Schaudt WA121525 Booster

[Millcourt]

I am planning to install a Schaudt WA121525 Booster on my Globecar Campscout to improve the rate of charge for the Leisure Batteries.

Already installed are the Schaudt 119 Electroblock (from new) and a total 250 watts of solar power delivered through a Schaudt LR 1218 solar regulator to the Electroblock. To meet my requirements of frequent time off-grid, I have replaced the single AGM leisure battery with two LiFePo4 68AH LIFOS batteries to extend the time off-grid, mainly because of the compressor-only refrigerator. (Previously reported at https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...s-plus-recent-lifos-inverter-addition.203904/ ).

During a recent extended trip to France/Spain this set-up worked very well, with rapid charge from the solar panels, but a period of 4 days with heavy cloud cover necessitated a night on a site with EHU. Overnight re-charging was sufficient to regain a 100% state of charge. What also became apparent was that, even with lengthy journeys of 6-7 hours during the return to the UK, very little charge was being delivered to the two LIFOS batteries from the engine/alternator.

I have been in touch with Herr Udo Lang at Schaudt in Germany (a contact recommended by a Member on another thread) and he has confirmed, as I had expected, that augmenting the Schaudt set-up with a WA121525 B2B Booster will solve the problem and give me the required charge input under engine/alternator.

Before going ahead, I wondered if anyone else had installed this Schaudt Booster, how difficult this had been and if the result had been a worthwhile improvement in charging performance.

 

[dpsuk999]

Hi Millcourt

I fitted the WA121525 last year and have found it well worth the money. My set up is slightly different as I have 2 Victron Gel 90ah habitation batteries and 2 Victron 90ah Lithium batteries which are completely separate from the habitation side as I use these to run my Multiplus Compact Inverter/Charger.

The WA121525 charges the Lithium’s only and I find it works a treat and well pleased with it ?

 

[NorthernSands]

Another upgrade path you might want to consider is changing the PWM solar controller to a MPPT one. This will help you get a bit more out of the panels, especially on cloudier days and in winter months. The Votronic range will still connect into the Electroblok with the right cable.

 

[Theonlysue]

What charger do you have? They say 1amp for every 10amps battery.
I have 360ah and 2 x 18 chargers.
I have the booster. There are settings depending on battery type.
I think they are standard now on hymer Mercs.

 

[nicholsong]

Another alternative or additional method is to fit a Battery-to-battery charger which maximizes the charge from the alternator to the domestic batteries. We can keep our two 90Ah batteries topped-up with 20-30 mins. driving a day.

We fitted the Sterling one but there are others. See Sterling's excellent website for a description of how they work and what size would be suitable for your sset-up.

Geoff

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[Lenny HB]

What charger do you have? They say 1amp for every 10amps battery.
I have 360ah and 2 x 18 chargers.
I have the booster. There are settings depending on battery type.
I think they are standard now on hymer Mercs.

Only fitted on Merc as Fiats don't have a smart alternator when supplied to the camper market. I'm not sure about the latest Fiat Euro 6D.

Another alternative or additional method is to fit a Battery-to-battery charger which maximizes the charge from the alternator to the domestic batteries. We can keep our two 90Ah batteries topped-up with 20-30 mins. driving a day.

We fitted the Sterling one but there are others. See Sterling's excellent website for a description of how they work and what size would be suitable for your sset-up.

Geoff

The Schaudt WA121525 is a Battery to Battery charger.

 

[Millcourt]

Hi Millcourt

I fitted the WA121525 last year and have found it well worth the money. …………...

The WA121525 charges the Lithium’s only and I find it works a treat and well pleased with it ?

Thanks. Very re-assuring.

Another upgrade path you might want to consider is changing the PWM solar controller to a MPPT one. This will help you get a bit more out of the panels, especially on cloudier days and in winter months. The Votronic range will still connect into the Electroblok with the right cable.

Have an MPPT to fit, but had put off doing this whilst the Dealer fitted solar panel and Schaudt PWM controller are still under warranty.

What charger do you have? They say 1amp for every 10amps battery.
I have 360ah and 2 x 18 chargers.
I have the booster. There are settings depending on battery type.
I think they are standard now on hymer Mercs.

