Lorry Electrics!!

[mcnaughty]

Guys - having a bit of a blonde moment here - think I have it clear in my mind but I dont want to blow my lorry up!!

Firstly - how do you charge up lorries from the mains? Lorry has 2 x 12v battering for the 'lorry engine part' and 2 x 12v leisure batteries for living. Do I just purchase a 24v battery mains charger? How do I use it and do I have to remove the batteries when I am charging??

Also, I need to fit a water pump (immersible one for kitchen) - do I purchase a 24v one or a 12v? and does it connect directly to the leisure batteries with an in line fuse?

I am using an inverter so am on 240v sockets in the living.

thanks guys!!

 

[PaddyMonty]

Your living area is likely to be 12v with the two batteries connected in parallel. + to + and - to -. Your lorry engine will run off 24v but with the two 12v batteries connected in series one + to one - with the free + and - on separate batteries connected to lorry electrics.
You could use a 24v charger for the lorry but not for the living. Would be better to get a 12v charger and charge the lorry batteries individually. Check what type of batteries the living has. If they are deep cycle leisure batteries they will need a charger to suit.
You can get 12v chargers that can auto detect what type of battery they are connected to and adjust.
Before you can decided what pump to get you will need to establish if living is 12v (most common) or 24v and get the right voltage pump for that.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Our leisure battery's charge off the lorry battery's when lorry is running. Can't remember what dad did but you could get so done to do the same. Dad is a hgv mechanic so knows his wAy around lorrys

 

[OWLIE185]

Disconnect each 12 volt battery and charge with a 12 v battery charger. However if the batteries have run down may be time to buy some nice new ones that hold their charge.

 

[Shazzababs]

Does your lorry have a 'caravan hookup' socket on the outside to charge the leisure batteries?

It would look like this: http://www.jacksonsleisure.com/cara...-hook-up/square-caravan-hook-up-inlet-socket/

Ours did and I just got a hookup cable with a 240v plug on the end and plugged the lorry into the garage.

You just need a carvan hookup cable (like this: http://www.towsure.com/caravan-extension-mains-lead-10-metre?nosto=productpage-nosto-2) and one of these then: http://www.towsure.com/mains-adapter-13-amp-plug-to-caravan-mains-socket

 

[mcnaughty]

Thanks guys - all the batteries are new as I learnt very quickly that both the lorry batteries were knackered when I bought the lorry and the living is new build. The lorry would not start about 2 weeks after I first bought it from dodgy Irish dealer bloke (actually a really nice guy ;-0) and when I called him he exclaimed that of course the lorry needed to be moved at least twice a week to keep the batteries good! One of the batteries had written on the side of it £35 + VAT when I removed and replaced with new! The 2 x 12v leisure batteries are linked to make a 24v. I just want to make sure I don't get a flat battery on the lorry due to the taco seeping out power slowly. In the summer the lorry is out all the time but in the winter it will sit around. I'm going to attempt to fit an isolator switch to prevent this - assume this is quite easy - just a matter of disconnecting the power, cutting the + from the battery and inserting the switch??

 

[mcnaughty]

Thanks Shazza - I might need to look at that as I do have hook up so assume I can get the 3 pin to attach to the house!