12 volt wiring on an old jayco caravan without a battery
Submitted: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 at 00:28
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jacent
Hi, I recently got myself a 89 26ft jayco with full ensuite which i removed from a permanent site in
melbourne and towed back to W.A.
It has under the dinette
seat a battery eliminator which the 12v pump is wired to.
It had a household type
toilet in the ensuite which I removed and installed a dometic cassette type
toilet, this requires 12v for flushing, I also removed the old gas hot water service that was rusted out and fitted a gas/electric suburban HWS which also requires 12v for gas only ignition. Now currently the 12v lighting inside the van runs off my dual battery while plugged in to the car. What I was thinking about doing is wiring the
toilet, to the battery eliminator so we will be able to still use it when on 240v.
Can I wire the
toilet, sink / shower water pump and hws igniter also to the caravan 12v power cable which feeds the interior lights so I can use all these when
free camping without fitting a battery to the van? It would all run off my deep cycle battery in my car while parked up for the night. At most the water pump and a light would be on at any one time( changing to led globes). Would the original wiring handle this if I tapped into the power wire for the lights? Also if so would I need to install a switch to swap from battery eliminator to the 12v from my car? We wont be using the van too often to install a battery in the van. Thanks hope you guys can help.
Reply By: GT Campers - Wednesday, May 09, 2012 at 10:14
Wednesday, May 09, 2012 at 10:14
Knowing what the wiring is like in some vans, I would be refershing everything!
Excuse my ignorance, but what is a battery eliminator?
Off topic, I know, but is your 'suburban gas/electric HWS' legal? I get the feeling that if you need to ask about Lego-level wiring, maybe you are not licenced to install gas...?
AnswerID:
485341
Follow Up By: jacent - Wednesday, May 09, 2012 at 20:31
Wednesday, May 09, 2012 at 20:31
The gas / electric HWS is legal, dont see why it wouldn't be? Two of my best mates are gas fitters and my father in law is a gas fitter so no drama's there, the battery eliminator is a 240v to 12v transformer.. so it isn't really a battery eliminator because if you have no mains power you would need a battery, battery eliminator is what it says on the unit, same thing you would use for a base station two way..
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Reply By: The Bantam - Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 10:08
Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 10:08
As has been said by others...sounds like a good time for a redo.
Some of the existing wiring may be able to be varified.
BUT without knowing the cross-section of the existing wires, their length and the current demand of the various new and planned items, there is no sensible or resopnsible recommendation that can be made.
cheers
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485437