Goneoff Posted Sunday at 12:02 Share Posted Sunday at 12:02 Any one know and can recommend the largest wattage solar to maintain an engine battery which can sit in the windscreen and plug directly into cigarette lighter socket when the motorhome is in storage. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted Sunday at 12:16 Share Posted Sunday at 12:16 (edited) A Ducato's socket is rated at 180w(?) so a panel that size. But it's not that simple, the socket is normally off with the ignition switch. I have a small Anderson type plug wired to the battery a a 40w panel mounted on the wall of our van shed. p.s. do you have solar on the leisure battery? if so this can be 'diverted'. Edited Sunday at 12:18 by colin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goneoff Posted Sunday at 13:26 Author Share Posted Sunday at 13:26 4 hours ago, colin said: A Ducato's socket is rated at 180w(?) so a panel that size. But it's not that simple, the socket is normally off with the ignition switch. I have a small Anderson type plug wired to the battery a a 40w panel mounted on the wall of our van shed. p.s. do you have solar on the leisure battery? if so this can be 'diverted'. Hi and thanks Colin Our MH is on a Merc Chassis and for sure there is one cab socket that is on when the ignition is off. I do have solar on the leisure batteries but I am looking at the simplest option of maintaining the engine battery. In fact I wired up a couple of Anderson sockets as have done on my previous Burstner and toggled the solar between the hab and engine battery. Thanks again for your help Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted Sunday at 14:22 Share Posted Sunday at 14:22 I understand that Vanbitz produce a 3 wire device to connect between batteries, with the third wire being a reference earth connection. A fit and forget unit that should be reatively easy connect at at least some 12V distribution boards. I believe that Burstner use Schaudt 12V systems. Alan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted Sunday at 14:26 Share Posted Sunday at 14:26 58 minutes ago, Goneoff said: I do have solar on the leisure batteries but I am looking at the simplest option of maintaining the engine battery. It is written in Italian but easily translatable: http://www.m48.it/camperbricolage/diodorsistenza.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goneoff Posted Sunday at 14:41 Author Share Posted Sunday at 14:41 18 minutes ago, Alanb said: I understand that Vanbitz produce a 3 wire device to connect between batteries, with the third wire being a reference earth connection. A fit and forget unit that should be reatively easy connect at at least some 12V distribution boards. I believe that Burstner use Schaudt 12V systems. Alan Cheers 👍🏼 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goneoff Posted Sunday at 14:42 Author Share Posted Sunday at 14:42 15 minutes ago, mtravel said: It is written in Italian but easily translatable: http://www.m48.it/camperbricolage/diodorsistenza.asp Hi thanks for your help but unfortunately the link failed to open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted Sunday at 14:45 Share Posted Sunday at 14:45 ATM our van is sat outside on the driveway with the habitation solar charging the cab battery via a Voltronic 3065 battery maintainer, a simple device which has just two wires, one to habitation battery, and other to cab battery, works with LA batteries, not Lithium. I paid £15 for a nearly new one, but you should be able to pick a new one up for around £40. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted Sunday at 15:08 Share Posted Sunday at 15:08 2 hours ago, Alanb said: I understand that Vanbitz produce a 3 wire device to connect between batteries, with the third wire being a reference earth connection. A fit and forget unit that should be reatively easy connect at at least some 12V distribution boards. I believe that Burstner use Schaudt 12V systems. Alan A similar 3-wire option with solar charging available to the leisure battery is the CBE CSB2. Cheaper than the Vanbitz solution (at c £40) and somewhat different in operation, but ideally suited if there is solar charging available. (Whilst this, and the Votronic solution mentioned by Colin, are both unsuitable for Lithium batteries, there are versions of both which are, though they are more expensive and harder to source). 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted Sunday at 15:31 Share Posted Sunday at 15:31 46 minutes ago, Goneoff said: Hi thanks for your help but unfortunately the link failed to open Oops, something went wrong. Try this: http://www.m48.it/camperbricolage/diodoresistenza.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labby Posted Sunday at 16:14 Share Posted Sunday at 16:14 I have solar (120w) going to the leisure battery and a Vanbitz battery master is fitted keeping the starter battery topped up well. Their website has a section with information regarding their battery master device and its operation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goneoff Posted Sunday at 18:02 Author Share Posted Sunday at 18:02 1 hour ago, Labby said: I have solar (120w) going to the leisure battery and a Vanbitz battery master is fitted keeping the starter battery topped up well. Their website has a section with information regarding their battery master device and its operation. I think this is the route I will take. Thanks for your input Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goneoff Posted Sunday at 18:07 Author Share Posted Sunday at 18:07 2 hours ago, mtravel said: Oops, something went wrong. Try this: http://www.m48.it/camperbricolage/diodoresistenza.asp Thank you 👍🏼 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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