Building in a battery charger

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by Zed, Oct 13, 2015.

  1. Im worried im still alive too :eek:
     
    MK-Bay likes this.
  2. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    And the less of it you have left the more you value it. :)
     
    Richard W12 and Dicky like this.
  3. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    Got a bloody ear-worm now...
     
    MarcT512 and Dicky like this.
  4. rickyrooo1

    rickyrooo1 Hanging round like a bad smell

    i'd like to do it right this time.....
     
    Dicky and zed like this.
  5. i cant afford what ive got left already :D
     
  6. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Yep , if you hold a live wire standing in a wet patch in bare feet then you might live if you trip the RCD which trips because less current is going back down the neutral wire because you are providing an alternative.
    On the other hand , the 3 amp, 5 amp , 15 amp breakers are there to stop the wiring catching fire, by tripping out before any wiring can get red hot. The RCD trips at 0.02A difference.

    I use a combined "solar power" 10A 12 volt charger/600 watt inverter brick I got for £60 off a company in Taiwan. It is designed for charging and for supply use. Sadly they no longer sell this unit only bigger ones so I cant recommend it.

    So I have three sockets in a row in my bus, with two breakers and an RCD- one socket is a 600 watt "uninterruptible" one with a 3 amp breaker (in series with the 15A main breaker) which means if the mains in goes off , the inverter can be set to cut in immediately, or it can simply be used to run a strimmer at the allotment (with a 55 metre extension lead..), or a soldering iron, or a PC or a radio spectrum analyser.
    The other two sockets are on the main 15A breaker for other loads.
     
    zed likes this.
  7. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Me too if I can force myself to spend £50 on a poxy metal surround for an already ridiculously overpriced £450 fridge that should include it as standard, just to keep my milk from going off so quick, :mad: I think I can run to £20's worth of mains protection and a few hours wiring it in neatly. :)
     
    Pickles likes this.
  8. Not my genre but...
     
  9. Woodylubber

    Woodylubber Obsessive compulsive name changer

    Last edited: Oct 13, 2015
    rickyrooo1 likes this.
  10. My thoughts exactly.
    It's less hassle ie altering the CU, and cheaper , to buy one of those , rather than buy a garage CU and extra proper dp mcb's
     
  11. Forgot To mention above. If younuse the conventional rcd main switch and double pole mcbs it resolves any issues with earth faults on on circuit resulting in no leccyvasvyou can reset the rcd with the faulty circuit switched off on its mcb.
     
  12. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    And in English?
     
  13. Incant typmevery well on an ipad!
     
  14. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Your system - it has one thing that acts as RCD, MCB and mains switch?
     
  15. Well this has turned into opening a different kettle of worms.....

    I may go the @Dicky route then, as I'm hoping to fit all this crap in my spare wheel well so any thing that can be done smaller is good
     
  16. Yarp. I cant think of any issue with it but happy for anything to be pointed out.
     
  17. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    That's why I keep repeating myself, I don't see a problem either, but that doesn't mean there isn't one. However you're supposed to know what you're doing with electricity aren't you? Or have you risen above such details?
     
  18. What i could do is show it to one of our electrical test chappies and get him to comment, advise.
     
  19. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    Good init! We've come back round to squeezing a quart into a pint pot. It'd be easy if we were all members of The Happy Hymers of Hanover forum.
     
    Dicky and volkswombat like this.
  20. yes i should be and yes im conscious that that could easily happen, very astute. Guess thats experience talking.
     

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