I am new to caravaning and to this site. I recently acquired a 1992 Rapido Club 30 and am still learning what it is all about. I was surprised to find that it does not have a leisure battery and hence no 12v lights, etc. The fridge is both 220v and 12v when hitched to the car.
After catching up on maintenance and re-lining the pop up roof, I would like to include a leisure battery and 12v lights in the 12v wiring. Besides having the wiring diagram, I really don't know where or how to start and what electrical equipment I need to get to introduce a battery, lights, etc.
If anyone has tackled this task before, any advice and other references would be much appreciated.
Wow Gordon, you have a blank canvas there! You can start from scratch and design your own system to your own needs.
Decide where you want 12 volt lights and the best place to site a battery and fuses. Ideally you will want an onboard mains-powered battery charger. If you have the appropriate connection, you can also rig a charging system from the car so that you can charge the battery while driving. Your onboard 12 volt system would be completely separate from your current electrical system, apart from the charging connection.
It's a pity I am not closer (I'm way down in southern England) as would willingly offer you some practical advice, but I'm sure there is someone closer who could do the same.
After studying the wiring diagram it seems that the internal lights, water pump and fridge (dual voltage) are 12v. I don't think it is as big a job as I had first thought.
As a start I would like to install a leisure battery and smart battery charger as well as a few 12v outlets and a USB plugs to charge my laptop & phone.
Given the above, do you have any other comments to make?
Yes,a Zig unit would be the best solution, as you can draw power from the battery whilst it's charging.
Incidentally, the fridge will only work on 12 volt when it is connected to the car, it will not work from the caravan battery, as it would flatten it very quickly. When you are on site, you will need to run your fridge on either gas or 240 volts.
If you already have 12 volt lighting and water pump, I would have thought there would be a battery locker somewhere. Alternatively, there must be some other way to get 12 volts DC, such as a transformer/rectifier.
Thanks for your input. Have started looking into a Zig unit and have found units from CF 5/6 to CF9. It seems the newer ones are more sophisticated, but do I need that level for the very basic van I have. If I can just link up a leisure battery and a smart battery charger, I will be quite happy (for the time being at least).
I was looking at the manual for a CF7 but it seems you have to hook up an ACU2 battery charger as part of the whole set up? Is it possible to wire up a CF7 without the ACU2 and have an independent smart battery charger as well?
Our old (1988) Elddis has a CF9. This has everything you could need, including a charger. It is self-contained, very compact, and easy to wire up. I would certainly recommend it if you can get hold of one.
If it already as 12v lights it must have a power supply unit somewhere and more than likely somewhere for a battery,
If you haven't got a psu I would be looking at a Sargent psu/battery charger rather than a zig
Thanks for your contributions. I have the wiring diagram for my van's electrics that I would like to attach to my post. Is this possible and if it is, could someone let em know how to do it?
When Lead/acid batteries are charging they produce Hydrogen gas which can be a hazard if allowed to build up. Most caravans have their battery in an external locker for this reason. if you don't want to cut a massive hole and glue in a locker then I suggest using a battery box.
I know these are used in the boating world and motorsport also.
Fix the box to the caravan floor and drill a couple of holes through the bottom of the box to allow a movement of air. Also the box will protect the battery terminals from anything conductive falling on them. A battery can cause a fire if shorted.
Best of luck.
You must already have a transformer/rectifier already if you have 12volt lights and pump. This could be a simple unit which simply runs on mains 240volt and outputs 12volt DC. I had one on my Dandy.
If so, this may charge the battery for you. Have a look in the seat boxes etc to see if you can find one.
Also, do you have a grey 12S plug on it. You should have a black 12N plug to work the road lights etc. The grey one runs the fridge and can charge the caravan battery from the car when the engine is running.
If you have one, you may find the 12volt lights and pump run from the car battery if the grey plug is plugged into the car.
Have a good look in the caravan and see what you actually have. The manuals cover a lot of things which may only have been options. Also many owners will have fitted equipment over the years which is not in the manual.
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Topic: Modify wiring for leisure battery
