Caravan wiring diagram

Hi you can right click the picture and click "Save picture" and save it to your PC ( My Documents) , Easy, Cheers Des.

Cool, got it. Thanks for that.

DesF is right but you need to left click it first or it will be too small

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Some mothers do ave em , left click the bloody photo .

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THanks Doug , I do know that one but resolution is not quite there to read all the text.

Robin
I did a left click which enlarges the photo, then downloaded it, I can read it all .

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thanks for the feedback Robin.

- i'm using the switch in the positive lead from the solar panel to manually disconnect the solar charging when externally charging from say car alternator or a smartcharger .. so the alternator/smartcharger do not confuse the solar charge as the battery voltage & hence cut back charging. I know i could fit relays to disconnect the solar (1 relay from car ignition for alternator & 1 from 240v source for smartcharger) but that seemed just a tad more complicated for my elec skills & in the case of the alternator would only work for that specific car. also, i only see the external charging as a rare occurence as i want to scale the solar/AGM to meet all my needs (touch-wood)

- I take your point about connecting the external charging sources direct to the battery .. i'll change on my diagram

- re inverter: ok, i see your point ... i will do away with the 2nd breaker next to the inverter

- re low-voltage disconnection: i only steered away from using this (load- to relay for + load) because I read in one of Collyn Rivers articles that I would then have to reprogram the PL20 using program 4 (instead of pre-programmed 1 for Gel/AGM) & this was not recommended unless you knew what you were doing (& I wasn't sure i was at that stage!!!!!). I'd be interested to know from anyone whether the re-programming is really that hard (as the actual circuit changes seem minor). either way i'll incorporate the low-voltage cutout into my circuit diagram & see what feedback i get re re-programming at PL20

thanks again

Hi Drew

The programming , or rather the manual takes a bit of getting used to as its based on state logic - I managed to get thru it and programmed using program 4.

I would advise anyone who does it to throughly check the actual operation as in my case I wanted to shed a load across midnight and there was a flaw in the base code in a couple of areas, I believe after I advised the manufacturer that these were corrected in 2007 .

Robin,
By connecting direct to the battery wouldn't that bypass the pl20 and so not allowing it to monitor amps going in?
Wazzaaaaa

I was referring to connecting the battery charger direct to the battery

Hi Wazza

As the circuit is it's not intended to measure amps in thru the battery charger , it just measures amp hours in via the solar panel.

This is pretty much the normal use from what I have seen,
although other configurations are certainly possible.

The changes I am suggesting don't change the circuit configuration but just give lower impedances (resistances) which will make it hold up better under loads in both directions.

Robin, I am in the process of wiring solar to my caravan and am still trying to get my head around Plasmatronics wiring diagram. Looking at the Pl20 & PL40 they count all amps in and out to give an accurate state of charge in amp hours hence my question. On looking at Drews 2nd diagram it appears it still is measuring amps as the neg. still runs through the regulator. I am still at the planing stage at the moment so this post interested me.
Thanks for the time replying.
Wazzaaaa

Fun Project Wazzaa .

From the point of view of practical projects the only value I have really found from the PL20 Amp hour tallying is simply to know wether more has come in from the sun than has gone out.

I haven't found they they give an accurate state of charge of the battery , and just read the voltmeter reading it gives.

Personnaly unless you have a need for the exact type of logic control the PL20 has, I think its overpriced and not to easy to use.
For example I designed them into one of those roadside message signs you see about , because of perceived value of the monitoring but I don't expect them to go into a future upgrade.

Good.

You need a fuse on the smart charger and 12V input from the car and this car input should be 6 B&S if possible.

thanks Derek .. i have added to the diagram

I wouldn't bother to put in the solar panel disconnect switch as most panels have a diode inbuilt to stop any back current.
I just left the panels connected in mine.

Pooley

Angler, the disconnect switch is for a different reason ... to prevent the solar charge/voltage tricking the external charging sources into thinking the battery charge is higher than it really is & making them throttle back prematurely (well this is what i have read .. i'm no expert myself!!)

i am intending to wire each circuit directly back to 12v- (ie return wire back to the shunt). i was also going to earth the shunt to the chassis as an additional earth return for any 12v appliances that inherently earth themselves to the chassis when they are installed .. hence the 12v earth would be an additional earth return path only.

as for 240v earth i am not sure of this. i have had a quick read of thread 23356, an article at http://www.aroundoz.com/diy_archive/inverter.htm, and in Collyn Rivers book 'Motorhome Electrics'. I m not sure i am any wiser but in all honesty that is probably due to my level of electrical knowledge. It appears that my particular inverter (a Jaycar 500W pure-sine-wave with what i presume is a 12v earth) should be earthed to the caravan chassis. Do i simply not require a 240v earth if i am only using a single 240v appliance at a time?

is there really ever a requirement to earth the caravan with an earth stake?

"Do i simply not require a 240v earth if i am only using a single 240v appliance at a time?"

The output of an inverter is floating. If you plug straight into the power socket on the inverter then just earthing the cabinet to the vans earth is sufficient. If you wire in some power points connected to the inverter then the electrician who install them will do it correctly.

PeterD

yes shall do in a few days once i have incorporated everyones feedback .. otherwise i'll be posting updates everyday!!

i also need to get additional feedback on the 12v vs 240v earthing issue raised above, which i had ignored up until now

I would be inclined to keep the 3 way fridge separate from the battery circuit. If you have it switched on whilst you are charging from your multi stage charger then the fridge will take a lot or most (depending on the size of the charger) of the current available. Also if the battery reaches full charge the current drawn from the fridge will prevent the charger from dropping back to float charge (the fridge will be drawing 12 to 15 A and the chargers do not switch to float until the current drops below an amp or two.)

You are doing an extensive installation. Wiring the 3 way fridge directly to your tugs electrical system will be very little extra work. Please consider a separate feed for the fridge and keep it away from your vans battery system. You can wire this through a 12 pin trailer connector, also incorporate a relay in circuit, controlled from your ignition switch to protect your tugs starting battery.

PeterD

PeterD

PeterD .. I only ever intend to run the fridge on 12v when the van is being towed & I can't use gas. Hence an additional ignition activated relay to connect the fridge doesn't seem warranted (especially when different vehicles may be used to tow the van). I used the same logic re method of disconnecting the solar feed for the rare times I will be charging the van battery from car alternator or SmartCharger. That said I have re-worded my comment next to the fridge switch & made further notes in the 'Notes' section at the bottom to explain that others may wish to consider such relays.

thanks again for your feedback

updated diagram below ... again !

Image Could Not Be Found

I would like to get a link to the file - my old eyes are finding it hard to read some of the words.