Thread: Traxide vs. Redarc

Originally Posted by roverrescue

Eevo
Have another read fella. I have no idea whether unit was faulty?
If the auto spark hadn't have thrown it out I would have sent it back to tim though.
My story was just to add to tims assertion that in 4000 units only four have been replaced....

I have no desire for a VSR I'm obviously a control freak and prefer to manage crank / house / load and solar myself!

But I would suggest to tim that having flying leads as opposed to posts looks chintzy to an auto sparks eyes....if you want to encourage people to install CB in the system why not build them into the box and have solid lugs to attach wiring too?

S

There fixed it for you Steve

Originally Posted by roverrescue

I would suggest to tim that having flying leads as opposed to posts looks chincy to an auto sparks eyes....if you want to encourage people to install CB in the system why not build them into the box and have solid lugs to attach wiring too?

Hi Roverrescue, thanks for your suggestion but as the bulk of my isolators are supplied in Plug-N-Play kits, where they are already preassembled, and there is no need to cut cables or fit terminals.


So there is no need for my to change the setup on either the SC80 or the DT90. Also note, the SC80 and DT90 are also supplied with the Circuit Breaker remounted on the side of these isolators.


The USI-160 has always been supplied with studs but this is because of the much higher currents expected to be carried in a USI-160 setup and again, they too are normally supplied in ready to fit kits.

Have a traxide SC80 ( old model) in my DBS
I have read that it can draw down the starter when the car is not driven a lot
This I have found to be true ( 12.97v to 11.98v in 5 days )

I have read that I can fit a switch in the green yellow earth wire to turn the traxide off when not using the car a lot ......or buy a new model that has less of a draw .....I can find no data that clearly gives a comparison of the old versus new traxide SC80

so a few questions

1) what exactly is the difference in draw down or leakage from the new versus old SC80 and would this justify me spending for a new model .

2) how many days couldn’t I expect to get with the new model versus the old ( 5 days )
if I don’t drive the car ?

3) why do these units seem to use up so much battery power when the car is idle
......what is it in their make up that does this ?

4) I also believe that the new model SC80 has an in cabin switch to turn them off .
Does the new model come with sufficient wiring to get from a defender seat battery compartment to under the dash some where to fit ?

Many Thanks

Have a traxide SC80 ( old model) in my DBS
I have read that it can draw down the starter when the car is not driven a lot
This I have found to be true ( 12.97v to 11.98v in 5 days )

I have read that I can fit a switch in the green yellow earth wire to turn the traxide off when not using the car a lot ......or buy a new model that has less of a draw .....I can find no data that clearly gives a comparison of the old versus new traxide SC80

so a few questions

1) what exactly is the difference in draw down or leakage from the new versus old SC80 and would this justify me spending for a new model .

2) how many days could I expect to get with the new model versus the old ( 5 days )
if I don’t drive the car ?

3) why do these units seem to use up so much battery power when the car is idle
......what is it in their make up that does this ?

4) I also believe that the new model SC80 has an in cabin switch to turn them off .
Does the new model come with sufficient wiring to get from a defender seat battery compartment to under the dash some where to fit ?

Many Thanks

Yes mine did the same, i just fitted a switch to the earth wire and turned it off at times.
I think the new SC80 has a timer in it that shuts it down at a fixed timed period.
A look on the TRAXIDE site will reveal all.

For our new vehicle I will more than likely go for the DT90,as it has an adjustable timed period, and other good features,perticularly for vehicles that sit around a bit.

Hi landoman and first off, if your batteries dropped from 12.97v to 11.98v in five days, then there is a number of reasons for this.

But with batteries in a good condition, with the SC80 running, they should not drop to that level in anything less than about 4 weeks.

In these times, where vehicles are not being used much, or not at all, if your batteries are not maintained properly between use, then your batteries are going to sulphate.

Battery sulfration causes a loss in battery capacity and also a reduction in the ability to recharge batteries while driving.

The worse the sulfration, the greater the problem, but also the short the lifespan will be for the batteries.

I usually get one or two phone calls relating to this problem every week, but the longer this lockdown has gone, the more calls I am getting and it’s now around one or more calls a day, and not just from my Land Rover customers.

Whether you have one of my systems or not, you MUST maintain your battery or batteries during long non use periods.

For long term maintenance of batteries, see the link below, but you can also carry out a simple load test to see if your multiple charging process has helped your batteries.

