I started with Bluetooth in the battery, but soon bought the BT2. The battery will report its voltage, current, temperature, and very inaccurately its state of charge. However, the BT2 will tell you current and voltage flowing between solar, leisure battery and vehicle battery, and a history view.
Another wiring diagram for scrutiny
- Thread starter middle-englander
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Yeah that is of slight concern. I think regs is 2m and I’m at about 3 ish. But it’s through grommets, and routed through channels so minimal chance of rub and nowhere it can be trapped or cut.
FYI I’ve just stripped the cab out for another issue and the 240 cable is as new. It routes out of the van under the drivers seat and back in through a hole in the step area. All that length is inside plastic ducting.
Also it has several profiles to tune the trickle charge to your needs if you want, the change procedure is a bit of a faff but it's there if you need it
Yep any USB socket (fixed or plug in) will as it's an active device with a buck/boost circuit.
The good quality ones it can be quite low, crappy ones can be quite shocking especially if they leave LEDs on. Either will usually be greater than the standby drain of your sleeping van electrics.
I wouldn't worry about them too much on a sunny weekend away with EHU/Solar pushing charge in, but if you're not living in the van for the winter months no point having that load connected.
The insidious thing with a parasitic draw is the fact they are always there, even a 50mA draw adds up over a day:
(50 x 24) / 1000 = 1.2Ah
You are fine without an Ablemail with the solar charge (when fitted) from the Renogy and a Noco backup. My Victron DC-DC doesn’t charge the SB hence getting an Ablemail.
I have an AMT12-2 and Renogy lithium. I don’t have solar. I asked Jonathan at Ablemail to alter the settings on the AMT to suit the the battery specs which he did. The AMT keeps the starter batt at 12.33v for weeks on end without me touching the van which is exactly what I wanted.
All the bits have been delivered, the wife has been warned I'll be occupied for a good chunk of the day, and so I'll be making a start on this tomorrow 
However I am now thinking about a last minute revision having taken inspiration from this thread (and not wanting to derail it), which is to permanently connect the Victron IP65 12/15 charger to the starter input of the DC50S, with an appropriate fuse, instead of directly to the LB.
From what I understand this would give me the ability to charge both the starter battery and the leisure battery from the same charger without having to unplug anything.
Any reason why this is a bad idea?
What would happen if the engine was started while the charger was plugged in?
(@Dellmassive any thoughts if you're passing this thread?
)
However I am now thinking about a last minute revision having taken inspiration from this thread (and not wanting to derail it), which is to permanently connect the Victron IP65 12/15 charger to the starter input of the DC50S, with an appropriate fuse, instead of directly to the LB.
From what I understand this would give me the ability to charge both the starter battery and the leisure battery from the same charger without having to unplug anything.
Any reason why this is a bad idea?
What would happen if the engine was started while the charger was plugged in?
(@Dellmassive any thoughts if you're passing this thread?
)
Can't comment on Victron specifically but I often have my CTEK MSX 10 connected when starting the van or to provide extra juice when playing with VCDS. The normal winter routine is I have charger connected over night, then I'll start the webasto remotely some tens of minutes before leaving. If there's snow or ice still remaining when leaving I'll start the engine, then disconnect the charger and clean up the van.
Yes you can do that....All the bits have been delivered, the wife has been warned I'll be occupied for a good chunk of the day, and so I'll be making a start on this tomorrow
However I am now thinking about a last minute revision having taken inspiration from this thread (and not wanting to derail it), which is to permanently connect the Victron IP65 12/15 charger to the starter input of the DC50S, with an appropriate fuse, instead of directly to the LB.
From what I understand this would give me the ability to charge both the starter battery and the leisure battery from the same charger without having to unplug anything.
Any reason why this is a bad idea?
What would happen if the engine was started while the charger was plugged in?
(@Dellmassive any thoughts if you're passing this thread?
No issues.
When on EHU the starter battery will charge....
Then the Renogy dc-dc will switch on to charge the LB.
I call is the Auto vsr feature..... I don't a post on it, show on my HIDI thread.
With smaller chargers I noticed cycling on and off.... But ultimately both batterys got charged... And the victron chargers were better suited as you can up the charge voltage to suit your setup.... A larger charger is best recommend for the twin battery charge method....for obvious reasons.....your charging two batteries.
One thing to consider here is what you are doing is charging the starter battery and then your DC-DC charger cuts in because it sees a battery it thinks is being charged by the engine.
So the profile and multistage charging will be looking after the starter, and reacting to it's state of charge, not the leisure.
If you've got a good DC-DC that will be using multistage charging, but it might be cutting in and out as the starter charges and discharges so may not reach float stages as often as expected.
While it's not a huge consideration you'll also be loosing energy in the DC-DC compared to direct wiring.
Particular areas to think about is if in store a long while - directly connected most good mains chargers have a maintenance phase but a DC-DC generally doesn't as it expects to be used in bursts - also if you have a high current mains charger when EHU you will be using a lot of the power directly from the charger if it is wired direct, wired to the starter battery that direct power isn't available it has to flow through your DC-DC charger.
Thanks chaps.
I think this configuration will suit as the van is sometimes left stood for a while and the starter battery has drained previously (needs replacing at some point!), so I can plug in now and again to top it up.
I think this configuration will suit as the van is sometimes left stood for a while and the starter battery has drained previously (needs replacing at some point!), so I can plug in now and again to top it up.
