Free installation on the new T7

[WelshGas]

Thanks Welsh, though as usualy with AI results, that's a photo of a battery in an engine bay I am finding google AI results to almost always be wrong, get the wrong model, or be just off the mark - particularly when there is scant information on the internet. Its a shame, as it can be very useful at times on more well covered subjects.

There are remote Charging connections within the engine bay for the starter battery for charging the battery or jump starting.
That might be easier.

 

[Californication69]

Goo

There are remote Charging connections within the engine bay for the starter battery for charging the battery or jump starting.
That might be easier.

Good idea, like the Land Rovers, they have large posts for jump starting.
But would be so nice to find the split charger.
Has to be one.

 

[Californication69]

fuse location / type…:

Looks like the starter battery is under the (RHD) passenger footwell carpet.
Could be as easy as pulling away the door seal, removing the plastic infill and getting the carpet out the way.
But then finding a way to route the cable under the pass seat, under the carpet and under the fridge to the rear to a place when the solar charger and separate dc-dc charger can be sited.

 

[Roger Donoghue]

Willing to bet there is a battery live in that internal fuse box. Prob the easiest cable run. Down behind the plastic trim (poke it under), under the door step trim - same again, then back to the kitchen , and rearwards. I'll have a look when I've got another T7 in next week - on monday!

Don't want to have to go through the bulkead. Its only a 1 amp max feed. so piggybacking off the fuse panel would be ideal.

 

[Roger Donoghue]

Installed a T7 kit today for a lovely chap who's on here. My neatest Victron installation so far



Hehe



The Victron fits nicely above the water tank, and there is plenty of cable to be able to move it completely out of the way for access. I put it in its packaging box to prevent it rattling.

The shower tray goes back in perfectly.

 

[sticky1]

Installed a T7 kit today for a lovely chap who's on here. My neatest Victron installation so far

…… hang on!

 

[Ian in Leicester]

Thanks Roger, I’m thrilled with the installation.
Fridge now appears to have no impact on leisure batteries.
Super neat installation using a grommet available on the T7, to get wiring into the van. I’ll post some pictures.

Sorry for the late reply but have you found that the solar is keeping the vehicle battery topped up (despite not fitting anything to it)? I ask because my leisure batteries seem to charge my vehicle battery when it gets low. So, in theory that means solar would keep both batteries topped up without an extra connection. Thanks

 

[dspuk]

Sorry for the late reply but have you found that the solar is keeping the vehicle battery topped up (despite not fitting anything to it)? I ask because my leisure batteries seem to charge my vehicle battery when it gets low. So, in theory that means solar would keep both batteries topped up without an extra connection. Thanks

Different control units. That's not how solar works. It's the control unit(s) that charges them both at a relevant time, they are not wired in series.

Solar charges your battery direct, it's connected to the batteries themselves and uses it's own control unit.

Most of our Cali's charge both, even our "old" 6.1's, but that is a combo of either the EHU control unit or the alternator and battery management system. Nothing to do with the solar units.

You would need a solar unit that also chargers the starter, usually the EPEVER one, with a wire to the starter.

 

[Ian in Leicester]

Different control units. That's not how solar works. It's the control unit(s) that charges them both at a relevant time, they are not wired in series.

Solar charges your battery direct, it's connected to the batteries themselves and uses it's own control unit.

Most of our Cali's charge both, even our "old" 6.1's, but that is a combo of either the EHU control unit or the alternator and battery management system. Nothing to do with the solar units.

You would need a solar unit that also chargers the starter, usually the EPEVER one, with a wire to the starter.

Thanks for that and it makes sense. I guess my question was more related to the oddity in the T7 that the leisure battery appears to charge the vehicle battery - on the battery control panel you can clearly see the transfer of power if you catch it at the right time. Therefore, my thinking was that over time that will flatten the leisure battery, but that would not be a problem if the leisure batteries were being topped up - eg. by solar.

 

[dspuk]

Thanks for that and it makes sense. I guess my question was more related to the oddity in the T7 that the leisure battery appears to charge the vehicle battery - on the battery control panel you can clearly see the transfer of power if you catch it at the right time. Therefore, my thinking was that over time that will flatten the leisure battery, but that would not be a problem if the leisure batteries were being topped up - eg. by solar.

