Main battery dead despite ctek and solar

phoenixfc7

phoenixfc7

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T6 Pro
Main battery is completely flat, I am perplexed as I have a ctek and a solar panel so how has it run flat? I’m going to try jump start it tomorrow. Set up is 140 solar with Victron MPPT15/75 a ctek 250se and a agm leisure battery. I thought the starter battery would be charged first. Any ideas? The image was before I connected the cables to the leisure.

73558082-6877-43E5-ABAD-65B67EE99F0A.jpeg
 
So this morning the ! Mark on the ctek was flashing. Hooked up main battery to battery charger and this light was flashing. When booking up a battery charger (old style) do you connect black and red?

8DD326B2-3E76-4103-960D-5166719FEFD4.jpeg
 
I think you need to hook up the black to ground on the body if you're using it to charge, otherwise the monitor gets cross! I think people have jumped direct just to get the motor started, as it's a short burst.
 
I have the same although mine is parked inside so I have another intelligent charger for the starter battery , but I presume you are parked outside
 
phoenixfc7 said:
Main battery is completely flat, I am perplexed as I have a ctek and a solar panel so how has it run flat? I’m going to try jump start it tomorrow. Set up is 140 solar with Victron MPPT15/75 a ctek 250se and a agm leisure battery. I thought the starter battery would be charged first. Any ideas? The image was before I connected the cables to the leisure.

View attachment 85138
Click to expand...
The only thing charging your starter battery is the van's alternator. The Victron MPPT will only charge the leisure battery.
 
Deaky said:
The only thing charging your starter battery is the van's alternator. The Victron MPPT will only charge the leisure battery.
Click to expand...
SHouldnt the CYEK charge the starter batter when the leisure battery is full?
 
Ok I thought the starter battery gets charged first. So is my ctek serving any purpose? The solar goes via MPPT to leisure?
 
more info:

looks like they have re-written the manual and the 250SE has a few tweaks from the SA version. (in addition to the lithium profile)

www.t6forum.com

[Guide] DC-DC Charger (for leisure battery) -- How I Done It --

DC-DC Charger (for Leisure battery) -- How I Done It -- ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...
www.t6forum.com www.t6forum.com





1600175688229.png

1600175366305.png

1600175210660.png


so the above would imply that a stand alone solar system that charged the AUX battery directly "would" cause the d250SE to start reverse charge the starter from the AUX battery? - if the charge levels are as required.

1600175251211.png

20A / 20A - nothing changed here . . . .

1600175302548.png




1600175318397.png


1600175755478.png
 
Not wanting to derail the thread too much, but what would I need to add to my system; Solar, Redarc 1240, leisure battery to get it to top up the starter if required?
 
Skyliner33 said:
Not wanting to derail the thread too much, but what would I need to add to my system; Solar, Redarc 1240, leisure battery to get it to top up the starter if required?
Click to expand...
All detailed here
www.t6forum.com

Deaky’s Kombi to Camper journey

Out of interest, how did you mount the consumer unit? just directly to the plastic bay separator or to something else?
www.t6forum.com www.t6forum.com
 
I’m using a CTEK with 150W panel connected to its solar input - so slightly different to you. I’ve just installed this and the leisure battery is unloaded. The CTEK fully charges the leisure battery first and then trickle charges the starter battery - I can see this happening on my battery monitor - I also get the Amber A led flashing when this happens.

the manual Says the CTEK will charge the starter battery even without Solar input connected - so first question is what’s the state of charge of your leisure battery ? - what voltage do you read across the battery itself? ( and also on the CTEK output?)
Maybe your solar cells/victron is not fully charging your leisure battery.

I’m assuming the victron is connected to the leisure battery and not the starter battery
Simon
 
Deaky said:
All detailed here
www.t6forum.com

Deaky’s Kombi to Camper journey

Out of interest, how did you mount the consumer unit? just directly to the plastic bay separator or to something else?
www.t6forum.com www.t6forum.com
Click to expand...
Thanks that looks great, however I dont have the victron MPPT, my solar is connected to the REDARC so I dont have any control over that to only turn on the load when the solar is charging. Bugger I can see this getting expensive :/
 
I charge the aux battery under the seat via the 13 pin tow wiring, my van has factory fitted removable tow bar and aux battery under the front bench seat.
All I do to make sure the starter battery charges is to remove the 100 relay under the seat (which effectively separates the two batteries until J519 activates the relay to charge the aux battery) and fit a modified 100 relay which is bridged constantly. Obviously I need to swap them back over when using the van, but for the long periods it is parked with a constant 400mA drain due to my cameras, the mains CETEK charger I use keeps both fully charged nicely.
I have a proper DC to DC Cetek setup in the car with two batteries and the Cetek charges the starter battery without having to swap any relays as it is wired differently to my van.If I could be bothered, I could just wire the relay via a switch but this works fine.
 
ThreeBridgeT6 said:
I think you need to hook up the black to ground on the body if you're using it to charge, otherwise the monitor gets cross! I think people have jumped direct just to get the motor started, as it's a short burst.
Click to expand...
thanks, do you know where the ground point is under the bonnet? I know there are several earth points in the cab and rear, not sure where to clip the black lead? Thanks
 
Dellmassive said:
more info:

looks like they have re-written the manual and the 250SE has a few tweaks from the SA version. (in addition to the lithium profile)

www.t6forum.com

[Guide] DC-DC Charger (for leisure battery) -- How I Done It --

DC-DC Charger (for Leisure battery) -- How I Done It -- ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...
www.t6forum.com www.t6forum.com





View attachment 85197

View attachment 85195

View attachment 85191


so the above would imply that a stand alone solar system that charged the AUX battery directly "would" cause the d250SE to start reverse charge the starter from the AUX battery? - if the charge levels are as required.

View attachment 85192

20A / 20A - nothing changed here . . . .

View attachment 85193




View attachment 85194


View attachment 85198
Click to expand...
Thank you, looking at the description at the top of you reply (final bullet point) it says "starter battery only available as a lead acid battery" the starter battery is an AGM, do you read this that the ctek will not reverse charge if aux/leisure is full? I do not know the charging levels as I do not have a battery monitor? I must rectify this!
 
AGM is a type of lead acid battery -so will not affect reverse charge.
Battery Monitoring Is fine in the longer term - you probably just need a volt meter ( digital multimeter) to understand what is happening

Simon
 
Please correct me if i am wrong but as i understand from the comments here, the ctek charges the starter battery once the leisure battery is satisfied. But will only do so if ignition live. Is this correct? Ta.
 
Sim60 said:
AGM is a type of lead acid battery -so will not affect reverse charge.
Battery Monitoring Is fine in the longer term - you probably just need a volt meter ( digital multimeter) to understand what is happening

Simon
Click to expand...
Thanks and apologies for the lack of understanding! I do remember now that agm is still acid! I have a multimeter so I will check. Thanks for your help
 
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