# CTEK D250S chargers



## kevanna1959 (Apr 5, 2010)

We have been thinking of fitting one of these battery to battery chargers for a while. I believe they charge the battery faster from the engine and also the solar panels. We then saw am article in MMM that said Sargent also make a similar product. Does anyone have experience of either devices please, to help us make a decision. Thanks ann


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## GrayB (Sep 6, 2011)

*good piece of kit*

Hi Ann

I find this duel charger excellent saves you buying a B 2 B charger and a solar regulator plus it's the better type of MPPT regulator.

cheers for now Gray.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't think much does the job better than the Alternator, serious amps there, 150 or more amps when driving.


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## kevanna1959 (Apr 5, 2010)

Yes but how long or how far do I have to drive to get a decent charge on the leisure battery's before I can put TV back on? On a wet dull day.


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## Christine600 (Jan 20, 2011)

I changed to this one this spring and think it does an excellent job. My batteries have higher charge when I stop after a trip. Or when the sun shine on my solar panels.

But important! - it must replace the original charger in your van or they will step on eachothers toes and you won't get the full effect.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

That wasn't the point really was it, they charge faster than anything else you might have, maybe not suitable for you though if you don't move much, I bought my van to move a lot so although I have a Solar panel most of the charge comes form the engine.

Not knocking the CTEK, good gear, I have one, but only the 5amp as I don't do EHU, except on the drive so a waste of money to go bigger, even in winter the panel is putting a few milliamps in, enough to keep it from going flat, should the charger get unplugged or pack up.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

I find their prices a bit eye-watering.

Sure, they are clever gadgets, but I can get switch-mode chargers for £1 an amp output, and I've yet to see anything that is better value for money.

BtoB etc is all well and good, but nothing you couldn't do as well with a bit of solar and some thought.

Look how many problems come up on here with owners unable to work out how their gadgets work or what to do when they go wrong.

KISS Keep It Simple, Stupid

Peter


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## TheFlups (Nov 9, 2012)

We have the Cetek 250S Dual. I'm no expert but linked to a pair of 130w Solar Panels it just seems to look after everything perfectly....which is just as well when you consider my lack of electrical knowledge....it's all voodoo to me.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Christine600 said:


> I changed to this one this spring and think it does an excellent job. My batteries have higher charge when I stop after a trip. Or when the sun shine on my solar panels.
> 
> But important! - it must replace the original charger in your van or they will step on eachothers toes and you won't get the full effect.


I,m not with you here Christine.

I thought this CTEK unit we are talking about only worked when the engine is running? Or in the case of the dual unit when you have a solar connected.

So you have to replace the original charger in your van :?

Don't understand this bit.

Paul.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

If you have more than one source of charging, one will always take the job as it will be at a higher voltage than the other. It doesn't have to be a big differential, 0.1V is enough to discriminate between the two sources.

If the battery is pulled low by on-board loads, then both will charge the battery as neither is at the high float point and both will contribute.

Our twin chargers and twin solar panel systems feed the same battery, but the chargers are set to 13.80V and the panels to 13.60V, so the chargers normally will charge and the panels will sit there doing nothing.

Peter


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Thanks Peter.

This unit only works when the alternator is running though so how can you replace the original van charger with it, as Christine says.

How would you charge when on EHU if you did this?

Paul.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I am not sure what you mean by charge the battery faster??

You can only put as much into the battery as the power source (alternator, EHU or Solar panel) is providing. As in, if the alternator is pumping out 30 amps that's the most ANY charge control system, be it the split charge system in your MH or a B2B charger can put into your battery. If you have a solar panel that can supply 5amps max then no matter what fancy charger you have 5 amps is all you is ogin to get!

So the question really is "What are your power requirements?" 

First up is how much leisure battery supply have you got? Number of batteries and AH rating. 

