Charger upgrade

[Vanterrier]

I have discovered that the standard PSU4M has been removed from my 2008 Autosleeper Symbol peugeot boxer. The fuses and relays are now just a bunch of wires near the hab. battery and today I finally identified the charger as a PS276-1-BCSM unit, basically a transformer putting out 13.8v and 20 amps.
The MES panel is still in place and allows me to switch between van and habitation battery charging, but that's it
Can you recommend changes that will provide smart charging that I can leave switched on while on ehu on my drive all winter, keeping both batteries charged. Ideally keeping the MES panel too.
I'm not an electrician so please use layman's English oh, I'm not rich either
K

 

[Vanterrier]

Like this...

Pardon our interruption...

 

[wildebus]

those units are as dated as the one you have in place.
The approach I would take for a mains charger setup would probably be a Victron IP22 mains charger to look after the Leisure Battery plus an AMT-2 Maintainer to keep the Vehicle Battery charged when left standing.
There is little benefit in having a setup where you choose EITHER Leisure or Vehicle battery to charge as they have different requirements and uses.

 

[Okta]

13.8V makes it a power supply not a charger. On my first 2 motorhomes I destroyed several batteries before I realised that a fixed voltage of 13.8V was not enough and that the manufacturer was cheating by calling it a battery charger.

 

[Vanterrier]

those units are as dated as the one you have in place.
The approach I would take for a mains charger setup would probably be a Victron IP22 mains charger to look after the Leisure Battery plus an AMT-2 Maintainer to keep the Vehicle Battery charged when left standing.
There is little benefit in having a setup where you choose EITHER Leisure or Vehicle battery to charge as they have different requirements and uses

Thanks for that. For my two Yuassa 5019 100ah batteries of similar young age, which amperage Victron IP22 would you recommend? I can't see a AMT-2 maintainer? Am I looking in the wrong place or is there another digit missing like AMT12-2?
Would the MES panel still work? Would it see the Victron or be isolated from the battery charging info?
I don't suppose there's a diagram that shows the setup I need?
Apologies for dumb questions
K

 

[wildebus]

Yes, it is the AMT12-2, not the AMT-2.
If you were to set it up as I describe, you would not control it via the MED Panel, no.

Currently, I would go for the 30A IP22 as they are only a little more expensive than the 20A models, so may as well take advantage of the extra capability.
something to bear in mind which a lot of people forget ... when you are camped and hooked up, anything that uses 12V power - TV, water pump, lights, USB sockets, fans, USB sockets, etc - draws that power not from the hookup, but effectively from the battery, so the battery charger does not only have to charge the battery but also make up the power being pulled by the habitation systems. If you are drawing say 10A worth of 12V power (which is perfectly easy to do), then your 20A mains charger only has 10A of current to go to the battery. Get a 30A charger and although it seems only 50% bigger, you could be charging the battery twice as fast as it would have 20A left over for the battery, not just 10A.

 

[Vanterrier]

So if I get the 30amp IP22 and the AMT12-2 do I need anything between them like an mppt controller (seen in a diagram)?
Would a Votronic "stand by charger" be an alternative to the AMT? it looks cheaper and simpler to install to my laymans mind?

So I disconnect and remove the old "charger" and plug in the IP22 but where do the cables that are in the old unit plug into?

Sorry again if this sounds dumb

K

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Not dumb at all, it has to be right, and can be a bit of a dark art.

 

[Vanterrier]

It's all smoke and mirrors to me mate

K

 

[Vanterrier]

I see some IP22's are one output and others are three outputs to batteries... do I just need the one output and a trickle charger or the three outputs connecting direct to both batteries?
So many options, so confusing.
I think I will feel I know more when I finally dig out the old charger from under the oven and see what wires are going where... more but probably still not enough

 

[wildebus]

I see some IP22's are one output and others are three outputs to batteries... do I just need the one output and a trickle charger or the three outputs connecting direct to both batteries?
So many options, so confusing.
I think I will feel I know more when I finally dig out the old charger from under the oven and see what wires are going where... more but probably still not enough

The IP22 3 output you can connect to 3 batteries and it will output to all three as required. You cannot control how much goes to each output and the total output is the same as the single outout charger. Also it is the same charge profile for all three outputs, so it is not like having 3 chargers in the one box.
You could get the 3 output and connect one output the starter battery, but bear in mind that will only work when you are hooked up. If you want to be able to trickle the starter when off-grid (so off solar), then that will not help
as an FYI, the Victron IP43 (a newer and bigger charger) is also available as a 3 output, so does the same thing, but also comes as a 1+1 charger, where the "+1" is a low current, lower voltage, trickle for a starter battery.

If you bought the 3 output and only used one of the outputs, then it is the same as getting the single output, so if you were offered both at the same price, get the 3 output one. If it is more expensive, then decide if that extra flexibiity is worth the extra cost. (I'd pay say an extra tenner without hesitation. An extra £50 is too much,)