[p1w1]

For you experts i was wondering if a split charge relay would work for me. I do about 30 miles on A roads in the morning to get to where i'm working, then about 19 miles on country rounds home. I reckon to be safe i run my pump for about 5 hours a day. Would a split charge relay be effective for me in charging the battery up I'm going to upgrade to a 110ah battery. I was looking at this one as it has everything needed, would this be ok http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Power-Intelligent-Voltage-Ready-Made/dp/B00FOR2ASO/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1429529505&sr=8-15&keywords=split+charge+relay

thanks
paul

[Matt.]

I don't no tbh mate, I have been working very long hours these last 10 days, and the pump was running for about 14 hours a day, I gave up on trying to charge of a night so ran it rite from van battery, I didn't cover many miles during this time and had no probs with van starting after 10 - 12 hours of pump running time.

My point is the van battery will power your second battery and the van battery has no probs starting van so in my opinion is yes I think that many miles is plenty.

Matt

[mufcglen]

i have the same kit pal from the same guy on ebay, really well put together and simple to fit, you will be fine with the miles you do!
i do 5-10 miles per day and my leisure battery is spot on. these split chargers put 14v as soon as you start the van pretty much so the battery will be bang on pal!
these separate the batteries joint feed when the vans stopped and the voltage gets below a certain amount too

[p1w1]

thanks for the replies and help. On the link it says suitable for charging 85-110ah batteries. I currently have a 75ah so daft question why is a 75ah battery not suitable.

thanks   

[Spruce]

For you experts i was wondering if a split charge relay would work for me. I do about 30 miles on A roads in the morning to get to where i'm working, then about 19 miles on country rounds home. I reckon to be safe i run my pump for about 5 hours a day. Would a split charge relay be effective for me in charging the battery up I'm going to upgrade to a 110ah battery. I was looking at this one as it has everything needed, would this be ok http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Power-Intelligent-Voltage-Ready-Made/dp/B00FOR2ASO/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1429529505&sr=8-15&keywords=split+charge+relay

thanks
paul

You will still need to supplement this with a periodic bench charge.

Pump running 5 hours a day = approx draw by pump 4.5 to 5 amps per hour = 25 amps.

Day 1 with fully charged battery:

Alternator charging leisure battery on the way home at about 8 amps. Length of time to get home about 40 minutes (guessing here). If 40 minutes then charge returned to the battery by alternator = 5 amps. Deficit for that day = 20 amps - battery capacity now 90amps.

Day 2.

30 miles to work takes an hour = Battery being charged at 8 amps = 8 amps. Begin work with battery at 98 amps.

Repeat process will reduce battery capacity by 12 amps a day.

For best battery performance and longevity, it is advised not to let the battery drop below 75% of charge = 82 amps. To maintain this you will need to boost charge your leisure battery every 2 or 3 days.

If you let your capacity drop to 50%  then you will need to bench charge your battery once a week.

This is all theory so may be different in practice. For example, as your leisure battery gets more and more charged, the amps it will accept from the alternator becomes less. So the figure of 8 amps will drop  away to very little as the battery reaches it fully charged state.

I have the exact same split charge relay (VSR). I started with a full charge of my 110 amp leisure battery today. I guess we both worked about 5 hours on the glass and used about 600 litres of water between us. My leisure battery was charging at around 6 amps on the way home. Our return journey took 10 minutes, so the battery didn't get much of a charge on the way home at all.

We have also found that my van will charge the leisure battery by the same amps, whether the van is traveling down the motorway or idling at traffic lights. So taking a slow drive home and/or getting stuck in traffic isn't a bad thing for your leisure battery. If it takes you twice as long to get home, then your battery will receive a longer charge and you could also save fuel at the same time.

Another tip:

I didn't read the kit components very well, so I write from experience.  In this kit your main lead length is 6 meters. That is basically the length you will get from the battery to near where your leisure battery is situated. The remainder of the 7 meters, ie 1 meter is 3 smaller lengths. The first is for the short length from the van battery to the in-line fuse; then your 6 meter length to the VSR; a short length from the VSR to the second fuse and the 3rd length from the fuse to your leisure battery.  My advise is to make sure that 6 meters is long enough.

