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Post by daven on Nov 21, 2014 15:16:52 GMT
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Post by Firefox on Nov 21, 2014 15:30:08 GMT
Your link is broken. Not quite sure how to get the pdf, but this is the page: www.motorcaravanning.co.uk/shopuk/battery_chargers.htmI have only heard good things about the Sterling battery to battery chargers. A switch or split charge relay is a very blunt sword and I think you'll get a much higher and quicker charge with a good B2B system. They are expensive though.
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Post by fulltimer on Nov 21, 2014 22:16:07 GMT
The Sterling B - B charger is a great bit of kit and pretty easy to fit. To be honest I can't fault any of the Sterling stuff I've been using their products for years mainly on Fire and Ambulance service vehicles and of course my own battery charger and inverter both come from them, great personal after care as well Charles Sterling is normally available to give advice on any of the products. Probably cheaper to buy direct from the Sterling online shop www.sp-shop.co.uk/Battery-to-Battery-Chargers/
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2014 15:13:17 GMT
What is the advantage of one of these and how do they work?
Firefox has rewired my electrics and got rid of the pesky smartcom split charge relay (had lots of problems with wires coming out of sockets whichare too small for thick wires). I now have a manual switch for Drive (charges leisure battery when driving and appliances are powered by starter battery) and Park (disconnects the starter battery so that appliances are powered by leisure battery).
This works much better for me, the only thing is that I need to manually switch over when parking or driving but if I forget it's not a big problem as my new solar panel charges leisure battery too.
I usually double check the voltage display whilst engine running to make sure everything is working so I rarely forget to switch over.
I also have a switch to switch off the solar panel if necessary if on a long drive in 40C sunshine to prevent battery being fried in case the regulator fails (regulator seems to kick in at 16v)
Am very happy with this new set up, so can't see how it could be improved.
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Post by Firefox on Nov 22, 2014 16:41:30 GMT
It is an electronic box of tricks which manages the charging current and voltage from your alternator. It would work with and improve your current set-up.
Basically as your leisure battery gets full, its voltage rises and this pulls down the charging current from the alternator. But this is not the most efficient way of charging a battery. Using this set up it could take up to 2 hours drive to charge from flat and you would get only (for example) 80-85% of the charge you could achieve.
With a battery to battery unit, it alters the charging regime into alternating chunks of constant high current and constant voltage. You could find your leisure battery was charged in 20-30 minutes to 95-99% of the maximum charge that can be achieved. These periods of constant high current and constant voltage pile up the electrons on the lead plates in a much more efficient fashion.
Look at it like shoveling soil into a big box. If you just keep shoveling in the same place but at a quickly decreasing rate because the pile is getting higher, eventually you slow to a trickle and stop because you think the box is full, because the cone in the middle got higher than the top of the box. An alternator is a pretty dumb beast. It will think like this. However a B2B unit will stop to level out the cone and pack the soil into the edges of the box so it is all compacted and one level. Then it will continue pouring in another load of soil at a huge rate, then do some more levelling and packing. It continues these processes at the optimum rates until in no time at all the box is 99% full as opposed to the 80% you could have achieved (and much quicker) by the "dumb" alternator alone method.
So you could fit a B2B unit along with you current system. It would go under or behind the drivers seat and not affect your isolation switch or any existing wiring. The downside is cost. Probably around £280 just for the unit.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 6:31:15 GMT
Thanks, that's a really good explanation. Something to maybe consider when I've finished boarding the interior, fitted tow bar and bike rack, another rooflight, got the rust patches sorted and underseal spray, new windscreen, and new brake discs...
Although as my electric consumption is low, I think I'd probably just go for a second solar panel.
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Post by billypants on Oct 19, 2015 23:17:57 GMT
I've had a Sterling B 2 B for years and they are only any use if you travel long distances. Which I do. When you start the vehicle the charger sends a signal to the alternator to make it work at full power. It then checks the vehicle battery and sends off the necessary current to charge it, and all of the remaining charge it used for leisure batteries. It's an intelligent 4 stage charger so it will help for say a half hour run, by giving a boost to the leisure battery, but there it pays for itself is where you're driving for 8 hours non stop, and your batteries are fully charged y the time you get there. If you know how to crimp terminals they take about 30 minutes to fit and as I regularly do long distances I love mine. If you don't ever do more than a half hour or so journeys you'd be wasting your money. A solar panel would indeed be a far better alternative.
