2nd Battery - Newbie

[jgrove]

Hi All,

I have done some searching and not fully found the answer i am after. We are new the caravan scene having decided that camping was no longer for us.

I would like to keep and use a 2nd battery with my caravan, so that we can use one and charge the other (for example) as we already have large solar panels and like to be grid free where we can.

My caravan and car have the 13 pin plug.

I was hoping to use a 13 male (socket) and wire it to the battery and then i can connect it to the caravan via the 13 pin socket so that i can switch between the 2 batteries as needed using the caravan panel. In theory i can leave the solar panel connected as well using the charge controller i got with the panels.

My question is this:

Is this possible? and if so which wires do i need to connect the the battery Pin 9 is perm live but not sure about earth etc.

Any help appreciated,

Thanks

 

[colin-yorkshire]

I would say no, not possible because the 13 pin wire to the van is a different circuit to the vans 12v system. I think you would find doing this would just trip the habitation relay as it senses a external power source and therefore would not work.
there are ways of using a second battery but these involve quit a bit of modification to either the van or the car some thing most are not prepared to do.