LR3/4 Elec Power Management Charger/Dual Batt/Solar Suggestions

[Victory_Overland]

I have my Traxide kit laying in the garage and am laying it out to get a good plan. I think I am looking at making a few changes to the rear harness 12v plugs and go to a Blue Seas 6 or 12 accessory box but not sure yet.

With that said, I am running the following batteries and I plan to buy a new charger (potential hardwire) to leave under the hood since there is no chance my lovely LR3 super weak-****** factory alternator will ever charge those AGMs up to full spec on a daily drive scenario.

I've been doing research and am sold on a smart-charger! I've been researching a bit on NOCO Genious and a bit on CTEK so I am curious to know who is using what for their power needs.

Anywho, here is the proposed set-up. I put this under our forums since the LR3/4 is entirely sensitive to specific voltage requirements and having solid charge requirements without shutting the vehicle down into limp mode.

Proposed Set-up:
Traxide 160 with solar/caravan
Primary: Odyssey AGM PC1350 cranking/starting battery
Auxiliary: Odyssey AGM PC2150 deep cycle 100ah (this is minimum but if I can find a bigger than 100ah that will fit I'll do it)
Solar Controller: Victron MPPT 15 amp Bluetooth (I'll wire the controller and Andersen plugs in, panels will added later)
Fridge: National Luna 50L
Air Comp: ARB dual

I'm not really looking for voltage requirement stuff as I plan to be somewhere around 270w of solar panel when complete.

 

[iowalr4]

I use a CTEK 7002 I think.. something like that.. to keep my setup charged when it has to sit in the garage for a long time. I swear I have a little too much current drain with my setup somewhere, but its hard to know. My main AGM might be getting a little worn at this point.

This year I added a 100 watt panel and solar charger. It worked great this year. We did a lot of hot camping so the ARB 50qt worked hard. We also powered a nice shower pump for our new propane shower setup.

edit: i don't leave my CTEK in the engine bay or car.. it just lives in the garage and plugs into the grille where I have a plug for it setup.

 

[Ray_G]

As you know I have been pretty happy with my NOCO setup hitting both the Odyssey Aux and basic duralast gold starter in concert with traxide.

I don’t pay a lot of attention to it; it just all works pretty well with no issues that aren’t self inflicted.
R-
Ray


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Victory_Overland]

Thanks for the response from both of you on this. I have an honest question, does the charger connect to both batteries or does it go through the isolator off one battery to charge them both? Might be a silly question but I honestly don’t know.

@Ray_G im leaning towards the NOCO but I’m not 100% sold yet on which one or if the CTEK is the better option until I get it from a few of you users on the pro/cons. I do like true multiple features that’s the NOCO provides for just about every application.

Also, @mbwesner thats the same Victron controller I’ll be using as the Aussie forums have a lot of info on it and swear by it. Also, that flip up mounting is ideal, can you post up links to the pole adapters and such for the hinge mount and strut mounts or is that custom?

Cheers to all

 

[DiscoNels]

Thanks for the response from both of you on this. I have an honest question, does the charger connect to both batteries or does it go through the isolator off one battery to charge them both? Might be a silly question but I honestly don’t know.

I have a Traxide set up and plug in my CTEK at home once in a while to charge the batteries. I have the CTEK leads wired to the AUX battery and when it's charged the Traxide will then start charging the Main battery. Works the same both ways, charges to a certain level, then starts to charge both just the same as the alternator does.

 

[Victory_Overland]

@DiscoNels thanks for the reply on the charger and routing. I plan to run mine to the aux as well since it will most likely have the largest demand. Can you tell me what CTEK model you are running?

@Ray_G what NOCO Genious model is yours?

 

[ar4me]

My LR4 (with the traxide kit) has no problem charing the main and secondary battery. Though, I do put it on a CTEK before a trip to make sure both batteries are full, and it usually goes to full pretty quickly. Once on the trip with fridge running, I plug in my portable solar panel if we are stationary during the day, but in reality it is really only needed if stationary for multiple days. I have both CTEK plug and solar plug connected to the secondary battery. I made an Anderson adapter for my ARB portable compressor, so that it can connect to the same Anderson plug (used for the solar panel) for convenient airing up.

 

[Ray_G]

@DiscoNels thanks for the reply on the charger and routing. I plan to run mine to the aux as well since it will most likely have the largest demand. Can you tell me what CTEK model you are running?

@Ray_G what NOCO Genious model is yours?

I'm running the NOCO 2 bank (8 amp) setup. To your question above, it has leads that run to each battery-something I prefer. I acknowledge the traxide will charge both from a single entry point but I prefer it going direct to both. Ironically, when I throw a solar panel onto the truck I'll likely have that go only to aux since my impression is the truck does a good job on the primary battery with the alternator and an adequate but not excellent job on the aux (as you note the charging system is a bit fickle, not fault of the traxide unit which is excellent). Thus having solar topping off the aux first and foremost is my ultimate endstate. When at home on house power having the NOCO address both individually seems to work well.
r-
Ray

 

[iowalr4]

Also, @mbwesner thats the same Victron controller I’ll be using as the Aussie forums have a lot of info on it and swear by it. Also, that flip up mounting is ideal, can you post up links to the pole adapters and such for the hinge mount and strut mounts or is that custom?