Quick question I meant to ask last week for anybody passing....
I understand the logic of putting two fuses on the cable that runs between the starter and DC50S charger, but since mine is located under the driver seat base the easier fuse to get to would be under the bonnet.
Any issues with putting the bigger fuse nearer the DC50S? I'm hoping not since this is what I did earlier
I understand the logic of putting two fuses on the cable that runs between the starter and DC50S charger, but since mine is located under the driver seat base the easier fuse to get to would be under the bonnet.
Any issues with putting the bigger fuse nearer the DC50S? I'm hoping not since this is what I did earlier
The bonnet starter battery fuse is 100% needed,
but you can omit the fuse at the DC-DC charger end (of the same cable) if you like.
the other essential fuse is the leisure battery to DC-DC cable - needs to be next to the LB as close as practically possible.
but you can omit the fuse at the DC-DC charger end (of the same cable) if you like.
the other essential fuse is the leisure battery to DC-DC cable - needs to be next to the LB as close as practically possible.
Thanks @Dellmassive, just to clarify I have put two fuses on the DC charge cable, but was wondering whether it mattered which side the bigger fuse went.
your plan on 1st post shows 60A MIDI fuses.
the 60A starter battery end fuse is NEEDED. (to protect the cable incase of catastrophic failure)
the 60A starter cable fuse at the DC50S end can be OMITTED if needed. (i have one fitted as it makes a good point to isolate the feed coming from the starter battery when working on the seat base - but its not essential)
the 60A starter battery end fuse is NEEDED. (to protect the cable incase of catastrophic failure)
the 60A starter cable fuse at the DC50S end can be OMITTED if needed. (i have one fitted as it makes a good point to isolate the feed coming from the starter battery when working on the seat base - but its not essential)
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Oooo. I’m about to help wire a dc-dc in a friend’s van and was going to put that fuse close to the dc-dc charger. Out of curiousity why does it go close to the leisure battery instead?
I’m pretty sure mine is fused close to my dc-dc charger too.
It needs to go as close to the power source as possible. Ie the battery in this case. (Because even though the dc-dc charger is charging that battery, ..... when the engine is NOT running the LB battery is the source of power, that has enough energy to burn the cable or catch fire)
The fuse is there to protect the cable, not the device.
So it needs to be at the start of the cable run. With respect to the battery.or.source of power.
The idea being that in a catastrophic situation like a car crash or something, that caused the cable to be crushed or shorted out.... The fuse will blow, protecting that cable.
So the fuse is located as close as practical to the battery terminal..as in under 30cm, so that the amount of unfused cable is always kept to a minimum.
......
If you was assuming the sourse of power was the dc-dc charger..... For that link of wire..... It's actually not.
The source of power is actually the starter battery.... As that's where the dc-dc feed is taken from. (And that has it's own separate fuse at the starter battery terminal)
So what we always do is to place fuses at the start of the cables from the batterys, as that's always where the power starts from.
And view the flow of current/power like "water through pipes" flowing from the starter battery to leisure battery when the engine is running, via the dc-dc charger.
.
......
The fuse is there to protect the cable, not the device.
So it needs to be at the start of the cable run. With respect to the battery.or.source of power.
The idea being that in a catastrophic situation like a car crash or something, that caused the cable to be crushed or shorted out.... The fuse will blow, protecting that cable.
So the fuse is located as close as practical to the battery terminal..as in under 30cm, so that the amount of unfused cable is always kept to a minimum.
......
If you was assuming the sourse of power was the dc-dc charger..... For that link of wire..... It's actually not.
The source of power is actually the starter battery.... As that's where the dc-dc feed is taken from. (And that has it's own separate fuse at the starter battery terminal)
So what we always do is to place fuses at the start of the cables from the batterys, as that's always where the power starts from.
And view the flow of current/power like "water through pipes" flowing from the starter battery to leisure battery when the engine is running, via the dc-dc charger.
.
......
Cheers Lee @Dellmassive I’ll do it that way for sure as the dc-dc and battery are going to be under different seats.
My ctek is next to my LB and probs a 10cm run of cable from fuse to LB so I guess that’s ok.
On another note, would you fuse the +ve from LB to BusBar if it’s only about 10cm in length? Everything from the busbar is fused close to the bus bar, but I don’t have a fuse in that connection in my van.
My ctek is next to my LB and probs a 10cm run of cable from fuse to LB so I guess that’s ok.
On another note, would you fuse the +ve from LB to BusBar if it’s only about 10cm in length? Everything from the busbar is fused close to the bus bar, but I don’t have a fuse in that connection in my van.
- risk assessment time.
Is there a chance of something shorting out that busbar to bodywork?.. a loose jack under the seat?. A dropped spanner?. A seat sliding backwards? Etc etc is it near body work?
If 100% no.... Then no fuse need to protect the battery to busbar link.
But .
If there is any chance of a short, say from the seat sliding or something metal breaking or being dropped im the gap, eg a fork... Then you would fit a fuse to protect against that situation.
.....
Me personally, on my vans.
I ALWAYS fit a fuse first.
Then a battery isolator switch.
Then the busbar / midi fuse block.....and feed everything else from that.
Saftey first, always.
No, it’s under the driver’s seat next to the LB. It’s literally just to prevent all the positive cables being attached to the battery bolt. Only LB, dc-dc and fuses etc under there. Heavy duty, big cover, no chance of getting caught on anything.
