Battery Master... amazing results...

[OJH777]

I have a Baileys Motorhome (Alliance SE 76 4) with a solar panel and a Tracker installed. The Tracker App monitors the vehicle starter battery voltage and due to Covid (my motorhome is in remote storage), I noticed the voltage was going low. I was surprised as I had a solar panel fitted. Thanks to MOTORHOMEFUN forum I discovered that I need a batter master!!

The next issue is fitting it. Using a volt meter I easily found the leads to leisure battery behind the PDU (pictured), but I could not find the lead to the starter battery, try as I might testing many voltage inputs. Fortunately the starter battery is under the feet of the front passenger so I ran a cable from there to the PDU and hey presto it works!!

My question is this -- WHY DO MOTORHOME MANUFACTURERS NOT SUPPLY THIS AS STANDARD, (especially when they fit solar panels)?
Surely many people are in my situation and leave motorhomes over winter and are in danger of having a flat starter battery???

 

[Jim]

Yes it can be a lifesafer Plenty of vans do have the Function built in.

 

[ManTheVan]

Glad you got it fitted and working. Fitting ours was transformational. Amazing little box.

 

[Ninjabob]

Modern Baileys have solar and a basic PWM controller that allows hab and cab charging to be adjusted in 10% steps. So a battery master is not really neccesary.

 

[The Wino]

I suspect a lot of people are still driving vans that were built when solar was not fitted as standard and there was no point having a battery master. Maybe they never changed the rest of the electrics when they started adding solar. Ours as standard charges both batteries on ehu but in 2014 it was unusual to have solar as standard on a new MH.

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[Steve N Tracy]

Benimar's have a CBE CSB2 which works like a battery master fitted as standard.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Because the amount of penny pinching going on in the build of the cheaper vans is unbelievable. When they won't use 20p worth of sealant round wheel arch liners... Well you get the idea ??

 

[MisterB]

+1 for the battery master (also on a Bailey) mine is an older BM though, sourced second hand but still seems to be doing the job. finished fitting it along with a sterling B2B yesterday !!

 

[Bluemanc100]

Given the option would people run a lead to their van battery from a dual output solar controller or fit a Battery Master or is it a six and two threes kind of question?

 

[Dazz]

How do I fit one of these in my ford chausson flash 02 my start battery is under drivers seat I’m not sure if there is a live plug on outside in red cap ?.Im not sure where the leisure battery is maybe under the bed do I need to connect a wire to the leisure then to cab battery then earth wire to body work or earth it on cab battery as it’s new to me idd love to get one of these fitted also link to bit one much appreciated

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[Nasher]

I fitted one to my Van - brilliant bit of kit & easy to fit

My thoughts were mainly centered on my winter snowboarding trips, where the van is parked in a 4* hotel car park for 4 - 5 weeks in Austria (sorry, there's no way I'm camping when it's minus 20 degrees and there's loads of good hotels with great food, pool, sauna, steam room, etc )

The BM is, I believe, unique in that it will trickle charge the cab battery from the leisure battery (obviously only when the leisure battery has a better charge)

Despite no solar (the roof would be covered with snow & ice, so it wouldn't work anyway) or EHU and the temperature about -20 degrees the van starts without issues after being left for that amount of time

It's also been useful during the lockdown, I just hook up to my home supply every 3 weeks or so to top both batteries up - simples

 

[The Wino]

How do I fit one of these in my ford chausson flash 02 my start battery is under drivers seat I’m not sure if there is a live plug on outside in red cap ?.Im not sure where the leisure battery is maybe under the bed do I need to connect a wire to the leisure then to cab battery then earth wire to body work or earth it on cab battery as it’s new to me idd love to get one of these fitted also link to bit one much appreciated

On our flash 10 in the seat box behind the drivers seat there are 2 big relays grey boxes about the size of a surface mounted plug socket one for each battery I would look at fitting one there.

