Hi guys i have just installed a narva vsr and a circuit breaker in my pathfinder for an Anderson plug on the back. The vsr works fine when i start the car but after driving for a while i check the caravan and the vsr has stopped sending charge to the caravan. I stop the car and restart it and it starts working again. Until the next time i stop. Any ideas what's causing the vsr to stop and not restart?
PeterD said
12:03 AM Apr 25, 2018
Probably has something to do with a smart alternator dropping to an output voltage that will not hold the relay in. How old is the Pathfinder?
oldtrack123 said
05:37 PM Apr 25, 2018
PeterD wrote:
Probably has something to do with a smart alternator dropping to an output voltage that will not hold the relay in. How old is the Pathfinder?
Very likely the reason.
Need to check the specs for the VSR
Some do need a rather high voltage to continue to hold in
A quick check it seems you have one that drops out @12.7V
Problems using that one with smart alternators.
The best option is to have the alternator voltage boosted ,as 12.7 v will do little to charge remote van battery/s
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 25th of April 2018 05:47:30 PM
Rowan said
08:38 AM Apr 26, 2018
It's a 2012 pathfinder. The last of the r51 models. The narva vsr i used is a 61092BL 140 amp charges between 12.7v and 13.3v.
Rowan said
10:41 AM Apr 26, 2018
What's the best way to check what my alternater is putting out. Multimeter?
Rowan said
10:44 AM Apr 26, 2018
How would i bost the alternator voltage if that's the problem?
PeterD said
01:03 PM Apr 26, 2018
Rowan wrote:
What's the best way to check what my alternater is putting out. Multimeter?
Cigarette Lighter Battery Monitor - plug it into one of your cigarette lighter sodkets so you can observe it whilst you are able to observe it whilst you are driving.
Jaahn said
04:55 PM Apr 26, 2018
Rowan wrote:
How would i bost the alternator voltage if that's the problem?
Hi Rowan
With that output voltage from your alternator it will not charge your van battery anyway, it is designed to only keep the Nissan battery recharged after starting. Not sure why they are called "smart alternators"
So you will have to fit a DC to DC charger which boosts the tug battery voltage to a suitable voltage for charging the van battery and pushing it along the wires too. Google them up as I do not use one myself. They are common now for use on the new tugs.
Jaahn
Rowan said
07:08 PM Apr 26, 2018
Yes the volts started at 14v but after a few minutes it went below 2.7v and staying there for the rest of the trip.
Rowan said
08:26 AM Apr 27, 2018
Hi guys i found that by leaving the head lights on the volts sit on 13v. Which is right in the middle of the vsr operating range.
PeterD said
10:01 AM Apr 27, 2018
13 V is still too low to charge a battery. You need up around 14 V.
Jaahn said
02:57 PM Apr 27, 2018
PeterD wrote:
13 V is still too low to charge a battery. You need up around 14 V.
Hi
I agree. The battery will never be charged and fail quickly. Really you need 14 ++ volts for some time to completely charge a deep cycle battery that is cycling every day and then it should drop to a lower float voltage, 13.8v or so for maintaining it.
So the DC to DC charger should have a three stage charging protocol just like a solar or 240V charger to keep it working well.
Very likely the reason.
Need to check the specs for the VSR
Some do need a rather high voltage to continue to hold in
A quick check it seems you have one that drops out @12.7V
Problems using that one with smart alternators.
The best option is to have the alternator voltage boosted ,as 12.7 v will do little to charge remote van battery/s
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 25th of April 2018 05:47:30 PM
Cigarette Lighter Battery Monitor - plug it into one of your cigarette lighter sodkets so you can observe it whilst you are able to observe it whilst you are driving.
Hi Rowan
With that output voltage from your alternator it will not charge your van battery anyway, it is designed to only keep the Nissan battery recharged after starting. Not sure why they are called "smart alternators"
So you will have to fit a DC to DC charger which boosts the tug battery voltage to a suitable voltage for charging the van battery and pushing it along the wires too. Google them up as I do not use one myself. They are common now for use on the new tugs.
Jaahn
Hi
I agree. The battery will never be charged and fail quickly. Really you need 14 ++ volts for some time to completely charge a deep cycle battery that is cycling every day and then it should drop to a lower float voltage, 13.8v or so for maintaining it.
So the DC to DC charger should have a three stage charging protocol just like a solar or 240V charger to keep it working well.
Jaahn