Pleased to hear the diagram is what you have been looking for. Most of the diagrams for DC-DC chargers are for vehicle mounting & not setup for camper trailer applications. Your Ctek dual install will be something like how I went about putting the Redarc into our camper. I put a diagram together & sent it to Jamie & also to Redarc to see if I was on the right track before starting the job http://www.campertrailers.org/bcdc1225_install.htm
Also if you have a look at my reply to Simon you will find links to cable, lugs & andersons at the right price.
CTek D250S Dual Wiring Kit
Moderators: krp102, Coxy68, robcaz
Re: CTek D250S Dual Wiring Kit
happy camping
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year
-
WomblingFree
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:07 am
Re: CTek D250S Dual Wiring Kit
To answer the OP
Ignoring Redarcs etc and other complications.
You want the Ctek located as close to the target batteries as possible. That reduces voltage loss in the output cable which you cannot compensate for.
Doesn't matter where you source the alternator power from as the Ctek will boost that voltage so as to charge the camper batteries. I pull the input volts from my aux battery under the hood via a 100 amp fuse.
If you locate the Ctek away from the target batteries then you negate most of the benefits of fitting it, ie DC-DC conversion, and will not charge the batteries to their full extent.
Having a monster cable from the alternator to the Ctek is desirable but not critical. The bigger cables (I use 4B&S but 6 is ok) mean that the Ctek will not have to work as hard to overcome the voltage drop in that cable and maybe charge the batteries a bit quicker. Even with 4B&S I have an appreciable voltage drop between the Aux battery and the Ctek input.
The Ctek is limited to 20amp charging anyway unless you bought the high current option unit as well.
I have an Anderson socket flush mounted into the side of my camper for plugging in solar panels.
The Ctek figures out which input (car or solar) has the best power supply and uses that but swaps between them as it wants.
When you wire it in, put a 50 amp circuit breaker on the alternator input to the Ctek.
I have another breaker between the batteries and the camper electrics so as to isolate the batteries from the camper.
You then wire the Ctek direct to the batteries so that you can solar trickle charge the batteries whilst the camper is parked up at home.
Hope that helps
Malcom
Ignoring Redarcs etc and other complications.
You want the Ctek located as close to the target batteries as possible. That reduces voltage loss in the output cable which you cannot compensate for.
Doesn't matter where you source the alternator power from as the Ctek will boost that voltage so as to charge the camper batteries. I pull the input volts from my aux battery under the hood via a 100 amp fuse.
If you locate the Ctek away from the target batteries then you negate most of the benefits of fitting it, ie DC-DC conversion, and will not charge the batteries to their full extent.
Having a monster cable from the alternator to the Ctek is desirable but not critical. The bigger cables (I use 4B&S but 6 is ok) mean that the Ctek will not have to work as hard to overcome the voltage drop in that cable and maybe charge the batteries a bit quicker. Even with 4B&S I have an appreciable voltage drop between the Aux battery and the Ctek input.
The Ctek is limited to 20amp charging anyway unless you bought the high current option unit as well.
I have an Anderson socket flush mounted into the side of my camper for plugging in solar panels.
The Ctek figures out which input (car or solar) has the best power supply and uses that but swaps between them as it wants.
When you wire it in, put a 50 amp circuit breaker on the alternator input to the Ctek.
I have another breaker between the batteries and the camper electrics so as to isolate the batteries from the camper.
You then wire the Ctek direct to the batteries so that you can solar trickle charge the batteries whilst the camper is parked up at home.
Hope that helps
Malcom