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Badger110

Member Since: 06 Feb 2018
Location: South hams
Posts: 1025

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Buckingham Blue

Do all jobby

Having finalised the electrics in the truck i was hoping to find something that could do all of what i wanted in one unit.

At the moment i have the 2 Haze 80ah gel batteries running from a VSR as well as a MPPt which is connected to a 170w solar panel.

I would like something that can do away with the VSR, MPPT and be able to handle 2 leisure batteries, a 1500w PSW inverter and an in car battery charger which will be plugged in now and then to Electric hookup.

If, at a stretch, it could convert the 240 sockets to the EHU that would be the cherry on the top!

I know Redarc do some version of this but it's super expensive.

Any thoughts?

29th Jun 2020 8:34pm

Badger110

Member Since: 06 Feb 2018
Location: South hams
Posts: 1025

I've kind aanswered my own question.

Looking at a BMS ( battery managment system ) is the right way to do it.

I found a C tek 250 which swaps between the alternator and the solar, so that's good. Not sure if it works with 2 leisure batteries in parallel or if that would be an issue.

29th Jun 2020 9:14pm

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3995

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black

I would think that as far as the charger is concerned, 2 batteries in parallel are no different than one big battery. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

29th Jun 2020 9:38pm

Badger110

Member Since: 06 Feb 2018
Location: South hams
Posts: 1025

I agree, however one is older than the other.

If a BMS is designed for 2 leisure batteries, then i guess it will monitor both and adjust charging to either that may require it.

I understand ( i think ) that the voltage between the 2 is balanced, but would a smarter charger figure out which one of the 2 requires more charging to keep them both optimised?

The C250 looks to do this between the leisure and main battery, ie it'll switch solar input to the main battery after the leisure is full.

29th Jun 2020 9:59pm

roel

Member Since: 08 Aug 2009
Location: Lelystad
Posts: 2039

I have 2 different batteries too in my td5. One is for wiching and starting while on the other are the electronics including the ecu.

What it did is I bought a high amp 12V relais and an small relais with some electronics that read the voltage (Search on Ali for vt2.3). Note keep searching as there are cheaper versions mine was 6 euro including postage.

I don't have solar so that part is up to you.

So my altenator, starter and winch are on the big battery.
All other on the smaller one. That is easy on a td5.

The electronic relais is powered by an ignition plus so it only works when I want it.
It is set at 13.4 V on and 12 V off.
This controls the high amp Relais that connect the batteries.

So in my case as soon as I start the engine and the altenator starts working the relais kicks in and connect ther batteries. Note while starting the power for starting comes from the big battery and the smaller items like glow plugs, ecu and fuel pump come from the smaller battery. So the keep getting a higher voltage.

At 12V switch off It normally stay connected till I switch the engine off as it is powered by an ignition life. However while winching the power regular drops below 12V so it disconnect the both batteries so the engine will keep running even if the big battery voltage will drop below 9V for a moment. Roel

1984 90 2.5 na Diesel - RR V8 (1994-2001)
1997 Camel Trophy Discovery 300TDI (2001-2009)
2005 G4 Discovery III 4.4 V8 (2008-2018) It's gone but it still hurts.
2003 90 Td5 (2009-now)

30th Jun 2020 8:15am

Hufflepuff

Member Since: 25 Oct 2014
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 723

In all the Australian 4x4 videos I watch, they all seem to use RedArc. I've not seen them for sale in the UK (although I've not looked particularly hard), how expensive is "super expensive" for a matter of interest?

<EDIT> Just answering my own question:

https://www.portablepowertech.com/product/...1230s2-uk/

Almost £1200 for an all singing all dancing model it seems, hmm... 2005 Td5 90 XS
1989 V8 110 CSW

Last edited by Hufflepuff on 30th Jun 2020 8:37am. Edited 1 time in total

30th Jun 2020 8:31am

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3995

If the batteries are connected in parallel, they can't be monitored or charged separately as far as I can see, they become in effect one battery. For them to be cared for separately there would need to be some way to separate them for charging and then rejoin them when you want to use them to 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

30th Jun 2020 8:36am

Badger110

Member Since: 06 Feb 2018
Location: South hams
Posts: 1025

roel wrote:
I have 2 different batteries too in my td5. One is for wiching and starting while on the other are the electronics including the ecu.

What it did is I bought a high amp 12V relais and an small relais with some electronics that read the voltage (Search on Ali for vt2.3). Note keep searching as there are cheaper versions mine was 6 euro including postage.

