Upgrade plans for you motorhome in 2019?

nabsim said:
They are coming down Wully https://www.qualitysource.co.uk/store/LiFePO4-Lithium-Ion-12V-100Ah-Battery-HD-Range-p120075325
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Yes as you post.
I replaced my LB with an 85AH banner in 2015. This is fine for us as we only use MoHo in the summer (mainly wilding) and battery has never been below 12.6 so no need to replace...BUT the one you link to would effectively double my capacity with a single lighter better battery. so maybe 2 or 3 years and the Go Lithium !
Thnks for the link.
 
Thinking of possibility of carrying a 125cc scooter with us and looking at all options for transporting this. Nothing to be decided until there is Brexit certainty and we know how long we can spend in Europe per trip. If it’s eventually limited to 90 days in 180 without faffing around to obtain longer term residence visas then probably won’t bother with this upgrade in 2019 as we will want to see how our touring routine changes first to accommodate reduced European travel freedoms.
 
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GWAYGWAY said:
Hymer MLI 580 available as basic 3500, but with every extra they did on it and I put on it comes out a 3720 empty and plated at 4200kg If I do not get the medical later I will either have to lose all the extras or sell it. I added the weights of the extras and they came out to a lot of the extra weights.
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It sounds like you are stuck very much between a rock and a hard place and I honestly can't see any way for you to get out of it, unless that is you move your home over to continental Europe!
 
Think I spent enough this first year of ownership. 100w solar, gas bottle, rear view camera ( thanks Tezza ), upgradeed battery’s ( thanks Nabs) and now the ctek. Hoping to enjoy it more in 2019. I want to get it as good as I can while I still have an income. Trouble is, I like to tinker. Get the Spain trip out of the way, and use that to see if I need more solar.
In the process of fitting a ctek, almost finished, so lithium not an option.
 
Molly 3 said:
Do you have to add on the price for lithiam charger's ?
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Yes you would have to check everything to do with charging the batteries Caz, alternator, cable from alternator/starter battery to leisure batteries, mains chargers and all cabling between them and the leisure batteries and all fuses in those circuits.

My understanding is you can use all the power down to almost empty (although I dont think is recommended below 80% or it starts to reduce voltage at that?) then when you go to charge it will try to pull the pull battery capacity. Great in you can potentially have bank fully charge in an hour but potential disaster if someone just replaces their existing batteries with lithium. I think the risk is more the alternator/starter battery than the mains charger as when the engine starts the alternator will push full output. The charger and any solar will just output what it has I think. I also think you would have to bypass any existing power distribution like EBL, Sargent etc but not too sure on that.

My understanding may be flawed but Phil or someone else will correct me where I am wrong.
 
Trotter said:
Think I spent enough this first year of ownership. 100w solar, gas bottle, rear view camera ( thanks Tezza ), upgradeed battery’s ( thanks Nabs) and now the ctek. Hoping to enjoy it more in 2019. I want to get it as good as I can while I still have an income. Trouble is, I like to tinker. Get the Spain trip out of the way, and use that to see if I need more solar.
In the process of fitting a ctek, almost finished, so lithium not an option.
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Actually Del the cable you have fitted would be fine for lithium :)

And see how much you have done that you reckoned you wouldn't be capable of, I reckon you have done great this year and as you know its not like me to pay you too many compliments :)
 
Trotter said:
Think I spent enough this first year of ownership. 100w solar, gas bottle, rear view camera ( thanks Tezza ), upgradeed battery’s ( thanks Nabs) and now the ctek. Hoping to enjoy it more in 2019. I want to get it as good as I can while I still have an income. Trouble is, I like to tinker. Get the Spain trip out of the way, and use that to see if I need more solar.
In the process of fitting a ctek, almost finished, so lithium not an option.
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Forgive me for asking Trotter, but when fitting the solar etc. did you also happen to fit an all important split charge relay as well?

With only a 100w solar, you might be expecting a bit too much out of it if you want to be self sufficient. I have a 150w panel and 2 x 150ah Gel LB's along with the split charge and now throughout the year all the batteries (including the VB) are kept fully charged despite the constant drain of the alarm system when parked up during the lengthy SORN parked up period.

Phil
 
Del will answer when he sees the post but I think the solar was fitted by the selling dealer along with the single 100amp leisure battery. Not sure if Del knows about a split charger
 
I fitted the solar from a kit I got from Complus Energy. I can recommend them. It came with a mppt controller. All fitted as per .
The Ctek has a mppt fitting for the solar so the other one might be surplus to requirements.
Gob smacked to get, what might be a “well done “ from one cranky olde codger. Split charger either u/s or not fitted.
Post lottery win, I could be in the market for a “ Managon”.
 
