Redarc BCDC 1220 advice

[wasa68]

Hi

This may have been asked before, but I need some advice on the above.

I am about to install my 2nd battery in the tub of the D40, and need clarification on the wiring, in particular the blue.
The installation guide states for a Lead Acid battery (which I am installing) the source select (blue) as N/A.
On the diagram it shows it connected to the Input Battery Positive (red).
I have also read somewhere on the net that the source select (blue) should be connected to a ignition source, which would appear to be how the one in our Prado is wired (disappears into the fire wall - with the battery type orange)

Can anyone advise which is the correct set up, as I would prefer to not fry the Redarc on first connection.

Thanks

 

[sparra04]

brown goes to the active on battery being charged/aux battery (+30a fuse)
orange goes to active on main battery (+30a fuse)
blue is your sensor wire it goes to ignition power source (this is the wire that senses main batt voltage and switches charger on and off acordingly)
yellow is battery type wire, for lead acid it goes to earth
black is earth

 

[LLadnar]

Mine turned up on Friday goin too start install today.

 

[wasa68]

Sparra04 thank you.

Only thing is I dont have a yellow wire, only black, red, brown, orange and blue.

Brown Red and Black i'm fine with. It was the blue and orange one. So I assume the orange one is the one I earth. Can this go to earth on aux battery or should it go to chassis?
Blue I can just tap into anything that is powered up when the ignition is turned on.

 

[sparra04]

that sounds right
orange/yellow battery type,wet cell to earth
i put all my earths to battery
cheers

 

[mike1303]

Is anyone aware of the problems with connecting the bcdc 1220/1240 to our cars?

due to our variable voltage alternator ?

Im not 100% on the specifics but for my d40 i think ive been lucky, any model made later would require the 1240LV which handles the low voltage the alternator puts out while driving....

http://www.redarc.com.au/images/uploads/images/BCDC_Truck_brochure_2012.pdf

on the last page on the far right.

cheers guys

 

[Old.Tony]

Mike, I'm betting that once the car figures that the starter battery is charged, it'll kill the voltage, making the Redarc unit rely on the nominal voltage of the battery - which should be in the range 12.6-12.8V (minus a little for the load that the car is using for electrical things like ECU, instruments etc).

Putting a larger load on should make the alternator fire up again - I would imagine that turning on your headlights might do the trick if the Redarc stops drawing power.

The Redarc unit may still draw power - I thought their cut-off was around 11.75V, which means that it'll still draw from the main battery for a while. That could cause a problem with starting the vehicle.

 

[robmacca]

Hey Tony.... I'm a little confused.... are u saying that once your battery is charged that the ALT stops charging and that your volts will drop to 12.6-12.8 (with no load) with the engine running or are u referring to when the engine is stopped ??

I would be a little concerned if I ever saw my voltmeter on the car come down to 12.8 or even 13.....

I've just replaced my 10amp ALT Fuse with a voltage booster Fuse. Its a replacement 10amp ALT Fuse that also has a Diode in series with the fuse element that creates a voltage drop and tricks the ALT to increase the voltage output. I've been concerned with my ALT output voltage wasn't high enough. It only ever seemed to get to 14volts. This is not high enough for the modern day batteries of today. I've been using this replacement fuse for a week or so and the charging voltage is back up to 14.5volts where it should be.
I've had this device on my 2010 Prado for the past 2yrs as they are renowned for not charging at the correct voltage, especially if you are running a Aux Battery.

rob

Mike, I'm betting that once the car figures that the starter battery is charged, it'll kill the voltage, making the Redarc unit rely on the nominal voltage of the battery - which should be in the range 12.6-12.8V (minus a little for the load that the car is using for electrical things like ECU, instruments etc).

Putting a larger load on should make the alternator fire up again - I would imagine that turning on your headlights might do the trick if the Redarc stops drawing power.

The Redarc unit may still draw power - I thought their cut-off was around 11.75V, which means that it'll still draw from the main battery for a while. That could cause a problem with starting the vehicle.

 

[joshman]

The trick with the BCDC 1220, is that it will accept any voltage between 9 and 32 (from memory) and output a consistent voltage and charging pattern depending on which battery type you've selected with the orange wire.

