Solar panel conundrum (1 Viewer)

Oct 14, 2007
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I have a solar panel that charges the hab battery and from there a Vanbitz battery master that charges the vehicle battery. Now with these long nights and being under trees the hab battery it fine but the vehicle battery is suffering, so I have put the solar panel straight to the vehicle battery, so for so good, now my qeustion is is there a way I can switch the solar from hab to Vehicle with out keep unplugging the wires etc and keep the Vanbitz batterymaster hooked up to the hab battery, I bet your well confused now, I am:ROFLMAO:
 

Terry

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Can't remember ;)
I take it that it charges the L/B then the engine B ? if so wire it the other way around so that it charges the engine battery first then any extra charge to the L/B
:winky:
terry
 

Wildman

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very simple really just take the ouput from the regulator to a two way double pole switch with two sets of tails one to each battery make sure you use Large dia cable to prevent losses

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Diabalo
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very simple really just take the ouput from the regulator to a two way double pole switch with two sets of tails one to each battery make sure you use Large dia cable to prevent losses

I suppose the Vanbitz battery master just becomes redundent when it's switched over to the vehicle battery or I suppose I cold switch that also but it's getting a bit complicated all round then.

Terry I could do what you say but when out and about I would need the hab battery charged first and Im not sure at what amp rate the Vanbitz gizmo works at, so I may not put back what I have used overnight quickly enough.
 

Techno

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I would suggest that the battery master is not connected correctly.
It is designed to draw charge from the leisure battery while ever the engine battery is half a volt less than the leisure battery. Therefore it should never read more than half a volt less than the hab battery
 

Terry

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Can't remember ;)
Hi Dane ::bigsmile: I am not the best with leccy things but if your L/B was full then it should divert to the E/B :thumb: therefore if wired the other way around when E/B is full it would divert to charging the L/B --if your van is not moving then the E/B should be fully charged because you will not have taken any charge out of it IE starting engine etc so it would switch to chargin L/B :thumb:
If that does not work then do it the simple way by fitting a relay to charge the L/B WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING as well as the stater -E/B and fitting a switch so that you can tell it which battery to charge - thus eliminating the battery master - then you can send it to me and I will fit it or I should say my mate will fit it for me and then I will tell you if it works on my van ::bigsmile:
terry

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Techno

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There is so much confusion here
The battery master (eddie vanbitz) does not depend on batteries being FULL that is how a CBE CSB2 works!
A battery master will send 1 amp charge from the leisure battery to the engine battery while ever the engine battery is half a volt lower THE LEVEL OF CHARGE IS IRRELEVANT

ASK Eddie!
 
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Diabalo
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There is so much confusion here
The battery master (eddie vanbitz) does not depend on batteries being FULL that is how a CBE CSB2 works!
A battery master will send 1 amp charge from the leisure battery to the engine battery while ever the engine battery is half a volt lower THE LEVEL OF CHARGE IS IRRELEVANT

ASK Eddie!

Andy

Mine doesn't work like that I had 12.8 on the hab bat and 12.2 on the engine bat .6 volt difference and the Battery Master was not transfering any charge, it only did it when I put the hazards on. On the blurb that comes with it it says that when there is a significant voltage difference it will charge the other battery, don't know what significant means in real terms.
I have to say it does the biz when out in full sun but the voltage to the hab bat is well up.
 

Terry

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Can't remember ;)
There is so much confusion here
The battery master (eddie vanbitz) does not depend on batteries being FULL that is how a CBE CSB2 works!
A battery master will send 1 amp charge from the leisure battery to the engine battery while ever the engine battery is half a volt lower THE LEVEL OF CHARGE IS IRRELEVANT

ASK Eddie!

Well if that's the case he should send it to me because he obviosly has not got it wired/working right ::bigsmile:
I think Dane may well have a battery that is dying - if the engine battery is not holding charge it will keep dragging the charge from the L/B if it is wired correctly
Don't be a tight ass Dane get both batts checked :thumb:the engine batt should hold charge for at least a week even with alarms etc on (a lot longer with the solar)
terry

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Terry

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At 12.2 the engine batt is well down on charge :Eeek:it may well be time for a new one -- who has the list on charge rates for battery's ? IF memory is right 12.2 is almost knackered :Sad:
terry
 

Techno

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Andy

Mine doesn't work like that I had 12.8 on the hab bat and 12.2 on the engine bat .6 volt difference and the Battery Master was not transfering any charge, it only did it when I put the hazards on. On the blurb that comes with it it says that when there is a significant voltage difference it will charge the other battery, don't know what significant means in real terms.
I have to say it does the biz when out in full sun but the voltage to the hab bat is well up.