 

 

[p1w1]

thanks for the reply spruce your about right with travel times, also i can take in the fact that i will do a bit of driving around my rounds and also locally going to shops etc. If you have the same one can you tell me why i can only go as low as a 85ah battery as stated in the link on amazon. I intend to get a 110ah one but as the 75ah is fine i was going to use it for a month or so just to make sure everything is working.
Also is there something i can get that will let me know my battery is ready for a bench charge like a little voltmeter that could be attached to the battery showing me. You can use the varistreams to get an idea but i would like something a little more accurate.

thanks

[chris turner]

I've only bench charged my battery once in a year. I do less miles then you p1w1 so I'm sure you will be fine.
Remember the battery will charge even  when the engine is running but your not moving, so sit and eat your lunch for half hour with the van running each day. I find doing this always keeps my battery tip top.

[chris turner]

thanks for the reply spruce your about right with travel times, also i can take in the fact that i will do a bit of driving around my rounds and also locally going to shops etc. If you have the same one can you tell me why i can only go as low as a 85ah battery as stated in the link on amazon. I intend to get a 110ah one but as the 75ah is fine i was going to use it for a month or so just to make sure everything is working.
Also is there something i can get that will let me know my battery is ready for a bench charge like a little voltmeter that could be attached to the battery showing me. You can use the varistreams to get an idea but i would like something a little more accurate.

thanks

P1w1 can I ask if you've purchased the split relay yet?

[p1w1]

Hi Chris
no i haven't, i was going to have a measure up first to make sure the 7mt one was long enough and after spruce mentioning about it only really being 6 meters i'm going to double check. I planned on ordering tomorrow as people seem to really rate the one i put in the link.

[chris turner]

If your willing to spend a little more then I would go for this.
Flow controller and battery charger all in one, very easy to set up and use and it displays the battery voltage and shows when the battery is charging.
Used this for over a year now and it's great.
http://www.purefreedom.co.uk/pumps-controllers/flowmaster-digital-pump-controller-with-battery-charger-facility.html

[Walter Mitty]

I do less miles and have a 70 amp battery at the moment.  It's been in since autumn with no problem.  I usually take them out once a week for a topup charge but have never botherd with this one - and it seems fine.

[Spruce]

thanks for the reply spruce your about right with travel times, also i can take in the fact that i will do a bit of driving around my rounds and also locally going to shops etc. If you have the same one can you tell me why i can only go as low as a 85ah battery as stated in the link on amazon. I intend to get a 110ah one but as the 75ah is fine i was going to use it for a month or so just to make sure everything is working.
Also is there something i can get that will let me know my battery is ready for a bench charge like a little voltmeter that could be attached to the battery showing me. You can use the varistreams to get an idea but i would like something a little more accurate.

thanks

Paul, why not send Mick an email and ask if this is suitable for a 75amp leisure battery. He is very helpful.

info.simplysplitcharge@gmail.com

http://www.simplysplitcharge.co.uk

The only reason I could see is that a leisure battery shouldn't be charged at anymore than 10% of its capacity - so a 75 amph battery shouldn't be charged above 7.5 amps.

An accurate volt meter is fine to identify what the state of charge is on your leisure battery. But the battery needs to stand idle for some time before a volt reading is taken.  A battery expert advised that it is only accurate when the battery is left to stand for 4 hours. I have found that an hour is OK as I haven't found any significant change between the 1 hour reading and the 4 hour reading TBH.

However, an accurate voltmeter is very important because a slightly inaccurate reading can mean a big difference.
The 3 dash gauge on your Varistream isn't very accurate TBH.

fully charged leisure battery = 12.7 to 12.8 volts.
75% of charge.                               =  12.5 v
50% of charge.                                =  12.4v
25% of charge.                                 =  12.2v
discharged                                          = 12v or under.

1/10v of a volt inaccuracy can be the difference between 75% and 50% charge. 1/10v is very small.

Another suggestion.

you are always going to be on the back foot with that Varistream. There is nothing wrong with it, but it does consume battery power even when it is switched off. We found that an 85amp h leisure battery lost 25% of its charge when the van was left standing idle for a week.

To stop the drain we fitted an isolator switch between the leisure battery and the Varistream on the positive cable.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-1-gang-2-way-20ax-switch/73955#product_additional_details_container

This works fine and doesn't cost much. Switch off the Varistream at the end of the day saves the battery being drained all night and all weekend.

We have older Varistreams and have always had good service from them. My son in law's van is fitted with this Varistream.
He travels around 9 to 15 miles to work and back most days. He also uses his van for private use occasionally and they go out to his folks once a month for an evening meal. They live about 25 miles away, so a round trip of 50 miles. He takes the van as he cleans his parents and sister's windows whilst he is out there. He takes his battery out probably once every 6 weeks to fully charge it. but he also has been caught out with a flat leisure battery on a couple of occasions and couldn't work.

