Charging Batteries Via Anderson Plug

[scomac]

Hi All

I have a Traxide kit with the Optima battery, and a CTEK MXS 7.0.
What setting do you select on the charger when your charging two different types of batteries via the one Anderson plug at the rear?
Hope this makes sense!

Cheers
Scott.

[drivesafe]

Hi Scott, because the auxiliary battery is an optima, you can use either the AGM or Calcium setting because the Optima will tolerate 15.1v while charging.

NOTE, this is assuming your cranking battery is NOT an AGM.

[Ean Austral]

I assume you run the Anderson plug off the optima battery, ?


Tim if you were connecting solar panels to the Anderson plug will the main battery charge if I have a SC80 control once the optima has charge ?




Cheers Ean

[scomac]

Hi Scott, because the auxiliary battery is an optima, you can use either the AGM or Calcium setting because the Optima will tolerate 15.1v while charging.

NOTE, this is assuming your cranking battery is NOT an AGM.

Thanks Tim, yes cranking is Ca.

[LRD414]

because the auxiliary battery is an optima, you can use either the AGM or Calcium setting because the Optima will tolerate 15.1v while charging.

In that case, is one setting preferable? I have the same setup but with an MXS5.0 charger.

Cheers,
A different Scott

[scomac]

I think both settings put out about 14v so I don't think it matters. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.

Cheers
Scott.

[drivesafe]

Hi Folks, it is important to make sure you know what type of cranking battery you have.

The early versions of the D4 ( such as Scotts ) have Calcium/Calcium ( Ca/CA ) cranking batteries and the higher charge voltage is fine for the cranking battery and the Optima.

Later D4s have AGM cranking batteries and the charging voltage MUST NOT EXCEED 14.7v, so for the later D4s, select an AGM setting.

[Eevo]

if in doubt, select the lower setting

[aus86inch]

Why do you need a battery charger if you have a traxide system? I have a traxide with sc80 but was under the impression that the alternator did the charging of both batteries😕

[drivesafe]

Hi aus, in the vast majority of cases, my kits do do the job.

But, there are a few D4s that are having BMS ( software ) related problems.

This is not just here in Australia, the problems first showed up in the UK and usually in D4s that did not have any form of dual battery setup.

There must be a fix, but it will most likely will have to come from Land Rover in the UK.

[LandyAndy]

Why do you need a battery charger if you have a traxide system? I have a traxide with sc80 but was under the impression that the alternator did the charging of both batteries😕

It does.
I use a charger to top mine up as I dont do alot of KM,many others do too.
Just turned 22000km today for a aug 2014 delivered vehicle.
Andrew

[scomac]

Also handy if your on a two week bush trip with no solar panels but you know you will have a couple of stops where you have access to power. You can plug your charger in and give both batteries a good top up over night if you havn't done a lot of driving.

[LRD414]

And also if you do too many short drives in the city like me. My battery has been good so far and helped by the Traxide but I'm taking the advice regarding getting some regular time fully charged to float mode overnight.

Scott

[aus86inch]

Is it possible to plug a solar panel I nto anderson plug to charge the batteries? If so what size and type would i need? Sorry about all the questions😊

[drivesafe]

Hi aus and yes you can plug a solar panel into the Anderson plug at the rear and you will charge both batteries, PROVIDING the SC80 is still cut-in ( batteries are still above 12.0v )

For maintaining the batteries, you can use up to a10w solar panel with out a solar regulator, but anything above a 10w solar panel must have a solar regulator or you will cook the batteries.

Regards, Tim Sanderson, Traxide-RV

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Thanks Tim,, I'm in the process now of putting a flexible 10w panel permanently on the roof. At a total cost of around $70 bucks its cheap insurance.

[Ben_Vapid]

How have you guys modified your Ctek's? It would be handy to have both an anderson and 7pin connector option straight onto the Ctek 'comfort connectors'.

