Triple battery setup run down.

[megatexture]

Aha, so the ctek in the car 'sees' the three batteries as a single unit. How do you manage when camped but have disconnected the vehicle from the camper to go off for a drive? I would wonder if there might be occasions when you want to hook up & drive, immediately after a drive without the camper connected. In which case the aux battery would be fully charged, but the camper batteries would be depleted (from running the fridge etc whilst you had been off driving without the camper). Most times this wouldn't be an issue as given time the three batteries would balance themselves once reconnected. But what happens when you reconnect & drive away immediately? would't the ctek see the aux as charged & not in need of charging, not charging the camper batteries until the voltage in all three had dropped (balanced). This may not be an issue, but I can imagine a possibility where on occasions you stop set up camp & find the batteries are not as fully charged as you need? I suppose it depends upon how quickly the batteries balance themselves & how long you drive for & how long you intend to camp without driving again (The capacity of three batteries would likely give a reasonably sufficient 'buffer' if the next stop was only a short one & the sun was shining). Those three factors could make it a non issue for you, where for some it may be. A fine example of how 'pattern of usage' varies what will work for some & not others I suspect, & a reason to always ask what the pattern of usage is as well as 'what does the user want to run'?

Cuppa

I've got dual volt gauge on the car and a single on the trailer that I regularly monitor and Can't say I've seen my batteries lower than 11.9, average would get down to 12.2 over a week, that's running a 80l and a 40l Waeco and lights when needed. I do put the solar out ASAP and if camped and I'm not going for a day trip I plug the trailer to the car with 2x 10m extension leads depending on how close I can get the car to the trailer. only once have I needed to run the car to top up the batteries and that was only due to bad weather before we were told to evacuate the beach.

[megatexture]

You dont happen to know the specs of the charger?

Ill see if I can find out for you

[megatexture]

Here is a pic of the unit fitted inside his toolbox , it had no specs on it that he saw unless its printed on the back but from what I can see this is the same unit. My mate has also put another batt infont the one you can see in the bottom of the pic.

http://www.biasboating.com.au/Powert...ger_p/3234.htm

[mudski]

Here is a pic of the unit fitted inside his toolbox , it had no specs on it that he saw unless its printed on the back but from what I can see this is the same unit. My mate has also put another batt infont the one you can see in the bottom of the pic.

http://www.biasboating.com.au/Powert...ger_p/3234.htm

Thanks for the info mate. I'm just trying to figure out how they have the 12v charging setup then. I assumed this charger they supplied does both. But it looks like it doesn't.

[megatexture]

Na they just have an Anderson plug to the batt and the charger to the batt also , then running off the battery is a aim fuse going to a small fuse box then splits off to cig plugs . Its a basic setup but easy to add to also

[megatexture]

Just sent him a txt and its definitely only a 240v charger

[mudski]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

[mudski]

Ok. Finally got the trailer last weekend. Now. I have run the cable from front to back of the car and put an Anderson plug on it to connect to the Anderson on the trailer. Still a tad confused whether I can hook straight up to the cranking battery in the car direct (no dc to dc charger). Can afford one right now so it has to wait.
Am I ok to go directly to this battery for now? Should I run a fuse inline aswell? If so what size?
Thanks

[threedogs]

I ran some 8mm from my AUX battery to rear bumper terminating with a 50 amp Anderson with a thermo fuse at battery end.
In the end I could of just ran some 6mm from the rear power outlet, but works a treat self contained so to speak.
This charges the battery in my camper as well as my AUX in 4x4. as long as alternator is 100amp you should be fine charging three batteries
I like to leave the start battery alone and leave it for starting only, one less thing to go wrong

[megatexture]

You can run straight from the starter temporaraly just rember to unplug it when ou get to camp so you don't drain it or if you have an isolator/ dual batt set up put it on the aux batt in the car