Charging gadget needed, don't know the name to look for!

[AngieC]

Hello all! Newbie, pretty much non-technical Bongonaut here. I've had her for nearly a month now and am enjoying myself immensely, even though I bought her mainly as a work van. She's a '98 TD, fresh import, with a Southern Bongos upgraded mid conversion, to which they added a solar panel with MPPT charger, which recharges the leisure battery, as I'm usually in farmer's fields with no possibility of hook-up. At present, to recharge phones, iPads etc, we have to plug them into the front or back lighter-type sockets coming off the main battery, but I believe I could connect something to the MPPT panel - there's a spare pair of thingies a bit like you plug speaker wires into - so that the Offspring can charge their devices from the solar panel, BUT I don't know what to call the something I'd need to buy! Something I could wire in that goes directly to USB & mini-USB would be ideal, but even another lighter-type socket would work, as we already have the connectors.

Please could someone enlighten me as to what I'm actually looking for? Thanks!

[g8dhe]

Can you tell us the Make/Model of the MPPT charger or give us a photo of the panel so we can identify the sockets ?
Its quite common to see some USB charger sockets fitted these days, but be aware that USB sockets can charge at various rates the minimium of 0.5Amps was fine for the original purpose of running some small electronics at the end and then was adequate for older phones, but then came iPads, IPhones, SmartPhones, Pads/tablets which all required more current, the USB standard was the uprated to handle these .... but visually they are all identical! You need to read the specs. to see just what they can handle.

[Gasy]

Think most people charge off there leisure battery
Not many people use the extra output from the solar charge controllers
Get a couple of these for extra charging points
I've some in my caravan with solar panel I go home from holiday with more charge than I went with in me battery
And I've 2 kids who leave things on all day

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Dual-USB- ... 4d369745a0

Just wire them to your leisure battery with a fuse and a switch

[AngieC]

Sorry, vanished for a bit to look after 89 y.o. mother. The MPPT is by Epsolar, and here are two pics of the set-up, the second showing the little sockets at the bottom on the right.





Sorry, not good pics, taken in the dark!

[Gasy]

Most don't use them empty ones
Just charge things fron your leisure battery
Carnt remember why

[g8dhe]

Nope that isn't USB type outlet, you need to keep using the existing setup, it won't make any practical difference. If you need extra 12 volt sockets then it would be best to get them fitted where you need them in the conversion and wired in to the system and then plug USB type outlets into them.

[dvisor]

That looks like the same charger I have. If it's more convenient, you can wire a socket directly to these two connectors instead of from the leisure battery. It doesn't make much difference practically, except that the display panel will monitor the current drawn from these connectors. Also, with the default settings, the connectors will be automatically disconnected if the battery drops below a preset voltage (I believe you can turn this feature off via the software). This could be useful if you are running, say a fridge, and don't want the battery to drop too low. And that OK button on the panel, if you press it, it will toggle the connectors on and off as well as lighting up the display. This caught me out a few times! I thought I had a dodgy connection.

As Gasy said, you could wire something like this to the connectors for your USB ports http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-24V-Dual-U ... 1c4dbb8898 - with a suitable fuse in between. I installed a couple of these for the kids to charge their devices in the back of the van when we are on long trips abroad, and they are very neat.

I have PDF manuals for the display panel and charger if you have any need for them.

[AngieC]

Thanks all! The reason I'd prefer to take the chargers off the solar supply is because we spend anything up to a week camped & trading in farmer's fields - no possibilty of hook-up, and very little of being off-pitch & running the engine to re-charge the leisure battery during daylight hours.

Erm, what does a suitable fuse look like, and where would I find one, please? Sorry to be so clueless!

[jimmo62]

These should do the job

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Inline-30 ... 634V-lPMJQ

Get the 5 amp fuse. You will need extra wire as the wires on these will be short. The fuse goes in the +12V feed from the battery or MPPT controller to the USB charger sockets. You also need to connect the earth wire of course which needs to go back to the MPPT controller directly.

Hope that helps....