Fitting caravan intruder alarm

imanold1
imanold1 Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited April 2020 in Caravans #1

I have a truma dual charger fitted in my 3 year old Bailey caravan, and I wish to fit an intruder alarm, to the 'van. The ideal place would be in the same cupboard as where the charger is.

My question is, could I wire the alarm into the cables from the charger unit marked as battery, with its own seperate line fuse.

If not, would it be ok to buy a domestic alarm system back-up battery (12volt) and wire it into the terminals for a second battery. If this would be the suggested choice, could anyone suggest what percentage charge I allocate to this battery, as the alarm's standing charge is only in the milli-amp range.

Comments

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
    500 Comments
    edited April 2020 #2

    In short yes as long as you understand the limitations of this mainly if the battery is stolen you have no alarm.

    Alternatively your fuse panel should have an alarm circuit already in the panel, just wire it and put a 5A fuse in the panel. no great advantage to what you are proposing other than a bit neater.

     

    Adding a small separate battery is good practice and you would need a diode as well if wiring across the main battery.

  • imanold1
    imanold1 Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited April 2020 #3

    Thanks Phishing. Thankfully my battery is mounted indoors, under the floor, so if it gets stolen, the alarm didn't work!!embarassed

    Unfortunately to get from the fuse panel to where the alarm is to be mounted, I'd have to take the full length fridge out, and partially dismantle the cupboard, hence my thoughts re using the Charger.

    Have you any idea if I'd need the diode if I wired into the 2nd battery outputfrom the Truma. I personally wouldnt have thought so, but your input appreciated

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
    500 Comments
    edited April 2020 #4

    Without knowing the circuit, the issue is that if you just wire the small battery across the charger output you are just wiring it in parallel with the main battery. There is no point to this as if the main battery runs down then the small battery will discharge as well. If you put a doide in line with the positive so that it can only charge from the charger or battery then it stays charged if the main battery is discharged.

    If your main battery is inboard then just using this as you suggest will be fine apart from the quiescent drain from the alarm discharging the battery. Given you have a dual charger this implies you have a solar panel. If not then just get a small (30w) panel and wire it into the dual charger. This will keep your battery topped up even with an alarm.  No need to mount to roof just leave it under a bench and put it in the window when parked up.  

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