Thread: Anderson plug direct to battery

Have you got heavy enough cabling, under the seat?

We will put in enough to get out the door & then plug in compressor.

There seems to be enough room to put in small coil .

Why not run an Anderson plug to the towbar and a convenient spot on the front of the car.
You then end up with a caravan connection and an easy jump start/charging connection.

No need to fiddle with the battery. Land Rover has got us covered.

In the engine compartment there is a positive post connected to the battery and an earthed negative post. The positive post is in the red box (lid open) on the left and the negative to the right with a substantial cable attached.

terminals_DxO.jpg

I use the original compressor alligator clamps that attach to the posts on a shot length of cable with an anderson plug attached and anderson plug on the compressor cable. More than enough current to run my heavy duty compressor.

I also use those posts for solar and 240 volt charging. They can be used for jump starting as well.

Most modern cars, probably all of them by now, have smart alternators. If you look at the negative battery terminal there will be a small device clamped to the battery post, and the negative "earth" lead is then clamped to a terminal on that device, not to the battery post.

Its function briefly, is to monitor the load on the cars total electrical system via the earth cable. If you are adding whatever to the electrical system that requires an "earth", then DO NOT connect the new earthing connection to that device. The connection should be made directly to the negative battery post before the monitoring device. Or if your battery has an additional set of connection pads, usually on the side of the battery, then use those points.

I have no idea how these new Land Rovers are wired, but if it is fitted as posted by one_iota, then that is where any additional connection should be made. There MAY be a fuse already included in that circuit, so that should also be looked into.

Originally Posted by Old Farang

Most modern cars, probably all of them by now, have smart alternators. If you look at the negative battery terminal there will be a small device clamped to the battery post, and the negative "earth" lead is then clamped to a terminal on that device, not to the battery post.

Its function briefly, is to monitor the load on the cars total electrical system via the earth cable. If you are adding whatever to the electrical system that requires an "earth", then DO NOT connect the new earthing connection to that device. The connection should be made directly to the negative battery post before the monitoring device. Or if your battery has an additional set of connection pads, usually on the side of the battery, then use those points.

I have no idea how these new Land Rovers are wired, but if it is fitted as posted by one_iota, then that is where any additional connection should be made. There MAY be a fuse already included in that circuit, so that should also be looked into.

Sorry Old Farang, but NOTHING should be connected to the Negative ( - ) terminal of any vehicle with SMART alternator function.

one_iotas post is the way to go.

These terminals in the engine bay are specifically designed to be used for Jump Starting and as such, means they will safely handle any current load required.

Yes, I thought that this might produce some disagreement!

A connection made direct to the negative battery post BEFORE the smart sensor, is not a connection to the rest of vehicles electrical system via the sensor. Any load taken from such a connection will not interfere with the vehicles system.

I have no idea how many modern vehicles that may have separate terminals, as apparently fitted to the Land Rover in question, but I would suggest that it is not very many.

I posted this because it would appear that there are people unaware of the requirement.

I have even seen posted arguments concerning which direction the electrons flow in such a circuit aimed at disputing how, why, and where an extra connection to earth should be made!

So, where are the connections made to the auxiliary post connections, and is there a fuse or other current limiter?

The positive post in the engine bay is of course fused. But there's also 2 built in positive terminals as well that just need a midi fuse of whatever size you need for auxiliaries. I use one of these for my compressor permanently mounted in the engine bay.

And any auxiliary circuit you add needs to pick up it's earth from any of the earthing points in the car; there are plenty and many unused as well. This means any current draw is measured by the shunt on the battery negative and the system responds accordingly.

BTW the L663 does not have an alternator it has a starter-generator but it acts like a smart alternator.