CTEK wiring
Submitted: Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:07
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Sir Kev & Darkie
I have just got a CTEK bought for me for christmas. It is the 3600 model and my question is do I wire it to the starter battery only.
I have a Delkor Calcium 90Ah Aux battery isolated by a Redarc isolator. Will the CTEK be able to maintain the Aux battery even though it is Calcium whereas the starter is a Centry 4WD N70ZZ lead acid?
Cheers Kev
| Russell Coight:
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Reply By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:30
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:30
Hi Kev,
The CTek are a bloody smart charger. (I have 4 of them, all permanently connected to various batteries)
I'd just hook it up to the Century and let the CTek take care of the rest.
This all your current charging system, the alternator is doing.
Once the charge in the Century starter exceeds the preset value of the Redarc it will close the circuit onto the Delkor and the CTek will take care of the rest.
Geoff
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:36
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:36
Geoff,
Thats what I thought, I just wasn't sure about two batteries that are of different design. It will be used moreas a maintenance thing than anything else as Darkie sits for awhile between runs, due to me having a work car and Sam having her own car.
Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: al - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:46
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:46
al
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Follow Up By: Member - Mark G (NSW) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:52
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 17:52
2 early for xmas yet Kev!!
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 18:13
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 18:13
I know Mark,
I won't get it till then even though it is looking me right in the face on the computer table LOL
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Follow Up By: Zukscooter - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 18:25
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 18:25
Ah but can you resist 'TEMTATION' Lol
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 19:24
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 19:24
If I can get it out of the packaging and replace it with something that looks like into the package I reckon I could get away with using it LOL
Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: Member - Longtooth (SA) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 21:46
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 21:46
Geoff,
I've been charging my batteries as you describe for about three years and they are charging and maintaining that charge perfectly. My system is the CTEK 2600 with the Redarc as yours is and as I said it works perfectly.
Longtooth
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Follow Up By: Member - Longtooth (SA) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 21:48
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 21:48
Just reread my last and it is a CTEK 3600 - just had a bit of finger trouble!
Longtooth
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 19:27
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 19:27
Kev,
I can't see this working.
When the vehicle is at rest the Isolator should be keeping the two batteries separated, so the auxiliary will not receive a charge from the Ctek.
If the Isolator works the same way as most others, it is only when the starting battery has reached a given voltage that the Isolator will swap over to allow charging of the auxiliary battery circuit.
When the vehicle is not running the Isolator would not be getting "control voltage" to operate.
I would connect the Ctek directly to the auxiliary battery.
Bill
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 19:53
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 19:53
Hi Bill,
I went and had a look at the Redarc site before i told Kev it'd work.
What I learnt about the Redarc's is they are pretty simple gadgets!
They have 2 big studs that the battery cables connect too and a pair of wires that are actually optional. The wires just allow you to override the automatic voltage sensing circuit to parallel the batteries for running an electric winch!
Hope this picture of the Redarc circuit diagram comes out to illustrate my point.
Have a great weekend,
Geoff
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 08:55
Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 08:55
Hi Geoff,
Yes and that would be my concern.
If you overide the voltage sensing feature, to my way of thinking, you are eliminating the "isolation" between the batteries.
i.e. they would be connected together in parallel.
Defeats the whole purpose of "isolation" and a fault in one battery will adversely effect the other(s).
Am I missing something?
Bill
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Follow Up By: Muddy doe (SA) - Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 at 00:25
Tuesday, Nov 04, 2008 at 00:25
Hiya,
We have a Ctek 15000 which I put onto the aux batt. The isolator is a TBM 180 Pirahna system.
When I put the charger on the aux battery the battery controller senses the higher voltage and links the batteries - same as it does when the starter battery is getting alternator current when driving. This way the Ctek ends up charging both. I don't think it would matter which battery I connected the charger to but the controller would link them and they get a parallel charge.
Muddy
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 21:15
Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 21:15
Gday Kev,
I have outlets from both batteries in the cab of my vehicle. I just plug the CTek to whichever outlet of the battery I want to charge.
The Redarc Smart Start is a bit peculiar. It keeps the batteries connected after you've turned the motor off. It only isolates the auxillary battery when the starting battery voltage drops below 12.7V.
It then reconnects the batteries when the voltage is above about 13.2V (they reduced this recently). So I expect that after you connect the CTek to the starting battery, it will soon have both batteries paralleled. If you connect the CTEk to the aux, they will stay isolated.
Next issue is the your 3600 CTek is too small to reliably charge two large batteries. Its limited to 100Ah.
Third issue is that Calcium batteries are peculiar too, and need a different charging algoritm to your Century wet cell lead acid abttery.
IMO, only answer is to charge the batteries independantly.
Cheers
Phil
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 07:59
Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 07:59
Phil,
I think you have hit the nail on the head about the 2 different battery types.
I will possibly wire the CTEK to the Aux battery to charge and condition it first, prior to charging the starter.
Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: jdwynn (Adelaide) - Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 10:34
Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 10:34
Kev
I was thinkin about what Phil said. It's not really the question you asked, but I reckon you should do your sums on draw down based on your fridge / lights etc, and the type of camping you do. You can go down by about 30amps on the 90 ahr battery (assuming it gets up to 100%). That's over 8 hours charging for the 3.6amp ctek and more if fridge / lights running. Other than trickle charge, I just wonder if that ctek is enough.
Our camper has a 7amp ctek but I have been thinking about a 25amp ctek cos our 110l waeco draws an average (24hrs) of about 3amps and out bush it just creates too much diffculty so we are looking at improving our ability to charge in every way. Just ordered solar panels too.
Good luck JD
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 10:39
Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 10:39
JD,
At this stage I am just looking at using it as a maintenance thing for when Darkie is sitting at
home for weeks on end and not being started, hence the 3600 model.
I try and go for a run in him every weekend but there are times when he will still for a month and not move.
I may con Sam into a small genny later LOL
Cheers Kev
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Reply By: ozjimbo - Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 13:43
Sunday, Nov 02, 2008 at 13:43
If you are using 2 batteries with different characteristics and chargers, you also need to disconnect the voltage sensing relay (ie the redarc) from the main battery. Otherwise as soon as the main battery reaches the trigger for connecting the two batteries, they will be in parallel and connected to both chargers. Older isolators with a control wire from the ignition-on line didn't have to worry about this.
Just going through all this with a camper.
AnswerID:
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