I didn't pull the plug

dawa · Guru

I didn't pull the plug

Yuglamron · Guru

Hi Dawa, hope all is well and you are going again.

May I suggest you have a low voltage solenoid fitted when you have your solar done.The solenoid that cuts power if the voltage in your battery gets too low.They are set to cut out before you lose enough power to stop the battery from starting the motor.

Your auto electrician /solar guy should be able to advise you of how it's done.

You don't want to run out of power again.

Safe Travels

dawa · Guru

If I had pulled the plug it would have been OK

I am told those solonoids are unreliable.....don't know if that is true or not.

In the meantime I am sitting in the sun knitting and waiting for enough charge to be in to start.

jumper leads high on the list.....LOL

Dawa

Yuglamron · Guru

Hi Dawa .it's the same thing they use on two battery set-ups to make sure one stays fully charged to use as the cranking battery.They use them on 4x4's that are going well off road and need a reliable set up.

I am sure that the stories you have heard about them being unreliable is no longer true.

Electronics have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years and I am sure they are pretty reliable now.

Cheers

Trevor

Scotty01 · Senior Member

Jumper leads arnt a lot of good if noone around to give you a jump from!

bronnie · Senior Member

Hi Dawa! Good to hear that you are safe and ok and making the most of the situation and enjoying the peace and tranquility....
Hope all is fixed soon....
Cheers
Bronnie

bill12 · Guru

I have honda genny, and it has a 10 amp 12v plug which will start the courier in 15 or 20 mins, but running the batterys flat isn,t recomended as it shortens the life of the batterys.I also have a 20 amp battery charger on the big battery in the van, and the genny will run that.With the solar and the genny, plus the alternater in the car, it seems a good system and I haven,t been caught out yet.I can run the waeco and all the lights , and tv for about 5 days and still start the car. I have a marine rotary switch instead of the electric kind, as it doesn,t use any power. All you have to do is remember to turn it on and off. Bill

dawa · Guru

I can jump start it from the house battery to the car battery or from my spare battery.

Dawa

Cruising Granny · Guru

I have 2 batteries in my 4X4. I also carry jumper leads, mostly used to start other travellers caught short.
Might I suggest RAC membership to get you out of trouble at times like this. They won't attend out in the Simpson Desert, but there aren't many places in the country where you can't get some sort of help through your membership.
I'm surprised someone hasn't stopped to give you a jump start. Or are you somewhere off the beaten track?
I guess this is one of the down-sides of "off the beaten track". Good luck. Lesson learned.
Safe travels.

golivers travels · Guru

Know your dilema Dawa, we have been in similiar situations. We were once stranded in Hattah National park and waited 3 hours for the RACV to come, and then at a lookout in Kakadu. No one had jumper leads but a guy did have a generator with an inverter for the car battery. Had to replace the battery not long after. Having an isolation swith fitted. Hope you are enjoying your travels. Glenda

Muso · Veteran Member

My Commodore wagon does not supply power to the CT (not connected) and the only time the car battery accessory is used is when we are mobile and the 50L Waeco fridge is on the back seat.

The CT gets its power from solar panels (or 240v). The solar panels that I have came with an extra lead that has heavy duty plugs to the panel and alligator clips on the other end so that in an emergency I could set up the panels and get a boost to start the engine.

The solar panels ride in the back of the wagon and would only be a small inconveniece to get them out.

dawa · Guru

Thank you all for your input. I am a member of the NRMA but I was tucked away in the bush.
I was able to get myself going and when I arrived here in Cessnock the 120 watt panels that I had ordered and paid for a month ago had finally arrived.

The main thing was not to panic and think clearly. Was a big fiddle but I worked it out. Good practice for me. Will be able to use the solar panels if it happens again,,,,,which I hope it doesn't.
Will now use the solar panels to charge the house battery most of the time.

What a learning curve.....LOL
I get my trailer in two weeks and THAT will make my lif a lot easier.

Today I start [with Mal's help to pull out the bed in the camper and change the configuration of the inside. Make better use of that very small space in the camper.

Having the solar panels means I now have refrigeration .........YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

cheers
Dawa

golivers travels · Guru

Good luck with the renovations Dawa. Glenda

johnq · Guru

Icy conditions can put a faltering battery out of commission. I have two batteries in the 4WD but the big diesel needs two good batteries to start it on a cold day.

You have to build in some redundancy for safety and convenience. That and buying good brands of battery, charger and so on. So the back-up has to be reliable and robust, simple and effective - storage space and cost.

As a 'pre-solar' camper who likes to get away from the herd, my firsts are a Honda EU2i generator and Trojan batteries, with nothing ever running off the vehicle's cranking batteries, except for some low drain electronics while in motion. I will re-think when the van choice is made.

Maybe the tech heads could recommend some no-nonsense value for money set-ups for the usual rigs. Put them up as a sticky to be regularly revised as new tried and tested solutions come on board.

dawa · Guru

re-configuring camper

Comebak-Wilson · Veteran Member

RE: I didn't pull the plug

dawa · Guru

on a hill won't work......camper is auto

solar panels have arrived and that makes life easier.

i like your set up tho

Dawa

Comebak-Wilson · Veteran Member

biggrin There's that auto thing again. laughs.

