Does a Schaudt LR1218 controller charge the starter battery?

[acropolis22]

OK.
On the ebl there is a 3 pin connection dedicated to solar controller.
That has 3 wires coming from it. Which you connect to the solar controller.
One is earth, one is solar power through the ebl to the habitation battery, the middle one is from the solar controller through the ebl to the starter battery.
I believe there is a limit on length of the wires to 30 cm.

Yeah, that's what I have now. So is my starter battery being charged by solar? The EBL manual appears to state that the starter battery is only charged when on EHU. Although, my starter battery appears to stay completely charged when in storage. Where else would it be getting charge from?

 

[nabsim]

Yeah, that's what I have now. So is my starter battery being charged by solar? The EBL manual appears to state that the starter battery is only charged when on EHU. Although, my starter battery appears to stay completely charged when in storage. Where else would it be getting charge from?

You need to check which model EBL you have and how much solar you want fitted. As stated earlier my EBL did not charge the starter battery at all unless it was on EHU. My EBL did not allow much solar input either, without digging the manual out I can’t remember but my (poor) memory thinks 100/150W. Also the display on my van is the DT100 which does not display solar at all.
For me wanting 300W on the roof and a folding 100W panel it was easier to fit Votronic 250 Duo straight to leisure battery’s fed from one 150W panel, the other 150W plus input from folding panel goes to a Victron controller. I just ran the starter battery output from the Victron to the other side of the EBL where there is a cable direct to the starter battery.
If you already have 712 then in my opinion you don’t need anything else bluetooth. I have the Votronic solar computer that I bought before I had the BVM as well as Bluetooth, it’s a gimmick and not needed (imo). I have other Votronic and Victron kit and prefer the Votronic stuff, it’s smaller so takes up less space, lighter and costs less usually. Votronic have started doing some Bluetooth stuff as well now but not sure how much apart from a shunt.

 

[Phill D]

As far as I am aware, if you have the 3 wires from the lr1218 going into the solar slot of the ebl with all 3 wires present at the ebl ug in the your lr1218 is providing charge to your cab battery upto 5 amps I believe.
That was certainly the case with my el and lr1218 until I added extra panels and had to upgrade my solar controller.

 

[Phill D]

PS, I still use the same connection into the ebl to provide charge to both hab and cab batteries.

 

[Cookieboy68]

I have fitted a lr1218,is there a downside to this i.e shorter battery life?, should I have fitted the lrm1218

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[Lenny HB]

I have fitted a lr1218,is there a downside to this i.e shorter battery life?, should I have fitted the lrm1218

LR1218 is OK with gel batteries but not ideal I certainly wouldn't use it with any other type of battery.
It is only a single stage charger no absorbtion phase or float charge, once the battery voltage reaches 14.2v it stays at that voltage

 

[Cookieboy68]

I have just recently bought a new leisure battery,like for like, (exide es 900) ,so should be ok. The lr1218 is wired so it charges my starter battery as well, should this be gel also.

 

[Phill D]

I had an lr1218 in use for 8 years on a gel and they both served me well.
I only changed as I needed more capacity than the lr1218 could take.

 

[Lenny HB]

They don't make suitable gel starter batteries, it's only a one to two amp trickle charge not enough to worry it.

The LR 1218 was good in its day 20/25 years ago but far better to replace it with decent MPPT regulator like the Votronic or Victron.

 

[Cookieboy68]

Thanks for the advice

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[acropolis22]

They don't make suitable gel starter batteries, it's only a one to two amp trickle charge not enough to worry it.

The LR 1218 was good in its day 20/25 years ago but far better to replace it with decent MPPT regulator like the Votronic or Victron.

What about the LRM1218?

 

[Manic]

What about the LRM1218?

Expensive compared to the other makes.
I replaced my LR1218 with a Votronic duo250 and very pleased with it.

 

[acropolis22]

Expensive compared to the other makes.
I replaced my LR1218 with a Votronic duo250 and very pleased with it.

It is expensive. That Votronic is the other one I'm looking at. Apparently it comes with the right cable to connect to the EBL that I have.

