# New price for a Battery Master



## aikidomo (Jan 8, 2008)

Anybody know of a good price for a battery master,other than the £70 ish
I can only find, if I have to pay it, of course I will, just being tight, as u do. :lol: \/ 
Cheers,
Clive


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## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

There where loads given away as raffle prizes at the Global Rally recently. Chasper.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

A Caktanks BCM12 is cheaper. Page 79 
http://www.caktanks.com/files/CAK_TANKS_CATALOGUE_2009_LOW_RES.pdf

And this is cheaper still:
http://www.motts.org/BRIDGING FUSE.htm

Dave


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## motorhomer2 (May 9, 2005)

Hello 

In August after many visits without a lasting success result Timberland have fitted one of these in our van. Our solar panel is now wired directly to the leisure batteries. We have yet to test the diesel heater. Since it has been wired this way after an initial problem we have not had to charge our leisure batteries on mains and they are maintained so far at 12.8 12.9 volts higher on sunny days However despite this I am wondering whether the van battery is being topped up when the leisure batteries are full. Our van battery seem to read 12.4 to 12.5 which I would have expected to have been higher on a good suuny day. We have charged our van battery a couple of times. Maybe this is normal. I dont know. 

Motorhomer


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

We have a Solar panel (85w) charging our 2*110AH batteries and a battery master fitted to keep the vehicle battery topped up.

If I check the voltages during the day when the van has been stored for a week or two the leisure batteries are at 13.8 Volts and the Cab at 12.7 Volts.

The advantage of a battery master is you just leave and do nothing.

Richard...


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*BM*

As Dave says the BCM12 or equivalent is cheaper.

If you have certain Schaudt systems you will not need one

Trev


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Good evening!

The first thing we had fitted to Our Coral, two years ago, was a Strikeback Alarm, fitted by VanBitz. Because I ordered it through OutdoorBits, I had a BatteryMaster fitted for free. It was part of the offer at the time.

Since that day, I have never had a flat engine battery. In 2 years, the engine has never failed to start. (Tempting fate?)

Whilst off hook-up, or wild-camping recently, even when the leisure batteries were showing withdrawal symptoms, the engine battery remained as healthy as ever.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> the leisure batteries are at 13.8 Volts and the Cab at 12.7 Volts.


Richard- with a Battery Master/Battery Charge Manager shouldn't some of that 13.8v from the leisure battery be transferred across to the cab battery? I thought that was the idea.


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Tell 

It does before battery master our vehicle battery was down to 12.3 Volts after a week.

Richard...


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> It does before battery master our vehicle battery was down to 12.3 Volts after a week.


Thanks- but I thought it would have kicked in before 13.8v? I assume you have the VB one? What voltage does it kick in then? The Cak tanks one-according to bumf- kicks in at 13.6 so I assume the leisure battery would never reach 13.8 when off hook up\?


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Tell

I think the VB one keeps the cab battery to around about 12.7 to 12.8 Volts.

That is what ours seem to be at all the time with it fitted. The Solar regulator is set to cut of a 13.8 Volts.

But either way a vehicle vehicle battery at 12.8 Volts is fully charged and the van starts first time even after 3 weeks not being moved. I have read a good few people say the X250 Fiat will flatten it battery in 2 to 3 week's if not used/charged.


Richard...


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

The Vanbitz battery master is a proven product you can't go wrong with... you just leave it to do its thing. It has a reassuring LED light on, just in case you want to check its working. For me, £70 is worth the investment... imagine your motorhome won't start when you go to pick it up from storage... how much hassle is it to get jump started, how much would it delay your departure??

UncleNorm.. offer still stands via outdoorbits, free battery master when strikeback fitted for MHF subscribers.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Footnote*



Telbell said:


> > It does before battery master our vehicle battery was down to 12.3 Volts after a week.
> 
> 
> Thanks- but I thought it would have kicked in before 13.8v? I assume you have the VB one? What voltage does it kick in then? The Cak tanks one-according to bumf- kicks in at 13.6 so I assume the leisure battery would never reach 13.8 when off hook up\?


Chez soi-C´est ou on se stationne!!

At Home is where one stops themselves?


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

it would seem that this is an essential bit of kit. is it easy to fit?

dave


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Yes its quite straight forward, three wires, one to positive on leisure battery, one to positive of engine battery and one to the vehicle ground.


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hi Dave!

Speak to Julie. She did it herself, having won a batterymaster at the Global...

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-71770-fitting.html+battery+master


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

That is difficult to answer as peoples' abilities are more diverse than any motorhome DIY you can think of. 

A good test would be if you know you have a split-charge relay, and where it is, yes. If not you will probably cluck and fuss before getting someone else to do it.

Dave


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

:lol: 

thanks for the three great replies, and congrats to Julie, but I am agfraid i am going to let the side down and get someone else to fit it, i did not pass dave burliegh's test!
dave


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

:lol: :lol:


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

That's fine fitting one yourself but its knowing you need one in the first place is the difficulty as some internal electrics on some motorhomes do what a Battery Master does as far as I know (and that's very little).


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

To see if you need one the easiest way is just to measure the voltage in the vehicle battery after not using if for 2 to 3 weeks. Less than 12.4 Volts chances are you need a one.

Richard...


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