Anyone with a Sterling B2B charger on Euro 6

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert Clark
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Just wondering what size B2B you guys use i.e 30/40 or 60 Amp?
I guess it all depends on the size of the leisure battery bank and the speed at which it charges them up.
I think I am correct in saying that the 40 Amp version was the most popular for twin bank but interested to know what governed you individual choices.
Thanks.
Les
 
Robert Clark said:
Hi Geoff
Was that question for me?
Click to expand...

Robert

Not specifically, just a suggestion for anyone having compatability problems with integrating different charging control systems.

On the basis of KISS, i.e. if you want a B2B to charge both sets of batteries then connect it directly.

Ours works OK.

Geoff
 
nicholsong said:
Robert

Not specifically, just a suggestion for anyone having compatability problems with integrating different charging control systems.

On the basis of KISS, i.e. if you want a B2B to charge both sets of batteries then connect it directly.

Ours works OK.

Geoff
Click to expand...
So does ours now
Apparently their installation instructions were incorrect and subsequent updated
 
When we changed our mh from a 2007 Ducato to a 2017 Peugeot Boxer I moved our sterling BBW1260 and remember that I phoned sterling and he said no problem with the smart alternator, I just wired it the same as before except I changed the Jumper ( from memory I removed the jumper) and all is good, our 270ah battery bank ( 3 x 90ah) receives around 40amps when driving, subject Ofc to them not being full.
 
Out of curiosity, is this issue, solely confined to vehicles with so called "Smart" Alternators.?

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TinaL said:
Just wondering what size B2B you guys use i.e 30/40 or 60 Amp?
I guess it all depends on the size of the leisure battery bank and the speed at which it charges them up.
Click to expand...
The usual rule of thumb is to ensure the charging current doesn't exceed C/5, where C is the battery bank capacity in amp-hours. So a 200Ah battery bank should not exceed 200/5 = 40 amps. At that rate it will charge from 50% to full in 2.5 hours - in theory at least.
 
Teasy2007 said:
Does that apply to Ducatos with German convertions? Ours is a Malibu Carthago?
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Mine's a Hymer my mates is a Carthago E Line, on Ducto's, both have standard alternators.

The Mercs have a smart alternator and the German manufacturers fit either a Schaudt or Votronic unit to overcome the problems.

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Lenny HB said:
Mine's a Hymer my mates is a Carthago E Line, on Ducto's, both have standard alternators.

The Mercs have a smart alternator and the German manufacturers fit either a Schaudt or Votronic unit to overcome the problems.
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We have a Schaudt, according to the handbook, does this mean we have, or do not have a smart alternator? Does this also mean that we can or cannot or dont even need a B2B fitted?

We appreciate your help, Ive watched so many videos my head is in a spin!
 
Does anyone else have a Schaudt and can tell me what it does, especially in relation to the above???
 
I fitted a Votronic VCC121245 B2B to my Hymer/Mercedes because this B2B is designed to work with a Schaudt EBL. It has wiring diagrams to show how to connect it to work with the EBL and settings to make it compatible. There are also settings that limit the current drawn, so that existing wiring and fuses can be used. The 60A Sterling one appeared to need new wiring, fuses and would have had to bypass the EBL.

The 2015 Mercedes chassis had a smart alternator and Hymer had not fitted a Schaudt or Votronic unit but from what Lenny HB says above it seems they are now doing so.

I have moved the the B2B to my new Carthago which probably does not have a smart alternator. However, I also have a LiFePO4 leisure battery and the B2B should look after this properly without stressing the alternator.
 
When we first bought our Carthago, just over four years ago, we took it to VanBitz to have a Growler fitted plus a Battery Master.
While it was there I asked them about fitting a B2B at the same time. After looking at the van they told me it wasn’t required as there was a similar system factory fitted.
I’ve no idea what the system is or how it works but our batteries always seem to be fully charged when we get to wherever we are going.
Anyone know what is fitted? Lenny HB perhaps?

Richard
 
Clarky said:
When we first bought our Carthago, just over four years ago, we took it to VanBitz to have a Growler fitted plus a Battery Master.
While it was there I asked them about fitting a B2B at the same time. After looking at the van they told me it wasn’t required as there was a similar system factory fitted.
I’ve no idea what the system is or how it works but our batteries always seem to be fully charged when we get to wherever we are going.
Anyone know what is fitted? Lenny HB perhaps?

Richard
Click to expand...

The ONLY time our Carthago Malibu shows the batteries being fully charged is when we get to the end of a journey! On a brilliant sunny day with a solar panel and 2 gel batteries they are only at 80% and that is the Habitation and Cab batteries. When we are on 240 they are the same! As soon as we turn on the media system and the TV they drop down to 50% after 35-40 mins! As soon as they hit orange we turn everything off!

We know the Pioneer system is draining the batteries, its all linked to the media, but surely Carthago would not design a motorhome which could not be used efficiently if it was not on 240?

