CBE PC210 Control line 12v Net signal (230v circuit).

[Mccoatup]

I am looking to use the CBE PC210 Controller in my campervan conversion, but with a Victron Blue Smart Charger instead of the CB510 charger that comes with the PC210 Controller kit.
However there is a control line between the PC210 controller and the CB510 charger called '12v net signal' (or '240v circuit'). Does anyone know definitively what this line does? I have seen conflicting explanations of what this line does, including the fact it's a signal from the charger telling the controller there is a 240 source present, and also that it's a signal from the controller telling the charger that the van ignition is switched on. Since the Victron charger doesn't have this control line need to know what it's for and therefore what I need to do with this connection. Thanks, Bob

 

[travelvolts]

It is just to let the know the unit know that 230 volts is present so that it can display appropriate information. The lack of it will not have any effect on your Victron charger.

 

[Mccoatup]

Thanks for resolving that, Martyn. So I can see that if I want the control panel to tell me 240v is present then I can reproduce the 12v net signal from a simple 12v PSU.

 

[travelvolts]

I would have thought so. Just have to figure out what the net signal is, + or -.

 

[Ads_Essex]

I am looking to use the CBE PC210 Controller in my campervan conversion, but with a Victron Blue Smart Charger instead of the CB510 charger that comes with the PC210 Controller kit.
However there is a control line between the PC210 controller and the CB510 charger called '12v net signal' (or '240v circuit'). Does anyone know definitively what this line does? I have seen conflicting explanations of what this line does, including the fact it's a signal from the charger telling the controller there is a 240 source present, and also that it's a signal from the controller telling the charger that the van ignition is switched on. Since the Victron charger doesn't have this control line need to know what it's for and therefore what I need to do with this connection. Thanks, Bob

Hello @Mccoatup, did you install the PC210 in the end?

 

[Mccoatup]

Well, I had it fitted by the conversion company and all and all appears well but I haven't yet connected up a '12v Net' signal, so it doesn't display when 240v is present. One day I'll add it in!
Bob

 

[Mccoatup]

Well I finally added the 12v Net signal today using a small 12v mains PSU connected to the Consumer Unit. The Net signal control is +12v and appears to operate a small relay taking about 40mA. Now the hook-up symbol shows up on the PC210 display when 240v is connected.

 

[Neutronium]

I know this is an old thread but just thought I would add this to help people out if researching CBE PC210 / DS300 .
I have gone down the route of adding a small 12v led psu to get the Net signal and plugged in icon on the display.

One thing to be aware of with this method though. If you have your starter battery connected to B2 and connect up to the mains, then the starter battery will charge from the leisure battery if your mains battery charger is turned off or not connected to the battery powering the PC210 / DS300,
From what I can see of the circuit in the DS300, the leisure battery will continue to trickle charge the starter battery (max current is about 2 amps) until they get within about a volt of each other and then the diode in the ds-300 fuse box should shut off the charging current.

Im not sure if the battery charging icon on the display is independent from the mains plugged in icon or if they both come on as soon as the Net signal is present. I need to do a bit more digging into how the circuit works. If they are off different signals then there may be a way to work around this

 

[Tommo80]

Well I finally added the 12v Net signal today using a small 12v mains PSU connected to the Consumer Unit. The Net signal control is +12v and appears to operate a small relay taking about 40mA. Now the hook-up symbol shows up on the PC210 display when 240v is connected.

3 years behind you in replacing batteries and chargers!!! Can you go into more detail on exactly how you added the 12v PSU?

 

[Neutronium]

I have this diagram if it helps?


I used one of these 12 volt PSU s from ebay Snappy PSU-SNP6-12VF Power Supply 12VDC 0.5A 6W CV In-line CST
It is powered up as soon as the mains is turned on and gives the signal to plug 18 pin 2 on the DS-300. This allows the various CBE controllers to know that the mains is turned on. This enables van and leisure battery charging and lights the mains network indicator on the display. It also swaps over the fridge supply if appropriate If you have a CBE battery charger then this signal is supplied from the battery charger (assuming that it is powered up as soon as the mains comes on). There is no equivalent signal on the Victron charger.
This is what it all looks like in the van



Hope that is enough info for you. If not let me know which bits you want more details on
Cheers
Wil.

 

[Tommo80]

Champion. So I can wire 240v in from the rcd, what are the wires from the 12v end as I can see I need one (the equivalent of the white one) but it looks like you have 3 coming out?

Really appreciate the help, spent all day tracing the wires ready to swap for my vic ip65 and am going to get a lithium battery

 

[Tommo80]

Ah, you’ve got two wires coming out to charge battery when connected to mains and 3rd wire is the ‘white’ one?

 

[Neutronium]

The 3rd one isn't actually connected to the psu, it just runs underneath it to keep it tidy!! The two wires out of the PSU are just positive and negative. The -ve goes to chassis and the +ve to the Plug18 pin 2.

 

[Tommo80]

Perfect, arrives on Saturday!!

 

[Tommo80]

Would you believe out of everything, it’s the 12v net that’s causing me the most issues!!! Looking at your wiring diagram, you’ve got your psu red and black coming straight from the mains via the rcd? Is that correct?

 

[Neutronium]

The PSU mains supply comes straight from the output of consumer unit yes. As soon as there is 240 V available it powers up the supply and the 12 v out is used as the net supply signal to the DS300 wiring unit


Hope that helps
Wil.

 

[Tommo80]

Is it ok to take 240v without an earth?

 

[Neutronium]

The PSU module is double insulated, so there is nowhere to connect an earth too! That's fairly usual these days. Just make sure you use mains flex to go from the consumer unit to the psu rather than just single wall insulation wires.

 

[Mccoatup]

Sorry for the delay @Tommo80, have been offline for a bit. I used an LED Driver transformer from Amazon. No earth needed.

 

[bmseven]

hi guys
on my pc210 the mains connected symbol only comes on when the cbe battery charger is turned on ids this correct?