Is this worth buying?

All you require is a extra wire and switch to connect all the batteries up, i use battery cable and a relay so for emergency start i can also ling them all up, it works very well.
For the solar why not buy a votronic mppt unit as it charges both witout a switch/cables setup.200ah relay.pngsolar duel a.png
 
I put one of these in about two years ago and have had no problem with the starter battery since, even over winter. I put the thing directly on the back of the Toptron unit fitted to our 2005 Hobby with 20A fuses in the leads. It can be set up to provide an extra poke of energy from the LB to the starter but all I wanted was a trickle to the starter battery. It basically is connected with a common negative and positives connected to the respective battery terminals on the back of the unit, in this case they are screw terminals.

www.ebay.co.uk

Victron Energy Cyrix-ct 12/24V 120A Intelligent Battery Combiner CYR010120011 | eBay

In a typical setup the alternator is directly connected to the starter battery. The accessory battery, and possibly also a bow thruster and other batteries are each connected to the starter battery with Cyrix battery combiners.
www.ebay.co.uk

Cheers

H
 
Not sure about either of those options for my van.

I already have an MPPT controller to charge the VB & LB but not enough sun for it to do it at this time of year, we seem to be in cloud 6 days out of 7, the EHU is too expensive and doesn't charge the VB only the LB so I'm thinking (mentioned elsewhere) to have the EHU on a timer for one hour per day, and then plug in the VB to a charger plugged into a hab socket.

So the OP question remains, bear in mind I'm not able to go crawling about running wires etc.
 
Well, the Ctek chargers do give the battery an "intelligent" charge cycle and if you have access to mains and can connect easily on to the battery you're concerned about ,then that will fit the bill.

Given that you have an on board charger the Cyrix would also fit the bill but minus the "intelligent" charge cycle. Not a faff to fit either given the positives from each battery will probably be side by side on that on board charger.

Cheers

H
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Not sure about either of those options for my van.

I already have an MPPT controller to charge the VB & LB but not enough sun for it to do it at this time of year, we seem to be in cloud 6 days out of 7, the EHU is too expensive and doesn't charge the VB only the LB so I'm thinking (mentioned elsewhere) to have the EHU on a timer for one hour per day, and then plug in the VB to a charger plugged into a hab socket.

So the OP question remains, bear in mind I'm not able to go crawling about running wires etc.
Click to expand...
That first charger ... Very expensive for a mains charger putting out 0.8A. CTEK are good tech, but may as well get a proper one such as an CTEK MSX5 at least (such as this - https://amzn.to/3GMENFJ ) if you want to go the mains charger router to maintain the battery. 0.8A is not even enough to cope with some parasitic loads on a vehicle.
It would also not do anything for you in the summer months when you CAN use solar charging.

The option Trev suggests to you ref Solar Controller with Starter Battery conenction, you essentially have already but it doesn't work for you in the Winter - a very common situation. These are only good for solar as well, so if you plugged into EHU it still would not charge the Starter Battery.

You really need a single solution that works on both EHU and on Solar ....

For your purposes, the Victron Cyrix-CT is overkill and not the right option IMO for a couple of reasons. You just want to be maintaining the starter battery and you don't need an expensive voltage sensing relay rated at 120A in order to do that. (too pricey, overly big). If you like that concept, you could buy something like a TEC 3M Towing Relay (https://amzn.to/3OJpY98) which is small, basic, but would work. These are used typically in towing electrics to run a fridge in a caravan and inadequately charge a caravans battery, but can be used for your purposes (when it comes to wiring diagrams, your Starter Battery is the "caravan" and your Leisure Battery is the "Car").
That kind of setup would operate when you have either EHU or Solar active, so better than the dual solar controller anyway


You have the basic direct cable you have used in the past of course, but you want to go away from and get a "fit and forget" option.


