DCDC Charger - Solar and Fridge 24/7

Re: DCDC Charger - Solar and Fridge 24/7

Postby jabiru18 on Wed, 12 Feb 2020 11:39 +0000

I need to look into the Redarc thing. As said, I’ve got very little clue about electrics...


A DC-DC charger with Solar Input (MPPT) gives best of both worlds, charge from alternator and solar which provides best possible charge for your Batteries. There is plenty to choose from just depends on your budget.

Work out your AUX AMP usage per hour and base everything of off that.
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Re: DCDC Charger - Solar and Fridge 24/7

Postby Sartor on Thu, 13 Feb 2020 7:16 +0000

rusty66 wrote:The RSI fits nicely but the paintwork is awful. The German dealers are all pretty decent if you go with the renowned ones like Taubenreuther. Recently there are offered canopies and stuff on eBay small ads. These seem new companies and I would be inquisitive about warranty and such. I like the new rsi trayback but am not so keen on them using stainless. There is a pretty cool trayback conversion on this forum that I’d love to do, too, but when I asked the company if they’d deliver to Germany they didn’t even answer. Maybe just as well, as shipping costs might be huge.

I need to look into the Redarc thing. As said, I’ve got very little clue about electrics...


Thanks for the feedback. Taubenreuther actually work with our local dealer Gladiator Offroad Teknik in the Balkans (Bulgaria), where we are situated, so I will try to work something out with them. I see that some British companies are offering at competitive prices but I am unsure about how would eventual warranty claims would go when Brexit takes place.

As for the RedArc thing - it is a DC-DC charger which supports smart alternators and also a variety of charging profiles such as AGM, Iron-Phosphate deep cycle batteries. We researched a lot and for EU it came down to two options - CTEK and RedArc. CTEK, being an European brand is better position (marketing-wise if you ask me). However, we didn't like the build quality and the limitation of the MPPT solar regulator to 12 AMPs. Here is a video of our installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QZYu925eUY
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Re: DCDC Charger - Solar and Fridge 24/7

Postby mrt54 on Tue, 03 Mar 2020 9:34 +0000

Hi Guys,
I have a dual battery set up with a 75 AH wet battery under the bonnet and a cable going to the rear of the car as well as into the cab, 27 lt engel on the back seat turned on 24/7 set between the 1 and 2 marks, 160 watt solar panel on the roof mounted under the roof bars and a Kickass DCDC charger with solar going into that.
I am not sure if the charger is faulty (waiting on Kickass to call me back about that) but I find the second battery runs flat overnight down to 11.8 or around there. I have a low voltage cut off so often the fridge is off in the morning.

I thought a 160 watt panel should top off the battery during the day and be enough to run the fridge and top off the battery, I live in sunny Townsville NQ so sun is usually not a problem.
There are a lot of technical things I don't understand about charging etc, but seems to only put out about 2 or 3 amps even if the battery is low, and on solar it charges on bulk mode for a little while then shuts off and then cuts back in again where I thought it would constantly charge and change from bulk to absorption then to float.
If I drive more than 30 minutes a day seems to be enough to keep things ticking over but it is draining the house battery too far and will ruin it if it keeps going like that.
Not sure if it is a faulty system but is all wired up correctly, good connections, heavy guague wire, clean panel etc, and doesn't seem to be as good as any of the systems in the posts above.
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Re: DCDC Charger - Solar and Fridge 24/7

Postby mrt54 on Tue, 03 Mar 2020 2:32 +0000

Just heard from kickass who made the DCDC charger and we worked out that the blue wire for the smart alternator needs to be connected to a wire that is live when ignition is on, otherwise it thinks the alternator is charging and not the solar. This is despite other posts elsewhere that say the wire doesn’t need to be connected if it is only a temp sensing alternator.
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Re: DCDC Charger - Solar and Fridge 24/7

Postby jabiru18 on Tue, 03 Mar 2020 3:31 +0000

@mrt54 - Nice, glad you got it fixed. One suggestion is grab that Bluetooth monitor and throw it on your AUX, I posted it this thread. It will tell you everything like input voltage, charge stage and a heap of other things. Makes it very easy to know where you are at with charge and to diagnose any future issues.
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Re: DCDC Charger - Solar and Fridge 24/7

Postby mr4x4.au on Mon, 27 Feb 2023 9:43 +0000

Been a long time reader, so here goes 1st post

This orig. post got me onto a path which recently incl. 2xlatest 350w ( ebay spec. ) paperwork says 400w with a Brass Money GH2022 in the tub ( Shaded ) and got some really interesting results.

I'm only opening fridge twice a day and it is 75% full, I swap bottles of frozen water to see how long it takes to thaw.

- Panels do not need to be pointed 'directly' at the sun, on my rhino racks I can easily tilt but getting good power from flat makes it easier

- Panels del. 12.x v after cleaning, 11.x v when 'covered' in saw dust, so all photo voltaic are active

- These panels are so efficient they drop the fridge back to 2 : -2 within 5-7mins after opening, free power !!!

- You really need an app. on your phone and a smart enough fridge it can get thru. the night still on using internal bat. to start catching the rays in the AM

I'm now leaving the fridge plugged into 1 panel 247 and fridge keeps cool in 35+ days and panel is still charging internal bat. at 7:30 summer time

I have used 'big' battery packs a lot in the past and will do again when I need to keep food cold 247
Looking to tag along to Northern WA

- D4D SR5 , Tub Transformer , 1.4Kw Panels , 3 x 12v - 4 x 24v Bats
- Roll In Roll Out Kitchen - Portable Power - PC Monitor - Comms. Hub
- Sat. Phone - Microwave Internet
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