Power Pack electrics

steamydave's - Task: Wiring & Electrics
Write up for their project Tin Tent 2Status: 100% Complete

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Task Write-up: 

It's a little unconventional as it doesn't use the usual split-charge relay and leisure battery.
The battery is a Halfords Power Pack. It has a 20ah 12v battery, inverter, 250psi compressor, jump starter, and lamp in one unit. I use it as my leisure battery as well as having it there in case of puncture etc. The unit can be trickle-charged via the cigarette lighter socket, or via a supplied mains transformer.

Being short of space in the van, it was a useful compromise as I would have wanted to carry the pack with me anyway. It is strapped into the storage space under one of the seats, so can still be used if needed.

The van circuits are completely separate from the van wiring – I don’t use the can body as earth for any of the van items – they all have a 2 way wire to and from the fuse box/battery pack. The fuse box is a 4 way additional box – each item has it’s own fuse. The lighting could have been put together on one fuse, but as I had 4 items and room for 4 fuses, it made sense to have each item on it’s own fuse and wire run (the wires go off in 4 different directions!).

I have the option of running the cool box either from the Power Pack or the Van battery, but as it pulls quite a current, I usually only use it when the engine is running. I find that an ice pack last the day more or less if I don’t keep opening the box, so when on a site that has a freezer, swapping a pair of ice packs for day/night works well.

Anyway, hope that might be of use to someone – even if it is to decide NOT to use this idea!

Dave

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