house battery Q

I've started my minimal camper / work van conversion, did the now common boxes over wheel wells for storage and bed platform. I want to put a house battery inside one of the storage boxes to power lights, inverter, fantastic vent and a cooler. I've search posts and many seem too complicated for what I'm trying to achieve in my conversion. I simply want to know how to hook up the alternator charging source to this extra battery, no switches, no isolators, no headaches, just a simple hook up to charge this extra battery while driving. This is going to be a group 24 or 27, not a huge battery bank by any means. I thought I had read a post a while back where someone was charging an extra battery by a relay under driver's seat, is that possible? I just really want to run a wire from alternator to the battery, fused of course. Thanks for any input you can provide.

roving sprinter said:

I thought I had read a post a while back where someone was charging an extra battery by a relay under driver's seat, is that possible? I just really want to run a wire from alternator to the battery, fused of course. Thanks for any input you can provide.

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Yes many of us have done this to charge our battery banks using a surepower switch under the drivers seat. Here is a link http://www.ase-supply.com/Sure_Power_Battery_Separator_s/154.htm I got the 200amp version because I have a 175amp alternator. If you ever decide to add a battery charger and or solar panel the two way switch will automatically charge the the engine battery while parked. I used #2 wire for the short run from the battery to the switch, and a 4-0 wire from the switch to the house battery.

Attached are the only photos I have of this phase of my wiring. I am sure others can supply photos of what is involved under the seat for the switch installation.

Ditto on the surepower 1314 or 1315 rec. You need to separate your starting battery when the alternator is not running. An intelligent isolator takes care of many murphy's law consequences.

You can't run a real fridge on a single battery for very long. The truck stop cheapo coolers may cool drinks some but aren't too useful for food. But a quality nonpowered cooler used with block ice works well and would be my choice for less than 30 days/yr of camping.

Larger battery banks will accept a kw-hr of charge much quicker than a single battery. Not important if you're only using small electronics and are mobile enough to depend on the alternator every day. But extra batteries are infinitely useful if you have $$$ and room enough.

There are many ways to do what you're looking for. The factory auxiliary battery is connected to the vehicle charging system with a relay under the drivers seat. When the alternator is putting out current, the relay is activated and power is sent to the auxiliary battery for charging. Simple and automatic, nothing to do but start your engine to charge up.
Jef

Yes that's exactly what I would like to set up, a spare battery under the passenger seat or where ever that is charged when vehicle is running. Do you know which relay under driver's seat actually does that function?

search "orton" and read orton DIY - vehicle inverter installation.

Pictures and part numbers for that relay in a NCV3. I used that relay to prevent my " vehicle" inverter from operating unless the engine is running. The auxiliary battery option uses the same set up to disconnect the auxiliary battery from the vehicle battery if the engine is not running.

roving sprinter said:

Yes that's exactly what I would like to set up, a spare battery under the passenger seat or where ever that is charged when vehicle is running. Do you know which relay under driver's seat actually does that function?

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Your model Sprinter will make a difference. Tell us what you have, and we can provide accurate information. It sounds like you probably have a T1N (02-06).