Glad you are safe and well.

jetj · Guru

Would love to see photos of how you rearrange things in the van Dawa. I'm always looking for ideas.

jimricho · Guru

dawa wrote:
If I had pulled the plug it would have been OK
I am told those solonoids are unreliable.....don't know if that is true or not.
In the meantime I am sitting in the sun knitting and waiting for enough charge to be in to start.
jumper leads high on the list.....LOL
Dawa

I know in my case a solenoid or relay is much more reliable than my memory wink

An alternative to a solenlid or relay is a Fridge Switch that cuts the power to the van when it is not moving. These can be DIY fitted by anyone with a modicum of handyperson skills

dawa · Guru

hi Jeti;

At this time it is air bed on the floor......LOL

Dawa

03_troopy · Guru

I cannot for the life of me understand why people are so mistrusting of smart battery isolators (VSR's). This would have saved you in your situation dawa. They are not that expensive and pretty simple to fit. I have a Baintech fitted to my Troopy, and at work we fit literally dozens of these things to mine vehicles. The ones we fit at work are the Redarc ones, and we have never had a problem with them not working. There are quite a few different brands and styles around and at considerably differing prices. Heres a link to the Redarc SBI. I have no connection (a sparkie pun) to Redarc, but they have a pretty good reputation. But like I said, there are quite a few other reputable brands around. I also have one fitted to my boat, but I can't remember the brand just now. The thing is that it keeps your batteries separated till the cranking battery is fully charged. So when you stop, the van battery is isolated until the towing vehicle is running and the starting battery is is charged and the alternator is suppling charging current.

Happywanderer · The Master

Totally agree with you Troopy. I have an isolator fitted. Means my drive battery never gets affected by my use of anything in the house part. BUT when I am driving my house battery gets recharged.

dawa · Guru

Just on $200 for one of those switches.

Have solar panels now so will be OK.

I little enginuity with what I had at the time got me going.....was a fiddle tho.

As i plan to be moving only every 3-4 weeks car battery was not enough anyway

jimricho · Guru

I'm a bit confused as to just what your set up is.... Is it a campervan/motorhome or are you towing a caravan and the Anderson plug is part of the interconnection between the tug and the van? Do you have a house battery as well as the main starting battery? Are you using a 3way fridge?

As for the reliability of a solenoid or relay I feel you've been poorly advised (as implied by Troopy and others). I have a Rotronics dual battery isolator fitted to my Pajero's aux battery that has been in service for over 12 years (it was in my previous vehicle before being reinstalled in the Pajero). It has operated faultlessly.

Over-discharging the starting battery is something that should be avoided at all costs as it will seriously shorten the life of the battery. If the battery is flattened it should be recharged overnight from a battery charger to bring it up to full capacity. A short run is not sufficient to do this.

Comebak-Wilson · Veteran Member

For me this was about money and why I put in a simply switch; works for me.

I've only known two failures of the auto variety, both are my mates so yes I wouldnt worry about the auto Solenoids ; go for it.

Just something to chat about..why we're here; I hope..spammer?

Scotty01 · Senior Member

I have a Auto Solenoid on my MH and have just installed Solar that charges the house batteries (2*100ah ). An Auto elect friend sugested that I get one of the new Redark 2way isolator. This allows the solar to charge the start battery once the house batteries are fully charged thus making the most of solar when available and just that little more confidence that when you are ready to move so is the vehicle. Dont know what they cost but certainly worth looking into if you have solar.

dawa · Guru

Hello;

I have a campervan......waeco cooler box that i don't use much owing to not enough power.

I run one light at night.

re-charge my phone and puter. Computer being the big draw and i limit myself to 2 hours absolute maximum.

I have a new deep cycle battery and have just purchased 2 folding 120 watt solar panels.

my wish bis to not move arround very much at all.

Find a free sight and stay for several weeks so charging from vehicle will be very minimal.

Dawa

Happywanderer · The Master

Dawa, I find the way to save battery power when parked for a while in the one place is to have lights that run on a little solar panel that sits on my dash. I bought it from Bunnings, The panel is about 3 inch square with a lead to the light which sits in the back. Turn it on when I need it without using any house battery at all. I also have a couple of battery lanterns, when i buy new batteries I can use them for a few nights before needing new batteries.
I rarely turn on the van house lights, I worry I might run down the batteries too quickly. Will turn them on for short times when needed but stick to the solar powered one first. It will last as long as I need it on for then night and recharges in the sun the next day.
If travelling regularly the batteries will keep charging but stopping in once place for any length of time you do need the solar panels you have now bought. I have found that out myself and am about to order some too.

dawa · Guru

I have a light that runs from solar panel.

I read at night so need good light.

Don't have the funds to keep buying batteries either.

Will see how these 120watt panels pan out

Dawa