MY23 D300 SE Silicon Silver
2014 MY15 D4 3.0 SDV6 HSE (Sold)
Complete Campsites Exodus 14 Camper Trailer
2015 Triumph Tiger XRT
I was advised when I set up my Disco in 2015 that the monitor was needed and had it installed. It only applies to trailers registered in NSW, and not trailers from other states traversing NSW.
In trying to find info on the RMS web site, all I can locate is a bulletin from from the then RTA dated 2007 vib-06-guidelines-light-vehicle-modifications-large-trailers.pdf.
So I might do a bit of ringing around on Monday to see if I can ascertain a definitive answer as to whether or not this is still a requirement.
This is the type of device I am referring to - Break-Away Controller Remote Monitor - RM6000 | REDARC Electronics
MY23 D300 SE Silicon Silver
2014 MY15 D4 3.0 SDV6 HSE (Sold)
Complete Campsites Exodus 14 Camper Trailer
2015 Triumph Tiger XRT
From my reading, it is no longer a requirement in NSW to have a Breakaway Battery monitor fitted. Unfortunately the definitive RMS document (VSI22 - see Vehicle standards information sheets - Vehicle standards - How to register a vehicle - Vehicle registration - Roads - Roads and Waterways – Transport for NSW) is currently under revision and not available, but other documents on the RMS web site seem to support this e.g. https://myrta.com/ebus/docs/is/AIS_N...ay_brakes_.pdf.
MY23 D300 SE Silicon Silver
2014 MY15 D4 3.0 SDV6 HSE (Sold)
Complete Campsites Exodus 14 Camper Trailer
2015 Triumph Tiger XRT
One of the things that is bugging me about my Defender is its profligacy with the contents of the starter battery, especially in a camping scenario. You so much as breathe near the vehicle and it activates all the computers and fuel pumps and god knows what else is going on. And because it's a Euro 6 emissions compliant vehicle it only keeps the battery about 85% charged to start with. This means you can get a "low battery – please start engine" warning before you even go to bed on your first night of a trip.
So unless LR sends us an update with some kind of camping mode feature (please!) I'm thinking about my aux battery options with all that as a background. And I'm really liking the sound of the CTEK D250SE charger and Smartpass 120S isolator thingy, for a couple of reasons.
The D250se is a 20A DCDC with an MPPT for solar input and it has a lithium battery profile. Once the aux battery is fully charged, it'll use the solar panel to trickle charge the starter battery. That sounds super handy for camping with a Defender. The Smartpass 120S is basically a set of voltage comparators controlling some switches to control the connection of your car's 12V circuit, your aux battery and a consumer circuit in any combination.
So in a vehicle like the Defender with a smart alternator, this pair allows you to ensure *at least* 20A is available to charge your aux battery when the smart alternator is in a low voltage mode, and up to 140A when the alternator flicks into a high voltage mode. In the low voltage scenario the consumer circuit is attached only to the car circuit, so none of the 20A from the DCDC is diverted to keep your fridge running, it all charges your aux battery.
The 120S also uses your aux battery to trickle charge your starter. And if your starter for some reason still gets so drained that it drops below 6V during an engine start, the 120S will automatically flick into jump start mode and shunt power from your aux battery into the starter battery and starter motor for 10 seconds.
There's no equivalent to the Redarc Manager 30 kind of arrangement but I think a DCS lithium battery with its onboard BMS and bluetooth app will cover a lot of the need, plus a second bluetooth monitor on the starter battery. The rest is just switches, wires and sockets and there's plenty of options to choose from there.
Will share details on whatever I eventually do.
No, I keep putting off making any changes to the Defender. The payload problem has got me focusing on light weight for now and potentially a changeover to a Grenadier in a few years time, so I'm reluctant to make any mods that could impact resale value.
In the meantime I'm using a Dometic PLB40 to run the fridge on short trips and carrying a Noco GBX45 to hopefully save me from a flat starter battery scenario.
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