Van battery to leisure battery wiring gauge

[Creamytash]

Hello T6 family, I hope someone out there may be able to help me. I am not bad at most aspects of converting but I am a complete retard when if comes to Auto Electrics. I am at the point where I have bought a 110ah Lifepo4 leisure battery and about to locate it under the drivers seat. Can any one tell me what guage/thickness/Amp wire I need to run from the starter battery to the leisure battery. I just don't understand the tertminology, so be gentle with me lol.
Many thanks
Creamytash

 

[Pete C]

What device will you use between your starter and leisure battery to regulate power flow ?

Pete

 

[Pauly]

Depends what device you are going to use to charge it, DC DC chargers will have a current rating normally around 20-50 amps but you can higher ones so the cable needs to be sized and fused accordingly

 

[Creamytash]

Thank you both for your reply.
The van is a 2020 plate T6.1 with 'Stop/Start' and the Smart Altinator. I believe that I therefore need a DC - DC split charger(not sure what model/ type to get. On the pop up top I have a 150amp solar panel that runs into a Victron Energy,(wired to solar pane nesr resr of the van but not yet to battery) Smart Solar charge controller MPTT 751 15, it has a Bluetooth symbol on it after the model number. I am assuming that I will also need a Dc Dc split charger between the van and leisure battery, along with an inline fuse and an isolator switch.
I know I am out of my depth on this subject so willing to be advised..
Thank you.

 

[Creamytash]

It's ok guys, I'll get there.
Thank you.
Creamytashj

 

[Ads_Essex]

It's ok guys, I'll get there.
Thank you.
Creamytashj

Dellmassive has written a couple of How To guides that might help you

 

[Dellmassive]

More info....

Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.

-- Dellmassive`s -- "How I Done It" -- thread -- ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[Paul@MW]

Hello T6 family, I hope someone out there may be able to help me. I am not bad at most aspects of converting but I am a complete retard when if comes to Auto Electrics. I am at the point where I have bought a 110ah Lifepo4 leisure battery and about to locate it under the drivers seat. Can any one tell me what guage/thickness/Amp wire I need to run from the starter battery to the leisure battery. I just don't understand the tertminology, so be gentle with me lol.
Many thanks
Creamytash

Hello Creamytash
I'm just about to start my leisure battery install on the same van as yours.
Questions then...
Did the battery you purchased fit understeer driver seat ?
Where did you get your supply from to feed the dc - dc charger and what dc-dc charger did you use ?
Also any photos please?
Regards Paul

 

[Creamytash]

Hello Paul, my liesure battery is a 110AH lithium. It will not stand upright under the drivers seat due to it's height but because of the type of battery that it is I will be fitting it laying on it's side. The inverter that I bought isctoo longbto live under the passenger seat so won't be housed there. I took van battery(starter battery) out andc removed it's carrier, located the big grommet low right in the bulkhead behind where the battery was. I ran a red + cable through the grommet. I had removed the glove box and lifted the rubber floor in the front passenger side, removed the front passenger seat and seat box and also the driver sest andcseat box, peeled the rubber floor forward to alow me to pass the red + cable in the grooves of the metal floor underthe passenger seat position to under the drivers seat position so as to reach where the L battery will be.. I have now decided that as the inverter is to longbto go under the passenger seat I will locate the Victron DC DC Split charger under there, run the red + from the van battery into it then back out ofvit to the L battery. There is a goodvpurpose made earthing bolt under the drivers seat. With hind sight I would by the none insulated Victron Dc - Dc charger rather the the one I got. I also ran a fuse in the red + cable off the van + terminal before it went throught the grommet. On the good side, with the L battery on it's side I have room under the drivers seat to accommodate the existing relay and the pos and neg bus boxes, the feed in from the 150w solar panel, the inverter, and the electric hook up hope cable. Under the passenger seat I can fitthe DC -DC split charger and the warm air duct for the under floor diesel heater when I get to that stage. I hope this is of help to you. See attached photos

 

[Paul@MW]

That's all a great help and really does put me on the right track with my planning this part of the build.
Much appreciated and thanks especially for the finer details that you explained and the photos.
Regards Paul, Much Wenlock, Shropshire

 

[Creamytash]

That's all a great help and really does put me on the right track with my planning this part of the build.
Much appreciated and thanks especially for the finer details that you explained and the photos.
Regards Paul, Much Wenlock, Shropshire

No probs, I am a newby myself and have learned so much and been guided a long way by the T6 family members on this forum. I am still learning the way myself.

 

[Creamytash]

No probs, I am a newby myself and have learned so much and been guided a long way by the T6 family members on this forum. I am still learning the way myself.

This is the inverter that I opted for. It came highly recommended by a knowledgable and respected T6 forum member. The attatched photo shows dimentions.

 

[Paul@MW]

No probs, I am a newby myself and have learned so much and been guided a long way by the T6 family members on this forum. I am still learning the way myself.

T6.1 is new to myself but I've still own my T4 that I build into a camper about 3 years ago with a different type of LB & charger system.
T6 has a new type of alternator apparently and I needed a first hand account from someone like yerself of what battery fits where etc.
I've heard though that the live feed for DC charger can come from the wiring cluster from beneath passenger seat rather than directly from the starter battery?
But I think I'll follow your lead as it works...
Cheers again