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Charging tvan through anderson tow plug

Started by AsH_, June 27, 2019, 12:15:56 PM

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AsH_

When charging through the front anderson pluh does the battery isolator switch need to be on or off? Ive had zome occasions where the tvan hasn't charged also whem plugging in a kings 250w solar panel.




monktm

Surely it must be on . Isolate means isolate. Would not be hard to check though you could answer this your self easy and quickly

AsH_

Thanks. I know nothing about this. I've had the isolator on with a solar panel and was still discharging.

Gumb

Get yourself one of these....

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Watt-Hour-Meter-150A-Watt-Meter-Power-Analyser-Digital-LCD-Volt-Amp-12V-Meter/183822799727?hash=item2accb1536f:g:Ez0AAOSws-5c53Ni

Very handy to measure current going in from the car or solar panels and also the current draw of some tools etc (like a compressor for example).


2017 Firetail with extra fruit
2015 Pajero NX GLS

Frankrhona

QuoteSurely it must be on
Yes, but sadly NO. If you have a battery isolator at the battery and there are no other leads coming off the terminal then yes.
We have a Mk II that had no isolator in the original wiring.
I have attached 2 of the wiring diagrams for a Mk III. As you will see in the PowerBox diagram the Main switch at the power box turns all the lights, pumps and most of the power outlets off. It does not isolate the "fridge power "outlet or the battery charger. Then look at the BatteryWiring diagram. There is no isolator here. So the Solar panel connects to the battery via the regulator, the front boot and tow vehicle are connected via fuses and the power box connected. Note the battery negative is connected to everything via the shunt. Therefore the current meter should indicate the if the batteries are charging or discharging at any one time.
If you have a Mk IV or later, sorry, I do not know how they are wired.
Cheers,
Andrew
Andrew & Clare
2005 ZD30 Patrol
2006 Canning Tvan

peter_mcc

It would help if you could let us know what model Tvan you have and what you mean by "battery isolator switch" - I'm not aware that the Mk3/4/5 have a battery isolator switch so I'm not sure if that means you have an older one, one someone has modified or you have a different name for something to me!

AsH_


monktm

#7
Learn how to use a multi meter and this can solved in an instance

Google it if you have to

HappyTraveller

On the mark 5, the isolator is only to cut-off power to lights, power outlets etc. It doesn't cut-off power sources from solar and the car. I imaging the cut-off in the mark 3 is similarly wired.

Andrew
TVan Mk5
Trakmaster Pilbara Extreme
Landcruiser 200

peter_mcc

If by "main isolator" you mean the switch with a green LED on the internal control panel then the answer is "perhaps". The switch controls a relay which switches off most loads (but not all).

If you are connecting the solar panel to the Anderson plug on the front the switch won't make any difference - the Anderson plug is probably connected directly to the battery (or perhaps via a DC-DC converter).

But... if you're plugging the solar panel into a Cigarette or Merit socket somewhere the switch might affect things, depending on which socket you are plugging into. You could test this by plugging a load into the chosen socket and seeing if it turns off with the main switch.

RainbowTroopy

Thank you Frankrhona 
I have been traveling through Central Australia and now Flinders.  Today when I camped I found the freezer not working.  Further investigation I found that the positive wire has come out of the connector in the front fridge box and shorted and blown a fuse somewhere. 
Fortunately where I am camped I have Telstra so have been able to find your post and Mk 3 wiring diagrams that have led me to the 30amp fuse in the battery box.  Also fortunately I have a few of these 30amp fuses.  So once I fix the loose wire it will be all fixed and I will be able to move the freezer back to the front boot.  Freezer temp had only gone down to -5c so nothing defrosted.
Thank you once again for the wiring diagrams.
Best wishes Paul
 

Frankrhona

Paul,
Very pleased you were able to trace down fault and fix it while touring. It is a great time of year to be travelling the outback. Enjoy the rest of your travels.
Cheers, Andrew
Andrew & Clare
2005 ZD30 Patrol
2006 Canning Tvan

Jerika

Quote from: AsH_ on June 27, 2019, 03:36:12 PM
Thanks. I know nothing about this. I've had the isolator on with a solar panel and was still discharging.

If your SOC was going down on the battery monitor while you had the solar connected it sounds like the battery monitor shunt is wired around the wrong way.  Check my post on your other thread  - Tvan batteries only charging to 92%
http://www.tracktrailerforums.com/index.php?topic=3590.0

Jeremy & Erika
Tvan MK3 Murranji 2011
2003 Prado 120 GXL V6