Replacing a CBE charger with a Victron IP22 linked to a cbe system

[Poutie57]

Hi there I’m thinking replacing my CBE charger with a victron charger Has anyone attempted this and if so what did you do with the ‘net wire’ that goes to the cbe board

 

[Hydrocell]

Hello there, just having the same issue as I'm up grading to lithium, did you manage to get around the white signal wire and if you did could you please give me the heads up on how it went.
Regards Ray

 

[Poutie57]

I just left it off all that happens is the mains connection on the cbe panel doesn’t light up. I didn’t want to risk wiring it into the plus terminal of the charger as there is potentially high amps flowing through it and judging by the size of the wire it would only take 2amps

 

[Hydrocell]

Thanks for your replay I'll try that and see what happens.
Regards Ray

 

[tkk]

I just left it off all that happens is the mains connection on the cbe panel doesn’t light up. I didn’t want to risk wiring it into the plus terminal of the charger as there is potentially high amps flowing through it and judging by the size of the wire it would only take 2amps

sorry to revive oldish thread but coming across this I thought as the CBE output is 16/22 A the 2amp wire must be protected from over current some way in the CBE unit. Could it not be duplicated for new set up
tk

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[Poutie57]

I’ve had the victron charger in place for 9 months now and have had no adverse effect by leaving the wire disconnected, as you can see no one came back with a solution

 

[tkk]

I’ve had the victron charger in place for 9 months now and have had no adverse effect by leaving the wire disconnected, as you can see no one came back with a solution

Thanks for sharing your experience,Im considering similar change myself. With the ability to "read" the Victron activity it probably doesnt matter about the Control display. CBE have similar wiring on the Solar, I was thinking of changing that also

 

[wp1234]

Following the post and I’m thinking that my CBE charger is maybe not working as it should and particularly in float mode.
Can I ask why you would change the CBE to Victron is it just to get the bluetooth info or is it a superior unit? and secondly is it an easy DIY job to change over the two type of charger and lastly which Victron charger did you fit ?
Thanks in advance

 

[tkk]

CBE has no Lithium setting. Battery suppliers say existing setups inc CBE are adequate but much more knowledgeable members eg LennyHB have doubts about this especially the Float charge pattern on AGM or Gel settings. L1Fe PO batteries are a bit dear to damage.

 

[Poutie57]

Ditto to the above, changing it was easy just taking the mains wire off of the cbe charger and put them into the victron as I’ve stated before I didn’t fit the wire which goes to the cbe control panel as there is no place to connect it on the victron

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[Pausim]

CBE has no Lithium setting. Battery suppliers say existing setups inc CBE are adequate but much more knowledgeable members eg LennyHB have doubts about this especially the Float charge pattern on AGM or Gel settings. L1Fe PO batteries are a bit dear to damage.

LiFePO4 batteries are not easily damaged. The CBE charger on its lead acid setting has a relatively short absorption phase (unlike the Gel setting) and soon drops back to its maintenance charge. I find it slightly undercharges my LiFePO4 which usually settles around 90%, slightly better than100% for the battery and I don’t need it at 100% when on EHU. My preference is to spend my money on a good B2B so that it is 100% when not on EHU.

 

[tkk]

LiFePO4 batteries are not easily damaged. The CBE charger on its lead acid setting has a relatively short absorption phase (unlike the Gel setting) and soon drops back to its maintenance charge. I find it slightly undercharges my LiFePO4 which usually settles around 90%, slightly better than100% for the battery and I don’t need it at 100% when on EHU. My preference is to spend my money on a good B2B so that it is 100% when not on EHU.

Slight Undercharge sounds better than staying at full under no load, i believe) for Li so may save some outlay.

 

[tkk]

LiFePO4 batteries are not easily damaged. The CBE charger on its lead acid setting has a relatively short absorption phase (unlike the Gel setting) and soon drops back to its maintenance charge. I find it slightly undercharges my LiFePO4 which usually settles around 90%, slightly better than100% for the battery and I don’t need it at 100% when on EHU. My preference is to spend my money on a good B2B so that it is 100% when not on EHU.

i presume you have/had a split charge system associated with the CBE system. Did you have to disable it when B2B fitted. If so was it easy? (Ive read a thread about the Sargeant split charge system being problematic to remove) If not does the higher charged voltage of Li trickling back to the starter battery cause it damage.
tk

 

[Pausim]

Yes I disabled the split charge system. I used a normally closed relay on the CBE connection to the engine battery. As the split charge relay connects the 2 batteries together my relay opens and disconnects them, leaving the B2B which is connected directly to the leisure battery to do its work. I doubt the Li would be harmed by a trickle back to the engine battery but it may not get a proper charge.

Other people have come up with different ideas on how best to overcome the CBE split charge and it might be worth doing a few searches to see if you can find these threads.

Edit. Here is one link that might help.

Carthago Split Charging Unit

I'm exploring the possibility of putting a B2B charger on my Carthago, but I understand that I'll need to disable the existing split charging unit. Does anybody know where it is? Is it a separate unit, or is it built into the electronic gubbins in the boot? I can't even identify a fuse for it...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

There is a small resistor on the circuit board that can be snipped off to stop the split charge relay operating. When I did my alterations I was not sure if other functions might also be affected so left it alone so that I could reverse everything if there were problems.

 

[wp1234]

Ditto to the above, changing it was easy just taking the mains wire off of the cbe charger and put them into the victron as I’ve stated before I didn’t fit the wire which goes to the cbe control panel as there is no place to connect it on the victron

Thanks for this so it’s sounds straightforward enough.Can I ask which Victron unit you picked to replace your CBE one ?cheers

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[Poutie57]

IP22 15amp primary only 15 as I’ve got a B2b, 220w solar and a 110amph lithium so if I’m hooked up for the night 15x8hr will recharge if the lithium was well and truly discharged and as I’ve got the B2b it never is

 

[wp1234]

IP22 15amp primary only 15 as I’ve got a B2b, 220w solar and a 110amph lithium so if I’m hooked up for the night 15x8hr will recharge if the lithium was well and truly discharged and as I’ve got the B2b it never is

Last question if you don’t mind . If you didn’t replace the 2 amp wire would that also disable the vans under voltage alarm?

 

[Poutie57]

Last question if you don’t mind . If you didn’t replace the 2 amp wire would that also disable the vans under voltage alarm?

It didn’t on mine

 

[the1andonly]

I used the cut R37 route to disable the split charge relay. It still works as it should 2 years on.