The standard (from memory) 18 amp charger built into the Electroblock. Have no problem on EHU overnight in bringing the 2 LIFOS batteries up to 100% state of charge. Same with 250 watt solar in a day of good sun. Needing the B2B in the expectation that it will overcome the low charge rate under engine/alternator.

Another alternative or additional method is to fit a Battery-to-battery charger ……..

Geoff

As Lenny HB has mentioned, although Schaudt call the WA121525 unit a "Booster", it is a B2B charger. For the current set up which I have, using Schaudt equipment (rather than (say) Stirling), will hopefully avoid any compatibility issues.

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply. All very encouraging. Will go ahead with ordering/fitting the Schaudt unit and report the outcome when I see how effective it is.?

 

[ctc]

Leave your headlights on to fool the alternator.

 

[Steve and Denise]

With such a large battery capacity 360ah is the 25amp B2B enough, this looks to be physically a much smaller unit and I am watching with interest,as our van is Stbus the fitting looks straightforward.
Our last van had 330ah and I fitted a 45amp sterling B2B it worked very well.

 

[Millcourt]

Leave your headlights on to fool the alternator.

Not sure how this would work. I have no problem charging the engine AGM battery from the alternator. My problem is with the low charge rate going to the 2 lithium leisure batteries. Is there a cheap solution to my problem which I have overlooked?

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[Minxy]

Is there a cheap solution to my problem which I have overlooked?

You could get some of these ...

 

[Millcourt]

With such a large battery capacity 360ah is the 25amp B2B enough, this looks to be physically a much smaller unit and I am watching with interest,as our van is Stbus the fitting looks straightforward.
Our last van had 330ah and I fitted a 45amp sterling B2B it worked very well.

Don't have 360Ah of leisure batteries - not sure I would have the space in our modest size PVC and really do not have sufficient payload remaining to stay under 3,500kg. I only have 2 LIFOS 68Ah batteries.

 

[ctc]

Not sure how this would work. I have no problem charging the engine AGM battery from the alternator. My problem is with the low charge rate going to the 2 lithium leisure batteries. Is there a cheap solution to my problem which I have overlooked?

If you have a "smart" alternator, it will switch off when the engine battery is charged, on mine this includes the D+ so the EBL stops (and the fridge). I checked this with a plug in voltage display, the voltage started at 14.4v then later dropped to 12.6, I think 0.1v for the wiring. Switch on the headlights and the voltage stays above 13.8v and sometimes 14.4v.

 

[StephDeLux]

I'd rather go with the Schaudt WA 121545. That's what Hymer mounts. It has a maximum charge current of 70 amps. You can set it to 45, 55, 63 or 70 depending on your battery.

That would charge your lithiums much faster than the WA 121525.

 

[Millcourt]

If you have a "smart" alternator, it will switch off when the engine battery is charged, on mine this includes the D+ so the EBL stops (and the fridge). I checked this with a plug in voltage display, the voltage started at 14.4v then later dropped to 12.6, I think 0.1v for the wiring. Switch on the headlights and the voltage stays above 13.8v and sometimes 14.4v.

Thanks for explaining this. I understand now what you had in mind. The Fiat based Campscout which we bought earlier this year does not have a “smart” alternator. It was shipped from the Sevel factory to Globecar in October last year, but work on the conversion appears to have been completed early this year. I gather that Fiat vans shipped for commercial use in 2018 had smart alternators, but not those shipped for MoHo conversion. Not sure if this is still the case.

I'd rather go with the Schaudt WA 121545. That's what Hymer mounts. It has a maximum charge current of 70 amps. You can set it to 45, 55, 63 or 70 depending on your battery.

That would charge your lithiums much faster than the WA 121525.

Thanks - I agree, but I have no room convenient to locate it. I managed to fit the 2 LIFOS batteries and a sine wave inverter in the space occupied by the original leisure battery under the Driver’s seat and under the passenger seat is the Electroblock and the solar regulator, which (if I have measured correctly) leaves enough space for the smaller of the two Schaudt B2B devices.

