Long term parking and battery discharge

[Zimm]

I hope they are not right. I’ve been led to believe there will always be enough charge left to start the vehicle but haven't tested that theory. I always use solar power when camped up for a few days. When the early Grenadiers like mine were delivered we could use the auxiliary load terminal on the smart pass to connect some auxiliary loads in the knowledge that the smartpass would cut off those loads when battery capacity got down to 50% but that terminal got blanked off on all Grenadiers as a routine when they were serviced at a dealers. Keen to learn what your dealer finds.

Ill just add an adjustable low voltage cutout when I add my bypass if thats the case. thats an easy fix. It'll add some more parasitic drain to the system, but, the trickle charge solar will handle that.

I'm starting to feel like i'll be trying to tune a bagpipe.

 

[granadilla]

I don't know what the limit cutoffs are. Maybe there is some literature on the ctek website. My primary is typically at 80% max. That seems to be where the Smart Alternator is set to keep it. I'd prefer 90, but, there's no way to force that issue outside of a trickle charger or solar input which I'll end up doing. Long term I'm planning on a manual bypass with 2/0 cable to temp connect both batteries for winching when I'm playing in the dirt, to make up for any stress on the primary. That's been my setup on the past couple trucks, and it's worked well for me.

My Primary gets close to 100% if I do a long distance run. So it charges well, but holding the charge seems to be the issue. Either excessive draw, dud cell or the CTEK interface isn't working as it should is what makes sense to me.

 

[Logsplitter]

Let us know the outcome.

 

[Zimm]

My Primary gets close to 100% if I do a long distance run. So it charges well, but holding the charge seems to be the issue. Either excessive draw, dud cell or the CTEK interface isn't working as it should is what makes sense to me.

I left the dealership at 68% drove 5hrs, and pulled up at 75%. It trickle charges the entire time 1-2%. I don't know if I have a bad battery, or the alt is wacky.

 

[granadilla]

I hope they are not right. I’ve been led to believe there will always be enough charge left to start the vehicle but haven't tested that theory. I always use solar power when camped up for a few days. When the early Grenadiers like mine were delivered we could use the auxiliary load terminal on the smart pass to connect some auxiliary loads in the knowledge that the smartpass would cut off those loads when battery capacity got down to 50% but that terminal got blanked off on all Grenadiers as a routine when they were serviced at a dealers. Keen to learn what your dealer finds.

Yip, no ability to connect solar to the vehicle I have. Hence a battery Box seems the work around, but means all the dual battery set up and wiring wasted.

 

[granadilla]

I left the dealership at 68% drove 5hrs, and pulled up at 75%. It trickle charges the entire time 1-2%. I don't know if I have a bad battery, or the alt is wacky.

Mine seems to charge quickly when it's at low charge levels, below 70%. Then when above 70% the charge rate is much slower but after a 5 hour trip was close to 100%. Pity there is no way to know the charge level on the Aux battery. I through that if they functioned as a "single unit" then the charge levels would be the same, but doesn't seem that the CTEK is set up that way and the system doesn't monitor , or at least display, the health of the Aux

 

[granadilla]

Ill just add an adjustable low voltage cutout when I add my bypass if thats the case. thats an easy fix. It'll add some more parasitic drain to the system, but, the trickle charge solar will handle that.

I'm starting to feel like i'll be trying to tune a bagpipe.

How do you charge yours with a solar system? Mine blanked off at the battery. And where did you run the wiring in from? Via the electrical pints on the roof near the mounting points for a rack, or do you just leave a window open when it's parked?

 

[Tom109]

How do you charge yours with a solar system? Mine blanked off at the battery. And where did you run the wiring in from? Via the electrical pints on the roof near the mounting points for a rack, or do you just leave a window open when it's parked?

I’m figuring this out now. I hope to finish it up this weekend.

Rooftop Solar on Factory Rack​

 

[Zimm]

How do you charge yours with a solar system? Mine blanked off at the battery. And where did you run the wiring in from? Via the electrical pints on the roof near the mounting points for a rack, or do you just leave a window open when it's parked?

I don't have it yet. I'm good for letting everyone else beta test. There's always more than one way to skin a cat, not just mine. I've also been waiting to see if some of my warranty issues got fixed, or it I'd have to offload the truck and bits I've picked up for it. Since my truck is finally aligned 1.5 years later, I think i'll keep it.

This is the system I'm settling upon. All I really want is a trickle charge, and I like to have my roof open. If i'd be stationary for days, I have a 600w pack-able system for a fridge anyway. This fits the bill for me.

Ineos Grenadier Lensun 90W 12V Hood/Bonnet Flexible Solar Panel

Lensun hood flexible solar panel mounts to the vehicle hood. Charge the battery or power station. Keep your fridges, dash cam, lighting, phones, etc., charged.

lensunsolar.com

 

[Logsplitter]

How do you charge yours with a solar system? Mine blanked off at the battery. And where did you run the wiring in from? Via the electrical pints on the roof near the mounting points for a rack, or do you just leave a window open when it's parked?

Up to now I’ve used portable solar panels 2x 100w connected to jump starter post under the bonnet and even on a hot day with fridge running that will get the main battery to a full charge if I lift the battery cover up I can see by the lights that the smartpass is also charging the second battery I regularly had the system to a float charge. With my new Alucab lifting roof setup I’ll be adding 270w solar panel to the roof. Wiring is already down to the battery box and connection on the roof is a 50a Anderson connector. At the battery box I will use a Victron smart solar mppt 100/30 controller. This will be connected to main battery this will in turn charge the second battery via the smartpass

 

[Karearea]

I can't possibly justify using the second battery the way Ineos chose to do. It is super simple to have dual batteries - but it would be super simpler just to leave room for a larger AGM single unit. I don't know if the dual-battery set up is at fault - I'd rip that crap out if it behaved like that.

Speaking of age - batteries used to last for a decade. Now, three years is a decent clip. I had to decommission a beautiful Odissey after only 5 years - it will not charge beyond 12.2 V.

I seem to remember on the forum recently that new build orders don’t allow for the dual battery setup…
Am I correct?
If so it would seem that some reconsideration of the design has occurred internally
EDIT : So sorry for posting this before reading the whole (older) thread all the way through

 

[Tom109]

At the battery box I will use a Victron smart solar mppt 100/30 controller. This will be connected to main battery this will in turn charge the second battery via the smartpass

This is my exact setup.

 

[landmannnn]

I seem to remember on the forum recently that new build orders don’t allow for the dual battery setup…
Am I correct?
If so it would seem that some reconsideration of the design has occurred internally
EDIT : So sorry for posting this before reading the whole (older) thread all the way through

Correct.
It was an unusual setup that nobody really expected.

Guessing IA decided that it would be simple enough for a new owner just to fit a dcdc charger and second battery if they so desired.