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Teasy2007 said:
The ONLY time our Carthago Malibu shows the batteries being fully charged is when we get to the end of a journey! On a brilliant sunny day with a solar panel and 2 gel batteries they are only at 80% and that is the Habitation and Cab batteries. When we are on 240 they are the same! As soon as we turn on the media system and the TV they drop down to 50% after 35-40 mins! As soon as they hit orange we turn everything off!

We know the Pioneer system is draining the batteries, its all linked to the media, but surely Carthago would not design a motorhome which could not be used efficiently if it was not on 240?
Click to expand...
Definitely something not right there.

We survive for weeks on end with just solar, in fact we are off to France tomorrow, where we expect to be on aires for six weeks with no hook-up.

It sounds to my non techie mind as if the batteries are buggg U/S.
Back to the dealer I think.
Hope you get it sorted quickly.

Richard.
 
Clarky said:
Definitely something not right there.

We survive for weeks on end with just solar, in fact we are off to France tomorrow, where we expect to be on aires for six weeks with no hook-up.

It sounds to my non techie mind as if the batteries are buggg U/S.
Back to the dealer I think.
Hope you get it sorted quickly.

Richard.
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It is with the dealer now, but apparently its very difficult to know if we have a Smart Alternator or not, there is nothing in the manual. It was only when we started researching what might be the cause of the problems that the Smart Alternator regenerative braking reared its head!
 
Teasy2007 said:
The ONLY time our Carthago Malibu shows the batteries being fully charged is when we get to the end of a journey! On a brilliant sunny day with a solar panel and 2 gel batteries they are only at 80% and that is the Habitation and Cab batteries. When we are on 240 they are the same! As soon as we turn on the media system and the TV they drop down to 50% after 35-40 mins! As soon as they hit orange we turn everything off!
Click to expand...
You need to get a multimeter and read the battery voltage between the actual battery terminals. Then you can see if the display is showng a true picture or not. Sadly I agree with Clarky, probably the batteries are no good. But you need to find out why. Otherwise even if you buy expensive new batteries they may be ruined by the same fault, whatever it is.
 
Teasy2007 said:
The ONLY time our Carthago Malibu shows the batteries being fully charged is when we get to the end of a journey! On a brilliant sunny day with a solar panel and 2 gel batteries they are only at 80% and that is the Habitation and Cab batteries. When we are on 240 they are the same! As soon as we turn on the media system and the TV they drop down to 50% after 35-40 mins! As soon as they hit orange we turn everything off!

We know the Pioneer system is draining the batteries, its all linked to the media, but surely Carthago would not design a motorhome which could not be used efficiently if it was not on 240?
Click to expand...
Known problem on Carthago's with double din Pioneer units wired via the the Media unit. If you switch off the Pioneer but don't switch of the media unit as well you wake up to a flat starter battery.

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Lenny HB said:
Known problem on Carthago's with double din Pioneer units wired via the the Media unit. If you switch off the Pioneer but don't switch of the media unit as well you wake up to a flat starter battery.
Click to expand...

Yes, thats exactly what happens! we never leave the media on unless we want to watch TV and then the constant buzzing of the “turned off” Pioneer unit drives me mad! We have asked the dealer to install a rocker switch so we can turn off the Pioneer when its on media.
 
Teasy2007 said:
Yes, thats exactly what happens! we never leave the media on unless we want to watch TV and then the constant buzzing of the “turned off” Pioneer unit drives me mad! We have asked the dealer to install a rocker switch so we can turn off the Pioneer when its on media.
Click to expand...
If you do that how will you listen to TV etc?
 
Teasy2007 said:
The ONLY time our Carthago Malibu shows the batteries being fully charged is when we get to the end of a journey! On a brilliant sunny day with a solar panel and 2 gel batteries they are only at 80% and that is the Habitation and Cab batteries. When we are on 240 they are the same! As soon as we turn on the media system and the TV they drop down to 50% after 35-40 mins! As soon as they hit orange we turn everything off!

We know the Pioneer system is draining the batteries, its all linked to the media, but surely Carthago would not design a motorhome which could not be used efficiently if it was not on 240?
Click to expand...
your solar regulator and probably charger too are not set to gel. with gel setting the regulator and charger provide a higher voltage. without the batteries will only reach 80% charge
 
TheBig1 said:
your solar regulator and probably charger too are not set to gel. with gel setting the regulator and charger provide a higher voltage. without the batteries will only reach 80% charge
Click to expand...

Again, that makes a lot of sense, I suppose it all depends upon the technician and what he knows about the systems in all the different motorhomes which pass through the dealership.

I will pass on both helpful comments to the technician.
 
Lenny HB said:
If you do that how will you listen to TV etc?
Click to expand...

If we are able to turn off the power to the Pioneer, independently, then we can still have the TV on and charge my phone and iPad, which are - who knows why! - also on the media system.

This solution was given by another motorhomer who had similar problems on his van when the Pioneer would never turn off when the media was on. He said it used 2amp an hour, I’m not sure about that though.

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