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[G30rge]

My 2020 Elddis CV20 (Fiat Ducato) has one of these fitted as standard. I just found it under the seat behind the main Electric Consumer Unit.
Vehicle is the new 9 speed Auto

 

[Abgs]

Just to resurrect this thread.. I have a Schaudt WA121525 Booster, 280A Fogstar Lithium battery and a smart alternator on Fiat based 9G Auto. The WA121525 is set to the Lithium profile.

Should I be expecting approx 25A hour going into my battery while driving? Monitoring it over the last week, using the Fogstar app while driving it only seems to be adding around 9A per hour. Pretty much the same whether the headlights are on or off. Fridge was on battery whilst driving.

I also have a CBE 522-LT mains charger with a Li profile, according to the Fogstar app that is putting in 18A / hour. The charger is rated at 22A max.

 

[Lenny HB]

You are probably losing15 amps to the fridge.
We picked up our new Carthago a a few weeks ago. I don't like the Schaudt B2B as on the Lithium setting it just outputs 14.2v it doesn't shut down when the battery is charged.

I've fitted a Victron Orion XS 50 amp B2B, looking at using the Schaudt B2B just to run the fridge when I can get my head around Carthago wiring.

 

[Abgs]

You are probably losing15 amps to the fridge.
We picked up our new Carthago a a few weeks ago. I don't like the Schaudt B2B as on the Lithium setting it just outputs 14.2v it doesn't shut down when the battery is charged.

I've fitted a Victron Orion XS 50 amp B2B, looking at using the Schaudt B2B just to run the fridge when I can get my head around Carthago wiring.

Thanks for the info ... I'll turn the fridge off next time I'm driving and see what the difference is. If the fridge is taking that much I guess just using the Schaudt B2B just to run the fridge and another B2B should sort it.

I'm also trying to work out the wiring!

 

[AdrianChen]

You are probably losing15 amps to the fridge.
We picked up our new Carthago a a few weeks ago. I don't like the Schaudt B2B as on the Lithium setting it just outputs 14.2v it doesn't shut down when the battery is charged.

I've fitted a Victron Orion XS 50 amp B2B, looking at using the Schaudt B2B just to run the fridge when I can get my head around Carthago wiring.

Do say when you've worked out the fridge - I think the supply is from the red block in the DS470 pins 2/3, with the negative switched (by D+ signal) by a relay near the FA2/3 bridge spades - Lost confidence and stopped! Still have my old Orion (which I cant even give away) so though I might copy your idea and use it for the fridge.....

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[VXman]

My motorhome the Schaudt WA 121545. fitted as standard (Burstner) and the EBL 119. I also have 350watt solar and Victron controller +3 leisure batteries =270AH.

I find the leisure battery charging works excellently when driving - even with 3 batteries to charge. Rare for it not to get to 100% after a reasonable (3-4 hour) drive.

Also, interestingly - Burstner have wired the leisure battery to the 3 way fridge when driving rather than the usual connection to the starter. I presume this is because they feel the Schaudt Booster delivers enough power to cope with the fridge too. When built it only had one 90AH battery.

 

[Lenny HB]

Do say when you've worked out the fridge - I think the supply is from the red block in the DS470 pins 2/3, with the negative switched (by D+ signal) by a relay near the FA2/3 bridge spades - Lost confidence and stopped! Still have my old Orion (which I cant even give away) so though I might copy your idea and use it for the fridge.....

I think it might be easier to fit a relay behind the fridge it's just that getting cables through is such a pain on Carthago's.

 

[AdrianChen]

I think it might be easier to fit a relay behind the fridge it's just that getting cables through is such a pain on Carthago's.

But I'm lazy! So still using the Multiplus and the fridge stays on 240v......

What I should do is use the original 16mm Carthago cable to supply the old Orion, and interrupt the original fridge supply to connect to the Orions output (perhaps switched for redundancy), and take a D+ from the convenient D+ output in the DS to switch the Orion on. Then run a new 35-50mm supply for the XS from the under-bonnet connection point along the chassis to a new fuse in the garage to supply the XS via a short 25mm cable. Lots of grovelling under the van though......