Rapido 240v battery charge query ?

[Terry]

Hi,
We have a new to us Rapido (2015) and it is fitted with a PC 320/2 control panel, you can adjust some settings for engine / leisure batts on it ? There is also a CBE 240v onboard charger.
Question is does the charger need anything doing to it for Gel batts ? All the booklet indecate that there is nothing to do if you change from FLA to Gels or I should say there is no info in the book simply a very small bit of print indecating nothing to change ? I am aware that most need jumpers moving but there is no mention of this or indeed that the charger has jumpers to move. It looks like there is nothing to do but thought I would ask to be sure
I should say we are putting the Gels in and removing FLA
Thanks Terry

 

[Terry]

Lisa has answered the question after googling the charger specs It is self selecting (automatic) between FLA and GELS so nothing to do
Still no idea what the setting's on the control panel do

 

[andy63]

hi Terry... im not doubting Lisas ability to google but the cbe charger in my 2016 chanson has a selector switch if gel batteries are fitted... I think its a cb 516 model charger..
if the charger cover is removed the tiny selector switch is beside the small cooling fan..

Andy

 

[Terry]

hi Terry... im not doubting Lisas ability to google but the cbe charger in my 2016 chanson has a selector switch if gel batteries are fitted... I think its a cb 516 model charger..
if the charger cover is removed the tiny selector switch is beside the small cooling fan..

Andy

Cheers Andy, i've had a look and it's a CBE320/2 and it does auto select. Rapido put it in a stupid place where you can't get to it very easily but we will see if we can remove the cover to double check
Hope you are well mate....

 

[pappajohn]

How does the charger differentiate between gel and FLA other than seeing a fully charged, so higher voltage than FLA, gel battery at installation.
If the gel is part charged it could be mistaken for a better charged FLA on a voltage basis.

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[Lenny HB]

Lisa has answered the question after googling the charger specs It is self selecting (automatic) between FLA and GELS so nothing to do
Still no idea what the setting's on the control panel do

Normally FLA & Gel's charge to the same voltage but Gel's need a much longer absorption phase to get to a fully charged state. So to get the best out of your batteries I would expect to have to change the settings.

 

[Terry]

re-checked and you're all right. We had to get a mirror cause the charger is at the side of the seat a couple of inches from the wall and facing the wall! Once we got the mirror we could see the model no and it's the same as @andy63 ----took the cover off and found the switch. sorted. Thanks for your help

 

[Terry]

This is the info for the charger from an ebay sale....

It is automatic, so it can be connected without damaging the battery and load stages IUoU, offering the proper to the State of the battery voltage.
You can select the type of battery: acid and AGM or Gel.
You have 220v Schuko type plug connection and connection to 12v with positive and negative. It has load signal cable into the switchboard of CBE.

Voltage of 14.1 v maintenance in acid and 14.3 v gel. Voltage of 13.5 v floating on acid and 13.8v gel.

So we are now assuming that we have to change the parameters on the control panel for each battery....ie starter and leisures. From our understanding it charges the starter battery first (FLA) and then switches over to the gel leisures.

 

[andy63]

So we are now assuming that we have to change the parameters on the control panel for each battery....ie starter and leisures. From our understanding it charges the starter battery first (FLA) and then switches over to the gel leisures.

me again Terry... and not sure I can help cause I don't know your control panel... but as you know it is more usual for the leisure battery to take priority and the start battery gets a trickle when the leisure battery voltage is indicating a good state of charge.. that's certainly the set up on my van using the mains charger.. and id be surprised if it wasn't the same on yours..
not sure what changing the parameters on the control panel could do... the charger is set foe whatever its set for and the control panel is unlikely to change that .. ie if you have it set for gel then the start battery is going to get charged at that setting as well... and that appears not to be an issue for the start batteries..
would be better getting a response from someone with a similar van , but thats my thoughts..

Andy

 

[Lorryman100]

http://www.rainbow-conversions.co.u... Mode Battery Charger instructions manual.pdf

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[Terry]

That sounds good to me Andyvery little info in the Rapido hand book It looks like you can set the parameters on the control panel and we are now armed with info from above so Lisa will have a go at playing with the CP settings it may do something or not but I am sure it won't hurt anything or stop working

 

[autorouter]

"CB516-3 and CB520-3 battery chargers can charge automatically lead acid, lead-gel and AGM batteries with innovative charging lines."
This is somewhat misleading. They do not switch between types automatically. They charge automatically provided the switch is set to the correct type:
12V BATTERY CHARGER : CB516-3 CB520-3
BATTERY TYPE SELECTOR: 3 posizioni (A - B - C) 3 positions(A - B - C)

I think the switch is on the charger, not the control panel.

Edit. I see you've sorted it already.