Morning,
I've been reading through lots of threads and was still unable to find the answer..... does a '90 pan have the provision to fit a leisure battery to the standard onboard electrics? Sorry if it's a daft question but I'm from a classic VW background and this is my first foray into caravan ownership :)

Hi, I had the same problem when I got my 89 Puck,

Have a look at my blog scroll down to "Part the third" it may be useful

blog-u31-The-Eriba-experience.html

I fitted a leisure battery when I had the motor mover fitted.
I took a wire from the negative and connected that to the earth strip in the fusebox (2009 Familia). I then took a wire off the battery positive and ran that through a 20 amp inline fuse and then into one arm of a three way switch (of the on-off-on type). I then disconnected the 12V supply lead (the one which comes from the towing plug) from its tag in the fusebox and connected it to the other arm of the switch. Finally, the common pole of the switch was connected to where the aforementioned supply lead was connected in the fusebox.
The end result being that I can manually switch between the towcar suply and the leisure battery or neither (for when you are on mains hookup, as the 12V supplies overrides the mains one). Just for good measure, I connected a LED across the 12V so that I know when it's switched on.

(I also have a classic VW!)

Hi,I have a '98 Pan/Fam that I bought from AL about 5yrs back and because I was quite poorly @ that time I had AL fit a leisure battery.They fitted it in the bed locker where all the other electrics ( fuseboard & transf'mer ) are fitted.Then at a later date I fitted a mover.You lose quite a lot of cargo capacity but I think it is worth it.!Rgds,dave

Hi, thanks for the replies.... the electrics in my van are located in the lower part of the wardrobe. I will post a picture when it's brighter and I can get to it. The ceiling lights which are fitted at the front and rear of the van, the PO said they are 12V however, there is a uk style 240V plug socket in the side of the lights :-/
Given that the water pump that has failed in the van actually runs off a 240v transformer plug in the cupboard, would I be right in thinking the van does not have 12v electrics wired in at all?

Quote: Chief wrote in post #5

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Hi, thanks for the replies.... the electrics in my van are located in the lower part of the wardrobe. I will post a picture when it's brighter and I can get to it. The ceiling lights which are fitted at the front and rear of the van, the PO said they are 12V however, there is a uk style 240V plug socket in the side of the lights :-/
Given that the water pump that has failed in the van actually runs off a 240v transformer plug in the cupboard, would I be right in thinking the van does not have 12v electrics wired in at all?

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Zitat

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the electrics in my van are located in the lower part of the wardrobe.

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Probably like this
P1290552.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

The lower bit arrowed was probably added later and went to 4 230v sockets.

Zitat

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The ceiling lights which are fitted at the front and rear of the van, the PO said they are 12V however, there is a uk style 240V plug socket in the side of the lights :-/

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Mine were like this ........... rear light
P1290545.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Red arrow points to 230v UK adaptor (blue) which was in a continental socket.
Green arrow 230v bulb.
Blue arrow 12 v car type bulb.

Front light
P1290553.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Same arrangement only vertical the 2 arrows point to a 12v and a 230v switches.

Zitat

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the water pump that has failed in the van actually runs off a 240v transformer plug in the cupboard,

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That was always a bit of a mystery to me and working on the principle if it ain't bust leave it alone that's what I did (left it alone) I did however investigate under the sink and found this.
P1290548.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte) P1290550.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Which looked a bit Heath Robinson to me but seemed to work.

So there is some sort of 12v wiring in there at least for the lights, if you read the blog you will have seen how I had to replace a bit and add a car type 12v fuse box.
Like I said not my best subject but hopefully this is of some use to you.

Ok, a few pictures I've snapped on my phone....





Any info on working the heater pictured below would. E a great help

Having just checked the power using a hook up, the 240v lights work, however, the 12v bulbs don't work and are in good order.
The fridge is working on 240v but looking at this picture attached.... it's 12v wiring is cut!

Think my 12v lights and water pump did not work on hook up either which was why I needed a battery I guess there is no transformer fitted?

The power sockets on your lights look like UK adaptors too

The plastic tube on the floor in pic 3 of your first post above is a chimney extension for the heater and fits on the roof.

Cheers for the reply, I spent (much to the agony of my back) half an hour with my head in the cupboard trying to see why the pump had failed on the tap.... tested a new pump and no good either, I'm thinking it's new tap time, I'll remove it and test later in the week when I'm up to it. I'm thinking of having an electrician sort out the leisure battery set up for me :-/

Just a quick one, as my van has some form of 12v wiring in there for the lights..... any idea where the transformer to drop from 240-12v might be?

Mine never had one, 12v lights and water pump worked from the battery only hence the need for both 12v and 230v light fittings.

Sorry hob, I meant since there is wiring in there (although I can't trace the lighting wiring as it doesn't seem to emerge from anywhere obvious in the van) I wondered if I was missing something as to where it meets up to make wiring in a battery easier :)

I found 2 wires coming through the floor under a rear seat which were where the battery connected.