Hawk Battery set up Anderson plugs

Jamielee129

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Dec 28, 2020
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Hi, apologies, this is a little similar to another question but not quite. I bought a 2010 Hawk recently. It has a setec power system.
From the other thread I have concluded that this thing will naturally charge the when the caravan is plugged into the car with standard connection is that correct?, but not very quickly?
My caravan in addition has three Anderson plugs on the draw bar, the guy said one is to charge the fridge, the other the battery and the third the he doesn't know. There is no additional DC to DC charger. So my questions are firstly am I wrong and these Anderson plugs are standard in all setec systems? If so what is 3rd one for.
mid it is an add on for charging, how is it working if there is not additional DC to DC charger? Why is there a seperate one for fridge and battery, wouldn't you just keep the battery charged and run the fridge off 12v?
also is there something I can buy in addition to the setec to actually monitor the battery so I can see what is going on?
 

poor but proud

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Aug 25, 2018
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hi welcome, You are in the land of maybe? could be? possibly? this happens when you can not read the mind of the person or persons who actually installed those anderson plugs and the reasons they went to the trouble of installing so many. if one runs the fridge, and one charges the battery the third one is possibly a solar panel feed? but where are these feeds coming from? tug battery ,extra outside battery,solar panels, generator,you will have a lot of very knowledgable members jump in and offer good advice,but it can be a good start to take and share some photos of the set up, good luck with your puzzle ,to answer one of your questions running a van fridge off a charged battery does not go well too much draw and you will flatten and damage the battery in a very short time
 
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Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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Okay the Setec will take a month of sundays to charge a battery but, ( and this is what people often forget) if you let your battery run way down you need a decent 5 stage charger but in the general run of things its does okay no problem if your camping in parks, if you end up with a bank of batteries for camping off grid then you won't be using the setek to charge just a good rack of panels with a good solar regulator so again no need to change the setek, get home plug in to 240v and let it just float to keep the charge up as your batteries should have been fully charged by solar on the way home......

Don't take anyones word for what the extra plugs are for, check them out yourself, try to follow the cable run, look for fuse/circuit breakers as you go to get a full understanding....... By the sound of things you have a direct fridge run, thats good the cable should run direct to back of fridge it may run into a little box which could be a fridge switch.................... The one he said to charge the battery possibly would go to the Setek to charge the battery while the mystery one I could guess runs direct to battery and would be use to plug a portable solar panel in, you don't run solar to the Setek at any time.

The fridge runs on 12v from tug when driving, ONLY and never from the van battery (this applies to 3 way fridges) when camping use Gas or 240v....It will suck the guts out of a battery in an hour or so.

A DC/DC charger is only of use really from a vehicle and you don't want to be running the tug to charge up your van battery, idling a car for 3 hours or so is not good practice.

A simple volt meter can be connected off the battery BUT to show real level the battery needs to be idle for an hour or so to give a true reading, the voltage shown when in use is not the actual level.

Most important pics of set ups, details on battery size/type, model of setek, type of camping use proposed/wish for...... pics always pics are good.
 
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MDS69

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Jul 6, 2014
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I saw your post on Facebook and left a fairly lengthy reply before I saw this. As I said there is your camper an outback model, does it have a 7 or 12 pin plug on the draw bar, does it have ESC fitted. Some pictures would be helpful of the van overall and of the plugs etc.
 

Jamielee129

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Dec 28, 2020
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Ok, I've seen people have red arc or c-tell battery management systems that the car, solar etc feed into then charge the battery. Is this necessary when it appears that the existing setec is already set up to do the same thing?
 

Jamielee129

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Dec 28, 2020
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I saw your post on Facebook and left a fairly lengthy reply before I saw this. As I said there is your camper an outback model, does it have a 7 or 12 pin plug on the draw bar, does it have ESC fitted. Some pictures would be helpful of the van overall and of the plugs etc.
It's an out back model. With a round plug I believe they are 7 pin.
 

Jamielee129

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Dec 28, 2020
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My next question is, with an inverter installed is it possible to just run the setec though that so it automatically powers everything that 240v is powering. Or do u have to wire it up individually to each plug or appliance id like to use.
there is an air con in the van as well, I'm guessing this isnt really efficient to run even with two batteries?

Will try post some photos tomorrow.
 

poor but proud

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Aug 25, 2018
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before you start planning to invert 12v to 240 v to run appliances, do extensive research on battery storage eg amp hrs stored,as most 240 appliances will kill your battery bank real quick ,and i surmise a hawk will not have an extensive battery storage capacity,forget the air conditioner unless you plan to carry a large enough generator anything less than 2.5 to 3 kw will not normally start and run an older airconditioner unit, you in your travel plans have to decide if you want to take the EXTRAS solar ,generator, fuel or plug into 240 at a van park, to start in pure cost, it can be best to plug in for the $$,then expand your equiptment, to suit your needs and plans , using knowledge you will gain in time cheers
 

Drover

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What sort of camping are you planning Caravan Parks or off grid ??

If off grid just what 240v appliances are you wanting to run that would require an invertor?

The Setek charges your battery which in turn runs your lights, water pump, 12v to stove for igniter..... There is no connection between the Setek and your 240v appliances or power points, 240v when connected to van will power AC, HWS,Fridge and anything you plug into a power point and will allow the Setek to provide charging for the battery....

Using an invertor when off grid to power the Setek to charge the battery isn't an option as the Invertor will take more than it puts back, there's a more fancy way to describe it but i will leave that to others..

I do Off Grid 98% of the time, a small 400w computer invertor used to charge laptop and thats it, solar charges and runs everything else, 12v TV and STB's, phone charge, gas for fridge and HWS............ A Honda genny runs the washing machine when needed....... no DC/DC charger, just panels and an MPPT controller hanging off 2 x 105ah batteries, a 240v charger which rarely gets used even when at a park, 240v will run HWS, fridge and AC.... We travel for about 4 mths a year so our gear gets used often......

Look at what you want before throwing $$$ at gadgets that don't do much at all........... first though get to know your van and whats been done to it..... never buy stuff for your van because you think it is what you may need, do trial camps which will show what you actually need...