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60A to 100+A alternator
- Thread starter BenjiCarlos
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Thanks for that, and sorry for the delay in replying, so much going on.
I have no experience with these DC 2 DC chargers but can see their worth in modern day vehicles with ecu controlled charging voltages, but they would not suit my useage. I have two marine batteries, when the car is parked they are maintained by solar, when the engine is running the alternator takes over. Given my typical trips I have never had an issue, I tend to drive to a site, perhaps stay two days drive perhaps 30 or 40 or even 100 miles to the next site, rinse and repeat, so with the solar I do not actually pull the batteries down too low in the first place.
Whilst they (dc chargers) clearly have a place, I am quite averse to buying the latest over hyped fashion, unless it can offer a genuine advantage over the typical parallel battery setup under the bonnet, remember this has served many thousands of off roaders for so many years, and I see no point in changing something that works.
Agree camping caravans given the distance from the charging source can benefit. Interesting that my garage overlooks a camp site, caravans lack solar panels, and yet probably 95% of the motorhomes use solar panels, which parallels my methodology for on board power.
Again apologies for the slow reply, blame carnival month (yes a month), club member visits (got to blame someone
) and the incessant workload.Regards
Dave
Have to confess Dave, I haven't researched how a basic solar set up works. I appreciate you need to go through some sort of regulator; a voltage evener -outer thing but beyond that...
The thing with these DC to DC chargers is that they don't need any additional box of tricks. You take any available current from solar or wind and plug it straight in. By using some form of voodoo, it uses the laws of physics to up the voltage - I'm presuming is the old V = I over R equation to ramp up the voltage to pack the current in. Like I say, I'm hazarding a Sunday afternoon guess at this one. You can't create energy out of nothing. Given how cheap a solar regulator is, I'd suspect that all it does is even out the input due to sun / cloud exposure and prevent over current. Rich, feel free to step in. But my panel says it's capable of producing 22 volts.
The CTEK in my experience and observation seems to somehow maximise input to the batteries in the most efficient way. My trailer set up can't rely on the vehicle as it's a trailer. And unless I connect it all up and run the engine (which is always a great thing on a camp site, not) then I have to get charge in somehow if I'm parked for more than a couple of days. As I have AGMs in there which like to be charged at a higher voltage, the CTEK is an important bit of kit for me. What I can say is I've seen it produce some very respectable current - almost 7 amps at a Lincomb meeting. In really good sun, I guess it might do more.But I'm thinking that the CTEK being an intelligent charger probably has some benefit over a standard panel and regulator just as a mains version of standard v intelligent charger has. Any more than that and genuinely I'd have to start making it up.
The CTEK has a smart function though especially where solar is used. In my 80, the solar goes to the CTEK. It charges the Optima in the back. Once that's full, it will connect to the main cranking battery and push charge one way to that too. As my cranking battery reaches 13v or whatever the trigger it, the split charge will cut in and send any further charge it has to the aux battery (remember I'm 12v start). Which is quite neat really. If the trailer is connected and the umbilical plugged in, it will send current to the other CTEK in there and charge the trailer batteries. Now all I need is some sun! I plan to add a windymill at some point which will go in through the CTEK too. Then I can charge at night if it's breezy. Reading up on those, they don't make a lot of power. But through the DC2DC it's worth a go.
The thing with these DC to DC chargers is that they don't need any additional box of tricks. You take any available current from solar or wind and plug it straight in. By using some form of voodoo, it uses the laws of physics to up the voltage - I'm presuming is the old V = I over R equation to ramp up the voltage to pack the current in. Like I say, I'm hazarding a Sunday afternoon guess at this one. You can't create energy out of nothing. Given how cheap a solar regulator is, I'd suspect that all it does is even out the input due to sun / cloud exposure and prevent over current. Rich, feel free to step in. But my panel says it's capable of producing 22 volts.
The CTEK in my experience and observation seems to somehow maximise input to the batteries in the most efficient way. My trailer set up can't rely on the vehicle as it's a trailer. And unless I connect it all up and run the engine (which is always a great thing on a camp site, not) then I have to get charge in somehow if I'm parked for more than a couple of days. As I have AGMs in there which like to be charged at a higher voltage, the CTEK is an important bit of kit for me. What I can say is I've seen it produce some very respectable current - almost 7 amps at a Lincomb meeting. In really good sun, I guess it might do more.But I'm thinking that the CTEK being an intelligent charger probably has some benefit over a standard panel and regulator just as a mains version of standard v intelligent charger has. Any more than that and genuinely I'd have to start making it up.
