BEP voltage sensing relay

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 3:28 pm

Anyone have any experience of these http://www.quaywestmarine.co.uk/products.asp?recid=568?

Granted, they're a bit more expensive than the 30A jobbie from Towsure but should be a fit a forget and it's got stud connectors and not spades. At 100A it should prevent blown fuses when your leisure battery is v flat as some have experienced with the 30A Towsure.

Also a few £s more than the Redarc from Oz but then again if it breaks I can send it back.

The manufacturer's site is here http://www.bepautomotive.com/

They also do a dual sensing relay so you can charge in both directions i.e. leisure battery -> start battery or the more usual start -> leisure. Not sure how useful that would be but interesting none the less.

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:57 pm

Yup, got the very same one. In the bottom left corner is a LED which comes on to show the relay is passing current. The thing is on at all times unless the starter is engaged because the alternator chucks out 14 and a bit volts at all other times it seems.
I have not run the leisure battery down low yet as it is a new installation and not been used much but it seems to do what it says on the tin.
I chose to run 30 amp cable fused at 30 amps to the relay and onwards to the battery. If I get time over the weekend I will take a picture. The relay screws onto the cabin air in-take giving the shortest possible run to the leisure battery.
To be honest, I don't think it gives much better performance than an ordinary relay but it "seemed a good idea at the time" and I haven't broken it yet!
Tim

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:23 pm

Hi Timhum

Where did you get yours from?

I seem to recall the Dandy has blown a few fuses cos he cooked one too many microwave dinners but I could be wrong. I'm sure he'll correct me.

A picture would be fantastic, whilst you're there can you take a more of the rest of the install.

Look forward to seeing your work.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:29 am

Correct - you're being corrected CB - no fuses blown yet, just not wise to stoke up the engine whilst cooking the aforementioned TV dinner

The "intelligent" Towsure jobbie seems to take care of overload.........

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:45 am

I stand corrected, although I got the microwave dinner bit right

It was Veg Ian I was thinking of. http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... php?t=8798

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:29 pm

Here are the piccies of the VSR in place, with a few more of the rest of the installation, well you did ask!
I can't find the invoice for the VSR right now but a spot of googling should find it. If you draw a blank, let me know.
Interestingly, when I took the pictures, I started the engine to try and show the LED shining but it didn't due to the scavenger fan being on and the volts being just too low to trigger the VSR, so I guess that it is a step up on an ordinary relay in spite of my previous thoughts.
I took the cover off the fusebox to show where a good source of power is available, the bolt with the yellow crimp connector on the right. Note the (30 amp)fuse between this and the VSR.
The inverter is a laughably large one (my desire for a good bargain swayed me). It is a 1500Watt one which just fits into the glove compartment. This makes it perfectly placed for a short run of fat cable to the leisure battery but if I ever ran that amount of power it is touch and go whether the unit would overheat from lack of ventilation before the battery gives out (I have increased it by drilling out holes in the sides of the glove compartment and the inverter has a fan). The mains lead goes to just behind the middle bench seat where it terminates in a 4 way 13 amp splitter. There is another splitter just below it which is connected to a 16 amp socket for campsite hookups, so I can easily choose to use internal power or external power when available.
I couldn't resist including a picture of the newly installed BMW clock while I was there, not like me to show off!
For your info also, the battery tray is the one advertised on ebay by a Bongo Fury member and the battery is a Bosch 110AH one from Costco for about £60 including VAT.
There is a further red cable coming off the battery, this feeds a four way fuse panel for wiring the internal lights, radio, cigar lighter and anything else I can think of, off the leisure battery. The fuse panel is screwed to a handy bit of plastic just behind and below the glove compartment. The red cable then goes off to a connector in the back of the Bongo for a future outlet there when I get around to it.
Glossery VSR = Voltage Sensitive Relay

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 4:11 pm

Whoops, I noticed that corblimy already has a dealer for the VSR, I paid about that for mine, possibly a bit more so no need to look elsewhere.
Also Glossary is the correct spelling for Glossery.
I checked it before sending as well, Doh!
Tim

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:05 pm

Noticed that you have a Woodstock 53 .I have one too. I fitted the internal, stick on window aerial with the box placed behind the rear view mirror and can pick up all DAB stations without fitting the external bit!
Great piece of kit.
You might be able to relocate the inverter to the passenger footwell . I mounted a wooden board there and screwed on my mains unit /socket. The mounting bolts are already in place in the footwell ( see previous post and pics)

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:22 pm

You might be able to fit the invertor on top of the dash support strut timhum - my 1200W jobbie fits just fine wedged in with a piece of foam

.........and it gives you back your glovebox space.

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:53 pm

Ah yes, the DAB radio, brilliant bit of kit. I have really enjoyed using it. Radio 7 is a favorite.
I tried to fit the inverter behind the glove compartment Dandy but it is a whopper and would not fit. It was really a silly choice for me to make, anyhow it is in now and I will see how much it gets used verses missing the glove compartment before I change anything.
I pulled the on/off switch out from the inverter to the right hand side of the glove compartment so it can be switched on by opening it to get at the switch, also has the advantage of being impossible to drain the leisure battery by switching it on accidentally. The three indicator LEDs were re-located on the bottom right hand corner of the front of the glove compartment so a discreet eye can be kept on the inverter when working.
I picked up a replacement glove compartment recently to replace the butchered one if needs be.
Cheers,
Tim

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:59 pm

Did you try it above the glove compartment Tim - resting on top of the round bar? There's plenty room up there from memory.

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:48 pm

Yes I did, as you can see from the picture, the inverter is a couple of inches shorter than the glove compartment and the same depth. It really wouldn't go anywhere else. I tried everything.
The back of the Bongo is racked out for keeping my work stuff and there is plenty of storage so losing the glove compartment is not such a big deal.
Now I have Tomtom, even the road atlas rides in the back!.
The inverter is a modified square wave one and if it gives problems in use I would cheerfully swap it for a sine wave 500watt one. It should be enough and I would be able to mount it where yours is.
Tim

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:50 pm

Hi Timhum

Thanks for the pictures, always good the see what others have been up to.

Glad to hear the BEP fits the bill.

I've just sold my car tonight so now I've got a pocket full of Bongo spending and I can get on with this job and all the others I've been planning.

What kind of inverters are you guys using (make, power, modified / full sine, etc)?