Charging Relay

holyhutzpa

Finally got the leisure battery charging from the alternator last night.

Long story short, there had been a starter solenoid relay fitted so that the trigger wire got a bit of a boost - as the engine's in the back and ignition in the front, there was at least 10m of cable going from battery to ignition and back to starter, which doesn't seem to be up to the job anymore. It could be the ignition switch on the way out too...
Ran the starter switch feed back from the starter to the leisure battery relay.

Now leisure battery relay is switched by alternator D+ feed and "earthed" through starter switch - meaning it sees 12v positive when cranking, and only starts charging the battery when the engine is running. ie. a leisure battery that charges without a hookup! I won't know myself!

(And I'll need it for the eberspacher I'm hoping to fit next week!)

Those Sterling chargers look awesome, if I wasn't already completely broke I'd be tempted!

paddyp

Sterling unit looks grand for the price, always thought their stuff was overpriced considering their propensity for telling people their chargers are 'beyond repair' switch mode can be a pin to repair but you'd expect at least they'd have pcbs in stock for a fee. When you pay a premium price you expect premium service.

Kudos, ya can't beat decent copper.
I'm still trying to get my head around your excitation switching.

gctest50

Might be useful if you want to turn chargers on/off remotely ?

It measures the voltage its powered from

http://www.aerial.net/shop/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=60&products_id=1331


Manual of same :

http://tinycontrol.eu/media/katalog/kontrolery/gsm-kontroler/files/gsm-2v2-eng.pdf


Add-on board with 4 more relays :

http://www.aerial.net/shop/product/151/1332/tinycontrol-4-x-relay-board.html

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paddyp

paddyp wrote: »

Sterling unit looks grand for the price, always thought their stuff was overpriced considering their propensity for telling people their chargers are 'beyond repair' switch mode can be a pin to repair but you'd expect at least they'd have pcbs in stock for a fee. When you pay a premium price you expect premium service.

2 year replacement warranty though. Do you know anyone else making cheaper soup-up-yer-alternator do-fers? Got links?

I agree with you RE: cost, I keep oogling their products and then it dawns on me how to make a solar controller do the same a little less effectively and without all the failsafes for 1/3 the price sooner or later.

paddyp

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

2 year replacement warranty though. Do you know anyone else making cheaper soup-up-yer-alternator do-fers? Got links?

No thats what I mean it looks good for the price, i'm surpised as they are generally overpriced.

Ah I misread. I think that model might be a generation or two behind the current.