The CTEK has a smart function though especially where solar is used. In my 80, the solar goes to the CTEK. It charges the Optima in the back. Once that's full, it will connect to the main cranking battery and push charge one way to that too. As my cranking battery reaches 13v or whatever the trigger it, the split charge will cut in and send any further charge it has to the aux battery (remember I'm 12v start). Which is quite neat really. If the trailer is connected and the umbilical plugged in, it will send current to the other CTEK in there and charge the trailer batteries. Now all I need is some sun! I plan to add a windymill at some point which will go in through the CTEK too. Then I can charge at night if it's breezy. Reading up on those, they don't make a lot of power. But through the DC2DC it's worth a go.
For two conventional lead acid batteries Dave, sited close to one another with short cables (less than 1m) then a conventional split charge relay will charge them perfectly well. No real need for anything else. Add in solar and the stand alone controller would need to feed the starter battery for the split charge relay to kick in unless it deals with this in a smart way. The benefit of the DC DC chargers is the ability to run longer cables without the need to be concerned about voltage drop anywhere as well as the ability to charge with solar as Chris has said, leisure battery first then starter. They also have built in Smart Control of the solar voltage which will drop off as a higher current is drawn from the panels. They can make for a neater solution and in the case of the Intervolt have a nice display telling you what’s going on.
As an analogy, you can wind windows up and down manually but electric ones are so much easier. Passenger side especially, remember having to lean over sheesh!
As an analogy, you can wind windows up and down manually but electric ones are so much easier. Passenger side especially, remember having to lean over sheesh!
I use a dual sense VSR, so can apply a charging voltage (alternator or solar) to either battery. Both batteries (marine start/leisure) are the same technology so different charge voltages are unnecessary. Cable length in this case is also irrelevant, all my voltage drops are circa 1.5 - 2% or less, with 4% considered around the maximum for dc circuits I am well within tolerance.
My solar panels also connect via MPPT (dc converter), I think I have similar panels to Chris, mine are 2 x 'BP Solar' brand and rated @ 21.7 volts, the MPPT controller will use the excess voltage to increase the charge rate. Up until recently I used a PWM solar controller which worked fine for the last 6 odd years to run my sbsolutely essential fridge, a recent change of roof rack meant selling my older and larger panels to get two slightly smaller versions, until then I had never used MPPT type controller, I was advised by a forum member to swap to this style which would make up for the couple of amps I was going lose.
Full circle back to dc chargers, as I mentioned earlier, being able to offer the higher voltage to a trailor mounted battery can only be of benefit however, within the confines of an engine bay I see no advantage.
Regards
Dave
My solar panels also connect via MPPT (dc converter), I think I have similar panels to Chris, mine are 2 x 'BP Solar' brand and rated @ 21.7 volts, the MPPT controller will use the excess voltage to increase the charge rate. Up until recently I used a PWM solar controller which worked fine for the last 6 odd years to run my sbsolutely essential fridge, a recent change of roof rack meant selling my older and larger panels to get two slightly smaller versions, until then I had never used MPPT type controller, I was advised by a forum member to swap to this style which would make up for the couple of amps I was going lose.
Full circle back to dc chargers, as I mentioned earlier, being able to offer the higher voltage to a trailor mounted battery can only be of benefit however, within the confines of an engine bay I see no advantage.
Regards
Dave
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Apart from controlling charge voltage and current to each battery and providing three stage charging to the auxiliary battery, and MPPT solar charging to both batteries within one unit, and in the case of the Intervolt a display of charging currents and voltages, what have the Romans ever done for us?
Not really a case if fixing anything, but more catering for different battery technologies that have emerged since split charging first came about. Some folks don’t have room under the bonnet or outside the vehicle so mount an AGM sealed battery inside, often at the rear. In this scenario a DC DC charger will be beneficial both to battery longevity and ease of wiring. As I’ve said, under bonnet, short runs, conventional wet batteries, go split charge. Just cater for the possibility of heavy currents flowing when a depleted battery is dumped onto the system and possible spikes from the alternator if/when it’s disconnected (which is probably unlikely).
