cable. Especially the main live feed without a fuse that appears to be joined to a bit of 6mm cable in the middle.

But on the off chance this isn't a windup, I'm happy to help the guy make it work better and be safe

 

[Deleted member 29692]

10mm cable for battery links. No
Speaker cable for anything except speakers or doorbells. No
No cable containment or support.
Batteries look like they can slide around
Random joints hanging in the middle of nowhere.

I’m assuming this is a windup but if not then it needs ripping out and starting again from scratch by someone who knows what they’re doing.

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[Freespirit1]

I've mostly finished the wiring for the camper today, just need to wire up the water pump and a couple more lights.

Whats everybody's thoughts on this setup? I'm no electrician but I'm sure the majority is just common sense...

I've run 10mm2 cable from the solar panels/controller/between batteries. All other cable is 6mm2 apart from the lighting which is really thin speaker cable stuff. There is a breaker from the battery to the fuse board which is rated 32v/30amp (this came from a previous build that I bought part built)

Im not sure if I need to add a couple of inline fuses on the main power cable? I'd also like to add a main switch for when we're out for the day and maybe another switch to turn off the solar setup.

View attachment 195947

Do you have any friends that are electricians or retired ones?

From the photo I think you would be very wise to have them tidy it up and check EVERY ASPECT of what you have done!

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

As you have said yourself you are no electrician.
Due to all of the above comments it will be at best unreliable and at worst has the potential to be a lethal fire hazard.
Invest in a couple of hours professional help and some proper wiring materials.

 

[Elias]

good wiring then?

No connection to starter battery, no inverter just 12v in the whole van. Charged with a solar panel & portable charger if its needed.

I picked up some 16mm cable today to go between the batteries & maybe to the main fuse board.

batteries are not fixed yet as i'm not finished, still need to check a few things..

So what size fuses would be best for beside the terminals?

And no this is not a wind up, I've used speaker cable for the leds only which is twice the thickness of the light cables, i'm sure it will be fine.

Anyway thanks to the people that are actually giving advice..

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[Deleted member 29692]

Anyway thanks to the people that are actually giving advice..

You mean thanks to the people that are telling you what you want to hear

There is good advice on this thread but if you don't want to listen to it that's up to you.

I picked up some 16mm cable today to go between the batteries & maybe to the main fuse board.

Still not big enough.

 

[Stealaway]

Some of this would make it a lot neater. Fastened it to the walls and cut hole where you want the cable to come out. Cut cables to length.


These could be handy but check what amperage all the cables are capable of carrying.

 

[Wissel]

16mm should be fine and also fill the clamps to your batteries better.

You should run the 16mm cable between the batteries and all the way to your fuse board. Also on the negative side (but no fuse needed). What you want, is the weak point to be the fuse.

You want a fuse as close as possible from where you leave the battery bank, a 100a mega fuse would be perfect.

Happy to give as much help as you want on the rest, I'm in Cornwall (Roche) and you're welcome to pop over it you want.

Think it might be a good idea to add some kind of split charger so your van battery's charge whilst driving. Even in Spain, in December, Solar might not be that effective.

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[Elias]

You mean thanks to the people that are telling you what you want to hear

There is good advice on this thread but if you don't want to listen to it that's up to you.

Im listening..

Am i going to get somebody in for the electrics? No, its a self build
Am i going to rip it all out & start over? no, i will improve on whats there.
Will i add fuses to the main cables? yes, i need to check the size etc etc.

 

[Wissel]

Still not big enough.

Yes it is.

 

[Elias]

Some of this would make it a lot neater. Fastened it to the walls and cut hole where you want the cable to come out. Cut cables to length.


These could be handy but check what amperage all the cables are capable of carrying.

Conduit looks good, ive probably got a bit of that laying around somewhere..

The breaker looks good, i suppose i could use one of them capable of 100a like Wissel has suggested.

