Anyone using a VSR? eg Navra. Got a fridge in the boot of my ute running off a factory installed power outlet from the ute battery. Want to plug a 2nd battery in that outlet and run my fridge from the 2nd battery and recharge that battery when driving along or with solar. I am assuming the VSR will stop the ute battery draining my starter battery when the starter battery gets below 12.7v. Shop assistants this morning in three shops that sell the things had no idea.
KFT said
02:37 PM Oct 18, 2015
I doubt that a factory 12v outlet will permit sufficient charging current for a second battery to be properly charged.
I installed an 80 amp cable from starter battery to ute tub via a 40 amp dc-dc charger to an aux battery. My fridge runs off the aux battery and the dc-dc charger isolates the starter battery from the aux when the engine is not running. No VSR needed if you do it that way.
frank
Spydermann said
03:59 PM Oct 18, 2015
Frank. Sounds as if the DC-DC charger has a VSR built-in if it detects the car battery not being charged by motor running. Brian
KFT said
04:14 PM Oct 18, 2015
It does Brian,
The one I use also has a built in MPPT solar regulator so you can connect solar panels to it as well. That way it is charging the battery even when the engine is off(if the sun is shining!!)
It is a Redarc BCDC 1240. A very reliable unit.
frank
Jaahn said
10:02 PM Oct 18, 2015
Spydermann wrote:
Anyone using a VSR? eg Navra. Got a fridge in the boot of my ute running off a factory installed power outlet from the ute battery. Want to plug a 2nd battery in that outlet and run my fridge from the 2nd battery and recharge that battery when driving along or with solar. I am assuming the VSR will stop the ute battery draining my starter battery when the starter battery gets below 12.7v. Shop assistants this morning in three shops that sell the things had no idea.
Hi,
I have a VSR in my Merc MH. It works well. I bought it off ebay for half the price that some other places charge.
It works as you expect, but I have a very heavy cable from the front battery to the rear VSR and the second battery. My alternator is rated at 120amps so can charge at a high rate. A small cable will overheat if the alternator can supply excessive current for the rating.
I also have solar charging too.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Sunday 18th of October 2015 10:04:07 PM
Possum3 said
12:48 PM Oct 20, 2015
I have the Redark fitted VSR as standard equipment quite regularly fails to activate when de-isolating at door switch, even though battery fully charged - dealer and manufacturer (Avida) will not replace under warranty as it is intermittent fault.
patrol03 said
09:53 PM Oct 21, 2015
Hi spiderman, I would suggest you get in contact with Safedrive who is on a number of these forums. He is an Auto elec,a straight and honest shooter who will steer you in the right direction and save you heaps.There is more to charging aux bats than putting in expensive equipment.A correctly installed and appropriate VSR will will charge your aux bat equally if not better than an an expensive DCDC charger.
03_Troopy said
10:53 PM Oct 21, 2015
patrol03 wrote:
Hi spiderman, I would suggest you get in contact with Safedrive who is on a number of these forums. He is an Auto elec,a straight and honest shooter who will steer you in the right direction and save you heaps.There is more to charging aux bats than putting in expensive equipment.A correctly installed and appropriate VSR will will charge your aux bat equally if not better than an an expensive DCDC charger.
I don't think drivesafe is on this forum mate.
Spydermann, fit a VSR close to your main battery, similar to this pic from Redarc:
But instead of connecting the NEG terminals to ground, use 6B&S (13.5mm˛) twin to connect the batteries, and connect the red as shown and connect the black wire to the NEG battery terminals at each end. If you want to use the jump start function, you'll have to use heavier cable such as 2B&S (32.5mm˛) and connect the push button momentary switch as shown. The LED and resistor aren't required to use this function, they serve as an indicator in the cab. Where the fuses are, use 60A manual reset Circuit Breakers (100A minimum if using the jump start function).
If you have a variable voltage alternator, you would be better off using a DC-DC charger instead.
I installed an 80 amp cable from starter battery to ute tub via a 40 amp dc-dc charger to an aux battery. My fridge runs off the aux battery and the dc-dc charger isolates the starter battery from the aux when the engine is not running. No VSR needed if you do it that way.
frank
The one I use also has a built in MPPT solar regulator so you can connect solar panels to it as well. That way it is charging the battery even when the engine is off(if the sun is shining!!)
It is a Redarc BCDC 1240. A very reliable unit.
frank
Hi,
I have a VSR in my Merc MH. It works well. I bought it off ebay for half the price that some other places charge.
MATSON 12V 140Amp VSR Dual Battery Isolator Voltage Sensitive Relay MA98404 $53.50
It works as you expect, but I have a very heavy cable from the front battery to the rear VSR and the second battery. My alternator is rated at 120amps so can charge at a high rate. A small cable will overheat if the alternator can supply excessive current for the rating.
I also have solar charging too.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Sunday 18th of October 2015 10:04:07 PM
I don't think drivesafe is on this forum mate.
Spydermann, fit a VSR close to your main battery, similar to this pic from Redarc:
But instead of connecting the NEG terminals to ground, use 6B&S (13.5mm˛) twin to connect the batteries, and connect the red as shown and connect the black wire to the NEG battery terminals at each end. If you want to use the jump start function, you'll have to use heavier cable such as 2B&S (32.5mm˛) and connect the push button momentary switch as shown. The LED and resistor aren't required to use this function, they serve as an indicator in the cab. Where the fuses are, use 60A manual reset Circuit Breakers (100A minimum if using the jump start function).
If you have a variable voltage alternator, you would be better off using a DC-DC charger instead.