Another BIG Cancer thankyou to RV Powerstream.

John,

The unit is very technically sophisticated. It fools the alternator into believing the start battery needs full charge. Hence the alternator puts out its maximum capacity all straight into the aux.

Decent AGM batts, such as Lifeline, will take whatever charge can be thrown at them, so if your alternator can bang out a genuine 70 amps, it doesn't take much of a drive every day or two to have sufficient power (depending on fridge size, ambient temp, aux batt size etc).

I'm frankly sick of carting a solar panel and a generator around. Moving the bloody panel all day long chasing the sun. Firing up the gennie each night and plugging in a 17 amp batt charger and running it for 2 or 3 hours etc.

Reagrds,

Jim,

Jim you say you must have the vehicle engine running for this very technically sophisticated unit to work !!

The problem here is;
When the engine IS running, a Solar panel will NOT charge the Aux battery anyway !!

When the engine is OFF, the very technically sophisticated unit is NOT working - but the Solar panel IS !!
(yes assuming it's day time and who travels at night in the bush)

You MUST be driving for it to charge a battery, if your camping it's just as useless as a $29 solenoid.

As to the charge rating acceptance of AGM's it's not relevant here


Yes Jim, as you say "firing up the gennie each night and plugging in a 17 amp batt charger and running it for 2 or 3 hours." would have to be a real pain, that's another reason why Solar is more efficient and actually prolongs battery life.

Mainey . . .

Mainey,

You're starting to sound like Ozi.

I'm a long term advocate of Solar, but lately it is beginning to become a chore. If the sun is not out, it doesn't work, and I'm experiencing that too often these days.

Hence I have to take the gennie. It's getting to be too much bloody stuff and too much effort.

The alternative, flog the panel and gennie, invest that dough in one of these units and another Lifeline. Nothing to set up, pack up, carry Jerries of fuel etc.

I generally don't go more than a day without driving for one reason or another when camping, so it suits me. It doesn't have to suit you, but that doesn't make it wrong.

Jim.

Sorry you feel that way Jim.

Now I know why I've settled in West Australia after living in Melbourne for 18 years.
With so many terrific places here to visit and good weather too, because most places are so out of the way, those that go there tend to stay for extended periods, that is where the Solar power systems work best, yes as you say they are next to "useless" when travelling constantly, that's because the Solar panel won't charge the Aux battery, even when in bright sunshine, when driving.

Mainey . . .

Mark,

Firstly let me say if I live as long Methuselah I will be lucky to know half of what Collyn does. Pity he got run off this site by "know all, know nothings" who continually sniped at him.

My understanding is what you have said about Fullriver AGM's is 100% correct. Also applies to other gogod quality budget AGM's like REMCO.

However, Lifeline AGM's are vastly superior (and priced accordingly) and are designed to take a bulk charge. My understanding and reading only. If Collyn were to contradict this, I would dip my lid.

Regards,

Jim.

If the AGM's could accept full current from the alternator.....how long could the alternator run at full output ???

Good point.

Sterling BBC 121250.

WWW.sterling-powere.com

Cheers,

Jim.

Thanks Jim. Nice kit, but obviously switchmode technology - I wonder about rf interference.

John

Can't answer that for you John. I don't understand the technicalities, I'm just fitting the thing to Michael's car as it is a straightforward job, even for a simple man like me.

For more information, contact Ian Martin:

sales at onsitepower dot com dot au

Regards,

Jim.

Hiya Jimbo,
If you still have your Member profile active, this would be a good opportunity to use it as then you can setup a Blog - which is a better place than the Forum for this sort of message as then we don't care who you want to promote and you can go as OT as you like. It would also be easier and more interesting for people to read this way. I expect you ahve more news you'd want to be adding so the Blog is where we'd prefer you put it please for next time.

Michelle,

I think my member thing has expired.

Can I still do a Blog with my customer logon?

Happy to do this the best way, to give the cause the best exposure. This thread, and donation by RV Powerstream came directly from reading about on a thread on this forum.

Regards,

Jim.