Smartcom / split charger confusion???

[Oldiebut goodie]

Your best way forward is to upgrade in the future using the Smartcom + more powerful relay as per AngeloEvs's post above at some point in the future (you just use the output from the Smartcom that would have gone to the leisure battery to switch another, larger, relay). The trouble is that we are adding more and more demands on our batteries with our 'gadgets' so the old way of doing it is no longer sufficient.

[orangebooboobearcrew]

Thanks.

So where can I get a larger relay from and would I need to upgrade the wiring presumably? If so, to what and where do you get it from as I have only found upto 27amp before?

Cheers,

Chris

[AngeloEvs]

Thanks.

So where can I get a larger relay from and would I need to upgrade the wiring presumably? If so, to what and where do you get it from as I have only found upto 27amp before?

Cheers,

Chris

Most autospares will have a relay and wire on a reel but Maplin do 40A relays, you only need a single pole normally open ...............two on the maplin site just scroll down the list and cheaper one on page two.......here http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?cri ... &source=15

[Oldiebut goodie]

70A relay here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12v-4pin-70A-spli ... 7C294%3A50 £8.29 inclusive.

120A jump leads for cable here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/120amp-Jump-Leads ... 7C294%3A50 £5.49

10mm lugs for cable here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Welding-Cable-Lug ... 7C294%3A50 I would solder these on rather than crimp - one less resistance point created to your charging. £2.54

Fuse holder here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DURITE-STRIP-LINK ... 7C294%3A50 £4.05

Fuses here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DURITE-STRIP-LINK ... 7C294%3A50 £2.94

Was that all?

[orangebooboobearcrew]

You guys are ace! Is there anything you don't know the answer to? Thanks (yet again) for all the help and advice.
Unfortunately I am note finished!! Doing something silly I think but I wired the 12v fridge up to the Fridge o/p on the Smartcom tonight and tested for first time - she runs! yeah!! I also re-wired the dashboard l.e.d. to the fridge o/p as advised here. However, the fridge and l.e.d. are both running without the engine on! How can that be?

Would it be because my battery is producing move than 13.v without engine / alternator (unlikely I would have thought) or possibly that the Smartcom is switching on at too lower voltage or faulty? I let it run for a while as I know the device can 'store' voltage and take time to switch off but it was still running the fridge after 20 mins!

If it is Smartcom at too lower voltage, presumably I can use the screw adjustment to tweak until I get it right? (I have not touched the setting on this at all I point out). How do you adjust this if so, does anyone know?

Please help me!!

Thanks,

Chris

[Oldiebut goodie]

If you just leave it a short while the vehicle battery voltage will drop enough for the relay to disconnect.If your battery is in good nick and has been recently charged it could well be sitting at 13v or more.
If you want to adjust it -stick a small flat bladed screwdriver into the adjustment hole and turn until it switches on/off at the voltage you want (multimeter on the vehicle battery). If you have the engine running the charge from the alternator will be quite high so you can set it to this higher level that way.
Clear as mud eh?

[orangebooboobearcrew]

Thanks Oldie but goldie.

Battery is reasonably new and alternator was reconditioned about 18 mnts ago. Don't have a multimeter but do have a voltmeter on dash and if I click the ignition without starting I get a reading of about 12v so why would the Smartcom switch on at this voltage? Would there be any other reason other than incorrect setting / faulty relay?

Something doesn't sound right to me!?

[Oldiebut goodie]

I would just adjust it until the relay clicks off when you have charged the battery/driven the van and the engine is off then check that it switches on when the engine is running.This will set it to close to what you need. It most probably wasn't set to any particular voltage when you got it.

[orangebooboobearcrew]

Cheers I'll have a go tonight...

[stephen t25]

Is smartcom the best one to go for ?

[AngeloEvs]

there are higher rated ones available, think oldiebut goodie got his on Ebay........Smartcom easy to get but at 15A per contact a bit short on the current capacity for the charge function. Check the earlier comments in the thread.....

[orangebooboobearcrew]

She works!!

Fiddled with adjustment screw on Smartcom last night as advised - without engine running, turned until relay clicked off, the started engine and tweaked so it switched on at correct voltage - easy peasy when you know how!!!

Thanks to everyone for your advice - hopefully have a trouble free holiday now for next 2 weeks in the van??.....

Chris

[Oldiebut goodie]

I'm heading off for 3 or 4 weeks shortly as well - as soon as the winds and rain abate. But I am going wildcamping in Scotland in comfort in my big 4.5 ton Merc!
Glad it is all sorted.