24v to 12v

Just take a tapping from pos & neg on one battery. Wire it to a new, seperate fuseboard and make all the 12 volt wiring cable earth return and not chassis earth.

Run all 12 volt accessories from the fuse board.

2ndhand fuse boards can be got from any wreckers yards.

Bilbo

John, just type in redarc and do a search. They make all sorts of power supply changing gizmos. Probably your local auto shop would already have one in stock. Rus.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll pass them on.

John

John

Voltage reducers are available but not cheap.
Try 12 volt shop.

Regards

John,
I have a Nissan Safari import that also is 24v. I took it to the local auto electrician in Perth who installed a stepdown transformer which is then connected to the trailer plug and a supply for caravan electric brakes and other accessories (UHF radio, phone etc).
This is a long term solution. I actually modified his work, after discussion with him, and installed a relay through the ignition switch, which I believe is the best solution.

John

What's wrong with asking an auto electrician?

Gday,

I have an imported GQ Patrol (Safari) and had to address the same issues. So i've done lots of research for my own vehicle.

1) Tapping 12V from one battery (as they use 2 x 12v in series to make 24v) is quite frowned upon (ask any auto elec) By doing this you alter the charge and use rates between the batteries..and one battery may fail prematurely...(obviously worse if u use higher current accessories, wheras a very small load like a CB may not affect it that much)

There is a way to do it properly however (tap 12v from one battery)...Redarc do a charge equaliser which runs off 12v...then connects to one of the individual batteries to equalise the charge between them...so u can draw off one.

2) you can buy 24v - 12v reducers off ebay, from jaycar, from redarc etc GSL electronics (there are a number of brands) they are rated in amps...ie supply up to 12v @ 10A or 20A or more depending on your application. I bought 2nd hand 20A redarc reducers to run stereo etc.

3) I have a 3rd 12v battery in the back, for my car fridge, and amplifiers to drive stereo. The 12v battery is charged via a 30A GSL 24v - 12v battery charger (like a reducer) but puts out 14.5v and regulates charge to the battery. (the redarc charge equaliser (mentioned in 1) acts the same as a 24v - 12v battery charger and can also be used.

I was patient...and got all my parts from ebay paid $90 for redarc reducer, $70 for battery charger etc...however retail prices for these are over $300 each.

Sorry for long post.

hope info is useful.

Jeff

tapping 12v from one battery will lead to premature battery failure.
12v transformer reducers are very inefficient and will have current draw limitations.
The only reliable way to operate 12v equipment from a 24v vehicle is to fit a Redarc charge equaliser. It will float both batteries at the same potential (voltage/charge level) regardless of power drain from either.
I've had one fitted to my humvee for over three years now with absolutely zero problems, still on the same pair of 12v batteries fitted when it arrived in Oz.
I run the following 12v accessories, Barrett HF, 2 x CB's, 200 watt stereo, nimh/nicad battery charger, Ipaq, 2 x GPS, 12v fan, autofridge, camping light, 300 watt inverter, Blue Tongue compressor and 2 x 12v fuel transfer pumps.
The only way to go IMHO, I've got a 20 amp model which works well.
http://www.redarc.com.au/

Rotronics used to do a reducer also.

Leroy

There is heaps of stuff that will run off 24 volt if you look around

I did the research also for my Safari (GQ Patrol).

I went the redarc charge equaliser route. I have everything I want on 12v run off the 12v left hand battery including a 12 v wire for the accessory plug wehn towing.

The redacrch sorts oit all out and I can run other batteries if I want off the redark.