 

[drmartinwhite]

I'm guessing it does since there are connections for the starter battery! I want to replace the controller with an MPPT controller, probably one of the Victron SmartSolar range. But those don't seem to have terminals to connect the starter battery. Any suggestions as to how to get round this?

You need to either install a duo type MPPT controller, one with two outputs so you can connect up both batteries, or there is other solutions. On our Hymer we had installed a by our dealer a Victron 175 watt solar panel, and the Victron 75/15 MPPT single output controller. The then fitted a type of battery master device, there are several, but they used the CBS2, I think between the hab and starter batteries. This device trickle charges the starter form the hab when the the hab batteries are above 13.6 Volts. When on both Solar and EHU the Hymer battery charger system is still charging both batteries. The CSB2 is connected to the positive terminals of the hab and starters batteries and this is accessed from the solar pin socket on our EBL.

 

[ChrisL]

You need to either install a duo type MPPT controller, one with two outputs so you can connect up both batteries, or there is other solutions. On our Hymer we had installed a by our dealer a Victron 175 watt solar panel, and the Victron 75/15 MPPT single output controller. The then fitted a type of battery master device, there are several, but they used the CBS2, I think between the hab and starter batteries. This device trickle charges the starter form the hab when the the hab batteries are above 13.6 Volts. When on both Solar and EHU the Hymer battery charger system is still charging both batteries. The CSB2 is connected to the positive terminals of the hab and starters batteries and this is accessed from the solar pin socket on our EBL.

I have a similar set up on my Hymer, it works very well, in my case i have 2 panels and a larger victron controller I also have a Victron smart shunt so can keep track of what's going in and out of the leisure batteries, the CBS2 takes care of the cab battery.

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[paddymcc]

My starter battery connection is via the EBL but the leisure batteries are connect direct to the Votronic. I found I got a 5% higher charge rate than going through the EBL.

That's interesting Lenny. Does that mean that there is no solar current displayed on the control panel?
PS hope you had a good birthday.

 

[Lenny HB]

That's interesting Lenny. Does that mean that there is no solar current displayed on the control panel?
PS hope you had a good birthday.

Very few Hymers have a display that displays anything other than a LED bar for voltage been like that for over 10 years.

 

[drmartinwhite]

I have a similar set up on my Hymer, it works very well, in my case i have 2 panels and a larger victron controller I also have a Victron smart shunt so can keep track of what's going in and out of the leisure batteries, the CBS2 takes care of the cab battery.

That’s my next step, to fit a Victron smart shunt and maybe the Cerbo, and to upgrade to two panels and lithium. My van is new, 6 months old, I had one panel and two AGMs fitted just to make sure the batteries were sorted when it is in storage. I monitor the battery state at the moment through the tracker app and the Mercedes’ app, but when the AGMs die I will upgrade to lithium and add another solar panel. probs need a slightly larger MPPT too.

 

[Lenny HB]

when the AGMs die I will upgrade to lithium

Shouldn't have to wait long.

 

[Stealaway]

Hi, yes, the LR1218 does charge both batteries as it is made by Schaudt and it exactly works with your existing Schaudt Electroblok 12v system. The MPPT is better than the original LR.

Why is the MPPT charger better?
My simple dual battery eBay charger charges both my batteries and for a quarter of the price.
I can adjust the amount of charge to each battery and monitor the state of charge with a simple volt meter.

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[Reevsie]

I have added extra solar panels to my set-up. The original was using the LR1218 to a Votronic mppt regulator. I have left this is situ so it is still connected to the engine battery, and it does charge it up nicely. Then the extra solar panels put on is connected to a Victron regulater.
Had this set up for 2 years and it works nicely.

 

[Lenny HB]

Why is the MPPT charger better?
My simple dual battery eBay charger charges both my batteries and for a quarter of the price.
I can adjust the amount of charge to each battery and monitor the state of charge with a simple volt meter.

On average it gives you 25 to 30% more charge, much improved performance in low light, under clouds etc. Once you have had one you wouldn't have any other type.

My first regulator was a PWM, changed it for a much better MPPT regulator, then I changed that for an even better one (a Votroinc) the improvement in performance was very noticeable each time.

Also the decent regulators are proper multistage chargers, The cheaper ones like you use are only a two stage charger with no absorption phase so your batteries will never get fully charged so their life will be shortened and you will never have the full capacity available.