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Post by molly2 on Jan 5, 2016 21:06:47 GMT
I've had a Sterling B 2 B for years and they are only any use if you travel long distances. Which I do. When you start the vehicle the charger sends a signal to the alternator to make it work at full power. It then checks the vehicle battery and sends off the necessary current to charge it, and all of the remaining charge it used for leisure batteries. It's an intelligent 4 stage charger so it will help for say a half hour run, by giving a boost to the leisure battery, but there it pays for itself is where you're driving for 8 hours non stop, and your batteries are fully charged y the time you get there. If you know how to crimp terminals they take about 30 minutes to fit and as I regularly do long distances I love mine. If you don't ever do more than a half hour or so journeys you'd be wasting your money. A solar panel would indeed be a far better alternative. Whitch output B t B do you have Bazz
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Post by billypants on Jan 5, 2016 23:52:29 GMT
Mines a 50 amp
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Post by Firefox on Jan 6, 2016 0:26:04 GMT
I've seen different opinions about these. One guy said he could do 30-40 min runs and get the equivalent of a 2-3 run charge under normal conditions without the charger. This would make good sense if one was moving a couple of times a week to a new wilding location for example. I am not sure how valid it is though.
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Post by molly2 on Jan 6, 2016 12:05:10 GMT
I've seen different opinions about these. One guy said he could do 30-40 min runs and get the equivalent of a 2-3 run charge under normal conditions without the charger. This would make good sense if one was moving a couple of times a week to a new wilding location for example. I am not sure how valid it is though. I have seen different sterling B t B charges starting as low as 3. AMP to 20 and 50 upwards .I only have roof room for a small ish solar panel that is no use at all this time of year ,so I am looking into B t B .I can do 3 nights with the blown heating on 24 hours a day , my van has cbe pc 200 electronic system which also controls charging from the engine, could a 50 AMP sterling damage the electronics .would a sterling charge the battery to a 100 pc or 80 as engine would .
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Post by billypants on Jan 7, 2016 0:18:46 GMT
The Sterling charges to 100% if the engine runs long enough. What it does it it checks the state of the engine battery on startup, then if that is fully charged it fools the alternator into delivering more power which it uses to charge the leisure battery. Every 20 minutes I think it is it stops and checks the state of the engine battery to ensure that is always fully charged. It 'boosts' the leisure battery if it is discharged, and once it's fully charged it goes to float voltage. It's up to you to set those voltages on the charger to suit your battery. I'm not sure what your mate is on about cos I've never really timed anything but I don't know how he's charging without the B2B...was he using a split charge relay? I think most modern SCR chargers would do a fine job of charging your batteries but most are 'dumb' and only have one start voltage and one end voltage so if your leisure battery is non standard they may not be the best idea.
It looks like your CBE is a 16 amp charger and I honestly have no idea whether it would conflict with a B2B. I'd think not simply because the B2B is nothing more than a box connected to your engine battery and your leisure battery. Ring Sterling though, they are very helpful and they'll tell you straight away.
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Post by billypants on Jan 7, 2016 0:22:09 GMT
I've seen different opinions about these. One guy said he could do 30-40 min runs and get the equivalent of a 2-3 run charge under normal conditions without the charger. This would make good sense if one was moving a couple of times a week to a new wilding location for example. I am not sure how valid it is though. Sorry I replied to the other post answering your question. I'm not sure what your mate is on about cos I've never really timed anything but I don't know how he's charging without the B2B...was he using a split charge relay? I think most modern SCR chargers would do a fine job of charging your batteries but most are 'dumb' and only have one start voltage and one end voltage so if your leisure battery is non standard they may not be the best idea. I've had mine for 10 years and I swear by it.
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Post by Firefox on Jan 8, 2016 18:01:01 GMT
He was using the Stirling B to B on 30 min runs every few days between wilding spots.
He reckoned he got enough charge to fully replenish in 30 mins what might take a 2 hour run without the B to B.
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Post by campervanannie on Jan 10, 2016 11:53:04 GMT
I have just had a I think it's called a C-tek on the recommendations of a WC cost about £150 to buy and the WC fitted fir free and it seams to do a great job I was not getting enough power to my LBs this mamages it all now from solar and engine had it in since Nov impressed so far.
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