Caravan Charger Install

Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 13:04
ThreadID: 67825 Views:4258 Replies:5 FollowUps:5
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Hi, The people who bought my Jayco Freedom have a problem with the onboard charger ( Centurion CS200 ) not charging the battery. On checking with the Jayco dealer they say that they replace them with a C-Tech 25A charger.
My question is ...How do you wire it in? The old one had 4 outputs all fused.
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Reply By: RV Powerstream P/L - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 13:23

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 13:23
Hi Gee Tee
Did the charger have 4 outlets or did it feed to four separate fused outlets.
What is at the end of each of the four outlets.
I doubt that jayco would be generous enough to have installed four batteries so it may be that you have and battery line and some power supply lines .
If that is the case you may have to bridge all four at some point with a busbar or terminal block and then connect the Ctech to that point.
What is does is supply battery charge if needed but supplies power to accessories directly while on mains connection.
Ian
AnswerID: 359499

Follow Up By: Bob - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 14:45

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 14:45
Before you change the charger test the battery.
Have it properly load tested, a faulty battery will not accept a charge, could be the problem.

Bob
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Follow Up By: Member - GeeTee (NT) - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 16:24

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 16:24
Hi Bob, Yep the battery is OK. I have had my Ctech 2500 charging the battery and it is OK.

Hi Ian, The charger has 4 wires ( -ve plus a common +ve ??) that feed the fused outputs to a terminal strip that is the distribution.
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FollowupID: 627466

Reply By: Member - res.q.guy (Vic.) - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 14:22

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 14:22
Hi GeeTee
I have just rewired the 12v and installed solar on my fathers Jacyo van. I am fairly sure his charger was similar to yours (from memory I think his was a "2500"). If you look closely I think you will find that the board with the fuses on, is only a distribution board. The power from the charger goes to the board via a couple of heavy wires to brass screw lugs. If that is the case you could disconnect the old charger and connect the new charger to the same place.
Regards
Neil
AnswerID: 359510

Follow Up By: RV Powerstream P/L - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 17:21

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 17:21
Neil
Your explanation sounds logically correct but why would Gee Tee have 4 wires under that circumstance unless two are for the battery and two for the distribution power supply unless there is some confusion still.
Ian

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FollowupID: 627474

Follow Up By: Member - res.q.guy (Vic.) - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 06:27

Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 06:27
Hi Ian
When GeeTee said "4 outputs all fused", I took it as 4 fused outputs : to water pump, hot water & refrigerator ign. and lights etc. Which was the case with my father's, and the input to the board was direct from the charger, via 2 wires black (-ve) and white (+) into large brass screw lugs. It was easy to follow the wiring. May be GeeTee's is a little different.
Cheers
Neil
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FollowupID: 627585

Follow Up By: Member - res.q.guy (Vic.) - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 06:48

Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 06:48
Hi again Ian
I forgot to mention that I answered GeeTee's question before his follow up to your answer, about 4 wires feeding the dist. board.
Cheers
Neil
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FollowupID: 627587

Reply By: hazo - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 17:51

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 17:51
I think you will find that jayco replaced the Centurions with a " Setec "unit. Totally different to a CTeck 25.
I had mine done out of warranty on a Heritage and though the Setec is better than the old Centurion it is still a very basic trickle charger.
The Ctek unit is a full 4 stage smart charger and is a very good unit.
The Setec has the same fused outputs as the Centurion so is a fairly easy swap.
AnswerID: 359538

Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 21:06

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009 at 21:06
If two of the wires are thick and two of the wires are thin, then the thick wires are the main current-carrying wires, and the two thin wires are the voltage sensing wires, to ensure that the batteries still get the right voltage despite voltage-drop in the thick wires.
AnswerID: 359573

Reply By: RV Powerstream P/L - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 07:46

Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 07:46
That answer sounds like logic also Mike but till now four wires and a distribution board made me wonder a bit.

We have multiple outlet chargers in both waterproof and dry mount from UK and Europe and they allow you to connect up multiple batteries.

The waterproof are built for sports fishing boats and go up to 4 outlets and will run 12v,24v,36V and 48V.

The three outlet will charge the 12V cranker and also the 24V electric trolling system at the same time or the four will do 12V and 36V together.

They do not have fixed capacity per line they supply the most charge to the battery with the most need and then as that line improves increase charge to other lines.

The dry mount go to 120A 12V with 6 Outlets and 24V to 60A with 6 outlets.

Ian
AnswerID: 359633

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