What I would do for is a proper designed-for-the-purpose battery maintainer. There are a few around made by various companies. Some are incredibly simple and overpriced for what you get (Resistor and Diode in a plastic box for £25 from Votronic for example), others are a bit better but overpriced and overhyped (Vanbitz Battery Master for £70 but is still a pretty basic voltage dropper) and others are much better - the Trik-L-Start (https://www.bestconverter.com/TRIK-L-START_c_210.html) is an example of where you are starting to get a decent product (that is lead only. the Lithium version is the AMP-L-Start.
But IMO the best solution is the AMT2-2 Battery Maintainer (and yes, I do sell them, but that is beside the point - RoadPro sell them cheaper than me anyway (https://www.roadpro.co.uk/product/0.../ablemail-amt12-2-trickle-charger-c8450/C8450 but don't give you the wiring) ).
The AMT12-2 gives you selectable pre-set programs to suit whatever Vehicle and Battery combinations you have, plus can be customised directly as you want if you go for the optional Bluetooth module. And can be set to operate even when you are not able to charge the Leisure Batteries (no solar, no EHU).
 
The leisure battery is under the floor at the back and the starter battery is under the passenger footwell.


Swift Ace Siena.


I've just been out and the VB is at 11.5 v the LB is at 13.4 I looked a the controller but it's above my pay grade and why I got someone else to fit it, I just Whatsapped them to see if they actually connected it to the VB at all as I expected better volts.

Pictures from just now, VB & LB bearing in mind it did a 30 miles trip the other day and was showing 12.3v then

Excuse the muck on this I only use it to check volts now and then and it lives in the bottom of my van toolbox

1669546206514.jpeg

1669546136731.jpeg
 
wildebus said:
That first charger ... Very expensive for a mains charger putting out 0.8A. CTEK are good tech, but may as well get a proper one such as an CTEK MSX5 at least (such as this - https://amzn.to/3GMENFJ ) if you want to go the mains charger router to maintain the battery. 0.8A is not even enough to cope with some parasitic loads on a vehicle.
It would also not do anything for you in the summer months when you CAN use solar charging.

The option Trev suggests to you ref Solar Controller with Starter Battery conenction, you essentially have already but it doesn't work for you in the Winter - a very common situation. These are only good for solar as well, so if you plugged into EHU it still would not charge the Starter Battery.

You really need a single solution that works on both EHU and on Solar ....

For your purposes, the Victron Cyrix-CT is overkill and not the right option IMO for a couple of reasons. You just want to be maintaining the starter battery and you don't need an expensive voltage sensing relay rated at 120A in order to do that. (too pricey, overly big). If you like that concept, you could buy something like a TEC 3M Towing Relay (https://amzn.to/3OJpY98) which is small, basic, but would work. These are used typically in towing electrics to run a fridge in a caravan and inadequately charge a caravans battery, but can be used for your purposes (when it comes to wiring diagrams, your Starter Battery is the "caravan" and your Leisure Battery is the "Car").
That kind of setup would operate when you have either EHU or Solar active, so better than the dual solar controller anyway


You have the basic direct cable you have used in the past of course, but you want to go away from and get a "fit and forget" option.


What I would do for is a proper designed-for-the-purpose battery maintainer. There are a few around made by various companies. Some are incredibly simple and overpriced for what you get (Resistor and Diode in a plastic box for £25 from Votronic for example), others are a bit better but overpriced and overhyped (Vanbitz Battery Master for £70 but is still a pretty basic voltage dropper) and others are much better - the Trik-L-Start (https://www.bestconverter.com/TRIK-L-START_c_210.html) is an example of where you are starting to get a decent product (that is lead only. the Lithium version is the AMP-L-Start.
But IMO the best solution is the AMT2-2 Battery Maintainer (and yes, I do sell them, but that is beside the point - RoadPro sell them cheaper than me anyway (https://www.roadpro.co.uk/product/0.../ablemail-amt12-2-trickle-charger-c8450/C8450 but don't give you the wiring) ).
The AMT12-2 gives you selectable pre-set programs to suit whatever Vehicle and Battery combinations you have, plus can be customised directly as you want if you go for the optional Bluetooth module. And can be set to operate even when you are not able to charge the Leisure Batteries (no solar, no EHU).
Click to expand...
I'm very tempted to go for the https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-MXS-5...1b626848a3b2f&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl as it is a fit and forget, but would 1 or 2 hours a days be enough, I'd do it overnight to get the cheapo electric, and any solar passing by.

