Leisure battery size??

[Andrew]

Hi everyone, 

 

I've read a few topics about batteries,

I'm planning to install a leisure battery under the passenger seat and presume somebody has done it before.

If so please let me know the size / dimensions of the battery installed.

I'm looking at 'low box' versions but wondering if normal sized leisure battery would fit under the seat. 

Many thanks

[Pritch]

Hi there, if it helps, mine is under the drivers side, as think a battery will interfere with turning the passenger seat. My battery is what I would call 'normal size'.

HTH

[Andrew]

On 9/4/2021 at 9:06 PM, Pritch said:

Hi there, if it helps, mine is under the drivers side, as think a battery will interfere with turning the passenger seat. My battery is what I would call 'normal size'.

HTH

Excellent, thanks for the info, my passenger seat doesn't swivel so a normal sized leisure battery should be ok then.

Cheers.

[Rojie]

On 9/6/2021 at 10:28 AM, Andrew said:

Excellent, thanks for the info, my passenger seat doesn't swivel so a normal sized leisure battery should be ok then.

Cheers.

Have you checked there are no obstructions under the passenger seat. I assume you have. I ask because..

 

Some Alphards have a frame / chassis assembly under the passenger seat for additional amplifiers and 'stuff'.

 

[Chris.ac]

I think both my front seats have a bunch of factory fitted amps to power the 18speaker sound system

I too would like some aux battery, as I travel for work and need to occasionally use laptop etc.

 

The engine bay is a lot more packed than my older Regius, which had the possibility to fit two regular sized batteries.

 

Im thinking some custom made Li-Ion battery pack I can install behind one of the side panels in the rear, or in the 1st aid kit cubby at the back may be the best for my needs.

 

[Andrew]

On 10/15/2021 at 10:34 AM, Chris.ac said:

I think both my front seats have a bunch of factory fitted amps to power the 18speaker sound system

I too would like some aux battery, as I travel for work and need to occasionally use laptop etc.

 

The engine bay is a lot more packed than my older Regius, which had the possibility to fit two regular sized batteries.

 

Im thinking some custom made Li-Ion battery pack I can install behind one of the side panels in the rear, or in the 1st aid kit cubby at the back may be the best for my needs.

 

 

Chris.ac that's an interesting idea, I've used a few small rechargable ones for RC cars so some of those linked together might be good and they're small so like you said they can go behind a panel. 

I'm just wanting to power the TV and plug socket / USB in the back and perhaps mini fridge on journeys away 

[Jezmond]

I just got my Alphard and had a leisure battery fitted by a place called Fantastic Campervans. They fitted the leisure battery under the bonnet next to the main car battery. Apparently this is possible with the 2.4 litre engine but not the 3 litre due to space. It's well worth looking into. In not sure what the size of the battery is but they said its enough to power a fridge for a day and a half

[Lorraine]

Hi, just got my 2002 and leisure battery in next to engine any idea where I will find the split charger??

[pcous]

Hi Lorraine,

Our split charge relay (SCR) is located at the back of the engine compartment (Durakool, far RH side in the photo). As you probably know already, the purpose is to split the charge from the alternator to the main starter battery and the leisure battery. The actual SCR can be quite small, it's likely to have 4-5 spade connectors, and hopefully you'll be able to find it by tracing cables from SCR to alternator and both batteries.

We installed a second SCR to charge the starter battery over winter or other periods when not in use. A mains-EHU cable charges the leisure battery, and the second relay (a CBE CS2, LH side in photo) then tops up the starter battery when EHU is connected, but switches off when the leisure battery voltage drops (to avoid the leisure battery discharging totally in the event of a faulty starter battery). It uses the existing cabling between the two batteries, so the only new cabling required was under the bonnet next to the existing SCR. Very useful over winter, just plug the EHU in for a day once a week or so....