Next up is what do you need to power? Halogen lights, LED lights, TV. (12 or 230v via an inverter etc) bike battery chargers, etc etc 

Do you use EHU a lot or wild camp more, do you move every day or stay put (off grid) for days at a time? If so what time of year, do you have a Solar panel? Do you have a Sargent control unit because they do it all for you!

What I am trying to say is do you actually NEED any additional form of battery charging on top of what's built into you MH? 

I have 2x110 ah batteries and a solar panel, I can go for a month without EHU if I move every few days and drive for about an hour.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Winter camping is different though, you can't go months then.

That's when B2B etc come into their own, depending on your camping style that is.

Paul.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Paul

You still have to have a source of power to recharge the first battery so the B2B can charge the second!


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Mrplodd said:


> Paul
> 
> You still have to have a source of power to recharge the first battery so the B2B can charge the second!


Yes I,m still confused by Christine's post saying you have to replace the original charger with this unit? when it only works when the engine(alternator) is running.

Paul.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Just sold our old motorhome with one of these.

I have posted this elsewhere.

We did find it often left the Chassis battery very low and close to non starting.

TM


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## Christine600 (Jan 20, 2011)

coppo said:


> I,m not with you here Christine.
> 
> I thought this CTEK unit we are talking about only worked when the engine is running? Or in the case of the dual unit when you have a solar connected.
> 
> ...


Sorry Paul - yes I have the dual one with solar panel connection. It does not charge when on EHU but when on solar or with the engine running.

And it's connected directly to the battery. So we used a relay to switch between the Ctek when engine is running and the original system when it's not. This because the Ctek shuts down all power when it's not charging and thus shut off all the power in the van. So a relay was needed.


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## camoyboy (May 9, 2005)

I believe what Christine is trying to say is that you need to disconnect the standard split charging system to allowe the Ctek to work.

The Ctek is a full 5 stage charger, so you get all the gassing, charging and floating by taking up to a maximum of 20amps from the alternator when the engine is running. Therefore the batteries are getting a proper charge as opposed to the trickle charge from the standard split charge.

Also when on solar both leisure and van batteries are charged through the inbuilt MPPT regulator. 

I contacted Ctek for info on how to connect the Ctek into the Rapido CBE system, and they promptly sent through a diagram to show what to do.

The only thing that doesn't work correctly is the amps display when on solar.

Colin


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## kevanna1959 (Apr 5, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for their help. Think I will ring ctek 
Anna


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## kevanna1959 (Apr 5, 2010)

*ctek charger*

Does this mean then that you need to keep the motorhome charger turned off whilst you are on electric hook up. We use electric hook up on a site in England (apr - Jun and sep - nov) hen you would expect to use more power. In summer we are away not usually on EHU and might stay a week or more in some places or might move 10 miles down the road if it takes our fancy. In nov we go to Spain and hopefully Morocco where we might stay at Agadir poss a month without moving All our equipment is either 12v or low power so we have a 150w inverter.
anna


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## camoyboy (May 9, 2005)

*Re: ctek charger*



kevanna1959 said:


> Does this mean then that you need to keep the motorhome charger turned off whilst you are on electric hook up.


 No, the mains charger can be used as normal. The Ctek switches to solar when the engine is turned off, so if there is any sun your onboard charger will have less to do to keep the batteries topped up.

As mentioned earlier, it is a fit and forget piece of equipment, that replaces your standard split charge system and solar regulator for a more sophisticated and efficient unit, ensuring all batteries are properly charged and maintained.

Colin


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## Christine600 (Jan 20, 2011)

No, Anna. You can use EHU. When I drive I charge with the Ctek 250S Dual. When I am at aires or campsites I use EHU if I like.

But then the Dual part on my Ctek means I have 3 solar panels on the roof connected to the Ctek. Whick means that I mostly don't need EHU on site either. Except when it rains for days.


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## kevanna1959 (Apr 5, 2010)

That's what I wanted to hear, it will help charge the batteries a bit faster and help our 2 80w panels when the weather is not too good thanks everyone 
Anna


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