Battery master thingymajig (1 Viewer)

Sep 12, 2012
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Need some advice please :Smile:
On my 2002 Elddis Sunseeker the charger feeds the leisure battery only, as does my 100W solar panel. I have purchased a CAK Tanks BCM12 battery charge master to allow charge to go to the main vehicle battery as well.
I understand that I need to connect on cable to positive of leisure battery & one to earth (those are simple), but one other to positive of vehicle battery (not so easy I think).
Do I have to run this cable all the way to battery in engine compartment or can I pick it up elsewhere???
Confused
Thank you
 

JockandRita

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simbadog said:
Do I have to run this cable all the way to battery in engine compartment or can I pick it up elsewhere???
Hi there,

I ran mine from the leisure batteries through the bulk head, and into the engine compartment. It was quite a short cable run for me. Because my solar system wasn't linked into the Eletrobloc by the original installer, my engine battery wasn't getting the benefits of any excess solar charge.

Apart from when the panels are covered in snow, the BCM12 does it's job. :thumb:

Cheers,

Jock.

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simbadog
Sep 12, 2012
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I believe if you can find it, you can connect across your split charge relay.

Thanks, but I don't know where that is? :Sad:

Hi there,

I ran mine from the leisure batteries through the bulk head, and into the engine compartment. It was quite a short cable run for me. Because my solar system wasn't linked into the Eletrobloc by the original installer, my engine battery wasn't getting the benefits of any excess solar charge.

Apart from when the panels are covered in snow, the BCM12 does it's job. :thumb:

Cheers,

Jock.

Thanks for that, seems the simplest in terms of connections, but my leisure batt's are at the rear of the van! Cable will have to go through wardrobe, bathroom & cab to reach starter battery :Eeek:
 

JockandRita

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Thanks for that, seems the simplest in terms of connections, but my leisure batt's are at the rear of the van! Cable will have to go through wardrobe, bathroom & cab to reach starter battery :Eeek:
Could you not run a thicker cable from the battery box, through the floor and along the chassis, to the engine compartment?

Cheers,

Jock.
 

GJH

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When I installed a BCM12 to our 2003 Elddis Autoquest 100 I connected to both terminals of the leisure battery and then ran a cable to the engine compartment similar to the manner which Jock described.

Our Elddis was the different layout to yours of course so simpler to do that. However, I think the battery locker is similar. Without benefit of being on site, perhaps the easiest route would be to follow Jock's suggestion, taking the cable through the floor of the battery locker and along the chassis to the engine compartment.
 
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simbadog
Sep 12, 2012
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What size cable do I need to get to run from the thingy to the engine battery? Looks like it will run under the floor?
Thank you

:Confused::Confused:

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GJH

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What size cable do I need to get to run from the thingy to the engine battery? Looks like it will run under the floor?
Thank you

:Confused::Confused:

I used 5 amp, which is the same size cable as those on the BCM. As Jock suggested, though, thicker cable wouldn't do any harm. The maximum charge rate is 4 amps so it doesn't have to be particularly heavy duty.
 

icantremember

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I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but if you are having to run the cable a long distance then use a heavier cable, probably 10amp, to reduce any losses.

Please ensure the cable is protected from damage where it passes through any bodywork.
 
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Feb 24, 2013
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I admire you for taking this on, but wonder if it would not be better done by somebody knowing exactly what they are doing, it does not sound like it is plug and play, may be simple for some but definitely not all

It is reminding me of some 30 years ago being told I needed rear fog lights to drive in France, but only finding out a few days before we went. I am still not actually sure I needed them but .....

How hard could it be, bought 2 lights drilled rear bumper, back in days when there was still metal to be drilled, fitted lights, found a live supply, not really sure what it was feeding now or even how I found it, connected up lights

Next thing was my wiring loom completely melted from back of car right to battery, luckily (but maybe not so) it did not catch fire, so I had no insurance claim but a £300 bill to rewire (1980) and had to borrow a car to go on holiday

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simbadog
Sep 12, 2012
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I admire you for taking this on, but wonder if it would not be better done by somebody knowing exactly what they are doing, it does not sound like it is plug and play, may be simple for some but definitely not all

It is reminding me of some 30 years ago being told I needed rear fog lights to drive in France, but only finding out a few days before we went. I am still not actually sure I needed them but .....