Yes I confirm that the current instructions say that but I'm convinced they used to say half a volt :whatthe:

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Ash

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I have a solar panel that charges the hab battery and from there a Vanbitz battery master that charges the vehicle battery. Now with these long nights and being under trees the hab battery it fine but the vehicle battery is suffering, so I have put the solar panel straight to the vehicle battery, so for so good, now my qeustion is is there a way I can switch the solar from hab to Vehicle with out keep unplugging the wires etc and keep the Vanbitz batterymaster hooked up to the hab battery, I bet your well confused now, I am:ROFLMAO:

Hi Dane
why not buy a duel regalator so you can have 50% on leisure and 50% on engine thats what we have and it works well.:thumb::thumb:
 

Techno

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One of the major sellers of this now lists it as BMV2 which suggest version 2? with different instructions.

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Diabalo
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At 12.2 the engine batt is well down on charge :Eeek:it may well be time for a new one -- who has the list on charge rates for battery's ? IF memory is right 12.2 is almost knackered :Sad:
terry

Nothing wrong with batteries the engine batt is a Varta silverline 100ah, it's been back and been checked with nothing wrong, the hab batt is also new and holds a charge no probs. The Vehicle has a 160 ma drain, so you can see it don't take long for it to drop down. Not sure why the drain is so high but Eddie Vanbitz thinks it may be due to the fact I have bypassed the Ignition to keep the radio alive, apparently when you do this an auto shut off relay stays powered up all the time and Eddie is going to speak to his techno bloke to see if there is a way round it. failing that I will put the radio back as it was.

The solar is struggling to keep up coz I'm in the shade a bit where it's stored so I put the solar to the engine battery instead of the hab battery to see if it's any better.

Me thinks I have conffused everyone:Doh:
 

1Oll

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CAK BCM 12 linking charge switch.

I have a CAK Tanks gizmo that connects between the leisure and habitation batteries. around £30+ pounds, it's fully potted and waterproof. When leisure battery is fully charged by either solar or EHU, it trickle charges the vehicle battery.
Three wires one to each battery and one to earth. It's tiny and takes a few minutes to fit. PAGE 90 CAK TANKS Catalogue. Details below.
Had no problems in 18 months. I have no connection with CAK Ltd other than a very satisfied customer.

Details Below from CAK catalogue.

CAK Battery Charge Manager BCM12. Automatic charge switching device allows charging of the vehicle starting battery once the auxiliary battery is charged by hook-up charger or solar panel. Charge rate 0.1 to 4 A max. Allows better use of wasted solar panel charge by directing it to a second battery prevents flattening of start battery from having cab equipment running. LED illuminates to confirm unit has switched to charge. Size 80x50xD50mm
27.53. +vat
Regards Brian.


I have a solar panel that charges the hab battery and from there a Vanbitz battery master that charges the vehicle battery. Now with these long nights and being under trees the hab battery it fine but the vehicle battery is suffering, so I have put the solar panel straight to the vehicle battery, so for so good, now my qeustion is is there a way I can switch the solar from hab to Vehicle with out keep unplugging the wires etc and keep the Vanbitz batterymaster hooked up to the hab battery, I bet your well confused now, I am:ROFLMAO:
 

aba

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Nothing wrong with batteries the engine batt is a Varta silverline 100ah, it's been back and been checked with nothing wrong, the hab batt is also new and holds a charge no probs. The Vehicle has a 160 ma drain, so you can see it don't take long for it to drop down. Not sure why the drain is so high but Eddie Vanbitz thinks it may be due to the fact I have bypassed the Ignition to keep the radio alive, apparently when you do this an auto shut off relay stays powered up all the time and Eddie is going to speak to his techno bloke to see if there is a way round it. failing that I will put the radio back as it was.

The solar is struggling to keep up coz I'm in the shade a bit where it's stored so I put the solar to the engine battery instead of the hab battery to see if it's any better.