[LRD414]

It would be handy to have both an anderson and 7pin connector option straight onto the Ctek 'comfort connectors'.
I've just made an adapter over Easter, 12S to Ctek.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/06/721.jpg
I had a Ctek cord with eyelets and simply cut off the eyelets.
You can buy similar ones from Disco3 or Ebay.

I also have a Ctek cord with alligator clamps.
That will be converted to an Anderson plug version soon.

And I have one permanently under the bonnet:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/47.jpg


I guess the new ones for the rear would be useful if the vehicle was so flat I couldn't open doors to pop bonnet. Or if there was some other reason that bonnet opening was inconvenient.
But I'm mainly just aiming for flexibility of options.

Cheers,
Scott

[BMKal]

You can buy the C-Tek connectors at Ashdown Ingram. ;)

I haven't bothered with an adapter to the 12S socket, but I have modified both my C-Tek and portable 80W solar panel output cables so that I can connect either direct to battery using alligator clips, or plug into Anderson plug at the back of the vehicle.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/35.jpg (http://postimage.org/) https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/36.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

I have a Traxide system with three batteries in the vehicle, and I charge them all through the Anderson plug, either with the C-Tek when I'm at home, or with the solar panel when on camping trips.

[gotaflat]

Hi Scott, because the auxiliary battery is an optima, you can use either the AGM or Calcium setting because the Optima will tolerate 15.1v while charging.

NOTE, this is assuming your cranking battery is NOT an AGM.

Hi Tim, for this to happen (i.e. charge both batteries through the rear mounted Anderson plug) does the in Cab Control Module need to have a particular switch position? FWIW mine is pointing to the LED.

I am following another thread on main cranking battery charging etc. - because I think its low/labouring when staring... but no warnings at all.

PS I lost the email you sent me on the position settings... can I PM you and get re sent? or is it on line?

[Marty110]

And also if you do too many short drives in the city like me. My battery has been good so far and helped by the Traxide but I'm taking the advice regarding getting some regular time fully charged to float mode overnight.

Scott
Hi, I just plug my car into a 20w solar array on my car shed roof to maintain my batteries. Plugs straight into the anderson plug same as when charging by solar when camping. I do this as my vehicle is only occasionally used between trips (not our main car). I think that even with a 10w panel you should probably use a regulator as it not only prevents overcharge but also prevents discharge at night if you leave your panel plugged in as I do. Haven't had any battery problems since setting this up.

[drivesafe]

Hi Tim, for this to happen (i.e. charge both batteries through the rear mounted Anderson plug) does the in Cab Control Module need to have a particular switch position? FWIW mine is pointing to the LED.

I am following another thread on main cranking battery charging etc. - because I think its low/labouring when staring... but no warnings at all.

PS I lost the email you sent me on the position settings... can I PM you and get re sent? or is it on line?

Hi gotaflat and set the switch away from the LED.

This is the normal and recommended switch position.

[LandyAndy]

Tim.
I think you should include a bussiness card with these units,it could have your advertising on one side and the switching positions and uses on the back.
We could replace one of the Stealers cards in the owners handbook with it;););););)
Andrew

[Ean Austral]

If I want to install a Anderson plug at the rear solely for charging from solar panels, what size cable should I run?

Cheers Ean

[drivesafe]

Hi Ean, if you do not already have a cable to the rear, it would be advantageous to run 6B&S.

The 6B&S will guaranty you will have very little voltage drop while charging from the solar, and the setup will allow your to charge house batteries ( in the future if not now ).

If you are only interested in solar charging, then I need to know the total solar wattage to be able to suggest the minimum size cable to reduce voltage drop/lose over the distance between the rear and cranking battery.

[eddy]

Depending on the size of your solar array,you could use an Anderson plug connected to pins 3&4 on the white 12S plug.Think it is fused at 15amp.

[Ean Austral]

Hi Ean, if you do not already have a cable to the rear, it would be advantageous to run 6B&S.

The 6B&S will guaranty you will have very little voltage drop while charging from the solar, and the setup will allow your to charge house batteries ( in the future if not now ).

