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A situation like you have is the ideal place to use a Ctek or similar smart charger. It will do all that you want without timers, battery clips or concerns about where to connect it. Ctek comes with a small insulated plug designed to be left connected to the battery, just unplug it when you want to use the car.
Thanks. It's a Redarc 'Smart Start SBI Dual Battery Isolator Solenoid'. Unfortunately, there are no specific instructions re charging with a battery charger.Quote:
Originally Posted by bee utey
Like bee utey said: when you connect the charger to the starter battery, the battery is getting over 12.7volts via the charger, so the Redarc will sense this and it will connect them both, so you will charge both batteries at the same time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidbeen
Not a bad thing either!
A while back I was having trouble with my alternator in my Tdi, and to keep me going whilst I received the new alternator, I'd connect the charger(probably the same Projecta that you have) to the starter battery, and it's charge both batteries easily overnight(actually in a few hours).
Had to do this for about a week, using the D1 as a daily driver.
No problems.
As there is no easy to get too earthing post in the D1, I just connected it to the battery negative terminal .. same thing really.
Also note that the Projecta charger doesn't start charging on immediate connection to the battery, and is off when not connected but still plugged in to the mains power.
So there is a delay in when it actually starts charging the battery(s). No problems with sparking/gassing/explosions! :D
It charges when the unit starts up it's internal fan.
Does your Projecta charger have the options to select battery type as well?
You can set it to work as a power supply(13.8v from memory) or Gel, AGM, Wet or Calcium types are the options.
AK83 - Thanks for that. Yes it has the options to set battery type. The starter is a normal wet cell but the auxilliary one is a lead crystal so it is probably an AGM. The Redarc will switch the charging to the Lead Crystal battery but probably won't do the maintenance on it that way; desulphication etc. I have the charger connected now for the first time. There is a solid red light showing on the Redarc thingo.
I am still working my way around this Defender which I have had for about 14 months. From the photo attached you can see it has a plug fitted for a charger but my Projecta only has the alligator clamps fitted.
What are the small boxes shown on the wall of the battery compartment? Are they just standard fittings or are they there because my vehicle is fitted out as a motor home.
Those are relays [thumbsupbig]Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidbeen
In a nutshell what is a relay?
That plug is from a Ctek charger.Quote:
From the photo attached you can see it has a plug fitted for a charger but my Projecta only has the alligator clamps fitted.
It is basically a switch that allows you to use a low current to turn on high current applications, eg spotlights.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidbeen
That black and orange connector in the photo is a CTek unit. A CTek charger will plug straight into that.
Can you return the Projecta for an exchange to Ctek?
Unfortunately, I have had the Projecta for sometime now. It a pity I did not know about that when I bought the Projecta because at the same time I was considering a Ctek.