I have my CTEK connected to the main battery and it charges both via the SC-80. My solar mount is all custom but I can list parts.

JR Products BR-1020 10mm Flat Gas Spring Mounting Bracket
10MM Ball Stud Bracket for Gas Spring/Prop/Strut (2 Pack)
2 of JR Products GSNI-5150-20 Gas Spring
4 of KC HiLiTES (7300) Light Mount Bracket for 0.75"-1" Tube Clamp
Renogy 10ft. 12 AWG Adaptor kit Solar Cable PV with MC4 Female and Male connectors Connecting Solar Panel to Charge controller, Perfect Match with Renogy Panels
Renogy MTS-ZB Solar Panel Mounting Z Bracket 4 Units
Victron BlueSolar 75/15 MPPT Charge Controller with VE.Direct Bluetooth Dongle (they have one with the bluetooth built in now though)
Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel (Slim Design)

The front hinges I used are just from the hardware store, small cabinet hinges with as little play in them as possible. The force of the gas struts holds it down just fine and up at highway speeds just fine. I put some felt pads under the panel so when its down it has some padding between the panel and the rack to keep it solid and quite.

 

[Victory_Overland]

Great info from you both! @Ray_G I considered the dual charger as well just for the fact that it can be pigtailed in the garage on a switch to charge multiple vehicles. I found a guy on the Yota forums that switched one of his battery pigtails with a y-splice so he could turn off his aux battery side and plug into the y-cable and charge his other vehicle in the garage at the same time. It was a slick design, nothing I really need but I figure dual port opens up options. My question now is do I want an underhood mount, or portable and just throw it in the back when I'm leaving the house? Personal preference at that point.

@mbwesner thanks for taking the time on those links. I have a few of the Renogy mount sets laying around for my future panels and West Marine has aluminum and stainless strut mounts that I might pick up. What keeps your panel down other than the struts when they are over-center; do you have a pin or something to keep it locked down?

Also, I changed the thread subject a bit as I think Charger/Dual Batt/Solar for Disco 3/4 is more appropriate and the thread can grow from here.

 

[spikemd]

Solar setup is cool but I prefer a detachable panel. I dont want to have to park my truck in the sun to get adequate amps. Plus the monocrystalline panels dont work well with any shadows.

I have a Schumacher SC1359 since it has an AGM specific function and quick charger functionally. I replaced the AGM on the LR3 just 2 years ago and it seems to be struggling again and this is without a second battery. I have a goal zero solar setup for my fridge. The charging system sucks.

 

[Victory_Overland]

@spikemd agreed on the portable panel. I’ll have that option as well. There is a great part of the Southwest where shade is not an option. That set up with the y-connector for panels have the guy the option to charge off the roof panel or the optimal fold-up portable; that’s my ultimate goal.

 

[iowalr4]

@mbwesner thanks for taking the time on those links. I have a few of the Renogy mount sets laying around for my future panels and West Marine has aluminum and stainless strut mounts that I might pick up. What keeps your panel down other than the struts when they are over-center; do you have a pin or something to keep it locked down?

The middle of the struts are higher than the ends when lowered, so the struts hold it down. No pin needed.

I agree that portable panels are better for sun placement and getting the most power, but mine is just there as a wind fairing and I just kinda plan where I park a bit. I really don't want one more thing to setup at camp or trip on.

 

[Ray_G]

Great info from you both! @Ray_G I considered the dual charger as well just for the fact that it can be pigtailed in the garage on a switch to charge multiple vehicles. I found a guy on the Yota forums that switched one of his battery pigtails with a y-splice so he could turn off his aux battery side and plug into the y-cable and charge his other vehicle in the garage at the same time. It was a slick design, nothing I really need but I figure dual port opens up options. My question now is do I want an underhood mount, or portable and just throw it in the back when I'm leaving the house? Personal preference at that point.

Mine is underhood; Coyote has her own (underhood as well). They are cheap enough that it is worth it just to install it as such.

For awhile I'd hang the cord out of the front bumper, eventually I fitted NOCO's flush mount. Not the most elegant overall but I'm happy enough with it.

 

[DiscoNels]

@DiscoNels thanks for the reply on the charger and routing. I plan to run mine to the aux as well since it will most likely have the largest demand. Can you tell me what CTEK model you are running?

I'm using the CTEK 7002 model (7Amp). I use this only because, at the time, I couldn't afford the 25000 model with 25amp output. I don't use it too much, but when my AUX battery gets low from not driving my truck much I'll throw the charger on for a couple of days and get both batteries topped off.