Hobby Electrical System

[PaulT]

A friend has just bought a s/h Hobby caravan which (unknown to him when he bought it) has no leisure battery system. How easy would it be for a fairly competant electrican to fit a battery and charging system?

 

[ProfJohnL]

For a competent electrician,it should not pose a major problem from the electrical point of view, but the battery must be housed in a secure way, and it must be ventilated to the outside.

It is not permissible for safety reasons to put a battery or any electrics in the same locker as the gas bottles.

And before some contributors who are old enough tell me, I know some older caravans actually did this, but that was either because the the caravan pre-dated the regulation, or manufacturer did not know or understand about it.

 

[Rod_5041370]

You can mount your battery in the underseat/bed locker providing:

- the battery has a breathing tube attached which passes through the floor to the outside to vent.

- a marine, multistage charger is used which does not permit gassing.

Ensure that any electrician you may use is thoroughly conversant with the Hobby mark as many use 12vac and 12vdc, I have seen the result of an electrician trying to charge the battery from the 12vac........not a pretty sight!

 

[ProfJohnL]

You can mount your battery in the underseat/bed locker providing:

- the battery has a breathing tube attached which passes through the floor to the outside to vent.

- a marine, multistage charger is used which does not permit gassing.

Ensure that any electrician you may use is thoroughly conversant with the Hobby mark as many use 12vac and 12vdc, I have seen the result of an electrician trying to charge the battery from the 12vac........not a pretty sight!

If an electrician concerted a battery to a n AC supply they are definitely not competent!

A competent electrician would know their own limitations and would decline the work if they were not happy with working with 12Vdc.