 

[Nasher]

How do I fit one of these in my ford chausson flash 02 my start battery is under drivers seat I’m not sure if there is a live plug on outside in red cap ?.Im not sure where the leisure battery is maybe under the bed do I need to connect a wire to the leisure then to cab battery then earth wire to body work or earth it on cab battery as it’s new to me idd love to get one of these fitted also link to bit one much appreciated

Normally your split charge relay or voltage sensitive relay (VSR) will be close to the cab battery - you can connect it to that

Instructions that came with the BM are good - mine took less than 10 minutes to fit

Disclaimer: if you don't have a bit of technical aptitude, then probably best to get it done for you?

 

[tonyidle]

I suspect a lot of people are still driving vans that were built when solar was not fitted as standard and there was no point having a battery master. Maybe they never changed the rest of the electrics when they started adding solar. Ours as standard charges both batteries on ehu but in 2014 it was unusual to have solar as standard on a new MH.

It isn't just for solar. A van parked at home on EHU will slowly flatten the starter battery unless there's a means of charging it. As for older vans a fair point but anything fitted with Schaudts EBL series had it back in 2008 at least.

 

[Raul]

My opinion,
In normal operation conditions, you will never need one. Any car, van on the road, does not need one. And does not have one. We are all different with various requirements, I don’t have one and don’t see a need for it. If your needs ask for it then is your problem, not the manufactures. Your starter is your lifeline. So if you knew you will lay the van for a extended period of time, then at least have some provision of extra charging, especially when you added a load to it (tracker/alarm), and some self discharging. Your habitation has charging provision so tap into it. Manufacturers can’t anticipate everyone’s need, unless you tell them your requirements.

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[David and Sally]

Am I right in assuming that it is simply connected between the two batteries + to +, - to - using any connections already there, eg the back of the fuseboard or even directly to the battery posts?

I'm thinking of one as our starter battery lost some charge during the lockdown. We have EHU at the site so have been turning that on for an hour or so every now and again. Just think it might be a good idea for the future.

 

[Nasher]

Am I right in assuming that it is simply connected between the two batteries + to +, - to - using any connections already there, eg the back of the fuseboard or even directly to the battery posts?

I'm thinking of one as our starter battery lost some charge during the lockdown. We have EHU at the site so have been turning that on for an hour or so every now and again. Just think it might be a good idea for the future.

Instructions are provided and you will only need one "-" attachment

As I posted above, the easiest is to connect it to the VSR/split charge relay if your van has one

Same Disclaimer: if you don't have a bit of technical aptitude, then probably best to get it done for you?

 

[MisterB]

I wired mine direct to the batteries, yes a bit of a faff BUT as I was also fitting the B2B at the same time it was quicker to do it that way for me!

So now I have several automatic 'solutions'

If vehicle battery needs a charge then it gets it from driving through alternator, solar via BM or via EHU through inbuilt charger via BM

If leisure battery needs a charge then I can do it by driving through alternator via B2B, solar panel direct or through EHU and inbuilt charger.

At least that's the plan ...

 

[WESTY66]

It isn't just for solar. A van parked at home on EHU will slowly flatten the starter battery unless there's a means of charging it. As for older vans a fair point but anything fitted with Schaudts EBL series had it back in 2008 at least.

Hi Tony I have a 2013 Adria Sonic A Class with a Schaudt EBL, would mine have the cab charger built in? I have solar with the cheapest nastiest PWM on the leisure’s at the moment, It will soon be upgraded! It always seems to have 12.7 volts in it according to the Adria control panel?

 

[tonyidle]

Hi Tony I have a 2013 Adria Sonic A Class with a Schaudt EBL, would mine have the cab charger built in? I have solar with the cheapest nastiest PWM on the leisure’s at the moment, It will soon be upgraded! It always seems to have 12.7 volts in it according to the Adria control panel?

On EHU the Shaudt EBL will take care of both batteries. It would do the same on solar but only if you use the Schaudt solar regulator.

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