Victron Orion isolated DC-DC and Vanbitz Battery Master (1 Viewer)

[Winceyette]

Hi everyone,
I’m a long time user of these forums but first time posting here.
I have an isolated Victron Orion DC-DC and want to fit a Vanbitz Battery Master to keep my starter battery topped up.
Can I fit one, and if so can anyone tell me how? I’ve seen a video on YouTube where a guy fits a BM to a Victron DC-DC but that’s a non-isolated charger.
Pic of my charger for info.
Thanks.

 

[Lenny HB]

Wire it the same way it doesn't matter which negative you connect to as on a Motorhome they are joined. Isolated is normally used on boats.

 

[Winceyette]

Thanks for replying so quickly.

So the red wire got to the negative of the output, and the brown goes to the input terminal?
And where do I put the black wire? On the video it goes in the ground terminal, but I don’t have that on my charger.

Apologies if I’m asking something very simple, I’m still learning about the 12v system.

 

[Lenny HB]

Brown to starter battery positive, Red to leisure battery positive, Black to negative.

 

[Just smiffy]

This will help…

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[Cush]

Been watching offgrids vids. So with a lithy leisure and a lead starter, will the starter be on constant trickle as there will always be a .75v difference? Would the lithium stop the trickle only when it gets to is pack under voltage cutoff?

 

[Stewen]

Video is spot on. When I bought my Orion isolated 12|12|30 and added a battery master later, I checked with Vanbitz and they confirmed that wiring directly to the Orion terminals is the way they install them. The video is spot on. The black ground/ negative going to either of the two negative terminals on the Orion. It works perfectly.

I have recently upgraded to the Orion XS and wired Battery Master the same way as shown in the video. This left me with the question as to what to do with my now surplus negative cable. I decided to combine both together in a battery terminal connection block and run a third short cable to the XS ground terminal. All my charging systems run directly to the Leisure battery via fuses and negatives via shunt & busbar and bypass the factory Sargent wiring.

 

[Ingwe]

Been watching offgrids vids. So with a lithy leisure and a lead starter, will the starter be on constant trickle as there will always be a .75v difference? Would the lithium stop the trickle only when it gets to is pack under voltage cutoff?

Await the answer to this too.

 

[Lenny HB]

Await the answer to this too.

With Lithium the Ablemail Battery Maintainer is a better you can adjust the settings.

 

[Ingwe]

With Lithium the Ablemail Battery Maintainer is a better you can adjust the settings.

So are we to imply that the answer to Cush is “yes”?

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[Googlebot]

Mine doesn’t with a lithium leisure battery.

In fact, I think it works better as the starter never seems to drop below 12.5v which given the airbag issues suits me fine.

 

[Gromett]

Wire it the same way it doesn't matter which negative you connect to as on a Motorhome they are joined. Isolated is normally used on boats.

Not ALWAYS the case. Better to check.

 

[Winceyette]

Not ALWAYS the case. Better to check.

How would I check please?

 

[Gromett]

How would I check please?

A continuity check between the negative terminal of the leisure battery and the chassis.

 

[Cush]

Mine doesn’t with a lithium leisure battery.

what’s the lowest this takes your lithium too? What sort of duration is the van left without charge or are you getting solar ?

I’m stored inside without ehu so wondering if the battery master is just always on and will keep lowering a lithium, which I guess isn’t really as big a problem as for lead acid.

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[ChrisL]

I have the CBE version of the battery master which works differently to a Vanbitz one, it starts charging the engine battery once the leisure battery is over 13.6 volts and cuts off once the leisure battery is down to 12.5 volts, maximum charge current is 4 amps, they cost around £40, it's worked well for me with no flat engine batteries.

 

[Googlebot]

what’s the lowest this takes your lithium too? What sort of duration is the van left without charge or are you getting solar ?

I’m stored inside without ehu so wondering if the battery master is just always on and will keep lowering a lithium, which I guess isn’t really as big a problem as for lead acid.

I have solar so I wouldn’t know. Sorry.

If you work out your parasitic draw though, you can see for yourself if that makes sense? As in if it is drawing 0.5 amps on a parasitic draw, a fully charged 100ah lithium will keep it full for 180 hours.

 

[AdrianChen]

I have the CBE version of the battery master which works differently to a Vanbitz one, it starts charging the engine battery once the leisure battery is over 13.6 volts and cuts off once the leisure battery is down to 12.5 volts, maximum charge current is 4 amps, they cost around £40, it's worked well for me with no flat engine batteries.

Had one on the previous van - worked fine, there's also a CSB3-LT which is designed for Lithium Leisure batteries.

 

[ChrisL]

Had one on the previous van - worked fine, there's also a CSB3-LT which is designed for Lithium Leisure batteries.

I just had my three previous lead carbon gel batteries replaced by one 230ah Fogstar drift courtesy of Offgrid Power Solutions, I have the chargers set to float at 13.62 volts so it triggers the CSB2 and the engine battery is sitting at 13.22 volts, bulk charging for the lithium battery is set at 14.2 volts. I'll have a look at the CSB3-LT to see if there would be any advantages to replacing the CSB2. Thanks.

 

[alecturn1]

Sorry I am a novice but on my Hymer swing can a battery master just be connected to the electric box under drivers seat or do you have to run wire’s physically to respective batteries

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[Lenny HB]

Sorry I am a novice but on my Hymer swing can a battery master just be connected to the electric box under drivers seat or do you have to run wire’s physically to respective batteries

Yes it can connect direct to the EBL.

 

[alecturn1]

Thanks for reply.Without being too simplistic,is it just a case of pushing the three wires in the right holes and then putting battery master itself on top/side of unit

 

[alecturn1]

Thanks for reply.Without being too simplistic,is it just a case of pushing the three wires in the right holes and then putting battery master itself on top/side of unit

 

[Googlebot]

View attachment 922741

View attachment 922742

Yes, but don’t just push them in, make sure they are screwed in tight.

 

[alecturn1]

Thanks,do the wires go in the back of ebl ?

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[Googlebot]

Thanks,do the wires go in the back of ebl ?

Yes, here below.

 

[alecturn1]

Yes, here below.

View attachment 922772

Thank you

 

[autorouter]

Be careful with the wire colours. When wiring a BatteryMaster to an EBL, NONE of the colours are the same:
BatteryMaster red goes to Leisure battery positive (Black on EBL)
BatteryMaster brown goes to Starter battery positive (Red on EBL)
BatteryMaster black goes to battery negative (Brown on EBL)

 

[alecturn1]

Thanks for that.
Just been searching and another post says may struggle to get wires in the back because of size of wires already in there.

 

[autorouter]

Just been searching and another post says may struggle to get wires in the back because of size of wires already in there.

You could try take the existing wire out, spread out the new wire, lay the new wire on the existing wire and blend then together by twisting. it just might still go in the hole. Make sure the screw is out far enough to not obstruct the hole.

Or try pushing them both into a ferrule, and crimping with a hexagon crimp to make it a minimal size hexagon. It should then fit. I realize you might not have a hexagon crimp tool, but maybe you know someone that has one. Or a local garage might do it for you. Unfortunately the wires are in situ, so you can't just take the wires in your hand for them to do, you'll have to drive it round to them.

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