 

[Stealaway]

On average it gives you 25 to 30% more charge, much improved performance in low light, under clouds etc. Once you have had one you wouldn't have any other type.

My first regulator was a PWM, changed it for a much better MPPT regulator, then I changed that for an even better one (a Votroinc) the improvement in performance was very noticeable each time.

Also the decent regulators are proper multistage chargers, The cheaper ones like you use are only a two stage charger with no absorption phase so your batteries will never get fully charged so their life will be shortened and you will never have the full capacity available.

I hear what you are saying and I know you know about solar power and batteries but I'm never short of battery power for my daily needs, even on dull days.

I have 225w of solar panels and my last set of wet batteries had lasted five years before I sold the van.
For the difference in price I could almost buy an extra 100w solar panel.

 

[acropolis22]

As far as I am aware, if you have the 3 wires from the lr1218 going into the solar slot of the ebl with all 3 wires present at the ebl ug in the your lr1218 is providing charge to your cab battery upto 5 amps I believe.
That was certainly the case with my el and lr1218 until I added extra panels and had to upgrade my solar controller.

So, my latest thinking is now to buy the Votronic MPP 250, and use the existing cable/connection to the EBL 271. Presumably the connection at the EBL will be OK as it was working OK with the Schaudt LR1218. I just need to adapt the cable ends and make sure they are connected to the right terminals on the MPP 250. The Votronic wiring diagram shows only 2 connections to the EBL, and the starter battery + going separately direct to the battery. Am I right in thinking that if I use the existing cable to the EBL and connect the wire that was previously connected to "Starter Plus" on the LR1218 to the Starter + on the MPP 250 it should all work fine? Which saves me running a separate wire to the starter battery.

 

[Lenny HB]

So, my latest thinking is now to buy the Votronic MPP 250, and use the existing cable/connection to the EBL 271. Presumably the connection at the EBL will be OK as it was working OK with the Schaudt LR1218. I just need to adapt the cable ends and make sure they are connected to the right terminals on the MPP 250. The Votronic wiring diagram shows only 2 connections to the EBL, and the starter battery + going separately direct to the battery. Am I right in thinking that if I use the existing cable to the EBL and connect the wire that was previously connected to "Starter Plus" on the LR1218 to the Starter + on the MPP 250 it should all work fine? Which saves me running a separate wire to the starter battery.

Yes that will work but if you bypass the EBL for the leisure battery you will get a slightly better charge rate.

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[BusyBuilder]

From my recollection, when I fitted an LRM1218, the enclosed instructions gave two ways to connect the solar to my EBL99.

http://www.apuljackengineering.co.uk/docs/8220213_2015_07_22_LRM_1218_MA_EN.pdf

I have two Exide Marine GEL 85amp batteries fitted, and find with my (approx) 240w of solar the batteries are charged to max when we get up in the morning even up here in the Highland in winter when wild camping. Not very often they are below full charge, maybe if very cloudy or snow.

 

[Manic]

When I fitted my Votronic duo 250 I just connected to the battery cables on the back of the EBL, this was the easiest way for me.

 

[Phill D]

When I fitted my Votronic duo 250 I just connected to the battery cables on the back of the EBL, this was the easiest way for me.

I would have done the same but my cables go directly into the double floor section under the ebl.
So I would need to remove the ebl to get at them, so as I was feeling a bit lazy I used the connection on the ebl.

 

[Lenny HB]

When I fitted my Votronic duo 250 I just connected to the battery cables on the back of the EBL, this was the easiest way for me.

I wouldn't recommend that as you are connecting small cables into the terminals with the heavy duty battery cables. Too much risk of a poor connection causing arcing posible fire risk.

 

[Lenny HB]

I have two Exide Marine GEL 85amp batteries fitted, and find with my (approx) 240w of solar the batteries are charged to max when we get up in the morning even up here in the Highland in winter when wild camping. Not very often they are below full charge, maybe if very cloudy or snow.

They may look fully charged but will probably only be at 80% until they have had several hours of the absorbtion phase.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've heard people say my gel batteries are fully charged by 10 o'clock, it's just not possible.

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