Solar charging of primary battery

[Dawid Potgieter]

I need some help with my battery setup. I have a Trialmaster with the Ineos factory dual battery system. I have a Victron MPPT connected to the secondary battery. My fridge is connected to run directly off the secondary battery. My roof outlets powering my camp lights still run off the primary battery. The guy who did the installation for me told me that once the secondary battery is fully charged via solar, it will also charge the primary battery via the solar input. I don't see any charge going into my primary battery even though the second battery is full. From what I can see on the Internet, the Smartpass completely disconnects the 2 batteries when the engine is off. So it seems unlikely that primary battery will get charged. When I connect my AC charger to the primary battery however, it does look like the Smartpass allows charging of the secondary battery. Is that correct? I don't have much time before my next trip, and is looking for a quick and simple solution to allow charging of my primary battery as well with solar while in the bush, as the camp lights draw a lot of power from my primary battery.

 

[Quartermaster]

The primary battery will be trickle charged when its voltage is under a certain value, roughly 12,3 V from my experience.

 

[Lollo050968]

If you charge via the charging point under the bonnet, both batteries are charged. From my experience at first the auxiliary and after full charged, the starter battery is going to be charged.
My Fridge is connected via the compressor connection under the backseat (directly to the starter?)
Last summer auxiliary battery was low on 0% and the starter stopped delivering power at 7%. The engine started without any problems at first attempt.
Now with 240W mobile panel, the batteries are throughout the day 100%, and still additional power over the load connection of the Victron MPPT.

P.S: I „burned“ one 25A fuse, at the attempt to charge over the roof connection. This way should be oneway…..

 

[Dawid Potgieter]

I

If you charge via the charging point under the bonnet, both batteries are charged. From my experience at first the auxiliary and after full charged, the starter battery is going to be charged.
My Fridge is connected via the compressor connection under the backseat (directly to the starter?)
Last summer auxiliary battery was low on 0% and the starter stopped delivering power at 7%. The engine started without any problems at first attempt.
Now with 240W mobile panel, the batteries are throughout the day 100%, and still additional power over the load connection of the Victron MPPT.

P.S: I „burned“ one 25A fuse, at the attempt to charge over the roof connection. This way should be oneway…..

I don't understand exactly what you mean. You talk about charging from the charging point under the bonnet, but also about your solar panel and mppt. So where do you connect your solar panel to?

 

[Logsplitter]

When I camp I have 2 x 100watt suitcase style solar panels. These have inbuilt mppt controllers and I charge the Grenadier via the jump start post under the bonnet. This seems to charge both batteries and I have an ARB 47l fridge running constantly. The mppt controllers regularly indicate that the battery is at the float stage so all seems fine. When at powered campsites I plug into the mains and trickle charge the batteries with a Victron smart charger.
Hope this helps.

 

[Dawid Potgieter]

When I camp I have 2 x 100watt suitcase style solar panels. These have inbuilt mppt controllers and I charge the Grenadier via the jump start post under the bonnet. This seems to charge both batteries and I have an ARB 47l fridge running constantly. The mppt controllers regularly indicate that the battery is at the float stage so all seems fine. When at powered campsites I plug into the mains and trickle charge the batteries with a Victron smart charger.
Hope this helps.
View attachment 7899902View attachment 7899903View attachment 7899904

I have a "loose" MPPT that I bought many years ago to use with a previous solar panel on my old Defender. I was thinking of using that as a backup, in case I really needed to charge my primary battery, but was told it was not a good idea since I already have a Victron MPPT wired to the 2nd battery.

 

[Logsplitter]

Not really sure on that but everything on mine is connected to the main starter battery and this seems to charge both batteries. All auxiliary loads are connected to main battery also. The second battery on the ineos set up as far as I’m aware is just to help support the main battery and not there to supply auxiliary loads. It may be different if you change the charging set up as some have done and add a Ctek 250se to support/supplement the smartpass. The Ineos set up as is works perfectly for me with all loads off of main battery. When I travelled around Southern Africa I had many 40c plus days with fridge working overtime and no problems at all.

 

[Tom109]

When I camp I have 2 x 100watt suitcase style solar panels. These have inbuilt mppt controllers and I charge the Grenadier via the jump start post under the bonnet. This seems to charge both batteries and I have an ARB 47l fridge running constantly. The mppt controllers regularly indicate that the battery is at the float stage so all seems fine. When at powered campsites I plug into the mains and trickle charge the batteries with a Victron smart charger.
Hope this helps.
View attachment 7899902View attachment 7899903View attachment 7899904

This is what I am after, just thinking if I ‘d rather hard mount a single panel on my roof rack.

 

[Logsplitter]

This is what I am after, just thinking if I ‘d rather hard mount a single panel on my roof rack.

