Split charge relay & battery master

[PaulAndSam]

Hi,

Does anyone know where the split charge relay is on a McLouis Fusion? I have a battery master from Vanbitz and currently have it connected directly to the leisure battery with the brown lead going to the van battery but it is not keeping the main battery charged. I have put a fuse in line on the brown lead and that has blown a few times, I am wondering if it has gone again (currently 6a) but as the van is in storage 30 miles away its not easy to check. Has anyone any experience with the batter master, I can get a solar charger to charge both batteries but that is £495 (including installation) .

Paul

 

[GeoffnDee]

The battery master has its own fuse in it I believe, eddievanbitz may have some ideas on what may be wrong

 

[PaulAndSam]

I have been told that, so will remove it. As I cannot find the split charge relay I wanted to know if my setup would work.

Paul

 

[funflair]

I put an extra fuse on ours as I was messing with Morelo's wiring and didn't want any arguments I was surprised how big the fuse needed to be to not blow. Just stick with the fuse it came with and should be OK.

 

[GeoffnDee]

It is strange that the fuse is blowing , unless jump starting is being used , but connecting directly to the leisure and starter batteries is ok and the same as using the split charge relay connections which are only used as it has the battery connections in the same place and therefore easy to fit , unless the relay is inside the PSU as they often are. (the PSU starter and leisure battery connections can also used for easy fitting of the battery master wiring in most cases)
Although the battery master will extend the power life in the starter battery from the leisure battery it needs a charging source (EHU or Solar) to the leisure battery to enable actual starter battery charging.

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[PaulAndSam]

Thanks, I do have a solar panel in the roof that is keeping the leisure battery at around 12.7v. I have been told the split charge relay is in the CBE control unit which I have yet to find.

I will go down over the weekend and sort out the fuse.

Paul

 

[Lenny HB]

I do have a solar panel in the roof that is keeping the leisure battery at around 12.7v.

It should be higher than that if the battery is full charged the solar regulator should be float charging as 13.8v.

 

[PaulAndSam]

This is my solar regulator which gives me very little information on how well it is charging

 

[PaulAndSam]

Any suggestions on what I can change this with? This looks like a better option

Broken Link Removed

 

[peterc10]

Any suggestions on what I can change this with? This looks like a better option

Broken Link Removed

Votronic or Victron solar regulators are good, but not cheap.

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[GeoffnDee]

Have you checked the battery reading in sunshine when it may well be charging at 13.8v from the solar with the 12.7v being the off charge reading (fully charged) at other times.

 

[GeoffnDee]

PaulAndSam If the vanbitz battery master is sending a charge to the starter battery from the leisure battery the LED light on it should be red during charging and green when the batteries charge are about equal, is the LED working as it should ? (it will also still show green if the connection to the starter battery broken though)

 

[PaulAndSam]

I went to the storage today. The solar panel was covered in Snow!! The leisure battery was at 10.7v. After clearing the snow I was getting about 12v at the regulator from the solar. A clear sky but the sun was at about 40 Deg. The 6A fuse was stil intact, I have replaced it with a 10A just in case. I now need to wait for the leisure battery to recharge. The solar panel is a 120W model.

Would there be any difference between the batter master and a dual regulator?

Paul

 

[GeoffnDee]

AT 10.7 v I think you may find that the leisure battery is faulty and may need replacing or testing , As the battery master works when leisure battery charging is available from both solar or a mains charger on EHU it is useful if the starter battery is not normally charged when on EHU . (they normally work very well in keeping starter battery trickle charged from a leisure battery that is being charged)

 

[PaulAndSam]

The leisure battery came up to 11.7v after 30 minutes running there engine. It is only 18 months old. Well keep an eye on it.

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[headlight]

Unfortunately at 10.7v the leisure battery is probably goosed.
Even if it's voltage comes up to full, about 12.7v at rest with no charge going into it, or about 13.8v with the solar charging it, it's capacity has probably been greatly reduced.

 

[Abacist]

In my N & B the split charge relay is in the main 12 volt fuse habitation box not in the control panel.

 

[PaulAndSam]

I will take a look thanks

 

[autorouter]

Would there be any difference between the batter master and a dual regulator?

A BatteryMaster takes a small amount of charge from the leisure battery to trickle-charge the starter battery. If the starter battery voltage falls to about 0.5V below the leisure battery voltage, it starts to trickle charge the starter battery. If the leisure battery is kept charged by the solar, the BatteyMaster will keep the starter battery reasonably charged. A BatteryMaster works whatever is charging the leisure battery - solar, EHU etc.

A BatteryMaster still works even if there is nothing charging the leisure battery. If the starter battery gets low, it trickle-charges it, and both batteries slowly lose charge. This is preferable to having a full leisure battery and a flat starter battery

A dual solar controller has a second battery output, usually for only a trickle charge, to keep a second battery like the starter battery charged.

If you intend to upgrade the solar controller, it makes sense to consider a dual solar controller, especially if you don't use EHU very much and rely on solar to keep everything charged. If the MH is stored under cover with an EHU supply, a BatteryMaster is more appropriate.

 

[PaulAndSam]

Thanks, we are in a CAMC storage so have to rely on the solar to keep the batteries topped up over the winter period when not in use.
Does this look ok?

Amazon product ASIN B08FTHZV74

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[headlight]

PaulAndSam What wattage is your panel ?
MPPT controllers are more efficient than PWM controllers.

 

[PaulAndSam]

120W

 

[autorouter]

There are two types of solar controller, PWM and MPPT. PWM is cheaper than MPPT, but MPPT is more efficient, especially at low illumination or in cloudy conditions. In full blazing summer sun they are about the same. Many people on here, especially from the more northern areas of Europe, prefer MPPT.

I don't know if it's relevant, but the 'BlueSolar' don't have Bluetooth. The very similar 'SmartSolar' has Bluetooth built in, and you can see the solar yield data and change settings on a smartphone app. The BlueSolar is a bit cheaper.

 

[headlight]

120W

I'd get a Victron 75/15 Smart Solar MPPT which has a Bluetooth app and a Vanbitz Battery Master.
The Victron MPPT will maximize your solar harvesting and the Battery Master will trickle charge your starter battery from your leisure battery if it detects that the starter battery is 0.5v lower than your leisure battery.
I've been using this set up the past 7-8 months and it works flawlessly.
I also have no EHU where my motorhome is parked.

 

[headlight]

I think you can buy the battery master from this very site at a discounted price

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[PaulAndSam]

Thanks all, I will look to replace the PWM. I already have the battery master.

 

[Ava the Adria]

Any suggestions on what I can change this with? This looks like a better option

Broken Link Removed

We have the Votronic 350w MPPT and a Votronic 30A b2b (not sure this 30A is still available, seems they’re 20 or 45A now). The b2b allows excess to feed back into the van starter battery when the hab batteries have surplus, from either solar or ehu.

VOTRONIC - MPP 350 Duo Dig.

Innovative Elektronik für den mobilen Einsatz

www.votronic.de

VOTRONIC - DCDC 1212-20

Innovative Elektronik für den mobilen Einsatz

www.votronic.de

 

[PaulAndSam]

I think I have found the issue. Just inside the door of the hab is a switch for which I had no idea of it's function. It has been on for weeks. I contacted the dealers and they told me it was the blanket for the child water tank. I am guessing that has been draining the leisure battery warning the water tank is completely empty.

I have ordered a Victron MPPT but I did disconnect the leads from the PWM and the voltage was 20v from the Solar panel but when connected dropped to 11v.

Paul