Silver Dream Machine - aka campervan mk2

[Stinsy]

It's all together and working,according to the jk bms Bluetooth app

How’re you integrating them with your starter battery so they can charge from the alternator?

Several methods you can chose:
- Use a Voltage sensing relay (uses Voltage to sense when the engine is running). Problem with this is the LFP pull too much power while the engine is idling and overheat the alternator.
- Use a switch on the dash to control a relay so you only connect them when at motorway speed. Potential failure if you forget to turn it off when you hit traffic or whatever.
- Put a resistor (basically a coil of wire) in the circuit. This will reduce the charging current, but will get hot.
-Swap the alternator pulley so it spins faster.
- DCDC charger. This seems to be the preferred method these days. But removes the functionality of charging the starter battery from the solar or starting the engine from the leisure battery.

[richbee]

It's all together and working,according to the jk bms Bluetooth app

How’re you integrating them with your starter battery so they can charge from the alternator?

Several methods you can chose:
- Use a Voltage sensing relay (uses Voltage to sense when the engine is running). Problem with this is the LFP pull too much power while the engine is idling and overheat the alternator.
- Use a switch on the dash to control a relay so you only connect them when at motorway speed. Potential failure if you forget to turn it off when you hit traffic or whatever.
- Put a resistor (basically a coil of wire) in the circuit. This will reduce the charging current, but will get hot.
-Swap the alternator pulley so it spins faster.
- DCDC charger. This seems to be the preferred method these days. But removes the functionality of charging the starter battery from the solar or starting the engine from the leisure battery.

Im going for the dc_dc charging method (with mppt built in). As you say,it is the most common method these days,especially with smart alternators, which don't play well with vsr.

I did fit a dc-dc on my previous van and it worked brilliantly - it also trickle charged the vehicle battery from excess solar.
This time, hardly any of them allow that function,which seems a shame. those that do tend to be more limited in allowed solar Voltage .

I've decided to use a small solar panel to trickle charge the main battery -only 10W, but hopefully enough to just top it up, especially while I'm working on the van with doors open

[Saladin]

A less common more powerful solution is an engine dedicated inverter. Works great. I fitted a 1k2 Studer SI to a mates a couple of months back to charge his ecoflow @ 1kW.
I built a 90sec voltage sensing time delay cascade electronic interlock transfer from cheapo ebay boards to manage the shore/genverter transfer, let the engine warm up and allow the alternator tend to the starter battery first.
The bottleneck is the alternator case temperature. I aim for a hearty 80°C at idle on a hot day.

Love the bike rig! Especially the name..I hadta double take when I saw it.

10W? Go bigger. At least 50W. If you have any idle load what-so-ever 10W won't cut it.

[richbee]

A less common more powerful solution is an engine dedicated inverter. Works great. I fitted a 1k2 Studer SI to a mates a couple of months back to charge his ecoflow @ 1kW.
I built a 90sec voltage sensing time delay cascade electronic interlock transfer from cheapo ebay boards to manage the shore/genverter transfer, let the engine warm up and allow the alternator tend to the starter battery first.
The bottleneck is the alternator case temperature. I aim for a hearty 80°C at idle on a hot day.

That's some charge rate!

Love the bike rig! Especially the name..I hadta double take when I saw it.

Thanks - i know it was originally a motorbike,but it just fits.
I'm testing out the van + bike storage this weekend,heading for Scotland with mates for some mountain biking.

10W? Go bigger. At least 50W. If you have any idle load what-so-ever 10W won't cut it.

This is only the trickle charger, I'm putting 400W on the roof to charge the leisure battery via mppt

[Saladin]

That's some charge rate!

For a van...If it was a boat I'd do better.

I'm testing out the van + bike storage this weekend,heading for Scotland with mates for some mountain biking[/b].

Good mountain country. Keep her rubber side down!
Droppin' in!...

This is only the trickle charger, I'm putting 400W on the roof to charge the leisure battery via mppt

Ideal.