Auxiliary Battery On 13 Pin Socket

Arkimediz
Arkimediz Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited November 2016 in Caravans #1

Our caravan has a 100w solar panel on the roof to charge the onboard battery. We will be away at New Year without mains with the inevitable drain on the battery by the Alde heating pump. I have fitted a spare battery in a box with connection for 110w of
free standing solar panel and a 13 pin socket to connect the caravan so that I can switch between batteries. This all seems to work well except that on plugging in, the ATC powers up. Has anyone any suggestions for an alternative way of making the connection
or switching the ATC off?

Comments

  • markflip
    markflip Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited November 2016 #2

    Presuambaly you're using pin 9 on the 13 pin socket and this is the power source for the ATC.  There's not a lot you can do about that I'm afraid, while you could fit a by-pass to the ATC I can't recommend that.  The solution might be to use pin 12, which
    is usually spare, but it obviously depends on where the cable from pin 12 (if there even is one) goes on the van.  An alternative solution would be to install a separate 13 pin plug and cable (from the gas locker or similar) purely to plug your aux 'power
    pack' into and wired up to your existing 'selector' switch.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #3

    Many Solar Panel Control Units have the connections to charge two batteries. If yours does not, then replacing it would be a simple solution.

    I have brought the second supply on my 'van to an external 12 volt socket so I can charge other people's battery if need be.

  • Arkimediz
    Arkimediz Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited November 2016 #4

    Thanks for the replies.

    Markflip - I have considered the alternative of connecting into the battery box with switching between the two and it looks like the way to go. 

    Navigateur - I don't really want to try and charge two batteries from the one panel. At the time of year there isn't likely to be much sun but plenty on current drain especially from the Alde heating hence my
    arrangement to charge the two batteries from separate panels but thanks for the thought.

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