I tried the split charge on a previous build which had a 75ah battery which didnt seem to work that well, we found we were just using the portable charger every few days. The setup we have now is a 250w/36v solar panel & Votronic controller (capable of the larger voltage input) At 4 o clock yesterday in low sun it was bringing in around 1.7a. I think ill see how it goes with that setup.

Im only in St Austell btw so that might be worth a shout.

Forgot to add we have 220ah battery bank

& this is the terminals that in using from halfrauds: http://www.halfords.com/workshop-to.../halfords-positive-battery-terminal-connector ..

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[Richard n Ann]

Yes it is.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Im listening..

Am i going to get somebody in for the electrics? No, its a self build
Am i going to rip it all out & start over? no, i will improve on whats there.
Will i add fuses to the main cables? yes, i need to check the size etc etc.

Judging from the photo with the best will in the world you simply don't have the electrical knowledge or skills to do it yourself.

To improve what's there 90% of it needs to be redone so it will be less work to simply start again.

If you aren't going to bother with proper support or cable containment whatever you do will still be dangerous.

It's up to you, you're the one that's going to be sleeping in it with your family. Personally I wouldn't even want to park next to you if you're going to leave it like that.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

No need.

I'm not going through this again. There's nothing as dangerous as someone who thinks they know what they're doing and don't need to listen to anyone so I'm going to leave them to it.

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[Wissel]

No need.

I'm not going through this again. There's nothing as dangerous as someone who thinks they know what they're doing and don't need to listen to anyone so I'm going to leave them to it.

Was that aimed at me?

If so, could you please explain how a 16mm cable, at the lengths involved with this guys setup, isn't enough?

Because I make that a drop in voltage of less than 1% from a cable that can handle more amps than it will ever possibly get? (with the right fuse)

If it wasn't aimed at me, my apologies

 

[Freespirit1]

Im listening..

Am i going to get somebody in for the electrics? No, its a self build
Am i going to rip it all out & start over? no, i will improve on whats there.
Will i add fuses to the main cables? yes, i need to check the size etc etc.

Well - you can lead a donkey to water but you can't make it drink!!

Carry a good fire extinguisher too if I were you

P.S. Don't shoot the messengers either eh!

 

[Elias]

Well - you can lead a donkey to water but you can't make it drink!!

Carry a good fire extinguisher too if I were you

P.S. Don't shoot the messengers either eh!

give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, feed him for life.

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[Freespirit1]

give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, feed him for life.

Umm - good quote - you going to take up @Wissel kind offer to teach you?

 

[Elias]

Umm - good quote - you going to take up @Wissel kind offer to teach you?

I will be taking his advice on the 100amp fuse next to the battery & swapping the 10mm cable for 16mm.

 

[Freespirit1]

I will be taking his advice on the 100amp fuse next to the battery & swapping the 10mm cable for 16mm.

Ok - that's a good start, why not let him help you further by having a look at the rest with you - no one is going to think your not doing a self build on your own - even these old codgers on here that do have a wealth of knowledge need a bit of help or advice from others from time to time including me

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[bigtwin]

give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, feed him for life.

That is a poor analogy. It could easily be rephrased as:

“Wire a man’s motorhome, save his life. Leave him to self learn, lose his life”.

BTW, I’m not judging your efforts.

Ian

 

[pappajohn]

The wiring is a bit of a mess but I wouldn't go to the extremes of some here and say it was dangerous.
The only bit I WOULD change is the 10mm to 6mm from the pos terminal and make it one constant size.
The jointed multiple earths to the battery neg don't look good but if the originals are too short what's the option but extend.......they could lead anywhere and be impractical to renew.

 

[Bart]

The jointed multiple earths to the battery neg don't look good but if the originals are too short what's the option but extend.......they could lead anywhere and be impractical to renew.

Could the OP possibly use one of these "bus Bars" to connect all his negatives onto which would be ofc connected to his negative terminal on his battery using suitable gauged cable like 16mm , as well as looking tidier it would save his cables being joined that way.

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