[burko73]

i want tobe able to cheaply/ easily immobilise my van (ex aa) when camping abroad. i have a couple of those battery cut out key kill things in the back to isolate the leisure batt and charge circuit.

would it be sensible to wire another one in under the bonnet between the batt terminal and the earth for example? would effectivley removing the battery from the van electrics for 4 or 5 days at a time or every day for a few weeks do any harm to anything?

the leisure side is independant from the start/ charge circuit if the kill at the back is out as well and the van may or may not be connected to the site hook up for the leisure side.

any thoughts?

i have safe in the van to lock the red keys in as needed. (i guess if a thief walks by with a red key he's in luck but i guess thats not a common occurence abroad.....)

also - any good 12v battery gauges? anyone know of a tidy but cheap(ish) accurate one?

 

[upspex]

If your van is a tdi later than 98 then you don't need to do all that stuff. It will already have a perfectly good immobilser built in to the ECU. Battery monitors are useless unless you pay a lot of money for one. Buy a decent quality volt meter. 12.6 volts.....full
12.2 volts.... half full and 11.8 volts.......empty. Readings should be taken when the battery is not under load.