Electrical (Question and Idea)

[jacobszall]

Hey!

Okay, so, I posted a thread a few days ago about using solar power. What I decided I'm going to do is use the buses battery as a power source. As long as the bus is moving, it's generating electricity. When a friend told me that, I thought he was joking. So, as long as when I drive, I'm charging my devices.. I should be okay. I'll get some extra batteries too. I'll also use a portable solar panel to charge phones and stuff when we're stopped.

Onto the question. My battery compartment.. okay, the wires in it are a bit corroded at the ends to connect to a battery. I'm wondering if I can splice it and get another connector to the battery, if that makes sense. But where can I buy it and exactly what part do I need to replace?

Extra question: I'm going to try installing my dashboard today. Anything I should know that I may not already?

[RHOMBUS]

If the motor is running, and everything is working properly, the bus doesn't have to move for the alternator to charge the batteries unless you have an alternator that is hooked to the axles.

For my bus, I plan on having a separate battery bank, because if the lights, computer, tv, etc. drain them down, at least the bus will still start.

Go read A LOT about RV solar power systems, connections and design. You will fry your panels, alternator, batteries and so on if you are just going to connect wires and go.

Unless you have the equipment and experience, I really don't think splicing battery cables is such a great idea, considering how much power they handle. I have no idea what your budget is, but it would be better to go buy premade cables for chaining batteries together than just twisting 0 gauge together with some electrical tape. You can buy battery cables and connectors at any auto parts store, most hardware stores, Wal-Mart, K-mart, Target, Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, Runnings, any trucking supply store, 4x4 store, or a ton of places on line.

Are you going to run the batteries in series or parallel? How are you going to isolate the panels from the alternator? Are you going to match the amp-hour rating on the batteries?

For your extra question, since I don't know what you do and don't know about your dash, I have no idea how to advise other than disconnect the batteries first.

[EastCoastCB]

So you have this type


And you you have the threaded terminals on your new battery, right?

[EastCoastCB]

You just need something like this on the end of your leads-

[roach711]

If it's just the cable ends that are corroded you can usually clean off the corrosion, slap on a little dielectric grease to keep new corrosion away and be good to go. If the corrosion is also inside the cable itself (under the insulation) it's time to replace the cable.

[EastCoastCB]

He's got a battery with threaded terminals or "stud terminals" and the connectors on his battery leads are automotive "post type".

[karrlot]

If you have not read about bus electrical then you need to. You should not use your engine battery to power things in your living quarters. Your engine can charge those batteries but they are separate from the bus batteries. (You wouldn't want your laptop to drain your battery and then not be able to start the bus.) They are different types of batteries also; built to work differently.