One assumes a T7 Q for Roger then.

 

[Roger Donoghue]

Thanks for that and it makes sense. I guess my question was more related to the oddity in the T7 that the leisure battery appears to charge the vehicle battery - on the battery control panel you can clearly see the transfer of power if you catch it at the right time. Therefore, my thinking was that over time that will flatten the leisure battery, but that would not be a problem if the leisure batteries were being topped up - eg. by solar.

You are likely seeing the leisure batteries equalising with the starter, dumping voltage over, whilst the relay link is active. The starter is kept at 80% due to blue motion on the 6.1 . It'll stop when they are the same voltage .

 

[dspuk]

Thanks for that and it makes sense. I guess my question was more related to the oddity in the T7 that the leisure battery appears to charge the vehicle battery - on the battery control panel you can clearly see the transfer of power if you catch it at the right time. Therefore, my thinking was that over time that will flatten the leisure battery, but that would not be a problem if the leisure batteries were being topped up - eg. by solar.

Ok - As Roger says. I avoided mentioning the relay to not over complicate it but on the 6.1 and one assumes in a similar place on the 7 there is a relay that us used to connect the alternator to the leisures to then charge them when the starter is full (80%). When this is done the relay shuts and technically, unless using max charge, all batteries will be 80%.

It does not open in the circumstance you mention to use the leisures to top up the starter.

When you are connecting the Solar MPPT to the starter you generally do it via the starter side of the relay by running a wire from the MPPT to the relay, in our case, behind the kitchen and under the passenger seat..

 

[Roger Donoghue]

On the 5,6 and 6.1 it's not a voltage sensing relay . It's purely ignition Triggered . Doesn't take in to account the starter batt voltage. Not as far as I'm aware. What DOES happen on blue motion 6.1 vans is the alternator stops when the starter (and thus also the leisures) is at 80% unless you select the boost option.

 

[dspuk]

Ok then @Ian in Leicester - the answer remains no. When the ignition (and I assume the engine/alternator running) the relay clicks over and connects all three batteries in line to charge as one. When done (80% under normal running) the alternator stops.

When charging with solar you are coming in the other way and would need to trickle the starter. Some have fitted a switch after their MPPT to use solar directly on the starter to get a boost. That's all getting more complex. EHU also charges the leisures and trickles the starter, but I'm not sure what the trickle method from EHU is, one suspects a harness wire from the EHU control unit to the battery or relay.

 

[Roger Donoghue]

I installed a kit today and connected the Dometic Dual charge to the starter in the T7 (as well as the leisures, of course). It's actually rather easy - ran the cable round under the trim - no need to remove anything, then connected a piggy back fuse in the fuse panel that is behind the front passenger glove box.

I've connected to a fuse slot for the front heated seats - I can't be 100% sure it stays live once the van has fully "gone to sleep" - will hear back from my customer is there is an issue and he's happy to try different fuse locations if it does turn off. Fingers crossed!

Nice not to have to try and locate the starter battery!

 

[Californication69]

Ok then @Ian in Leicester - the answer remains no. When the ignition (and I assume the engine/alternator running) the relay clicks over and connects all three batteries in line to charge as one. When done (80% under normal running) the alternator stops.

When charging with solar you are coming in the other way and would need to trickle the starter. Some have fitted a switch after their MPPT to use solar directly on the starter to get a boost. That's all getting more complex. EHU also charges the leisures and trickles the starter, but I'm not sure what the trickle method from EHU is, one suspects a harness wire from the EHU control unit to the battery or relay.

@Ian in Leicester is correct in saying the lesuire battery throws up to 30amps towards the starter whilst the t7 California beach is switched off.
I have a new 2026 Beach.
I installed a dashcam, hardwired into the fuse box behind glove box.
Set the hard wire to switch off at 12.0v
The dash cam ran all night.
The lesuire was at 90% when I went it bed.
Next morning Lesuire at 60% and had topped up the starter Batt all night.

So yes, a non modified California beach charges the starter Batt when it senses the starter batt discharging.

