Redarc or Ctek. Which one.

[the evil twin]

Hiya Drewboy

DC DC converters will directly replace the Isolator in most applications.

You cannot/should not use them as a direct substitute in hi current applications IE winching etc
SBI12 and its various iterations and competitors handle 100 to 200 amps depending on models
You can switch the Isolater to supply cranking power

DC DC converters are a "one way" jobbie that supply up to 40 amps but most common are 20 to 25 amps
You cannot switch the DC DC converter to supply cranking power
You need a seperate circuit or jumper leads (no biggee really)

Incompatible battery types are batteries that require different charging voltages EG calcium likes 15.3 nominal
In parallel with an SLA you either fry the SLA or do not charge the Calcium correctly.
Also different technologies have different internal resistances and will "steal" charging current from a battery that is actually a lower state of charge

[threedogs]

Interesting subject I leave my camper hooked up to a 20watt panel all the time.
and charge it via an Anderson plug from the rear of the Patrol, I have yet to run out of battery at camp
so I take it my set up suits my needs, At camp I use an 80 watt panel to top up any usage during the day.
I have a 115 Trojan wet cell as my Aux, awesome battery and an AC delco 100 AH sealed battery in the camper
I was led to believe solar will top my battery right up, is that correct?

[Tonks]

If I have the Ctek D250s in the camper trailer, when in camp & the Anderson plug is un plugged from the tow vehicle, can I then just plug my portable solar panel with its own regulator straight into the Anderson plug on the trailer so then the solar panel will charge the battery via the ctek charger or do I have to put the solar panel direct to the battery via alligator clips
Cheers Tonks

[kevin07]

on the ctek it has a separate connection for the solar reg,easy fix run a separate plug from the solar reg connection

[megatexture]

If I have the Ctek D250s in the camper trailer, when in camp & the Anderson plug is un plugged from the tow vehicle, can I then just plug my portable solar panel with its own regulator straight into the Anderson plug on the trailer so then the solar panel will charge the battery via the ctek charger or do I have to put the solar panel direct to the battery via alligator clips
Cheers Tonks

The earth is shared on the ctek but the pos is different for the solar input , either run another 50 amp Anderson to the front or you could just run a separate pos and use a split Anderson plug to connect it putting the earth to the original plug.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView...n&form=KEYWORD

[the evil twin]

If I have the Ctek D250s in the camper trailer, when in camp & the Anderson plug is un plugged from the tow vehicle, can I then just plug my portable solar panel with its own regulator straight into the Anderson plug on the trailer so then the solar panel will charge the battery via the ctek charger or do I have to put the solar panel direct to the battery via alligator clips
Cheers Tonks

The D250S has its own MPP Solar regulator in the unit.
It is much more efficient to connect your solar panel output to the D250S solar input (thats the panel output not another solar regulator output).
The next best is an external regulator using battery clips but why would you when you have the D250S
The least efficient way is to run an external Solar Regulator output in the same plug as the vehicle feeds to the "Alternator" terminal.
You have a regulkator feeding a regulator which is very lossy

[Tonks]

The D250S has its own MPP Solar regulator in the unit.
It is much more efficient to connect your solar panel output to the D250S solar input (thats the panel output not another solar regulator output).
The next best is an external regulator using battery clips but why would you when you have the D250S
The least efficient way is to run an external Solar Regulator output in the same plug as the vehicle feeds to the "Alternator" terminal.
You have a regulkator feeding a regulator which is very lossy

Thanks ET,
I know the D250S has it's own solar input, but I would like to use the solar panel for the 2 nd battery in the car when needed, ie alternate from camper trailer to car, so the panel already has it's own regulator so when needed for the deep cycle in the car I can just plug into the Anderson plug on the rear of the car and when needed for the camper trailer plug into the Anderson plug on the camper trailer through the D250S ( but not the solar input on the D250S the other input, so it won't be going through two solar regulators only the one on the panel it self) does this make sense ? Or should I just install another Anderson plug on the camper trailer straight to the battery in the trailer and plug the my portable panel into that one,
Cheers, hope you can understand what I'm trying to explain.

[Yendor]

It would depend on how the solar panel regulator works with no load on it. Most regulators need a load such as the battery to start charging. I'm not sue if the Ctek would produce this load.

Easiest way would be to plug the panel in and check with a voltmeter. You can't blow anything up (as long as you have the positive and negative correct in the anderson plug) it will either work or it won't.

Where is the second battery mounted in the vehicle? under the bonnet? If so the solar panel will be more efficient charging this battery if it was connected closer to the battery. The shorter the wiring the better.

[Yendor]

You could also bypass the solar panel regulator with a bridge wire that you connected when you wanted to use it on the camper trailer. Depending on what regulator is used on the panel you might be better off using the Ctek solar regulator instead.

You would just need to make sure you disconnect this bypass when you wanted to use the solar panel to charge up the battery in the vehicle.

[Tonks]

You could also bypass the solar panel regulator with a bridge wire that you connected when you wanted to use it on the camper trailer. Depending on what regulator is used on the panel you might be better off using the Ctek solar regulator instead.

You would just need to make sure you disconnect this bypass when you wanted to use the solar panel to charge up the battery in the vehicle.

Thanks Rodney for your advice, where on the solar regulator would this bridge wire go ?