1st van- battery charger advice

[Joshg]

Hi all,

Just picked up my first van. It is a 2011 jayco eagle outback. I have been reading a lot of forums regarding the onboard Setec ST20 capabilities etc. just confused now
The van has a 105ah battery under the seat, and my tow vehicle is an 08 rodeo. I would like at some point to be able to run solar panels if not at a powered site.
A local auto sparky advised on running an Anderson plug from car through to battery to charge while driving as the setec will only trickle charge.
Can someone advice on a few things for me.

To charge the battery while driving is the Anderson plug the best option or should there be a charger there as well?
While driving does the Setec keep the fridge running properly?
Is there a better way of charging that i should look at for the battery and solar option? Ctek maybe.
Does the Setec charge the battery fully while plugged into 240?

Josh

 

[mfexpanda]

I don't charge the van battery through the car while driving I have solar panels, but the Anderson plug runs the fridge
On 12v while driving.
The setec will charge the battery fine while on mains power , but you need to have the battery switch on to do it.
Not sure how or what you need to have the car charge the battery while driving .
For me I have solar hassle free always charging

 

[Holden_man]

same here, whilst driving, Car runs the fridge, solar charges van battery, haven't come unstuck yet.

 

[Stan53]

I have Jayco Swift. Car charges battery and runs fridge whilst I am on the road. Overnights at non powered places, battery runs lights and USB charging devices. Fridge is then on gas. I can get over a week between charges with my van battery. When I get home, I plug back into 240 volts and charge battery. I dont have solar panels yet. They're on the to do list.
See you at Camerons Corner.

 

[boots33]

Hey Josh

To charge the battery while driving is the Anderson plug the best option or should there be a charger there as well?

Anderson plugs are a very popular option when you require a reliable high current connection to your van. standard 7 pin and even the 12pin trailer plugs are limited to the amount of current they can safely handle, they also tend to suffer from pin compression over time which can lead to dodgy connections. That is not to say the trailer plugs are of no use, far from it. There will be many members of this forum (myself included)who get by with nothing more than a trailer connector for their vans main supply.

or should there be a charger there as well?

DC-DC chargers are becoming far more common now than they used to be. This is mainly for two reasons, firstly we tend to have a lot more electrical items that require power and secondly the arrival of smart alternators has in many cases reduced the potential power available as they usually run at lower voltages than the older type.

While driving does the Setec keep the fridge running properly?

The setec plays no real role in running your fridge or even charging your battery while you are not on 240v. It simply provides a through connection to "hook it all together". The setec has a built in blocking diode which can introduce a small voltage drop so many people (if fitting an anderson) bypass the setec and connect directly to the van battery. Most people will make sure the fridge is packed and cool a day or two prior to leaving, some don't even bother to run the fridge at all while traveling.

Is there a better way of charging that i should look at for the battery and solar option? Ctek maybe.

There are an endless variety of after market bits and pieces you can add to "improve" on the original setup. The real question is which ones do you need to have an enjoyable trip. To use our example most of the trips we do are off grid as we enjoy getting away from the rat race. The van is wired as Jayco supplied it through a 12 pin plug and the setec, no extra anderson connector or dc-dc chargers. Our tow vehicle has a Smart alternator, we have a 100ah battery and a 120w solar panel and a small gauge in the van to indicate battery condition. We have never had any real issues while off grid, the only minor problems have occurred in times of extended heavy overcast/rainy weather when solar output is heavily reduced.

Does the Setec charge the battery fully while plugged into 240?

Fully charging a battery is not quite as easy as most people think. There are a lot of different conditions that need to be met to maintain a battery at a high "state of charge" . The setec will bring most batteries to a high SOC but it will require longer to get there than some of the aftermarket chargers out there. It will certainly keep your battery at a level where no damage will be done and more importantly can be left turned on indefinitely without fear of overcharging.

In the end a lot will depend on the type of trips you intend doing and your power requirements. The setup for the occasional week away can be very different to that of a round oz lap. The best advice i think is to get a few trips under your belt before you make too many changes, you will soon see the areas that need adjustment. For off grid stays of more than a few days my "must haves" would be solar panel and a way to monitor the battery, but I am sure others would be able to add their "must haves" to the list

 

[Drover]

Excellant post @boots33 it should be a sticky.
I now run my fridge off the tow whilst driving since I fitted my version of a fridge switch and when off the grid have an 80w solar panel which plugs in via an Anderson. KISS principle at all times and while your at it check all your 12v connections they may be dodgy.

 

[boots33]

Yes I agree @Drover KISS and a bit of time spent on pre-checks go a long way towards a happy trip