Camper Trailer Electric Brake Controller and Dual Battery Power Solution

[37south Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 37south]

Gday All,

Been a while since I last posted after finishing my drawers and moving to Tassie to study for 10 months but back with a vengeance and a new purchase and looking to PP for some advice..

After a few years on the cards, yesterday we finally took the plunge and bought a 2009 Modcon Solution Camper Trailer..




The camper is in BrisVegas but the old owners are being very kind and offered to tow it south 4-5 hours and meet up in Coffs or Nambucca to help us out and show us how to set it up / how it all works..

Now we have a camper, we obviously need to have a few things fitted.. I am away at sea for work so I have the darling wife doing the dirty work for me at the moment sourcing quotes and the like..

Electric brake controller install.. Im not going to have time to do this myself when I get home before picking up the camper so I was going to get TJM to do it and at the same time install the Anderson Plug to supply the charge to the camper (already fitted with dual batteries).. For the Brake Controller I was hoping to use a Tekonsha P3 after reading some great reviews but I have been told by the wife that TJM use a Hayman Reese Brake Controller (not sure which one yet) COST - $365 Installed.. Has anyone had any experience with any of the Hayman Reese units??
http://www.haymanreese.com.au/produc...ke-controllers

In regards to the power solution this is the current situation - I already have another brand new battery at home that I was going to have installed as an auxiliary battery in the Prado using a VSR system with a Manual Override prior to buying the camper trailer.. Now that the Prado will be supplying charge to the Camper via the Anderson Plug how does VSR / Dual Battery System work if it is supplying 3 Batteries (I imagine the 2 batteries in the camper would be regarded as 1 if connected in parallel and of the same type).. Any ideas, advice, schematics on the best set up etc would be greatly appreciated..

Camper Batteries


Whats everyones thoughts about possibly using an ArkPak as a second dual battery system.. It can be mounted in the Prado when needed (possibly in a drawer) to run day fridge and other items as required.. Charged in the Prado by either via a DC-DC charger (limited to 6amp) or a VSR system to anderson plug.. The ArkPak can be pulled out and utilised as additional portable camp power when required.. The ArkPak can also be charged by 240V if needed or Solar Panels provided they run through a Solar Regulator.. It has a built in 150W inverter and usb slots for charging phones and Ipads and stuff to keep the kids and everyones facebook and instagram feeds happy..

I'm really a bit stuck on what to do....

I have a quote from TJM for the following

Dual Battery Tray and Installation (I have battery) - $450..
(Battery Tray is $240 alone and I have read heaps about them destroying peoples guards as the steel is so thin there..)
Anderson Plug Fitted - $160 - $180

The ArkPak retails for $449 at BCF but due to the old man being a Manager I get a considerable discount!!! It's probably likely that I would get the Dual Battery System fitted as a charging solution if we went down the route of the ArkPak anyway.. I would imagine charging at 6amp via the DC-DC plug would take a quite a while..

Cheers

Kyle

[krypto Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close krypto]

For brake controllers when I did my research the P3 came out way ahead of the HR. I have been really happy with the P3, it properly adjusts braking force based on how hard you are braking.

Dual batteries, just go VSR no doubt you have read the weekly threads on this. Speaking for myself with a diode it works great, better than my mates DC-DC when we are camping.

Anderson plug to the rear is a very simple job, just make sure that you run proper size cable otherwise you end up with 12v or less at the camper which womn't charge anything.

Battery trays won't harm the guard. From my experience with cracked guards a few improvements; mount the battery on some shock absorbing foam and as far forward and to the side as possible. Also don't go for too big a battery as this increases the stress on the guard.

[37south Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 37south]

Gday Steve,

Cheers for the reply.. From everything I have read the P3 is the far superior brake controller.. Have just ordered the Tekonsha P3 and will have the wife take it in to be fitted before I get home..

In regards to the dual batteries.. I am thinking just going the standard dual battery set-up at this stage.. But I think I will hold off until Im sure of the best way to to set it up..

