How much am I likely to pay for a leisure battery and diesel heater install?

[Sim667]

I’m still toying with whether I need a diesel heater and leisure battery or whether I’m ok with a power station…… it’s also a matter of whether the insurance is going to be prohibitively expensive on quotes like it was when I first got the van and was wildly estimating how much my conversion would cost.

I’m thinking a 230ah Lifepo4 and a 2 kw decent diesel heater with split charge, an MPPT so i can hook up solar panels when parked up, and some sockets for charging would be about £3k supply and fit, or am I underestimating this a bit?

I very rarely used the diesel heater in my old van so I’m not convinced I need it, but I’m wondering with a decent battery whether I would use it more often (I was wary with the old one because I had a 70ah lead battery)

 

[airhoguk]

Speak to Combe Valley campers if you want it installed, they should give you some pretty good advice regarding pricing. Depending on how cold you want to go out in might be a limiting factor regarding a power bank. I’ve just fitted a 250watt rigid panel to my roof for solar and looking at a power bank but if you want to use a diesel heater check the 12 volt output because on start up they usually need more than 10 amps which is the limiting factor on some power banks. Don’t forget with a lead battery you have at best 50% usable power whereas a lithium is much closer to 90-95%

 

[StratosFearXX]

Heaters (Autoterm) is around 900 fitted, bit more for Eberspacher etc. wouldn't be without my heater!

 

[Sim667]

Speak to Combe Valley campers if you want it installed, they should give you some pretty good advice regarding pricing. Depending on how cold you want to go out in might be a limiting factor regarding a power bank. I’ve just fitted a 250watt rigid panel to my roof for solar and looking at a power bank but if you want to use a diesel heater check the 12 volt output because on start up they usually need more than 10 amps which is the limiting factor on some power banks. Don’t forget with a lead battery you have at best 50% usable power whereas a lithium is much closer to 90-95%

I hadn’t thought about powering a diesel heater off a power bank to be honest.

I’m debating leisure battery and diesel heater or power bank and no diesel heater.

In an ideal world I want the leisure battery and diesel heater but it seems costly for a daily drive vehicle which isn’t a dedicated camper, that said it means we can do those off season trips more which makes the expense of the value a bit better.

I’ve seen Hythe auto electrics for a 144ah leisure system for the batter which is plug and play, but I’d still be worried about putting it all in myself as I have heated seats so have to unplug all of that (also the reason I want someone to fit my rotating seats for me).

My overriding issue is insurance when it’s up for renewal in march.

 

[Sim667]

Speak to Combe Valley campers if you want it installed, they should give you some pretty good advice regarding pricing. Depending on how cold you want to go out in might be a limiting factor regarding a power bank. I’ve just fitted a 250watt rigid panel to my roof for solar and looking at a power bank but if you want to use a diesel heater check the 12 volt output because on start up they usually need more than 10 amps which is the limiting factor on some power banks. Don’t forget with a lead battery you have at best 50% usable power whereas a lithium is much closer to 90-95%

I’m going to go down to Combe valley campers at some point as I want to insulate my van and get the stuff from them

 

[doncarlyon]

I hadn’t thought about powering a diesel heater off a power bank to be honest.

I’m debating leisure battery and diesel heater or power bank and no diesel heater.

In an ideal world I want the leisure battery and diesel heater but it seems costly for a daily drive vehicle which isn’t a dedicated camper, that said it means we can do those off season trips more which makes the expense of the value a bit better.

I’ve seen Hythe auto electrics for a 144ah leisure system for the batter which is plug and play, but I’d still be worried about putting it all in myself as I have heated seats so have to unplug all of that (also the reason I want someone to fit my rotating seats for me).

My overriding issue is insurance when it’s up for renewal in march.

That 144ah kit is very expensive.

Looks nice and neat, etc. But could be done for alot less.

350-400quid would get you a decent set up.

 

[Sim667]

That 144ah kit is very expensive.

Looks nice and neat, etc. But could be done for alot less.

350-400quid would get you a decent set up.

144 ah battery looks to be £350-400 alone

 

[step]

I'd say that kit isn't bad value. The parts themselves are probably towards £900 (battery £499) themselves before cables and connections. Then their 'battery organiser' is sold for £150 and looks pretty neat
Depends how much work one wants to do themselves compared to getting a lot of it done by someone else

 

[doncarlyon]

144 ah battery looks to be £350-400 alone

Have a look at Renogy kit

100ah battery for 170-210quid
DC charger with built in MPPT for 200 or less

 

[StratosFearXX]

My leisure battery is only 100Ah, plenty for me (Lithium). 12 years in my T5 with 100Ah lead acid, never ran out of power. Did top up with solar (not perm fitted) at times.

 

[Sim667]

I'd say that kit isn't bad value. The parts themselves are probably towards £900 (battery £499) themselves before cables and connections. Then their 'battery organiser' is sold for £150 and looks pretty neat
Depends how much work one wants to do themselves compared to getting a lot of it done by someone else

Not much tbh, I’m quite worried about setting the van in fire

 

[Bigstu1965]

Just had ours done.
Webasto Diesel heater £1300 plus vat
230ah leisure battery, 2kw inverter and dc/dc charger £1800 plus vat