[RAZ]

On 3/21/2022 at 9:06 AM, Jezmond said:

I just got my Alphard and had a leisure battery fitted by a place called Fantastic Campervans. They fitted the leisure battery under the bonnet next to the main car battery. Apparently this is possible with the 2.4 litre engine but not the 3 litre due to space. It's well worth looking into. In not sure what the size of the battery is but they said its enough to power a fridge for a day and a half

Hi Jezmond. Great to hear you managed to fit the battery under the bonnet. Would it be too much trouble to send me a photo showing how it was fitted? It looks like we have travelled the same route.  My 2.4 Alphard is to replace my 3.5 Elgrand  which, if I was lucky gave me 20 miles to the gallon. On the long drive home to Edinburgh from collecting the Alphard down south  I got 40 miles to the gallon. I am not sure that I believe that result myself, so I plan to check it again. Home to hear from you.  Best

[GL84]

Hi Jezmond

I am new here and plan to add the leisure battery under the bonnet. Any help would be good on how to design the battery tray holder I.e sizes and material used.

I will be doing this conversion anyway so if I get no reply then I will try and add details of how I do it.

Many thanks!

[RAZ]

Hi Gary,

I am working on the same issue. I understand it goes next to the car battery, but that's as far as I've got so far. I might have more info later this week after I visit Fantastic Campers . I do know one needs to keep it away from the heat of the engine block. But I suspect you already know that.

 

Cheers

Richard

[Charlie Brown]

On 10/25/2023 at 10:27 AM, GL84 said:

Hi Jezmond

I am new here and plan to add the leisure battery under the bonnet. Any help would be good on how to design the battery tray holder I.e sizes and material used.

I will be doing this conversion anyway so if I get no reply then I will try and add details of how I do it.

Many thanks!

Hello

Our Alphard has a very neat installation of the leisure battery in the engine compartment, which I thought I'd share with you. Please see picture. This was done as part of the conversion. You can see it fits just behind the starter battery. There is not much room but an Autolite  75ah Leisure Battery ULTRA 80 85 just fits. You can buy them direct from Autolite on ebay. The split charge relay is close by as well. You can see it in the picture. I don't know if the starter battery is part of the original vehicle or whether that was part of the modification. Not sure about the heat from the engine, there's not much room in there. I hope this helps.

[Rojie]

2 hours ago, Charlie Brown said:

Hello

Our Alphard has a very neat installation of the leisure battery in the engine compartment, which I thought I'd share with you. Please see picture. This was done as part of the conversion. You can see it fits just behind the starter battery. There is not much room but an Autolite  75ah Leisure Battery ULTRA 80 85 just fits. You can buy them direct from Autolite on ebay. The split charge relay is close by as well. You can see it in the picture. I don't know if the starter battery is part of the original vehicle or whether that was part of the modification. Not sure about the heat from the engine, there's not much room in there. I hope this helps.

 

Very neat

[Alpha Hydrae]

I'm choosing where to mount a leisure battery and the option of engine bay mounting is very appealing. However, would that not mean the inverter needs to be installed quite close to the engine bay, e.g. under the glove box? Otherwise you'd need quite long cables between the battery and inverter if the inverter was under the passenger seat, or at the back (which is where I want it to be).

 

I'm aware I will need to feed cables from the alternator/SCR to the leisure battery, so I guess either way, I'll have to install some relatively long cables high capacity cables.

 

Curious to know what other people have done.

[arcascomp]

Interested in this too, been a while since the topic started and I'm sure a few more will have done conversions since. I've a 2009 Vellfire with 2.4 engine, but I think something must have changed in the layout under the bonnet. There's no space behind my battery for a second one. Considering a lithium one too, or maybe just a removable battery pack. 

[Gamith]

On 10/29/2023 at 6:32 PM, Charlie Brown said:

Hello

Our Alphard has a very neat installation of the leisure battery in the engine compartment, which I thought I'd share with you. Please see picture. This was done as part of the conversion. You can see it fits just behind the starter battery. There is not much room but an Autolite  75ah Leisure Battery ULTRA 80 85 just fits. You can buy them direct from Autolite on ebay. The split charge relay is close by as well. You can see it in the picture. I don't know if the starter battery is part of the original vehicle or whether that was part of the modification. Not sure about the heat from the engine, there's not much room in there. I hope this helps.

Is the leisure battery on it's own tray, an extension or what? It looks like a good use of space. I have a leisure battery left over from un-converting mine from a crude camper and am keen to reuse it if at all possible.

 

[Charlie Brown]

The leisure battery is on its own tray. The fittings look the same as the one that hold the starter battery. I don't know for certain if the starter battery tray is original and in its original place, but it looks it. It is a great use of space but the relatively small leisure battery mentioned previously, only just fits. Anything bigger would not fit. Let me know if I can be of any further help.