If you are only interested in solar charging, then I need to know the total solar wattage to be able to suggest the minimum size cable to reduce voltage drop/lose over the distance between the rear and cranking battery.

Thanks Tim, I will just go with that as I don't know my solar set up either , had them for about 10 years . I may in future want to charge a camper battery so will rather go larger than minimum.

Cheers Ean

[PTCAAR]

Hi, I've just been given a Ctek MXS 15. It doesn't have the comfort connectors like the smaller Ctek and was wondering if anyone has modified the leads to take an anderson plug? I have a Traxide system and would like to be able to charge my disco 3 from rear anderson plug!

Sent from my LT26w using AULRO mobile app

[BMKal]

Hi, I've just been given a Ctek MXS 15. It doesn't have the comfort connectors like the smaller Ctek and was wondering if anyone has modified the leads to take an anderson plug? I have a Traxide system and would like to be able to charge my disco 3 from rear anderson plug!

Sent from my LT26w using AULRO mobile app

No reason at all why you can't just fit an Anderson plug to the end of the lead. ;)

I've made up a short lead with an Anderson plug on the end of it, and with a C-Tek comfort plug on the other end, so I can simply swap between Anderson plug or alligator clips - but having an Anderson plug only would be no problem.

Buy two Anderson plugs (Jaycar has different coloured ones available in a kit of three). Cut off about 12 inches of the lead from your charger and install an Anderson plug to both sides of the cut cable - that way you can either plug your charger directly into the rear Anderson plug on your Traxide system, or you could plug the two sections of your original lead together to give you alligator clips on the end if you want to charge directly to a battery.

[RickO]

Aren't the CTEK. Comfort connectors limited to 10A? I have a vague recollection seeing this somewhere.

[PTCAAR]

No reason at all why you can't just fit an Anderson plug to the end of the lead. ;)

I've made up a short lead with an Anderson plug on the end of it, and with a C-Tek comfort plug on the other end, so I can simply swap between Anderson plug or alligator clips - but having an Anderson plug only would be no problem.

Buy two Anderson plugs (Jaycar has different coloured ones available in a kit of three). Cut off about 12 inches of the lead from your charger and install an Anderson plug to both sides of the cut cable - that way you can either plug your charger directly into the rear Anderson plug on your Traxide system, or you could plug the two sections of your original lead together to give you alligator clips on the end if you want to charge directly to a battery.

Thanks for that, it seems simply enough to do, and allow me to charge through the Anderson plug or the alligator clips. Just one question I also have a temperature probe mounted to the positive alligator clip on the Ctek, what to do with that?
As" Rick O" said, I think the comfort connector on a Ctek charger only go up to the 10AMP models?

[drivesafe]

Buy two Anderson plugs (Jaycar has different coloured ones available in a kit of three)

Make sure you get GREY 50 amp anderson plugs.

A 50 amp Anderson plug of one colour will not connect to a 50 amp Anderson plug of a different colour.

This is deliberately do so that one colour can be used in circuits of a specific voltage and another colour would be used for circuits of a different voltage.

EG, GREY might be used in a 12v circuit and YELLOW might be used in a 24v circuit and the use of the two different colours means no accidental connection between the two different voltages.

[BMKal]

Make sure you get GREY 50 amp anderson plugs.

A 50 amp Anderson plug of one colour will not connect to a 50 amp Anderson plug of a different colour.

This is deliberately do so that one colour can be used in circuits of a specific voltage and another colour would be used for circuits of a different voltage.

EG, GREY might be used in a 12v circuit and YELLOW might be used in a 24v circuit and the use of the two different colours means no accidental connection between the two different voltages.

Wasn't aware that they were available in different amp ratings Tim - definitely worth keeping an eye on.

The pack I have is Baintech, and according to the packaging, all 50 amp connectors, so should be OK for my purposes.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/690.jpg (http://postimage.org/) https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/691.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

[kelvo]

Wasn't aware that they were available in different amp ratings Tim - definitely worth keeping an eye on.

