Electrical Drifter Control Panel - Complete Install

Ren77

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
518
581
93
46
North Queensland
We have just done our shakedown trip over the weekend. Our drifter control panel was showing that our first tank was 3/4 full when in actual fact it was empty. Could this be an error with the tank sensor?
 

Stephen Galvin

Active Member
May 20, 2014
184
242
43
57
Warnbro WA
The small Black and yellow wire REMOTE On OFF What does this do and how is it meant to work is there another component to buy ? Whats it do? As mine was wired in but not connected to anything other end?
 

bigman0510

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2011
1,754
1,019
113
44
Moranbah, Queensland, Australia
moranbahweather.com
These 2 wires control the charging on the setec:
upload_2014-8-4_8-54-43.png

The panel came with 2 prewired looms, a 5 & 9 pin plug
5-Pin, this is the basic info for the panel that comes back from the shunt.
9-Pin, From Left (pin 9) - to right (pin 1),
- Red (9), Blue(8), Grey (7) = Tank senders
- White (5)= common ground wire for Tank Senders
- Yellow (4), Black (3) = Battery switch, disconnects the Setec from mains, thus no charging
- Red (2), Yellow (1) = Pump on / off. This requires connection before tank senders will read.
 

Stephen Galvin

Active Member
May 20, 2014
184
242
43
57
Warnbro WA
Bigman05 can I just confirm please that these plug into the +ve connections on the back of the setec number 5 -6 are spare on mine.

Can I also please just confirm that all this will do is allow me to isolate the van and the actual Drifter as well when switched off at the drifter? At the moment when i switch of the battery isolator on the van the drifter stays on. not an issue at moment as cover not on but will drain power when the cover is on the van for a few months i would presume??


Thanks for the advice as my electrical knowledge is pretty basic and I dont want to short anything out.
 

bigman0510

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2011
1,754
1,019
113
44
Moranbah, Queensland, Australia
moranbahweather.com
Bigman05 can I just confirm please that these plug into the +ve connections on the back of the setec number 5 -6 are spare on mine.

Can I also please just confirm that all this will do is allow me to isolate the van and the actual Drifter as well when switched off at the drifter? At the moment when i switch of the battery isolator on the van the drifter stays on. not an issue at moment as cover not on but will drain power when the cover is on the van for a few months i would presume??


Thanks for the advice as my electrical knowledge is pretty basic and I dont want to short anything out.
I will have to get a picture of mine, maybe this weekend but it should be in the same position as the diagram above

And yes it is basically the battery isolation switch, and yes your van would probably draw a little bit over a couple of months, but a good idea would be to plug a lead in every month or so and charge the battery up as well as run the A/C to keep the seals oiled.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stephen Galvin

Stephen Galvin

Active Member
May 20, 2014
184
242
43
57
Warnbro WA
Ok connected the wires both to the positive at the top of setec nothing happened when I hit the battery switch on Drifter. Tried wiring Black to negative and yellow to positive Battery switch on Drifter still did nothing but cable started to get warm. All fuses good. So Im a bit stumped right now? Wont worry about it as I have another isolator anyway It isolates everything except the drifter.
funny-pictures-panda-has-technical-.jpg
 

bigman0510

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2011
1,754
1,019
113
44
Moranbah, Queensland, Australia
moranbahweather.com
It doesn't connect to the output of the setec, it has it's own connection separate as per the diagram above, in a different location to all the existing wires. It should have its own location on the bottom with only room for the 2 cables. Take a pic of your setec and I can try and highlight where to plug it in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bmhdg76

Stephen Galvin

Active Member
May 20, 2014
184
242
43
57
Warnbro WA
@bigman0510 Thanks mate something just clicked with that last comment I had wires in there for the other isolator switch. So I just crimped new connectors on with both the wires for both switches and it works :) Thanks heaps for the help much appreciated. It does not switch the actual drifter off though I guess this must be normal? But it does shut down everything else
 

bigman0510

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2011
1,754
1,019
113
44
Moranbah, Queensland, Australia
moranbahweather.com
@bigman0510 Thanks mate something just clicked with that last comment I had wires in there for the other isolator switch. So I just crimped new connectors on with both the wires for both switches and it works :) Thanks heaps for the help much appreciated. It does not switch the actual drifter off though I guess this must be normal? But it does shut down everything else
Awesome work!
It's working as expected, basically it disconnects the battery from setec, so if you are plugged in to 240v you will only here a click. But unplugged it should isolate everything (from memory) I don't ever use it.
 

Bmhdg76

Well-Known Member
Oct 6, 2012
769
516
93
North Lakes, Qld.
@bigman0510 Thanks mate something just clicked with that last comment I had wires in there for the other isolator switch. So I just crimped new connectors on with both the wires for both switches and it works :) Thanks heaps for the help much appreciated. It does not switch the actual drifter off though I guess this must be normal? But it does shut down everything else
Drifter will always stay on otherwise it looses the battery status and has to be re-learnt each time.

BJ
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stephen Galvin

achjimmy

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2011
3,031
3,401
113
Happy if someone can advise. Not sure our drifter is wired up correctly? It seems to work okay. But see the pic below of the battery and shunt. They have the 2nd battery neg on the drifter side of the shunt, I would have thought it should have been just parreled to battery one? One of the other two wires is the solar in I presume, no idea what the other is should it be 12v from the tug? Presuming these stay drifter side of shunt ?

It's a total dogs breakfast and will be tidied up ASAP. I love how the state of the art drifter panel still uses a glass fuse !

image.jpg