# CTEK? Sterling B2B? Battery Master?



## brassmonkey001 (Jul 25, 2010)

Following on from this thread I want to update my charging system.

So, should I get a CTEK charger and if so which one? What other makes are there?
Which model should I get?

It was mentioned in the other thread that I should get a CTEK in conjunction with a Battery Master. What does a Battery Master do?

Would it be a good idea to add in a Sterling battery charger or would this be superflous?

My intention is to add a solar panel or two and another leisure battery to enable longer camps with no EHU.

Am I getting a bit belt & braces & a bit of string in case the belt & braces both fail at the same time?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Err, the other thread is about a faulty battery charger; that's it.

This thread then leaps to you considering buying all of charger, battery master, Sterling B-to-B charger and solar panel.

You haven't said what your requirements are beyond a broken charger that you need to replace.

If you simply want to learn about such things, then I'd start with the relevant MHF guides.

Dave


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

This is how I understand things bm:

A battery Master will provide for the transfer of any excess charge in the leisure battery, over a certain amount, to the cab battery. So is you are relying on Solar Power and in storeage or not on EHU then the enerfgy provided by the sun will not be wasted and the cab battery will be kept charged to a reasonable amount too.

A batt to batt charger will enable the leisure battery to be charged much quicker than a normal built -in charger when you are on the move. So if you spend a lot of time off ehu, and move from site to site frequently, without doing a great deal of mileage in between, then a b to b charger will be useful (some say vital)

Now-in a sense I'm testing my own knowledge here :wink: so hopefully someone will come on and let me know if I'm right....or not....then we can both learn :lol:


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## brassmonkey001 (Jul 25, 2010)

DABurleigh said:


> Err, the other thread is about a faulty battery charger; that's it.
> 
> This thread then leaps to you considering buying all of charger, battery master, Sterling B-to-B charger and solar panel.
> 
> ...


I need to replace my charger so I need to consider what to replace it with.

I already had the idea to fit solar panels in my long term plan but short term is a new charger. I want to fit something future proof so I won't need to replace a perfectly good bit of kit 12 months from now simply because it isn't compatible with future modifications.

I have been trawling the site for info but I'm possibly in danger of information overload without finding the answer I'm after which is why I'm asking here.
Perhaps I haven't found the relevant guides yet, perhaps you could give me a link or two to send me in the right direction?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

How have you been trawling MHF for info?

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-601034.html#601034
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-651721.html#651721
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-587885.html#587885
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-217582.html#217582
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-211763.html#211763

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-651725.html#651725

http://www.vanbitz.com/product/Battery_Master_BMaster
http://www.outdoorbits.com/Brochures/Battery_Master_Customer_instructions.pdf

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-798960.html#798960

http://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/pro...erling+Pro-Charge+"C"+20A/12V+Charger&id=1063

http://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/product_detail.aspx?prod=CTEK+Multi+XS+25000+Battery+Charger&id=289

Dave


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## brassmonkey001 (Jul 25, 2010)

Thanks Dave.
I've read a few (but not all) of those threads already and got some ideas.

So in simple terms, if we liken batteries to buckets, the split charge relay allows any excess charge from the alternator to be diverted to fill the leisure bucket once the engine bucket has reached capacity. That much I already understand.
But is it correct then that the Battery Master balances out the two buckets so their levels are equal?
And that fitting a CTEK charger would be like a tap to fill the leisure bucket, and the Battery Master would make sure the engine bucket would get filled as well as the leisure bucket?
I take it the addition of solar panels or a wind turbine would be like fitting another tap to fill the leisure bucket which again would also fill the engine bucket via the Battery Master?

Continuing the similie, the Sterling B2B wold be like fitting a larger bore pipe between buckets to enable faster filling of the leisure bucket? So you could fill the leisure bucket after only 50 miles instead of 200 for example? I.e. it maximises efficiency of the alternator charging system?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

In simple terms, yes.

Dave


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## brassmonkey001 (Jul 25, 2010)

So what would happen if you went out for the day and left a high drain appliance on so that the leisure battery was completely flattened? Would the battery master allow the engine battery to become flattened by the same drain or is it clever enough to not allow that to happen?
Or vice versa if the engine battery became flat for whatever reason would the leisure battery also drain down?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"So what would happen if you went out for the day and left a high drain appliance on so that the leisure battery was completely flattened? Would the battery master allow the engine battery to become flattened by the same drain..."

No.

"Or vice versa if the engine battery became flat for whatever reason would the leisure battery also drain down?"

Yes.

Dave


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## brassmonkey001 (Jul 25, 2010)

DABurleigh said:


> "So what would happen if you went out for the day and left a high drain appliance on so that the leisure battery was completely flattened? Would the battery master allow the engine battery to become flattened by the same drain..."
> 
> No.
> 
> ...


So, a drain on the leisure wouldn't be a problem as the BM would break the connection, but if there was a drain on the engine battery it could also flatten the leisure battery?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Yes.

Or to use your analogy, think of the Battery Master as a one-way valve with a small bore linking the buckets and triggered by the level in the leisure bucket being at least an inch higher than that in the vehicle bucket.

Dave


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## brassmonkey001 (Jul 25, 2010)

I have an Optimate charger which I use for my bikes. As a stop-gap measure until I upgrade my charging system I could just connect that via an extension lead to whichever battery needed charging whilst on EHU on site, couldn't I?


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