Charger to smart charger

Lefty107

Lefty107

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Looking to change charger to smart charger have electrical knowledge just not auto electrical. At present charger doesn't charge motorhome start battery but would be useful. Have wiring diagram for exciting so know where it's all supposed to go. Any ideas of product to buy would be useful.
 
Looking to change charger to smart charger have electrical knowledge just not auto electrical. At present charger doesn't charge motorhome start battery but would be useful. Have wiring diagram for exciting so know where it's all supposed to go. Any ideas of product to buy would be useful.
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We have Ablemail AMT12, supplied and fitted by David of Wildebus (Forum Member). The pulse charge to the Vehicle Battery is excellent, and the 9th option of connecting the pre wired connection to Spare Terminal 2 to force the Leisure Battery to feed the Vehicle Battery for 9 seconds in every 10 seconds is a godsend when the latter looks a wee bit weak or sick and you need to get the van started

Steve
 
I swapped the standard charger for a

Victron Blue Smart IP22 Bluetooth Battery Charger - 12V 30A, 3 outputs​


To look after our 3 x 100ah AGM batteries...
Mainly for use in winter when the solar is doing nowt....

Been great so far and like chalk and cheese to the standard one fitted before.
 
CTEK for me, had two and they have been faultless, easy fit, you just need to figure out how many amps you need, I had 100w of solar and two 125ah LBs the van always arrived on the drive fully charged so I plumped for a 5amp one, we had EHU when needed but rarely needed to charge up.
 
Something people need to be aware of if they are choosing a charger to use when at a campsite .... all 12V services come off the battery, and not off the hookup. So if for example they get a 10A charger, and are using a 12V TV which is say a 6A draw, plus a couple of phones charging on USB and lights on, that 10A charger might not have anything left to be charging the battery.
So need to select a size that is suitable for the battery plus running the habitation electrics. (if the van is only plugged in on the driveway and the hab electrics will not be in use it is a different matter).
 
wildebus said:
Something people need to be aware of if they are choosing a charger to use when at a campsite .... all 12V services come off the battery, and not off the hookup. So if for example they get a 10A charger, and are using a 12V TV which is say a 6A draw, plus a couple of phones charging on USB and lights on, that 10A charger might not have anything left to be charging the battery.
So need to select a size that is suitable for the battery plus running the habitation electrics. (if the van is only plugged in on the driveway and the hab electrics will not be in use it is a different matter).
Click to expand...
Mea culpa, I meant to include others may need more ampsthan we needed, although we had a 240v running oof a 600w inverter, it was only on for two hours max, and we drove 50 plus miles every day.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Mea culpa, I meant to include others may need more ampsthan we needed, although we had a 240v running oof a 600w inverter, it was only on for two hours max, and we drove 50 plus miles every day.
Click to expand...
No Worries. it is all about the right kit for the person. no point in getting something at a high price that might charge you up in two hours when you have a full day to achieve it. Many folk do think the EHU somehow provides 12V as well.
 
We don't use sites so have always had to be self sufficient.
 
mistericeman said:
I swapped the standard charger for a

Victron Blue Smart IP22 Bluetooth Battery Charger - 12V 30A, 3 outputs​


To look after our 3 x 100ah AGM batteries...
Mainly for use in winter when the solar is doing nowt....

Been great so far and like chalk and cheese to the standard one fitted before.
Click to expand...
Yes I have to totally agree 👍 with mistericeman recommendation I too have the victron blue smart IP22 BLUETOOTH 12V 30A doing a brilliant job . Plugged in during last 9 weeks ( having had to replace engine and liesure batteries twice in last 14 months at great expense as motorhome was parked up a lot not getting g used ) and now batteries remain at a very healthy 13.2 too 13. 4 volts instead off 11.7 too 12 v that used to happen in the cold weather. The vectron smart charger on my engine battery ( not connected to solar but to 240v supply is excellent. The app on my phone means I don't need to unlock the camper to check the battery state but just walk up near the camper to connect via Bluetooth too check all my vectron smart chargers performance. Yes I recommend them .
 
marchie said:
Looking to change charger to smart charger have electrical knowledge just not auto electrical. At present charger doesn't charge motorhome start battery but would be useful. Have wiring diagram for exciting so know where it's all supposed to go. Any ideas of product to buy would be useful.
------------------------

We have Ablemail AMT12, supplied and fitted by David of Wildebus (Forum Member). The pulse charge to the Vehicle Battery is excellent, and the 9th option of connecting the pre wired connection to Spare Terminal 2 to force the Leisure Battery to feed the Vehicle Battery for 9 seconds in every 10 seconds is a godsend when the latter looks a wee bit weak or sick and you need to get the van started

Steve
Click to expand...
Thanks great help thanks will investigate.
 
Numax does a double output charger, or you can use the 10ah one for leisure and a 4ah for the starter.
Of fit a relay and switch to connect all batts together for charging, that's the way my van is set up.
 
marchie said:
Looking to change charger to smart charger have electrical knowledge just not auto electrical. At present charger doesn't charge motorhome start battery but would be useful. Have wiring diagram for exciting so know where it's all supposed to go. Any ideas of product to buy would be useful.
------------------------

We have Ablemail AMT12, supplied and fitted by David of Wildebus (Forum Member). The pulse charge to the Vehicle Battery is excellent, and the 9th option of connecting the pre wired connection to Spare Terminal 2 to force the Leisure Battery to feed the Vehicle Battery for 9 seconds in every 10 seconds is a godsend when the latter looks a wee bit weak or sick and you need to get the van started

Steve
Click to expand...
Looks great . Have had a look and that looks the way to go will purchase one. Did try wildebus site but is down at present due to relocation can wait a while.

Thanks
 
Pedalman said:
I keep reading these threads to do with electrical stuff hoping to learn something, but every time I do I find it is way over my head.
Click to expand...

You are not alone, trust me
hehe.gif
 
Lefty107 said:
Looks great . Have had a look and that looks the way to go will purchase one. Did try wildebus site but is down at present due to relocation can wait a while.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I am doing orders on email request currently (I can't supply certain products right now but the AMTs I can).
 
Not wanting to play around to much with the wiring in the Carthago as it's still under warranty I needed something to keep the vehicle battery topped up. So I bought a small smart charger from Amazon. Its max is 5A. It sits under the front seat and is plugged into 13A socket. Leaflet says it can be left connected all the time and it came with leads and circular connectors.
 
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