At least this can be fitted easily even by me and come out of the van when we change.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I'm very tempted to go for the https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-MXS-5...1b626848a3b2f&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl as it is a fit and forget, but would 1 or 2 hours a days be enough, I'd do it overnight to get the cheapo electric, and any solar passing by.

At least this can be fitted easily even by me and come out of the van when we change.
Click to expand...
What I would suggest is also looking at the add-on connection accessories. Makes it very easy to swap between vehicles that way so you could also use on the car occasionally (what no one gets told is that it is a good idea to do a full battery charge on a starter battery - ANY starter battery - once a month)

The Victron IP65 Chargers are also worth checking out - they have bluetooth so you can check battery levels from inside the house and change settings, plus they have a 5 year warranty rather than the CTEKs 1 or possibly 2 year warranty.
(They used to be a 3 year warranty on CTEK a while back - I got a refund on my MXS5 charger when it stopped working at 2 years 10 months, but apparently no longer from what people are saying on my forum).
 
Good idea David, I just one other query before I buy one, is are there any issues leaving it all in place and then starting the van up, will it harm anything, do I need to unplug it from the van socket etc?
 
Actually, after a bit of possibly joined-up thought, I might be better off letting the CTEK do its job and leaving the vans charger turned off and EHU on full time.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Good idea David, I just one other query before I buy one, is are there any issues leaving it all in place and then starting the van up, will it harm anything, do I need to unplug it from the van socket etc?
Click to expand...
Some people say you should unhook EHU before starting vehicle. I don't do that (and have driven away with lead still plugged in!!) but it might depend on what is fitted?
I don't think it will harm anything but maybe it is a good practice to do so?

PS. I might have some of the connector accessories in a CTEK bag going cheap :) As mentioned, mine broke, so I am stick with the bits and pieces and no use for them :(
 
I don't know how many times I've had to repair the EHU plug.

PM me about bits, not sure I'll need them as the car always seem to fire up instantly.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Actually, after a bit of possibly joined-up thought, I might be better off letting the CTEK do its job and leaving the vans charger turned off and EHU on full time.
Click to expand...
A comment for others reading this and have a Sargent system... if you switch the control panel to VB (Vehicle Battery), then the mains charger will charge the Vehicle Battery instead of the Leisure Battery.
Maybe in that situation, swap it over between the two (VB and LB) periodically if van parked up and on hookup?
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I don't know how many times I've had to repair the EHU plug.

PM me about bits, not sure I'll need them as the car always seem to fire up instantly.
Click to expand...
You never know ;) About a year ago my car battery was totally dead. not got a clue why. It was ok the time before that and after a jump start and a drive it has been fine since. a weird aberration.
 
Yep, wot David said.I was lucky in that when I was considering such a solution I "won" a WC gift voucher, so it cost me nowt effectively, hence the Cyrix.

Cheers

H
 
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I don't know how many times I've had to repair the EHU plug.

PM me about bits, not sure I'll need them as the car always seem to fire up instantly.
Click to expand...
I decided to go and look for these bits .... didn't find them, but I did find my Ryobi Impact Driver I have been looking for for around 4 years, so that was a result :D

Also found a new & unused Sidewall EHU Plug fitting (in black) if anyone is after one?
 
Winks said:
Yep, wot David said.I was lucky in that when I was considering such a solution I "won" a WC gift voucher, so it cost me nowt effectively, hence the Cyrix.

Cheers

H
Click to expand...
The Cyrix's are great battery combiners without a doubt. just overkill for this if buying fresh.
 
I'm just waiting to find out if the MCEA engineer actually wired in the VB at all, as the controller is obviously charging the LB fine, if they haven't then I'll take it across for them to do the job properly, if they have already done it I suppose wire could have come adrift or maybe a setting as it's an awful manual, I left it on auto hoping it would just get on with it.
 
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