My thinking now is to provide a single MPPT and solar panel to provide power to the lesuire and the lesuire will top up the starter when it sees it go below 12.0v

I’ve set the hard wire dash cam at 12.4v and it no longer stays on for more than 10 minutes in parking mode.

Not sure why my starter batt is at 12.2v as it had a 300mile run out Thursday.
And had it on EHU today for 6 hours and was up to 13.0v
Removed EHU and it was at 12.75v after 1 hour.
Set Max in control panel.
So over rode the 80% standard charge profile.

My lesuire is at 13.3v

 

[dspuk]

@Ian in Leicester is correct in saying the lesuire battery throws up to 30amps towards the starter whilst the t7 California beach is switched off.
I have a new 2026 Beach.
I installed a dashcam, hardwired into the fuse box behind glove box.
Set the hard wire to switch off at 12.0v
The dash cam ran all night.
The lesuire was at 90% when I went it bed.
Next morning Lesuire at 60% and had topped up the starter Batt all night.

So yes, a non modified California beach charges the starter Batt when it senses the starter batt discharging.

My thinking now is to provide a single MPPT and solar panel to provide power to the lesuire and the lesuire will top up the starter when it sees it go below 12.0v

I’ve set the hard wire dash cam at 12.4v and it no longer stays on for more than 10 minutes in parking mode.

Not sure why my starter batt is at 12.2v as it had a 300mile run out Thursday.
And had it on EHU today for 6 hours and was up to 13.0v
Removed EHU and it was at 12.75v after 1 hour.
Set Max in control panel.
So over rode the 80% standard charge profile.

My lesuire is at 13.3v

T7 ‍<shrug>

 

[Californication69]

T7 ‍<shrug>

Huh
Roger is discussing a free Solar install on a T7, as he wants to get to know the layout of the Batts/mppt/charging, he mentions you can use the EPEver MPPT to provide a trickle charge to the starter battery, and @Ian in Leicester said that the lesuire provides some voltage to the starter, thus a trickle charge isn’t needed, I can confirm what @Ian in Leicester said , the lesuires charge up the starter, and a trickle is not needed.
Although saying that, you could go belts and braces and use a trickle if you so wished treacle.

 

[sticky1]

Huh
Roger is discussing a free Solar install on a T7, as he wants to get to know the layout of the Batts/mppt/charging, he mentions you can use the EPEver MPPT to provide a trickle charge to the starter battery, and @Ian in Leicester said that the lesuire provides some voltage to the starter, thus a trickle charge isn’t needed, I can confirm what @Ian in Leicester said , the lesuires charge up the starter, and a trickle is not needed.
Although saying that, you could go belts and braces and use a trickle if you so wished treacle.

Can I ask how you know?
If that was the case why were so many people having issues with their starter batteries?

 

[Californication69]

Can I ask how you know?
If that was the case why were so many people having issues with their starter batteries?

Of course.
I sat in the rear and watched the panel for around 20 minutes, when it timed out I pressed the button again and saw the starter battery amps go to plus 30
And the lesuire went negative 31amps for around 1 minute.
Did it 4 times over the 20 minutes.
I was very intrigued.
I’ll try and get a photo.

The issue with the electrics is exactly why I cancelled my blue and white ocean t7 2 years ago.

But since reading most issues are sorted I thought I’d go for the beach.
(Also the 2.9% apr pcp and £9k deposit contributions dealer discount were contributing factors)

 

[dspuk]

Huh
Roger is discussing a free Solar install on a T7, as he wants to get to know the layout of the Batts/mppt/charging, he mentions you can use the EPEver MPPT to provide a trickle charge to the starter battery, and @Ian in Leicester said that the lesuire provides some voltage to the starter, thus a trickle charge isn’t needed, I can confirm what @Ian in Leicester said , the lesuires charge up the starter, and a trickle is not needed.
Although saying that, you could go belts and braces and use a trickle if you so wished treacle.

My point was what I know about T7 electrics you can write on the back of a stamp. Hence. Shrug.

 

[Californication69]

My point was what I know about T7 electrics you can write on the back of a stamp. Hence. Shrug.

Got you, yep, I’m in the same boat.
Will learn along the way.
Although I’ve been told by swmbo, not to buy anything for the Cali.
So I’m limited what the rainy day bank account can pay for.