How hard could it be, bought 2 lights drilled rear bumper, back in days when there was still metal to be drilled, fitted lights, found a live supply, not really sure what it was feeding now or even how I found it, connected up lights

Next thing was my wiring loom completely melted from back of car right to battery, luckily (but maybe not so) it did not catch fire, so I had no insurance claim but a £300 bill to rewire (1980) and had to borrow a car to go on holiday

I managed to fit my solar panels on roof & wire them in :winky:
Just wanted confirmation of a few points, better safe than sorry!
:Smile:
 
Feb 24, 2013
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I managed to fit my solar panels on roof & wire them in :winky:
Just wanted confirmation of a few points, better safe than sorry!
:Smile:

No offence intended, you clearly are much braver than me, I don't even like going on the roof to clean it, let alone drill a hole in it!!

I once 'borrowed' a solar panel, years ago when they were not as popular as they are now, one with a stand to put on ground and clip on to battery

How was I to know you needed a regulator, that 'free borrow' cost me my leisure battery

I now either do without or find someone who can do for me

:thumb:
 

hilldweller

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I managed to fit my solar panels on roof & wire them in :winky:
Just wanted confirmation of a few points, better safe than sorry!
:Smile:

I've just fitted one.

On a Burstner with Electroblock under the driver's seat it's dead easy, both battery cables and ground are right there with screw terminals.

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Kool Kroozer

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I have just fitted one also - really easy to do - 3 wires, 1 to negative/ 1 to + on the engine battery and the other to + on the leisure battery... dead simples an works a treat, an worth its wieght in gold IMO:thumb:
 

Tmesis

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I have just fitted one also - really easy to do - 3 wires, 1 to negative/ 1 to + on the engine battery and the other to + on the leisure battery... dead simples an works a treat, an worth its wieght in gold IMO:thumb:

What does the unit achieve in the real world? The starter battery is going to go flat only when the vehicle is being laid up unless there has been laxness in fitting habitation accessories to the starter battery. So why not just have a switch to common the hab batteries to the starter battery when laying the vehicle up so that the solar keeps them both going?

What am I missing here?
 

TheBig1

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What does the unit achieve in the real world? The starter battery is going to go flat only when the vehicle is being laid up unless there has been laxness in fitting habitation accessories to the starter battery. So why not just have a switch to common the hab batteries to the starter battery when laying the vehicle up so that the solar keeps them both going?

What am I missing here?
a switch will do exactly the same, however if you forget to switch off and crank the engine it can try and draw excess current from the leisure battery

with the bcm12 or the battery master, the charge being applied to the leisure battery from charger or solar panels is shared. both sense when the leisure battery is at full charge and divert any spare charging current to the engine battery. pretty much fit and forget, unlike a switch

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Kool Kroozer

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We have a solar panel on the roof that keep the leisure battery always at max, so as soon as the engine battery drops below a certain point the leisure battery tops it back up - then the solar panel does the rest :thumb:
PS: The only drawback i can think of with my set up is how would i ever know that the engine battery is knackered ?
 

TheBig1

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We have a solar panel on the roof that keep the leisure battery always at max, so as soon as the engine battery drops below a certain point the leisure battery tops it back up - then the solar panel does the rest :thumb:
PS: The only drawback i can think of with my set up is how would i ever know that the engine battery is knackered ?
if either battery fails, it wont take a charge or hold charge for use the same as it would without a top up relay fitted.
 

Bulawayo Lass

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l had no trouble installing my battery master l don't see why anyone has problems :Blush:

I just went to Vanbitz and they did it for me l went mooching around town :ROFLMAO:

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