CQ, CQ - Pippin ( Split charge again ) !!

Yamaha · Post by **Yamaha** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:05 pm

Hi Pippin

I was wondering if you had come across this product before?

http://www.redarc.com.au/smartstart-techspec.pdf

I have just received one from Australia - just under £40 with carriage, and it seems the muts nuts for our Bongo's.

So, it's back under the bonnet again, and modify my system!!

Have also just bought a 24v Webasto 2000S heater, so have to work out a system that will parallel for split-charging, and series for 24v for the heater!!

Dunno how I ever found time to go to work!!

Mike

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:31 pm

I'm an ignoramus. I dont even have a Bongo yet, but when I do get one a priority job for me is to get a leisure battery fitted. I had imagined that all the Zig stuff etc they put in at the same time took care of any needs like the Australian thing you have bought. Or am I missing something?

Grateful for any advice / insight.

Are you a microlight flyer by the way? I'm a glider pilot (non current for 10yrs or so but may get back to it if I get a Bongo and can go and camp at my old club airfield).

best

Mike

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:39 pm

Just curious, but what does it do that a simple high current relay from Halfords won't, at half the price?

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:46 pm

I think the Zig unit is more about charging the leisure battery from a mains hook-up, Mike. If you have a Zig unit and a split charge, you will be able to charge the Leisure battery from the mains when on a site, and from the vehicle's own charging system when on the move.

I am also interested in flying, and took some light-aircraft lessons a few years back. Didn't complete the course though, as unfortunately I had to give it up when I took early retirement off the railway. Can't afford it now.

Colin.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:00 pm

I know the feeling moonshine. I kid myself I'll get back into gliding, but lack of time, cash, fitness to fly (maybe!) mean I'll probably only do the odd passenger trip. But you never know!

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:27 pm

Will comment later, QRL.

Yamaha · Post by **Yamaha** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:00 am

pippin wrote:Will comment later, QRL.

OK, young man - awaiting a QDM !!

Mike

wrster · Post by **wrster** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:38 pm

I fitted a 24v erberspacher: http://www.ruffster.co.uk/bongo/Erberspacher.html

Which works nicely. Nothing better than getting out of the pub into a warm van. Perhaps the wiring diagram will give you some idea's...

Yamaha · Post by **Yamaha** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:09 pm

Hi Wrster

Thanks for that input - and yes, I have read your article with interest - I think it gave me the impitus to have a go!

The difficulty I see is that my leisure battery is at present wired with the negative terminals linked, and the Split Charge relay connecting the positives.

I need to devise a fool-proof method of seriesing the batteries for the 24v heater supply, then paralleling them again for everything else.

Any idea how your system does this?

Mike

wrster · Post by **wrster** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:07 am

Hi Mike,

Here's a previous posting I made which details the relay I used:http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... highlight=

The relay itself is a quad pole double throw, each pole being rated at up to 12 amps. These are doubled up in mine to give a 24amp charging capacity. The unit itself is switching both the positive and negative terminals of the battery, so anything else connected to the leisure battery has to be isolated earth to it. It's switched by the charging light from the alternator.

I guess you could do something similar with your smart start wired into the positve which is switched when the engine starts, but due to its nature of waiting for the traction battery to get to 13.7v I guess it'll surge a bit when it does switch as the pd will be greater, and this may be beyond the 24 amp capacity of the relay I used.

It's never simple!
Will

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:39 am

My only comment is that series/paralleling the batteries this way is a complex modification and should only be attempted by someone with the appropriate technical knowledge, like wrster obviously has.

There is potential (!) for serious, and I mean serious, disaster to both Bongo and person if anything were to go amiss.

Yamaha · Post by **Yamaha** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 3:39 pm

Thanks very much, gents, for your advice on this. What a great club this is!

In a previous life I was a panel wireman - but that was about 45 years ago - and although the memory isn't as sharp now as it was, the project doesn't faze me - just wanted to explore the simplest way to do the job.

Also got the cruise control to fit - so could do with a period of settled weather,
and an injection of enthusiasm to actually get started on the job!!

To answer a couple of queries - yes, I'm also into microlighting - the avatar is my plane, although at present it's in bits in the garage, undergoing an extensive "fettling", which I am ashamed to say started last year!!

I bought it from a friend with the intention of taking lessons in it - but I think with the motorcycling AND the Bongo it is no longer a burning ambition, so may end up selling it!!

I do manage to get a fair bit of P2 flying, and with all the new regulations jobsworth's in Whitehall or Brussels seem to be dreaming up, it is now getting to the stage when people are beginning to question the point of all the expense for the amount of hours flown per year due to the weather.

Mike

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:43 pm

On the issue of flying, Yamaha I keep in touch with my Gliding Club through their list server. From what I can see, regulations are killing sports aviation of any kind. I've been restoring old radio control gliders in the hope I can do some sort of relatively regulation free flying!

Yamaha · Post by **Yamaha** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:41 am

Wrster said "The relay itself is a quad pole double throw, each pole being rated at up to 12 amps"

Will - any idea where to get relays like that? I seem to be having trouble locating ANY heavy duty multipole relays.

Yours seems to be marked "SETA", but Google can't seem to find them!!

Mike

wrster · Post by **wrster** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:19 am

Mine was from Maplin, you can buy socket holder too for a neat install - details on this page:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... ys&doy=2m4