I was going to fit a change over switch to his van so that should he ever be caught with a flat leisure battery then he can finish the day using his van battery, but I haven't done it. He doesn't do much, so keeping a check on his leisure battery charge isn't a lot to ask.

[robert mitchell]

I think you will be fine , i do a similar mileage to you and have never charged my second battery since grippa fitted my relay .

I use a 100 ah car/van battery for my second battery and i understand they can take a higher charge rate , battery was only £30 secondhand off ebay and has been in as my second battery for 18 months now and wa the main battery for my previous van for nearly two years ........all from a secondhand £30 battery .

I think leisure batteries are over rated.

[p1w1]

Thanks everyone for all the replys and spruce for your detailed help, i'm going to give him a ring in the morning to check why, but i'm going to get that one regardless. Regarding the switch you put up on the link, would i cut the positive & negative wire between from the varistream and battery and fit that in between or just the positive wire, daft question i know but electrics are not my strong point.

thanks again

[p1w1]

If your willing to spend a little more then I would go for this.
Flow controller and battery charger all in one, very easy to set up and use and it displays the battery voltage and shows when the battery is charging.
Used this for over a year now and it's great.
http://www.purefreedom.co.uk/pumps-controllers/flowmaster-digital-pump-controller-with-battery-charger-facility.html

hi chris i did look at that but the other comes as a full kit ready to go and i already have two controllers set up, but thanks anyway mate.

[chris turner]

If your willing to spend a little more then I would go for this.
Flow controller and battery charger all in one, very easy to set up and use and it displays the battery voltage and shows when the battery is charging.
Used this for over a year now and it's great.
http://www.purefreedom.co.uk/pumps-controllers/flowmaster-digital-pump-controller-with-battery-charger-facility.html

hi chris i did look at that but the other comes as a full kit ready to go and i already have two controllers set up, but thanks anyway mate.

This is the full kit ready to go...
The flow controller has 4 wires,  2 to the  leisure battery, 1 to the pump and 1 wire to van battery.  It really is simple to set up, took me 10 min, no isolator switch or seperate volt meter etc needed.
This is all you need m8, it does everything you mentioned in your posts all in one neat and tidy box with the benefit of also controlling your water flow.
Once you buy this you could sell your other flow controllers on ebay, probably make most of your money back and you would have a new flow controller and split relay for almost nothing😉

[PoleKing]

I've got the pure freedom one.
I do like it, but. After about 2pm it takes a while for the pressure to build up if you move the van.
And, although it doesn't seem to affect performance, when I disconnect my pole it flashes PS all the time.

[Spruce]

Thanks everyone for all the replys and spruce for your detailed help, i'm going to give him a ring in the morning to check why, but i'm going to get that one regardless. Regarding the switch you put up on the link, would i cut the positive & negative wire between from the varistream and battery and fit that in between or just the positive wire, daft question i know but electrics are not my strong point.

thanks again

Just on the positive (red ) cable, the one that goes into the supply side of the controller.  We mount our Varistreams on the side panel within easy reach of the opening rear door. I mounted the on/off switch just next to it.

So the order is leisure battery, cable to on/off switch, on/off switch to inline fuse and then inline fuse to Varistream.  There is an instruction leaflet in the switch so should be pretty straight forward to connect up.

[Spruce]

If your willing to spend a little more then I would go for this.
Flow controller and battery charger all in one, very easy to set up and use and it displays the battery voltage and shows when the battery is charging.
Used this for over a year now and it's great.
http://www.purefreedom.co.uk/pumps-controllers/flowmaster-digital-pump-controller-with-battery-charger-facility.html

hi chris i did look at that but the other comes as a full kit ready to go and i already have two controllers set up, but thanks anyway mate.

This is the full kit ready to go...
The flow controller has 4 wires,  2 to the  leisure battery, 1 to the pump and 1 wire to van battery.  It really is simple to set up, took me 10 min, no isolator switch or seperate volt meter etc needed.
This is all you need m8, it does everything you mentioned in your posts all in one neat and tidy box with the benefit of also controlling your water flow.
Once you buy this you could sell your other flow controllers on ebay, probably make most of your money back and you would have a new flow controller and split relay for almost nothing

It is nice to have a one unit does all controller.

What I worry about is that if the controller fails, for whatever reason (operator error etc) then you have lost everything.

I bet that Spring controller is also using minimal current also when it's off. If you just need to press an up or down arrow to read the battery voltage, then the controller is also using current even when the unit is off.

[p1w1]

Thanks again spruce. That is the concern i had with the pure freedom controller too if it was to go then I've lost something that controls my water flow and what charges the battery, I have one on the garage now  (not the one in the link) where the display has gone on it.

paul