Cheers

Kyle

[37south Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 37south]

OK so here's an update - would still love some more feedback..

Just about to push the button on ordering a Redarc SBI12 Kit to install in my 120 series D4D Prado..

I am intending on setting up a manual override / link to bypass the VSR if needed as I have been caught out before with a dead crank battery and may also look at fitting a winch later so paralleling the batteries would be beneficial.. Would the Sidewinder ABR http://www.sidewinder.com.au/page161.html be suitable as both a monitor and link switch.. I see on their own website they do show how to rewire the unit specifically for Redarc SBI12..

With the Anderson Plug running off the Aux battery side of the Redarc VSR to the Camper Trailer batteries, would this then mean that the aux battery and both camper batteries would all be seen as one "bank". Is that correct?

If this is the case, in regards to charging auxiliary battery in vehicle and dual batteries in camper, there is no priority other than the start (cranking) battery.. I only see this as a problem if both the camper batteries and the aux battery are low and it's only a short drive to next camp. It would be nice to be able to choose which of the 2 you want to prioritise the charge too (usually camper batteries)..

We would also be running solar panels into the Anderson plug on the camper to charge the camper house batteries while camping.. Can this charge be run back into the rear anderson plug or directly into the system somehow to help charge the aux battery using the Redarc SBI12??

Any other recommendations???

Really keen to get some answers from the wise PP community.. We pick up camper in 3 weeks so I am hoping to push the button soon..

Cheers

Kyle

[wes Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wes]

37south
From memory the sbi12 wont be able to handle the current draw for winching purposes when paralleling the batteries- it can be used to link the batteries for starting when cranking battery Is dead as this is only for a short period will lower current draw.

In regards to the Anderson plug qstns yes the sbi wont know the difference.
Also the solar can be plugged into the Anderson on the car to charge the auxillary on the car-the sbi12 wont backfeed and charge the cranking battery.

Hope that helps

Wes

[37south Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 37south]

Thanks wes

Your reply is much appreciated..

I am currently also looking at the ABR Kit http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DBi140-IN...92380c2&_uhb=1 with their monitor which provides a link function.

Currently we don't have a winch so thats not a huge issue..

Thanks again mate

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Do yourself a favour and purchase Redarc or Traxide, both are quality products with quality support.

Checkout my P3 install http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topi...5020#msg555020

[37south Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 37south]

D4D,

Thanks mate.. After a full day trying to get some simple answers about the systems and exactly what would be provided for my hard earned $$$ from the dude from ABR…….. I will DEFINITELY be going back to my original plan of a Redarc system..

Seems everyone is pretty happy with them..

Has anyone used the REDARC SBI12 Kit such as http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/REDARC-SB...c61d7c7&_uhb=1 ??

Any recommendations for a cabin mounted Link / Override switch??

The P3 install pictures are great.. Thats exactly where I wanted to put it !!!!

Cheers

[J Janke Member Find all posts View Profile Close J Janke]

Mate have a look into getting a SBI12D. Note the "D" which is actually dual sensing so if you have solar connected to your aux battery and the sbi12d recognises voltage above 13.2v (or what ever it is) it will actually then open and also charge the main battery. Food for thought.

Jamie

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

G'day
As an ex auto electrician (amongst other things) I know a bit about charging batteries.
A few years ago, a pair of Aussie blokes (both Alan) made the best 12v DC/DC multi stage charger in the history of battery charging. It was called a "RanOx".
I had one in my Prado and one in my caravan. They both had the optional battery temperature sensors fitted and have been carefully nurturing my expensive AGM batteries whilst maximizing their charge.
I have recently sold both my Prado and my caravan and have one RanOx for sale (look under the For Sale section).
It is unfortunate for the two Alans that electronics manufacturing in Australia is next to impossible (I know from experience) and these excellent chargers are no longer available.
I would recommend the Redarc as the next best. A plus is that it is waterproof and can fit under the bonnet. A minus is that it has no battery temperature sensor or adjustments.
FWIW - John