The pack I have is Baintech, and according to the packaging, all 50 amp connectors, so should be OK for my purposes.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/690.jpg (http://postimage.org/) https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/691.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

What Tim is saying is the SB50 plugs are all 50amp (SB175 175amp and SB250 250amp but these get bigger as their capacity increases), but a red plug will only connect to a red, blue to blue, green to green etc. They are 'keyed'. The exceptions are a black and grey will connect together, and blue and white will connect together as they have the same 'key' see pdf for details.

http://www.andersonpower.com/_global-assets/downloads/pdf/111923s1.pdf

[LandyAndy]

Well thats a trap.Why have a 3 colour pack if they aint going to connect together????
Andrew

[kelvo]

It's possible that the Baintech pack are all keyed the same as a genuine Anderson grey plug. But that then defeats the purpose of having different colours.

I use genuine Anderson plugs, with grey as 'normal' 12v and red for unregulated solar.

[DiscoMick]

Is it possible to plug a solar panel I nto anderson plug to charge the batteries? If so what size and type would i need? Sorry about all the questions😊

I regularly use 80 watt panels to recharge our Defender through an Andrrson plug while campinh. Works fine.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[Marty110]

I regularly use 80 watt panels to recharge our Defender through an Andrrson plug while campinh. Works fine.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app
yes I also plug in a folding solar panel (120w) to the Anderson plug while camping and a 20w one when parked up in the shed for extended periods.

[BMKal]

It's possible that the Baintech pack are all keyed the same as a genuine Anderson grey plug. But that then defeats the purpose of having different colours.

I use genuine Anderson plugs, with grey as 'normal' 12v and red for unregulated solar.

You learn something new every day. :D

Good thing you told me about this - saved me some frustration and foul language if I had gone ahead and wired things up as I planned - only to discover after the event that I could not connect them together. ;)

I just opened up that pack and checked, and yes, the three colours in the pack are all keyed differently, and none will connect with any of the others. ;)

Thanks again for saving me a little more of what is left of my hair ............ :D

[drivesafe]

It's possible that the Baintech pack are all keyed the same as a genuine Anderson grey plug.

They are actually genuine Anderson plugs.

SMH ( Southern Machinery Holdings ) is the parent company of Anderson Power Connectors.

And that makes it one strong way to sell Anderson plugs when they know none of them can be connected together.

GREY and RED are commonly used in the RV industry, GREY for Power Connectors and RED are now used for the ALKO braking system, but it is still a strange way to package them.

I wonder how many others have been caught buying them and not being able to use them?

[123rover50]

I regularly use 80 watt panels to recharge our Defender through an Andrrson plug while campinh. Works fine.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

Do you go through a regulator or connect direct?
If a reg , then what sort?.
Do panels have a built in diode to stop reverse current at night?

I am new to this solar stuff.

Keith

[drivesafe]

Hi Keith and any solar panel over 10w must be connected through a solar regulator.

Any solar reg will do but make sure, if you are using standard type AGMs or have a new Land Rover with an AGM cranking battery, that the solar reg is set to no higher voltage level than 14.7v

[DiscoMick]

Do you go through a regulator or connect direct?
If a reg , then what sort?.
Do panels have a built in diode to stop reverse current at night?

I am new to this solar stuff.

Keith


A regulator came with the folding panels I bought from Jaycar. I use the panels on both the camper trailer and Defender as required. No problems caused by leaving it connected overnight.

[kelvo]

Well thats a trap.Why have a 3 colour pack if they aint going to connect together????
Andrew

I suspect it's sold as an accessory for the Baintech PowerTop battery. This uses Grey, Light Blue and Red Anderson connections for different 12v connections. Grey = Straight 12V input or output, Light Blue = Vehicle charge input with a VSR in the PowerTop, and Red = Unregulated solar input.

Not sure why the picture is on its side :confused:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109145&stc=1&d=1463146501