Have a note pad handy and test the voltage of both batteries after the vehicle has been sitting for at least two hours after the motor was last turned off.

Next, turn your ignition on and turn your headlights on.

NOTE, DO NOT start your motor. With most new vehicles with a Push-Button Start, you need to have the brake pedal pressed to start the motor.

DO NOT press the brake peddle, just press the Start Button. This will turn the ignition on without starting the motor.

Again, in most new vehicles, the ignition needs to be on before you can turn your headlights on.

With the ignition and headlights now on, continually measure the cranking battery voltage over the next 5 minutes.

The voltage will drop quite rapidly at first but after a few minutes, it should taper off and stabilise.

NOTE, the voltages measured before and at the end of the Load Test are not critical, just a reference point for later.

Once it stabilises, note the voltage of both batteries and then turn off your headlights and ignition.

If the voltage does not stabilise and just keeps dropping, you most probably have a problem battery or batteries.

Now start the rejuvenating process described in the link below.

After a week or so of carrying out the rejuvenating process, again after the vehicle has been sitting for at least a few hours, carry out the same load test again.

This time, at the end of the load test, you should see at least a 0.2v or more, increase at both batteries. This indicates your batteries are in reasonably good nick and should now hold a lot more capacity. They will also charge quicker when you drive.


SPECIAL NOTE, if you are going away over the Christmas - New Year break and will be free camping, it is a good idea AT ANY TIME, not just because of the Lockdown, to carrying out the rejuvenating process in the weeks before you go.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/the-verandah/246755-line-auto-electrical-info-8.html

Thanks Tim
Appreciate your thoughts

I had noticed my batteries dropping voltage over a very short time so have been doing some monitoring to try to understand why

My current batteries that have this problem are a few months old As I needed to replace the optima yellow top I decided to replace the starter at the same time as it was 4 years old and fitting them and a traxide in the defender box is a bit of a pain so thought I’d do both together

In order to try to understand what’s going on I did the following

I fully charged both batteries with a ctek
up to the top level 7 on the ctek
Then I dove from Sydney to Cooma
Both my batteries were fully charged
Optima 13.00
Starter 12.97

I then disconnected the optima from the traxide and left the starter connected to the traxide for 5 days . I monitored the two batteries over the 5 days . The optima ( disconnected from the traxide ) kept It’s charge the starter connected to the traxide lost its charge
Reading after 5 days
Optima 12.86
Starter 11.98

Starter loosing charge

I then started the car and ran it for a while to put some charge in the battery for the drive back to Sydney and reconnected both batteries with the traxide
At 4.00 pm Friday reading
Optima 12.51
Starter 12.51

Left car overnight all turned off

Sat morning reading
Optima 12.32
Starter 12.32

Both batteries appeared to be loosing charge

When got home I removed the positive and negative leads from the starter I also took the traxide lead off the starter so the starter was completely stand alone not connected to anything . The traxide was still connected to the optima and the earth spot but not the starter
I monitored both batteries over 2 days
Optima went from 12.93 to 12.88
Starter went from 13.24 to 12.93

So both appeared to be holding their charge


This is why I think the sc80 is drawing a lot out of my batteries and I don’t understand why

Originally Posted by landoman

I then disconnected the optima from the traxide and left the starter connected to the traxide for 5 days . I monitored the two batteries over the 5 days . The optima ( disconnected from the traxide ) kept It’s charge the starter connected to the traxide lost its charge
Reading after 5 days
Optima 12.86
Starter 11.98

Hi again landoman and sorry mate but you need to follow the suggestion I gave you in the last reply.

You have NOT rejuvenated your battery, you have simply given it a bit of a charge.

The info you have posted up clearly indicates that your cranking battery is still in a poor condition.

If after 5 days, your cranking battery was down to 11.98v then the SC80 most likely discharged it down to around 12.05v in the first couple of days. It should have taken at least 2 weeks.

When the SC80 turned off, your battery would have SETTLED UP about 0.1v and even after the SC80 turned off, your battery has continued to self-discharge at a VERY fast rate.

Even if the SC80 was still on, after just 5 days, your battery should still be up around the 12.3v to 12.4v if your battery was in a decent condition.

Again I suggest you carry out the FULL rejuvenating process and not just once, but leave your battery charger on your cranking battery all night, every night, for a week, then see what is happening with your cranking battery.

Again, my SC80 is drawing your battery down, but your battery is discharging way too quickly. This is a problem with the battery, not the SC80.