I prefer the suitcase style as I can move around to best catch the suns rays. Also they are very tough. My wife ran over one of them and although dented and misshapen still works fine

 

[Dawid Potgieter]

Not really sure on that but everything on mine is connected to the main starter battery and this seems to charge both batteries. All auxiliary loads are connected to main battery also. The second battery on the ineos set up as far as I’m aware is just to help support the main battery and not there to supply auxiliary loads. It may be different if you change the charging set up as some have done and add a Ctek 250se to support/supplement the smartpass. The Ineos set up as is works perfectly for me with all loads off of main battery. When I travelled around Southern Africa I had many 40c plus days with fridge working overtime and no problems at all.

My system was working well in December in the Kgalagadi. My Engel fridge is small and doesn't use much power. This upcoming trip I need to run my camping lights from my vehicle and they really eat up battery power. Our game drives will also not be as far as in the Kgalagadi, so batteries won't have as much time to charge. So I'm looking for a quick fix option to charge my main battery if needed. Where do you connect your negative clamp to? I see it disappearing under the engine cover on your photo. I haven't had much success connecting anywhere else than on that lifting eyelet under the engine cover, but it is a pain in the ass to always have to take that engine cover off, plus it gets really hot.

 

[Logsplitter]

I do connect to the lifting eye as mine is easily accessible in the petrol version. Adjacent to the live post under the bonnet is a small stud that some people use for the same purpose. I think it’s the one I’ve indicated on the attached photo. Others may verify for me.
By the way I love the Khalagadi NP and have been a few times now. March 2023 was the last time on the Botswana side.

 

[Lollo050968]

@Dawid Potgieter you have the Diesel or Petrol Version? Logsplitter and I have the Petrol version and the lifting eyelet is easy access without disassembling the engine cover. I use a loose Victron MPPT too, with mobile 240W panel, less than 1 hour charging both batteries from 60%-100%. With the mobile panel you can follow the sun easy.

 

[Dawid Potgieter]

I do connect to the lifting eye as mine is easily accessible in the petrol version. Adjacent to the live post under the bonnet is a small stud that some people use for the same purpose. I think it’s the one I’ve indicated on the attached photo. Others may verify for me.
By the way I love the Khalagadi NP and have been a few times now. March 2023 was the last time on the Botswana side.

View attachment 7899921

Thanks. I'll give that a try. Mine is a diesel, so that lifting eye is well hidden.

 

[Dawid Potgieter]

@Dawid Potgieter you have the Diesel or Petrol Version? Logsplitter and I have the Petrol version and the lifting eyelet is easy access without disassembling the engine cover. I use a loose Victron MPPT too, with mobile 240W panel, less than 1 hour charging both batteries from 60%-100%. With the mobile panel you can follow the sun easy.View attachment 7899923

Diesel. Lifting eye is far underneath engine cover.

 

[Logsplitter]

Check the bolt i indicated for an earthing point. If you have one try a multimeter test to measure resistance of the earth point you choose.

 

[Tom109]

I prefer the suitcase style as I can move around to best catch the suns rays. Also they are very tough. My wife ran over one of them and although dented and misshapen still works fine

What brand do you have?

 

[Commodore]

I'm installing this Renogy DC-DC charger with a built in MPPT charger on my boat this weekend. It will charge the LIFePO house battery the starter battery while the engine is running. Then when I leave it in my dock all week hooked up to a solar panel it will give priority charging to the house battery and when that is full it will charge the AGM starter battery. I don't have power on my dock and the boat only really gets used Friday through Sunday in the summer. This should make for a nice solution to keep the batteries topped of. My kids have a way of killing he house battery by running the stereo all day with the engine off.

Assuming it works out then I'm planning on doing the same thing to the Grenadier.

Amazon.com

 

[Logsplitter]

What brand do you have?

Hi Tom. I have these from 12v planet uk. You will probably pick up something similar in the USA albeit with a different name.

Photonic Universe 100W Lightweight Folding Solar Charging Kit With MPPT Controller

100W lightweight portable, folding solar panel kit for 12V systems with high-quality solar cells & MPPT controller. For leisure applications.

www.12voltplanet.co.uk

 

[Dawid Potgieter]

I do connect to the lifting eye as mine is easily accessible in the petrol version. Adjacent to the live post under the bonnet is a small stud that some people use for the same purpose. I think it’s the one I’ve indicated on the attached photo. Others may verify for me.
By the way I love the Khalagadi NP and have been a few times now. March 2023 was the last time on the Botswana side.

View attachment 7899921

Yeah, so after a month in the Kgalagadi my Grenadier's whole roof came loose. So much for built like a tank.

 

[Logsplitter]

Wow. Did you mean roof rack or you mean all the welds broke on the actual roof. It’s a welded on roof right?