Redarc or Ctek. Which one.

[Yendor]

In the wire that runs between the panel and the regulator.

[the evil twin]

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.

Rodney has already pretty much covered everything.

Whilst it may work it almost definitely won't do so to anything like full efficiency.
It may not work at all or even worse, may appear to be working with happy lights, voltages etc but minimal current flow (unlikely but possible).

As I posted elsewhere I run up to 4 batteries with 500 odd amp hour capacity using a Solar Reg, two dual sensing Isolators (a Redarc SBI12D and an Intervolt) and a battery Selector Switch
The Alternator can charge any of them
The Solar can charge any of them
I can winch off the Camper batteries if worst possible case occurs
The Redarc protects the Cranker from any load (Aux battery or Camper if connected)
The Intervolt protects the Vehicle from the Camper load (if the Camper is connected)
The battery switch selects Camper 1, 2 or both

[Tonks]

Should i wire the Ctek D250S in the Camper Trailer off the Start or 2nd battery in the vehicle,
Cheers.

[the evil twin]

Should i wire the Ctek D250S in the Camper Trailer off the Start or 2nd battery in the vehicle,
Cheers.

Doesn't overly matter but the Starter would be preferably if all things are equal

If you come off the start battery then that saves some extra wiring length (from the Alternator) and therefore less voltage drop, less connections and less to go wrong

[mudski]

I just bought the Redarc BCDC1225 25A dc to dc charger with inbuilt MPPT solar charger to run dual batts in my camper. Problem is my panels are 24V so until I get new panels I can't use the reg....
20140402_144842 (Medium).jpg

[megatexture]

Change your panels from being 240w 24v for example to 2x110w 12v

[the evil twin]

Unless I am missing something... Why change the panels? Just use them like you have been.

Putting the panel input thru the BCDC won't improve anything unless you have a crap Solar Reg.

The BCDC takes low voltage (say 11.5 volts) high current from the Alternator and ups the Volts at the expense of the current.
Solar is high volts low current so no advantage

[mudski]

Change your panels from being 240w 24v for example to 2x110w 12v

I wish I could. I have spent enough in the last week. Next on the list.

Unless I am missing something... Why change the panels? Just use them like you have been.

Putting the panel input thru the BCDC won't improve anything unless you have a crap Solar Reg.

The BCDC takes low voltage (say 11.5 volts) high current from the Alternator and ups the Volts at the expense of the current.
Solar is high volts low current so no advantage

I have a 180w system. 3 x 60W panels that are 24V. Being the cheaper Chinese kit it had a crap controller on it so I replaced it with a 20A Suntrans controller. Still mounted on the back of the panel.
Before purchasing this 1225 I wasn't aware that it won't accept 24v panels. I still bought it as I eventually want to upgrade my panels. So I need to figure out how to run both the 1225 and the Suntrans. I may need to start another thread instead of posting here.

[mudski]

Thought I'd add too, that I rang Redarc themselves a few times and the help these guys are willing to give is outstanding. Even the disty I bought it from made a comment on how good the tech guys are at Redarc.

[Cuppa]

The BCDC1225 can operate on a solar voltage from 9v to 32v, so will charge your 12v battery just as well from 24v panels as it would with 12v panels. Forget the Suntrans.