Van Bitz Battery Master alternative (1 Viewer)

[Diabalo]

Hi,

Someone posted on here an alternative to the Van Bitz battery master, can anyone remember what it was called? I have searched but can't find the thread, I believe they said you could get thme on flebay.

 

[GJH]

I fitted a Battery Charge Manager from CAK Tanks to our previous van. I have seen mention of alternatives on eBay but no idea how good they are.

 

[lunarman]

CAK Tanks do something similar there stock code is BCM12

Download their catalogue and price list here Link Removed

Lunarman

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[Snowbird]

If its the gizmo that diverts power from the solar panel when the leisure battery is full to the engine battery. Its the CBE CSB-2 and available from ebay. It works great as I fitted one to my FFB. I do have a spare in the "Stores" if you cant find one on ebay.

 

[Jim]

Hi,

Someone posted on here an alternative to the Van Bitz battery master, can anyone remember what it was called? I have searched but can't find the thread, I believe they said you could get thme on flebay.

I have a new/unopened vanbitz battery master for sale, £45:thumb:

 

[chrisgreen]

CAK Tanks do something similar there stock code is BCM12

Download their catalogue and price list here Link Removed

Lunarman

i have the bcm12,and can confirm it does the job:thumb:

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[Diabalo]

I have a new/unopened vanbitz battery master for sale, £45:thumb:

I have a Van Bitz battery master fitted Jim and to be honest I'm not sure it does the job, the Vehicle batt keeps going down and but the Hab batt is fine, if I turn the hazards on I can see the battery master light flashing on and off which indicates it's putting a charge in. I believe It's supposed to put a charge accroos once the Vehicle battery is .5 of a volt below the hab battery but that doesn't seem to be the case. maybe it's knackered.

 

[paulmold]

Hi,

Someone posted on here an alternative to the Van Bitz battery master, can anyone remember what it was called? I have searched but can't find the thread, I believe they said you could get thme on flebay.

Is this the one you mean..


Link Removed

 

[Diabalo]

Is this the one you mean..


Link Removed

I think it was the CAK tanks jobbie.

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[aba]

I have a Van Bitz battery master fitted Jim and to be honest I'm not sure it does the job, the Vehicle batt keeps going down and but the Hab batt is fine, if I turn the hazards on I can see the battery master light flashing on and off which indicates it's putting a charge in. I believe It's supposed to put a charge accroos once the Vehicle battery is .5 of a volt below the hab battery but that doesn't seem to be the case. maybe it's knackered.

im sure Eddie Vanbitz would be able to advise on this.

 

[LARRY99]

Would this do what you want? E bay. 330528191980

 

[Geo]

Broken Link Removed

Scroll down about 5 pages to catalog page 81 and its on the bottom right:thumb:
Geo

Link Removed under its old part No CSB2 , Me thinks

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[Techno]

much cheaper than CAK
but do not buy this if you dont have solars! buy the vanbitz battery master
Link Removed

 

[sedge]

I should delay till next week then email Eddie a link to this thread, then he can get a chance to comment - he's at the NEC at the mo (has a stand anyway so I assume he is!) so may not see this otherwise.

 

[Geo]

I should delay till next week then email Eddie a link to this thread, then he can get a chance to comment - he's at the NEC at the mo (has a stand anyway so I assume he is!) so may not see this otherwise.

We already know what Eddie thinks, want a reliable one get the Battery master want to save a few quid get the cak tank or other foreign made jobby
he has nothing bad to say about competitors versions, only states the obvious, to me anyhow you gets what you pay for simples

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[Techno]

It has nothing to do with price and everything to do with purpose.
Eddies device was designed to maintain the engine battery at all costs were no hook up or solar was available to delay the flattening of the battery due to strike back alarms

The CBE unit delivers a higher charge transfer rate only after the leisure batteries are full and is designed for installations where solar supports the batteries.
CBE are a very big Italian electrical company providing for many thousands of motorhomes

AND where do you suppose the battery master is manufactured

 

[chrisgreen]

It has nothing to do with price and everything to do with purpose.
Eddies device was designed to maintain the engine battery at all costs were no hook up or solar was available to delay the flattening of the battery due to strike back alarms

The CBE unit delivers a higher charge transfer rate only after the leisure batteries are full and is designed for installations where solar supports the batteries.
CBE are a very big Italian electrical company providing for many thousands of motorhomes

