pheasantplucker Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Having flattened the van battery I had to get a jump start one morning. I now have solar on the roof, but I also remember that I have one of those cigar lighter to cigar lighter engine starters and wonder if I could have plugged that into a leisure battery 12v socket and the van 12v socket and start the engine from the leisure battery? I think that from car to car the engine of the donor car should be running Any expert opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I'm no expert, but given the current draw to start a diesel I wouldn't be trying it any time soon, in a one off situation I'd take the leisure battery off, then use jump leads to connect it to the engine battery to get me going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Joe90 - 2014-10-17 7:33 AM I'm no expert, but given the current draw to start a diesel I wouldn't be trying it any time soon, in a one off situation I'd take the leisure battery off, then use jump leads to connect it to the engine battery to get me going. Which is why we always carry a good quality set of jump leads on the basis that as long as we have them we will not need them - but they have come in handy twice, once for getting one Dutch van going in the Alps and one German van in the Loire valley! If jumping from leisure to engine batteries with the leisure battery in situ best to disconnect it from the hab side prior to starting in case of surges etc. There might be no need but why risk it? We did have one of those cigar lighter starters once - not something I would ever buy but it was a freebie - and it was worse than useless as not only did it work it can give a false sense of security. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon says Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 You could leave the cig lighter sockets connected when the veh. is left standing. This should maintain the engine battery if the connection is good and there is not much of a votage drop. As pointed out you would not be able to start off the leisure battery due to current limitations plus the fuse in the connection would blow. One thing to look out for when maintaining engine batteries off solar is if you alarm is voltage triggered ie. by doors being opened then when then sun goes in the voltage will drop which may result in annoyed neighbours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 pheasantplucker - 2014-10-16 11:41 PM Having flattened the van battery I had to get a jump start one morning. I now have solar on the roof, but I also remember that I have one of those cigar lighter to cigar lighter engine starters and wonder if I could have plugged that into a leisure battery 12v socket and the van 12v socket and start the engine from the leisure battery? I think that from car to car the engine of the donor car should be running Any expert opinions? Absolutely no chance. The starter motor would at a guess draw 100 amps + (total guess) and the fuse in the lighter sockets would just pop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 If you have a solar panel AND a flat van battery, simply run a wire from the positive terminal on the leisure battery to the positive terminal on the leisure battery and your van battery will be charged up. Fit an inline 10 amp fuse because you may forget about the connection and switch on the ignition (not recommended *-) ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 747 - 2014-10-20 8:29 PM If you have a solar panel AND a flat van battery, simply run a wire from the positive terminal on the leisure battery to the positive terminal on the leisure battery and your van battery will be charged up. Fit an inline 10 amp fuse because you may forget about the connection and switch on the ignition (not recommended *-) ). If its a long run then you need to fit a fuse at both ends, rated under the current carrying capacity of the cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-10-20 8:51 PM 747 - 2014-10-20 8:29 PM If you have a solar panel AND a flat van battery, simply run a wire from the positive terminal on the leisure battery to the positive terminal on the leisure battery and your van battery will be charged up. Fit an inline 10 amp fuse because you may forget about the connection and switch on the ignition (not recommended *-) ). If its a long run then you need to fit a fuse at both ends, rated under the current carrying capacity of the cable. Please don't over complicate things for the man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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