12v and 240v conflict?

[Caswell]

I am in the process of converting a VW LT35 into a campervan.

So far, on the electrical front, I’ve installed a 60W solar panel, controller and two leisure batteries. All working nicely and delivering sufficient power to fully charge the two depleted batteries in two days or so. Nothing connected to the controller yet. The leisure batteries are completely separate from the van’s ‘engine’ battery; no split charger or any other connection.

I have also cut in a mains inlet and a 16Amp distribution board which has yet to recieve a hook-up or support a load.

After that long preamble, two questions.

1. Can I use the van body as the 12 v negative earth for the leisure ‘power’ in the same way as the ‘engine’ battery with which to run lights and appliances?

2. I have been advised that the van body needs to be bonded / earthed to the common ground terminal of the 240v box. Will this in any way interfere with the safety and operation of either the 12v or 240v system?

Thank you in anticipation ……

[Darren]

Hi
Sounds like a good project
Hi

Sounds like a good project you have there.

1. Yes. Your leisure batteries can share the same negative earth as the engine battery. If you connect the negative of your leisure battery to the van body, you can then use the van body as a negative point anywhere on the vehicle. Be sure to make a good clean connection from the battery to the body. Use big cable as well, something like 10mm, as all circuits to connect via the body will return through this cable.

2. This is true, and very important for safety. Should a wiring problem occur, or simply that a campsite has it’s electrics reversed, which is very common on the continent as they have only 2 pins, then the van body could become live! The 12v and 240v sharing the van body as an earth is fine, and standard practice.

Sounds like you’ve got it in hand 🙂

Cheers

Darren

[Darren]

Hi
Sounds like a good project
Hi

Sounds like a good project you have there.

1. Yes. Your leisure batteries can share the same negative earth as the engine battery. If you connect the negative of your leisure battery to the van body, you can then use the van body as a negative point anywhere on the vehicle. Be sure to make a good clean connection from the battery to the body. Use big cable as well, something like 10mm, as all circuits to connect via the body will return through this cable.

2. This is true, and very important for safety. Should a wiring problem occur, or simply that a campsite has it’s electrics reversed, which is very common on the continent as they have only 2 pins, then the van body could become live! The 12v and 240v sharing the van body as an earth is fine, and standard practice.

Sounds like you’ve got it in hand 🙂

Cheers

Darren

[Author]

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