Re: Battery Blues

by mcalid Mon Jan 16, 2023 10:57 pm

Caraman wrote:
mcalid wrote:I have now lost the will to live!!!
You will often get conflicting views or advice on this Forum and some will be right and some will be wrong but often it will not be authoritative. For that you need to go to the manufacturer or supplier and even then the person you end up speaking to is not always right. A couple of weeks ago I would not have suggested the Votronic DuoDig as a solution to your problem because I didn't know then that it trickle charged the VB from the mains charge going to the LB, just as it trickle charges the VB from the solar charge going to the LB. It appears that the Van Blitz Battery Master does the same thing but it won't improve your solar charging capability. The choice is yours.

I didn't mean to offend you Caraman and I value your advice but it is beyond my understanding as an amateur.
I have decided to replace my entire solar system as it has probably exceeded its sell by date.
I hope that I can call on you again if needed and my sincere thanks for your replies.

by Caraman Tue Jan 17, 2023 7:21 am

Mcalid - no offence taken. Plenty of Forum members have done what you are intending to do and so can advise. All I've done is replace the solar controller due to the limitations of the EC700 which you don't have. I am still waiting for a reply from Votronic on the Duo Dig and when/if it comes, I will post on my other thread.

by Molly3 Tue Jan 17, 2023 12:54 pm

I find drain on my lesure battery quite high due to sargent 328 constant drain I use a plug in timer to switch hook up on a few hours a week until solar kicks back in

by Caraman Tue Jan 17, 2023 1:41 pm

Molly3 wrote:I find drain on my lesure battery quite high due to sargent 328 constant drain I use a plug in timer to switch hook up on a few hours a week until solar kicks back in

Lots of people seem to do what you do but the solution for me would be to turn the Sargent 328 off when van is out of use. You wouldn't then have to mains charge the LB every week during the winter. OK in the summer the charge may come from the solar panel but you will still be discharging the VB unnecessary and then recharging it which will increase its wear.