mmgemini Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 I take it the batteries are in the trailer ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 (edited) Yes Mike, I currently have Qty 2 110 Amp leisure batteries in the trailer, they are charged either by site power via a Waeco perfect power 20a charger unit or via the 12s socket when running. I just connected them together but didn't put any type of switch between them, during the winter I disconnected the second battery to stop them 'eating each other' and would periodically charge both. I am not sure of the condition of the batteries so need to check them but as they are both new should be OK. The only thing I can think is something has come loose on our latest journey and although the batteries were charged they are no longer charging but as there is 220 amps of juice available issues don't always surface quickly. An issue with the current caravan control panel is that as soon as you switch the site power on the 'charge gauge' goes to full green and it is not actually an indication of the batteries condition!! The new unit will give me the amps remaining and a better idea of condition of the batteries and the switch will allow me to isolate the batteries as required. Jason. Correction Waeco charger is a Perfect charge the inverter is a Perfect Power unit..... Edited April 16, 2012 by JasonG4110 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 The NASA battery monitors i can highly recomend, very good quality and acurate. There is also a slightly smaller version of the BM-1 if space is an issue. http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=BM1Compact Another very good product they do is their flexible solar panel in either 10 watt or 20 watt, excellent for keeping batteries toped up even in dull cloudy UK. http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=Solarpanel&cat=23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 The NASA battery monitors i can highly recomend, very good quality and acurate. There is also a slightly smaller version of the BM-1 if space is an issue. http://www.nasamarin...prod=BM1Compact Another very good product they do is their flexible solar panel in either 10 watt or 20 watt, excellent for keeping batteries toped up even in dull cloudy UK. http://www.nasamarin...larpanel&cat=23 Well that's good news, I have looked around for a while and the reviews all rated the NASA unit I have the space so that's not an issue and although spendy battery management was one of the things I wanted to get right. I have looked at Solar panels but all the reading I have done seems to suggest that they are not really worth it, do you use one? Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Yes we fit the 20 watt ones as standard on the smaller horse boxes as a 'trickle' feed for the leisure system when the lorries are parked up, as alot of the smaller boxes dont have mains hook up , so it saves them having to start the lorries all the time to charge the leisure batts. We have tried various makes and the majority are complete rubbish, but the NASA ones work very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Unless you run truck size battery cables from the car to the trailer via the largest Anderson connector. You will get a huge volt drop of nearly 10volts. That's why I'm going DC to DC charger. It's actually cheaper in the long run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Unless you run truck size battery cables from the car to the trailer via the largest Anderson connector. You will get a huge volt drop of nearly 10volts. That's why I'm going DC to DC charger. It's actually cheaper in the long run What do you mean by a DC to DC charger? I get 14.8v from my Land Rover split charge 12s set up and get a good charge, well enough to charge the batteries and keep the fridge working, (plus it gives me a reverse light) I have a wireless fridge monitor in the trailer that allows me to keep an eye on the fridge from the truck. Jason. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 DC to DC chargers are either 12v to 12v, 24v to 12v , 12v to 24v etc, Waeco do them etc. Like you said you should get enough current down 12S to trickle the batteries probably 5 to 15 amps. If you connected 12s to a 12v to 12v DCDC charger you can get them with a,5,10, 20 or 40 amp output, thus giving a higher charging rate to the leisure batts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Who modified your alternator to get it to produce 14.4 volts. I wasn't aware that anybody did that in the UK ? A normal alternator only produces 13.8 volts. All leasure batteries require 14.4. That's why before a trip and on a trip my batteries are charged with a battery charger suitable for them. Not all battery battery charges are suitable to do that. Somewhere either on SA 4X4 or LRA is a long post explaining why you can't charege leisure batteries from the vehicle to the trialer. Again. The only way is DC to DC Or two lots of truck cables from the car to the trailer. More info here http://www.pbeproducts.co.za/index.htm Again not AFAIK availabe in the UK If you use the C-tek 250. It will automatically change from one sustem to the other. So you have DC to DC, 240volt or solar as is necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 My alternator produces 14.something when its charging, its nothing special! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 All the products in youre link are available in the UK just manufactured by different companies who have been in the leisure , maraine, caravan etc market place for a long time. http://www.alfatronix.eu/1477-product-overview.php http://www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/Caravan/Battery-Chargers/ http://www.mastervolt.com/automotive/products/ http://www.sterling-power.com/products-chargers.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Found it. Not all of Brians good information posts are credited to him. Part of the change ove balls up. http://landroveraddict.com/forums/thread.cfm?threadID=60661&startRow=0 My alternator produces 14.something when its charging, its nothing special! So why can't I get one that charges 14.4 volt. I have two voltmeters on my Defender. The SPA one that never gives a reading of over 13.9 volts and the Engel one that often at the same time as the SPA one reads 14 volts.....I have yet to see an off road caraven or trailer fitted with an off road frideg, use anything other than an Anderson connector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Found it. Not all of Brians good information posts are credited to him. Part of the change ove balls up. http://landroveraddi...0661&startRow=0 So why can't I get one that charges 14.4 volt. I have two voltmeters on my Defender. The SPA one that never gives a reading of over 13.9 volts and the Engel one that often at the same time as the SPA one reads 14 volts..... I have yet to see an off road caraven or trailer fitted with an off road frideg, use anything other than an Anderson connector. Mike, I use a OE Defender 12s connection, I tested it today on the meter and got 14.4v I didn't have my meter with the shunt to give you the amp reading but will try to do that tomorrow, my alternator is a standard TD5 alternator. It work very well when we were away last summer charging the batteries during the day when we were driving so happy that the system was working I just need to see why the system is not working as it should be doing. But I will get around to looking at that as I am currently working on my rear storage project. