Split charge relay

[Nigel Crompton]

Will I have one? Where will it be ?
Now I thought that split charge relays were a bit old hat these days, everything being managed by Schaudt EBL's

I have a Sterling Battery Maintainer to fit. Rather than running long-ish cables (technically easy, but bleeding awkward) to one of the batteries this device can be fitted as a bridge across the split charge relay. Simples. I recognise a relay when I see it - but where to look ?

Hymer Exis t474 (2017) EBL & battery accessed via external hatch.

Cheers 'n' Beers

 

[Jim]

Can anyone help Nigel?

 

[hilldweller]

Hymer Exis t474 (2017) EBL & battery accessed via external hatch.

It's built into the EBL as far as I know. On the back of the EBL are the two battery positives, decent thick cables.

 

[autorouter]

The EBL contains a whole pile of relays, which perform the basic functions of split charge relay and fridge relay, as well as a whole lot more, controlled by a central chip.

Which model of EBL is it?

 

[Nigel Crompton]

The EBL contains a whole pile of relays, which perform the basic functions of split charge relay and fridge relay, as well as a whole lot more, controlled by a central chip.

Thought as much, it's an EBL29 and this unit only supplies a charge to the starter battery whilst on hook-up. I normally use Votronic MPPT controllers which keep the starter battery topped up automatically but on this installation fitting a Votronic display is problematic, so I've gone Victron with BT. This is why I need an additional gizmo that I've never had to fit before.
I think I'll be running cables direct to battery terminals.

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[autorouter]

I think I'll be running cables direct to battery terminals.

That's certainly an option. But there are suitable connection points on the EBL.

There is a 2-pin connector, Block 7, that is intended for an extra mains charger input. (Zusatz ladegerat in German). Pin 1 is negative and pin 2 is positive. They are internally connected the leisure battery. You will need to insert a fuse into the slot marked 'Zusatz ladegerat'. A suitable connector is a 2-pin Mate'n'Lok, like this:

2 way MATE N LOK multi-connector ALT/26030/040

2 way polarised male and female MATE "N" LOK connection block suitable for use on automotive/motorcycle wiring systems. You will receive 2

www.altecautomotive.co.uk

Then you need a connection to the starter battery. As hilldweller says, there is a thick wire to the starter battery at the back of the EBL. Alternatively you could tap into the wire already present on pin 1 of the 5-pin connector (Block 2). It won't interfere with the fridge supply, because it won't be sending any current when the fridge is working and the engine is running.

 

[autorouter]

I just realised you're not using the EBL Solar input. you could use pin 2 of the 3-pin Solar input (Block 6) which connects to the starter battery. A 3-pin MnL connector from the same place as the previous link. (There's no fuse to be inserted because it's connected to the fused line for the fridge.)

 

[Nigel Crompton]

Job Done.
I thank autorouter for the detailed guidance, but hilldweller gets the cigar.
Once I'd removed the seatbase above the EBL I could see the previously hidden battery cables on the back of the unit. The two positive terminals had room for me to insert my 12awg wires from the Sterling unit, but the third terminal already had the two negative cables connected and wouldn't take a third, so a short 18" cable to the hab battery -ve post is fitted.