I don't have solar so that part is up to you.

So my altenator, starter and winch are on the big battery.
All other on the smaller one. That is easy on a td5.

The electronic relais is powered by an ignition plus so it only works when I want it.
It is set at 13.4 V on and 12 V off.
This controls the high amp Relais that connect the batteries.

So in my case as soon as I start the engine and the altenator starts working the relais kicks in and connect ther batteries. Note while starting the power for starting comes from the big battery and the smaller items like glow plugs, ecu and fuel pump come from the smaller battery. So the keep getting a higher voltage.

At 12V switch off It normally stay connected till I switch the engine off as it is powered by an ignition life. However while winching the power regular drops below 12V so it disconnect the both batteries so the engine will keep running even if the big battery voltage will drop below 9V for a moment.

That's an interesting way of doing it.

it sounds like a VSR which i have, but you also have your winch on the main battery and everything else on a seperate?

30th Jun 2020 9:32pm

Badger110

Member Since: 06 Feb 2018
Location: South hams
Posts: 1025

Bluest wrote:
If the batteries are connected in parallel, they can't be monitored or charged separately as far as I can see, they become in effect one battery. For them to be cared for separately there would need to be some way to separate them for charging and then rejoin them when you want to use them to

What would be great if each leisure battery was connected to the ' brain ' part individually and then the ' brain ' part works out which one to use or both together in parallel as well as monitoring both indivdually for health and voltage requirements.

I'm sure if you spend big money you can achieve this, or be damn good at electronics

It looks like what i want is beyond my budget but I'll keep looking

30th Jun 2020 9:37pm

roel

Member Since: 08 Aug 2009
Location: Lelystad
Posts: 2039

Badger110 wrote:
roel wrote:
I have 2 different batteries too in my td5. One is for wiching and starting while on the other are the electronics including the ecu.

What it did is I bought a high amp 12V relais and an small relais with some electronics that read the voltage (Search on Ali for vt2.3). Note keep searching as there are cheaper versions mine was 6 euro including postage.

I don't have solar so that part is up to you.

So my altenator, starter and winch are on the big battery.
All other on the smaller one. That is easy on a td5.

The electronic relais is powered by an ignition plus so it only works when I want it.
It is set at 13.4 V on and 12 V off.
This controls the high amp Relais that connect the batteries.

So in my case as soon as I start the engine and the altenator starts working the relais kicks in and connect ther batteries. Note while starting the power for starting comes from the big battery and the smaller items like glow plugs, ecu and fuel pump come from the smaller battery. So the keep getting a higher voltage.

At 12V switch off It normally stay connected till I switch the engine off as it is powered by an ignition life. However while winching the power regular drops below 12V so it disconnect the both batteries so the engine will keep running even if the big battery voltage will drop below 9V for a moment.

That's an interesting way of doing it.

it sounds like a VSR which i have, but you also have your winch on the main battery and everything else on a seperate?

Yes the winch, starter and alternator are on the big Battery and everything else on the other. Roel

1984 90 2.5 na Diesel - RR V8 (1994-2001)
1997 Camel Trophy Discovery 300TDI (2001-2009)
2005 G4 Discovery III 4.4 V8 (2008-2018) It's gone but it still hurts.
2003 90 Td5 (2009-now)

4th Jul 2020 5:42pm

kevin-h

Member Since: 24 Mar 2020
Location: Huddersfield
Posts: 20

2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 HT Keswick Green

I have a CTEK D250 in my setup and am very happy with it.
It separates the main and leisure battery when the ignition is off but joins them when the engine is running and allows charging of leisure and main battery as required with up to 20A.
I have a solar panel connected to the CTEK unit and it also allows input from a wind turbine which is a potentially useful option during the winter months; I have not utilised this option yet.
I am currently using one leisure battery but plan to up that to 2 or 3, the CTEK unit accommodates a large battery bank but I don't have values to hand.
The unit can also be supplemented by a second unit that allows the leisure battery bank to be charged with up to 120A which might prove useful if you are a heavy user on the leisure battery bank.
With my setup I separated the 240V shore power however I did run CTEK charging cables to both the main and leisure batteries in case they needed to be charged from my CTEK MXS 10 battery charger.
I do not have any battery monitoring on my system other than the voltage indicator on the CTEK charging cables, however I believe CTEK now offer a battery monitoring system. I have a Victron battery monitor that I plan to install.
I hope some of this information may prove helpful to you.

27th Apr 2023 1:12pm

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