If you're worried about the variable voltage alternator, call Redarc on their help line, I've called them a few times, and they are super helpful and knowledgeable.

 

[mike1303]

The trick with the BCDC 1220, is that it will accept any voltage between 9 and 32 (from memory) and output a consistent voltage and charging pattern depending on which battery type you've selected with the orange wire.

If you're worried about the variable voltage alternator, call Redarc on their help line, I've called them a few times, and they are super helpful and knowledgeable.

thats what my mate and i thought,
but the fella at the local show sais when it drops the redarc notices the change and turns off, thus not charging? and you can buy a 1220-LV or 1240-LV. the LV is LOW VOLTAGE, from what i could gather when the alt drops when its off the redarc wont stop....

its thrown a huge spanner in my works :s

 

[LLadnar]

The Redarc unit may still draw power - I thought their cut-off was around 11.75V, which means that it'll still draw from the main battery for a while. That could cause a problem with starting the vehicle.

but it wont draw power from the battery when the ignition is turned off, thats what the blue wire is for yes?

 

[Old.Tony]

Hey Tony.... I'm a little confused.... are u saying that once your battery is charged that the ALT stops charging and that your volts will drop to 12.6-12.8 (with no load) with the engine running or are u referring to when the engine is stopped ??

I would be a little concerned if I ever saw my voltmeter on the car come down to 12.8 or even 13.....

I've just replaced my 10amp ALT Fuse with a voltage booster Fuse. Its a replacement 10amp ALT Fuse that also has a Diode in series with the fuse element that creates a voltage drop and tricks the ALT to increase the voltage output. I've been concerned with my ALT output voltage wasn't high enough. It only ever seemed to get to 14volts. This is not high enough for the modern day batteries of today. I've been using this replacement fuse for a week or so and the charging voltage is back up to 14.5volts where it should be.
I've had this device on my 2010 Prado for the past 2yrs as they are renowned for not charging at the correct voltage, especially if you are running a Aux Battery.

rob

I don't think you have to worry about yours, Rob. As far as I know, it's a D40 thing for now - fancy new alternators that unload when not needed to reduce engine load (and increase alternator life, I guess).

 

[Old.Tony]

but it wont draw power from the battery when the ignition is turned off, thats what the blue wire is for yes?

Aye, that's the trick.

 

[robmacca]

I don't think you have to worry about yours, Rob. As far as I know, it's a D40 thing for now - fancy new alternators that unload when not needed to reduce engine load (and increase alternator life, I guess).

WOW.... I didn't realise that the D40's were designed that way..... What sort of life do most people get out of their normal batteries then? 3>4yrs still ?

 

[LLadnar]

What's the best place to hook into your ignition?

 

[mike1303]

What's the best place to hook into your ignition?

good question!
mine will be located in the tub (yours?)

hopefully someone can chime in.

 

[Old.Tony]

My battery is now 3 years old and still good, but I don't have one of the new fancy self-adjusting alternators.

If I recall, the isolator should be placed in the engine bay. There is a distribution frame behind the battery which should have ignition-on power source.

 

[mike1303]

My battery is now 3 years old and still good, but I don't have one of the new fancy self-adjusting alternators.

If I recall, the isolator should be placed in the engine bay. There is a distribution frame behind the battery which should have ignition-on power source.

I think a lot of people are going this route OT

That's a friends setup, it's a space case ARB set up for him, situated in the tub

 

[bods]

thats what my mate and i thought,
but the fella at the local show sais when it drops the redarc notices the change and turns off, thus not charging? and you can buy a 1220-LV or 1240-LV. the LV is LOW VOLTAGE, from what i could gather when the alt drops when its off the redarc wont stop....

its thrown a huge spanner in my works :s

Well according to their website it is multi volt... http://www.redarc.com.au/products/product/smart-start-bcdc/

 

[mike1303]

This is the one the bloke told me I should have to 'be safe' as its hard to know which alternator I have...http://www.redarc.com.au/products/p...ry-chargermppt-regulator-low-voltage-version/


When I search on eBay/online I can't find anywhere to buy one other then the redarc site...