Me thinks I have conffused everyone:Doh:

my radio in the van is wired to the hab batteries via a 3 position switch on the dashboard.
i have not looked into how its been done as it was done by dethleffs at time of conversion.
the radio permanent live comes off the hab batteries somewhere through the elecroblock and the ignition feed goes through the 3 position switch on the dash as position 1 is on the ignition position 2 is off and position 3 is on without ignition.
maybe you could do something like that to help.

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Diabalo
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Morningstar's SunSaver Duo

Still mooching about on the tinternet looking at various metheds of charging both batteries and came across THISwhat do you clever sparkies think any good? Operaters manual Link Removed
 

lunarman

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Rather than looking for a work around you should be asking why is the vanbitz not doing its job.( incorrect connection, bad battery, faulty component) Obviously there is a problem somewhere finding a work around will only mask it and it may come back to bite you later.

I have the battery master fitted and a solar panel. when left for a period the leisure battery shows 13.7v and the engine batt 13.2v so I am presuming it is working well.

Lunarman
 
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Diabalo
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Rather than looking for a work around you should be asking why is the vanbitz not doing its job.( incorrect connection, bad battery, faulty component) Obviously there is a problem somewhere finding a work around will only mask it and it may come back to bite you later.

I have the battery master fitted and a solar panel. when left for a period the leisure battery shows 13.7v and the engine batt 13.2v so I am presuming it is working well.

Lunarman

The batteries have been checked and both are in very good shape, I know the battery master is connected correctly because if I turn the headlights on without the engine running the led changes colour to green, it works on hookup and from the solar panel in good light, the problem is my motorhome is stored in the shade and the amount of available power from the solar is just enough to keep the hab battery topped up, the Vanbitz battery master only starts transfering a charge to the other battery when there is a significant voltage difference between the two which is an unknown quantity.

I thought looking at that other bit of kit I could at least set the parameters of charge going into each battery therefore keeping each topped up a little.

The bottom line is I need more light on the solar panel, the storage owner is goin to cut back the trees soon so that will increase the light and the situation should improve.

Thanks everyone for your advice:thumb:

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Johno

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I fitted a Fox 320 dual battery solar regulator combined with a Fox MD1 display/programmer which has now been in use for over 12 months with good results

The charge time is shared between habitation and vehicle batteries the MD1 allowing you to programme the regulator with the charge ratio that suits your needs, it also enables you to programme the type of battery used ensuring the best charge regime for your setup as well as providing all the usual info' i.e battery voltages, state of charge, charge voltage and current etc.

I know the cost of these is fairly high at around £90 each but they are better than any of the previous systems I've installed on motorhomes, I guess it's a case of getting what you pay for.

Cheers John:thumb:
 

Terry

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At 12.2 the engine batt is well down on charge :Eeek:it may well be time for a new one -- who has the list on charge rates for battery's ? IF memory is right 12.2 is almost knackered :Sad:
terry

As above -I have found a chart (sorry cannot post link) but 12.2 says it is between 45 and 50 % discharged IE just about knackered -that's your problem the engine battery is pulling your L/B DOWN using your Van bitz as it is designed to do
terry

edit http://www.mmbalmainauto.com.au/PDF/State_of_charge_12_volt_batteries.pdf
 
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Diabalo
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There is nothing wrong with the battery, if it's fully charged and not connected it holds the charge as it should.

Once connected I have a 160ma parasictic drain on it from the vehicle side.

160ma x 24 = 3.84 amps per day
3.84 x 7 = 26.88 amps in a week

Which is 25% of the batteries capacity

So I got a lot comming out and nothing going in

Search the internet the drain is common on the Fiat x250 chassis, even the handbook says disconnect the battery if it's not used regually and they even have a quick release battery terminal so you can easily.

According to Eddie Vanbitz a common cause of adding to the drain is bypassing the ignition to keep the radio live when the ignition is off, doing so leaves the radio auto shut off relay energised indefinatly. Eddie is trying to find a way round it for me.

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icantremember

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Hi Dane, if you recon the radio is to blame for the leakage would it not be a simple job to remove the radio while m/h is laid up?

If that proves the point then fit a switch in the feed .... simples.
 
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Diabalo
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Hi Dane, if you recon the radio is to blame for the leakage would it not be a simple job to remove the radio while m/h is laid up?

If that proves the point then fit a switch in the feed .... simples.

To be honest Brian that's what I'm going to do as it ain't worth all the hassle.
 

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