Running 6b&s to rear anderson plug

**JAYRO** · 14th November 2018, 10:57 AM

Well I bought a 2015 TD6 with only 42k on the clock which is a great drive! Now to hook up my caravan.

I'm trying to design a system for running power to a battery in my caravan from an anderson plug mounted near the towball. I spoke to a few people and was suggested to get the SBI12 from redarc which I did. Now I am trying to work out my wiring diagram / plan I see some concern online with using it on a variable alternator. I rang redarc twice. Once the guy mentioned connecting the blue lead (auxillary lead) however over the phone I got lost in the detail and have no idea on wiring. I rang back and the next guy said I should not install it myself and get a auto elec to do it. I rang an auto elec who said, it's simple and you can DIY.... Anyway. I would like to DIY so I can get an understanding of the system before i head outback. but the variable alternator and damaging the BMS is my concern if I stuff up. I've installed a 12v solar offgrid before so ok with some basics, but new to cars.

I also purchased the redarc BCDC1240D which will live next to my 12v caravan battery and handle the power in from the Anderson Plug and the solar on the caravan.

The only wiring diagrams I can see for the blue line on Redarc site is the override and AuX led function. But I am sure the 1st guy said to use it for the D4 install...

Also I had the auto elec say I should run the cable under the chassis. I bought some cable tubing to protect it... will that be ok? Or do I need to run through the interior down the passenger side somehow... Any tips would be much appreciated!

thanks
Jeremy

**eddy** · 14th November 2018, 04:38 PM

Probably best to run it inside the body as per Traxide dual battery instructions, in case the body has to come off in the future.

**Konradical** · 14th November 2018, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by eddy

Probably best to run it inside the body as per Traxide dual battery instructions, in case the body has to come off in the future.

As per eddy...

But even simpler would have been to call Traxide and see if he could sell you the wiring set up for his systems. Fits really well and so much so, that unless you were looking for wiring under the bonnet or out the back, it's totally hidden.

**AK83** · 14th November 2018, 05:08 PM

Something that's not made entirely clear is, are you intending to use an aux battery in the car?
Sound more like you just want power from the alternator-battery into the DC DC charger(the BCDC1240D unit)?

But not sure .. maybe you already have an Aux battery in the D4?

**DiscoJeffster** · 14th November 2018, 06:43 PM

I took the chassis route, but in the event off a body off, will detach from the body to the chassis in preparation to save time and issue.

**drivesafe** · 14th November 2018, 10:51 PM

Hi Jeremy and as has been posted above, you need to run your cabling inside your D4, not through the chassis.

Next, even though the D4 does have a variable voltage alternator, there is not one Land Rover, old or new, that requires a DC/DC device in a camper trailer or caravan being towed by a Land Rover.

With a single battery and a 40 amp DC/DC device, you will recharge a low 100Ah battery to it’s absorption stage, slightly quicker than your alternator.

But if you find you need another battery, your alternator will have two batteries up to their absorption stage hours quicker than your 40 amp DC/DC device can.

Your DC/DC device is a waste of money and if you think it is good value because it has a solar input, this to is also a waste of time, because, with a caravan, you more than likely have solar on the roof.

With a DC/DC device, you only get one choice, and that is a maximum of 40 amps for recharging batteries, regardless of whether the input supply is coming from your alternator or the solar panels, or both.

But with alternator direct charging and a separate solar regulator, you can have two charging sources working at the same time and with this setup, your alternator and solar panels will easily recharge your single battery much quicker than your 40 amp DC/DC device could ever do.

**Turtle60** · 15th November 2018, 07:36 AM

Concur with taxide comments above from someone who has walked the talk on this set up. After totally failing to get a charge to my camper batteries with the existing setup, which simply was a dual battery with under bonnet red arc isolator to a dual battery in the rear of our camper I sort advice from Tim whose simple and easy advice was upgrade the cable as I had a 12 metre run (24 actually). Too much voltage drop.
My knowledge was and is still low on 12 volt but learning heaps.
I massively up graded the cables to the rear Anderson plug and also changed out the pathetically underdone camper wiring and now get 14.2 - 14.4V at the camper batteries with no dc dc charger in sight. Perfect.
one thing to make it easier I just grounded the rear (-) close underneath to save running a pair of BIG cables all the way to underbonnet isolator. No problems thus far at all but Tim may chime in here.
Your set up will work but use big cables to start with and be done with it. At least you have a 40 amp redarc. Anything less and you are virtually throttling DOWN charging potential quite significantly. Why have a 160 amp alternator that with big cable can deliver this and then put a device in line to effectively limit the output to ( in most cases) 20 amps. Never made sense to me.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 15th November 2018, 07:57 AM

Save all that money and just install solar panels.
Do it right and you never have to worry about Caravan power again.

**Geedublya** · 15th November 2018, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

Save all that money and just install solar panels.
Do it right and you never have to worry about Caravan power again.

Until your parked in the shade or get a week of rain.

**JAYRO** · 15th November 2018, 10:32 AM

hi all, and thanks for the replies so far.

The main issue I really have at this stage is how to run the 6b&s cable from under the bonnet to the tow bar. I read as much as I could find last night and now understand the arguments of chassis or not, however I'm still stuck at stage one... if I run it through the interior where does it enter and leave from?? Are there any online instructions / pdf's? I read that some people are going driver side, however the battery bay is passenger side so thought that was a waste of a metre in cable. Can anyone break it down for me a little more?

As far as my plans go, I'm not running an aux battery in the car, but rather one in the caravan. I went the Redarc 40amp charger option for a few reasons, firstly I liked how this one switches between alternator and solar sources to maintain 40amps. I also thought from having set up off grid 12v before that it wasn't a good idea to hardwire the batteries with a direct unregulated feed. The alternator to battery direct I thought would be unstable with voltage and also throw out the accuracy of any solar regulator. i.e. it's not reading the true battery condition when being charged.

I also have a 3 way fridge in the van which I will run off gas, but would like the option to connect the cars rear Anderson plug to when travelling with an isolator to cut out when under voltage. Keep the fridge topped up at least... See how that goes

So although the Redarc charger and isolator maybe overkill, but it gives me flexibility going forwards in how I use the system and also if I decide to upgrade anything later. I'm putting in 600w of solar and will upgrade the caravan batteries to 200amp, so will likely be fine with solar alone.

Jayro

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