Trotter said:
I fitted the solar from a kit I got from Complus Energy. I can recommend them. It came with a mppt controller. All fitted as per .
The Ctek has a mppt fitting for the solar so the other one might be surplus to requirements.
Gob smacked to get, what might be a “well done “ from one cranky olde codger. Split charger either u/s or not fitted.
Post lottery win, I could be in the market for a “ Managon”.
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I don't understand.............. But if you don't have one of these magical devices, then it might be worth your while fitting one. If you don't know what they do, here is a very basic explanation, they aren't expensive, they fit in the main VB to LB cable which should also have a high capacity fuse in place immediately before the SCR.
The Split Charge Relay senses when your VB has become fully charged then immediately switches the power supply to your LB's. When the engine is stopped and charge is coming down from the solar panel, the SCR again senses when your LB(s) are fully charged and then switches the excess current to the VB keeping that tip top fully charged as well.
 
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Millie Master said:
I don't understand.............. But if you don't have one of these magical devices, then it might be worth your while fitting one. If you don't know what they do, here is a very basic explanation, they aren't expensive, they fit in the main VB to LB cable which should also have a high capacity fuse in place immediately before the SCR.
The Split Charge Relay senses when your VB has become fully charged then immediately switches the power supply to you VB's. When the engine is stopped and charge is coming down from the solar panel, the SCR again senses when your LB(s) are fully charged and then switches the excess current to the VB keeping that tip top fully charged as well.
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Millie Master said:
I don't understand.............. But if you don't have one of these magical devices, then it might be worth your while fitting one. If you don't know what they do, here is a very basic explanation, they aren't expensive, they fit in the main VB to LB cable which should also have a high capacity fuse in place immediately before the SCR.
The Split Charge Relay senses when your VB has become fully charged then immediately switches the power supply to you VB's. When the engine is stopped and charge is coming down from the solar panel, the SCR again senses when your LB(s) are fully charged and then switches the excess current to the VB keeping that tip top fully charged as well.
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Sorry I didn’t understand either. To save this going back and forth, I’ll try my best to answer stuff. Firstly there maybe a couple of typos in your post, that made me think it was Nabsim. He’s dreadful, but then again,quite elderly.
Here we go then
1, my solar, as I said is 100w. This has worked well all year, except at Buttonwood, think this had more to do with the trees.
2, the split charger. This maybe were the confusion is . As standard the VB charges the LB at 2 amps. This has failed. To save messing about, I’ve replaced it with the Ctek ( no Smartpass) giving me 20amps, with the option of fitting the Smartpass , with that fitted I’ll get 100amps+
3, Managon. See “CampervananCulture” videos
I hope I’ve cleared the confusion. Again I’ll put my hands up, I’m not the sharpest tack in the box, as several on here will verify . The
 
Trotter said:
Sorry I didn’t understand either.
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I am so very sorry Trotter but I have absolutely no idea what you are going on about! After all to me anything normally to do with electrics is some kind of black art from the dark side!!

I think that some of the confusion might be the use of the CTEK letters, as I have a top of the range CTEK battery charger that does nothing else than charge and recondition batteries when plugged into a 240v socket.

This might explain better about what a split charge relay actually does: -
https://www.simplysplitcharge.co.uk/help/

Most people I know who have converted/built their own vans have one of them fitted
 
The CTEK unit Del has is a B2B - Battery to Battery - Charger. So when his engine is running, the Leisure Batteries will be getting upto 20A of charge into them. It is a Smart Charger, just like the CTEK Mains Charger, but it is simply a DC-to-DC Charger rather than an AC-to-DC mains Charger
 
Millie Master said:
I am so very sorry Trotter but I have absolutely no idea what you are going on about! After all to me anything normally to do with electrics is some kind of black art from the dark side!!

I think that some of the confusion might be the use of the CTEK letters, as I have a top of the range CTEK battery charger that does nothing else than charge and recondition batteries when plugged into a 240v socket.

This might explain better about what a split charge relay actually does: -
https://www.simplysplitcharge.co.uk/help/

Most people I know who have converted/built their own vans have one of them fitted
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Wot Dave said ?
I’ve got the Ctek d250 . I just fit stuff. No idea how it works.
I had 32 O levels but they took them away for fighting. ?
 
My plans for 2019 is;
Night heater,
Replace current compressor fridge,
Might have a go at making some new curtains.

Get away more(y)
 
Tempted to build a little internal platform to create a 'boot' at the back of the van for storage of chairs etc , and lift the floor so it's easier to get at the high cupboards.
Would be about 2/3 up from the floor between the floor and the bed in this photo.
32824504122_07b05ccd94_b.jpg


Also tempted to make another gas-door in the side of the gas locker so I can turn on the gas from inside the van, without having to open the rear doors! (the gas locker is that door on the left side in the photo above - you need to open both rear doors to get at it.)
 
Nice build Rockburner, took me a minute to understand the need of a door in the gas cupboard. Then it dawned on me, your gas locker is on the left, n/s. I’m a bit slow(er) today. Mine’s on the right. The way I’ve got my bottles makes it a bit of a faff, reaching in for the main, refillable, but it works for me.
Is yours a self build or a tailor made?
 
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