AND where do you suppose the battery master is manufactured

or over wintering on ehu:thumb:

 

[Techno]

My own CBE unit top left. As soon as my leisures reach 13.6 volts it send up to 4amps to the engine battery

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[Geo]

It has nothing to do with price and everything to do with purpose.
Eddies device was designed to maintain the engine battery at all costs were no hook up or solar was available to delay the flattening of the battery due to strike back alarms

The CBE unit delivers a higher charge transfer rate only after the leisure batteries are full and is designed for installations where solar supports the batteries.
CBE are a very big Italian electrical company providing for many thousands of motorhomes

AND where do you suppose the battery master is manufactured

There made in the Uk
I was quoting Eddie not second guessing him

 

[Techno]

possibly why its so expensive
But again its not about the price.

If a van is parked long enough without solar or hook up the battery master will flatten the leisure battery in its effort to maintain the engine battery.
that isnt a fault it is designed to do that

A CBE unit only gives charge to the engine battery when the leisure is full and stops giving charge when the leisure drops to 12.6 volts

 

[Diabalo]

I have tested the parasitic drain and it's 140 ma without the alarm and 160 ma with the alarm on.

Now if my maths are correct that's a 3.84 amp drain over 24 hours and 26.88 amp drain over a week which is 25% of my 100 amp hour battery

Still not sure if my Vanbitz battery master is doing what it should do.

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[Techno]

Fit a second battery or fit a solar

 

[eddie]

I have a Van Bitz battery master fitted Jim and to be honest I'm not sure it does the job, the Vehicle batt keeps going down and but the Hab batt is fine, if I turn the hazards on I can see the battery master light flashing on and off which indicates it's putting a charge in. I believe It's supposed to put a charge accroos once the Vehicle battery is .5 of a volt below the hab battery but that doesn't seem to be the case. maybe it's knackered.

Or the engine battery is knackered! Perhaps not, but why does it keep going down?

Eddie

 

[eddie]

AND where do you suppose the battery master is manufactured

Err Bridgwater in Somerset! That is why it has a lifetime warranty!

Eddie

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[eddie]

I have tested the parasitic drain and it's 140 ma without the alarm and 160 ma with the alarm on.

Now if my maths are correct that's a 3.84 amp drain over 24 hours and 26.88 amp drain over a week which is 25% of my 100 amp hour battery

Still not sure if my Vanbitz battery master is doing what it should do.

That quiescent drain is too high and needs resolving. Do you have a navigation system? Most problems are caused by changing feeds to radios so that the ignition is by passed, but in effect leaving the radio on "stand by" all the time. An addition ON/OFF switch should be inserted in series on the "ignition" circuit.

Eddie

 

[eddie]

Hi,

Someone posted on here an alternative to the Van Bitz battery master, can anyone remember what it was called? I have searched but can't find the thread, I believe they said you could get thme on flebay.

The cheapest alternative is a piece of wire between the engine and leisure battery (s) with a switch in it!

If your is faulty send it back simples! But I think that you have other problems.

Eddie

 

[Diabalo]

That quiescent drain is too high and needs resolving. Do you have a navigation system? Most problems are caused by changing feeds to radios so that the ignition is by passed, but in effect leaving the radio on "stand by" all the time. An addition ON/OFF switch should be inserted in series on the "ignition" circuit.

Eddie

Eddie the radio has been by passed, I will disconect it and see what the battery drain is then, thanks:thumb:

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[Geo]

Ya wouldnt av got that tip from CHINA

 

[eddie]

Regarding price, I only retail the damn things due to demand. It was originally designed to be installed by us (Van Bitz) simultaneously with Strikeback @ £69.95 installed.

However:-

The unit is hand made in relatively small batches, for us by a bespoke small run manufacturer.
It is waterproof, so can be mounted under the bonnet or in battery locker.
It is made in the UK.
It has re-settable internal fuses, so when connected to a fused circuit no additional fuses are necessary.
We offer a lifetime warranty on it.
It is fully "potted" so vibration proof
If you connect it up the wrong way round it will simply switch off.

We have units that have been working for over 15 years now. Frankly I make no apology for the price as we don't really mind if we retail them or not as we install the majority of them, for the benefit of our customers who want to leave the motorhome for longer periods without the fear of flat batteries.

different spec's normally result in different prices, as with most things in life

Eddie :thumb:

 

[Geo]

Snap-On said:
We'd rather explain the price of quality than have to apologise for something less ...

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