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Jason. If/ when you get time read that link I sent you. Now Brian explained to me vis PM that I couldn't fully charge leisure batteries with the alternator or a normal battry charger. On our last trip if we had electric I used that not just for the fridge but to charge the batteries, both the car and the leisure to maximum. Also a couple of times I managed a good charge vis the solar panel. Certainly doing that made for a longer working charge. In one case 35 hours at 35Deg C ambient. Keeping the fridge closed also helps BUT you know yourself that you do open the fridge more than once during the day. My project has made good progress this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Jason. If/ when you get time read that link I sent you. Now Brian explained to me vis PM that I couldn't fully charge leisure batteries with the alternator or a normal battry charger. On our last trip if we had electric I used that not just for the fridge but to charge the batteries, both the car and the leisure to maximum. Also a couple of times I managed a good charge vis the solar panel. Certainly doing that made for a longer working charge. In one case 35 hours at 35Deg C ambient. Keeping the fridge closed also helps BUT you know yourself that you do open the fridge more than once during the day. My project has made good progress this weekend. Will do Mike, on the phone at the moment but just thought I would check the voltage and noticed I got the 14.4v. The fridge in the trailer tends to be for food where the fridge in the truck is for drinks and snacks so we tend only to open the trailer fridge at meal time. The National Luna fridge only uses 1.4 amps when running but has a start up current of around 12 amps. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 OK Mike, I now understand what you and others were on about, I think I have been getting away with it as taking the family we have usually mixed up the camping and when at camp sites we have hooked up to the 240v supply which 'refills' the batteries and gets around that problem. Also inadvertently the split charger in the truck for the Aux fridge battery is a DC/DC device as described, I always knew it was different but didn't understand why!!! DOH!! I see why the device is needed if you spent weeks on the road without hook up but our travelling does not get level at the moment, I have 2 x 110 amp leisure batteries so plenty of power to run the fridge and the LED lights. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 So I finally got around to looking at the wiring today, Last time I used the trailer I had issues with the fridge and had to rewire the plug directly into the battery, I found the issue but looking at the state of the cabling decided that a almost total rewire was in order... By jasong4110 at 2012-06-09 I had some bits to add anyway, as I had got an new volt gauge and an battery isolator to but didn't expect to rewire everything!!! When I built the trailer the electrical system sort of took shape as I went along I knew where I was going but to be honest it was a mess and I was not happy with it. So I set about replacing it all today, a good day was had and it is 90% there now I Have just brought a bus bar to take care of the positive side, and am awaiting the new 16mm cables for the batteries. By jasong4110 at 2012-06-09 By jasong4110 at 2012-06-09 By jasong4110 at 2012-06-09 I have decided that I shall be keeping this trailer now and not building a new one so investing in the electrical system to get it just right was needed as I am not a fan of doing 1/2 a job. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Glad to hear you're keeping her Jason . A lot of heart and soul went into her. Will you be changing this one much as you're keeping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Glad to hear you're keeping her Jason . A lot of heart and soul went into her. Will you be changing this one much as you're keeping? I am likely to be rebuilding the cooker housing as not happy with it since fitting the new sink it has moved again but apart from that, not going to be changing a great deal it works well, I may also look at fitting an awning to the roof tent so that when we are camping we can leave the trailer set up and use the defender. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 I will be heading down to the west country for the Bristol and West Land Rover show, so today was really the last time I would have a chance to put the trailer back together, all the bits had arrived so it was a morning spent crimping ends on cables and putting things back together, I am a lot happier with the cabling now, whilst it may not look the neatest I can get to every wire now and undo and move both panels so that I can make any changes which was previously a struggle. By jasong4110 at 2012-06-16 I got the new battery monitor working, WOW I am impressed, it gives me everything I need to manage the power on the trailer, the unit knows when it is being charged, tells me how long until the batteries are fully charged, how may hours I have with the current draw and what that draw is, I now know what each piece of equipment draws, and that the microwave pulls 48amps which explains why the previous fuse melted!! OK so it wasn't the cheapest piece of equipment but being able to manage the power and ensure we have enough left for the fridge. By jasong4110 at 2012-06-16 By jasong4110 at 2012-06-16 By jasong4110 at 2012-06-16 I may still do the sink unit before the big summer trip but am happy with the way it is working now, with the water and electrical systems are finally done now and are as they should have been when I first did it. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 After all of that work, I still had issues this weekend, frustrated s the batteries were down to 11.4v and not charging I tried switching it on and off again and found the fault, it a rocker switch on the control panel that is showing an intermittent fault!! Fixed everything works well, and only fitting the batter monitor allowed me to find this so it was money well spent. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrKev Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Spotted on the A303 today I believe! Looking good. Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I was indeed on the A303 you were the second person to spot me!! Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 A bit off topic but Jacob took this photo at the weekend, I though it was a fair view of the trailer.... oh and Mr Watts. Uploaded with ImageShack.us Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 How much did you reckon your trailer was worth Jason? I reckon yours is better than this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290740788598 that they are asking £7750 for. I can't see their wine rack lasting up to overlanding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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