Zig CF8 - adding a split charge?

[Rob81]

Hi. This is my first post on here - hello everyone!

I have recently bought a part converted van. It has a Zig CF8 unit installed and a aux battery in the back. I have no instructions with the Zig but reading online suggests that with it in "touring" mode, the aux battery will be charged by the starter battery. If I use 12v in "touring" mode with the engine off, I run the risk of flattening the starter battery. With the Zig set to "site" mode, the starter battery is isolated and safe from being discharged. I also understand that with the unit on "site" mode and the mains switch on, the aux battery will be maintained by the 240 hook up.

I am worreid to have read that the charging system for the aux battery seems quite crude; switch to "touring" mode while driving to link the two batteries and charge the aux battery, If I forget to switch back to "site" mode, I could very quickly have no power left to start the van, or forget to switch to "touring" mode while driving and have no charging to the aux battery?

I would like to permantly leave the unit in "site" mode and fit a seperate split charge relay to the aux battery. Would this cause any problems? I guess it is fitted as it would be without a Zig unit? Would it be problematic to have the van running while on an electric hook up (and therefore having the aux battery being charged by the Zig unit and the new split charge).

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Best wishes,

Rob

 

[Firefox]

I think you could add separate a relay so you don't need to operate the switch.

But I have a simple switch to give split charge and I never forget. Relays are always burning out or going wrong. The number of of people I have see this past year or two with charging problems and it is because the relay has failed or the fuse has gone in the charging line.

The way I always remember to isolate my leisure battery is have another switch for the caravan electrics. I always throw this switch and the charge switch at the same time. So charge on, caravan electrics off. When parked up the caravan electrics won't work so I have to switch the two together again, caravan electrics on, charge off (isolate leisure battery) Works every time.

 

[tonyclover]

split charge relay.

when i have recovered from this illness i intend to fit a split charge relay straight from the vehicle battery via a switch in the cab to the lesure battery the relay also has a secondary
tap,this i will use to run the fridge when on the move,the switch can go in the cab or on the fridge panal,mine will go in the cab as both can be operated together

 

[Rob81]

Thanks for the replies. Most definitely food for thought. A voltage sensing split relay seems fairly straight forward to fit. I guess I could then always leave the zig in site mode and always have charge to the aux battery when driving and no risk of flattening the starter battery.

 

[Byronic]

The Zig CF8 will not charge a battery if the mains supply is 198V (from memory) or less, and some sites (certainly in Spain and Portugal) will not be supplying that minimum. And more likely if you're at the end of the line of course.

I've known of Brits unaware of this fact throwing out perfectly good batteries. When I questioned Zig about this problem, their response was that the Zig CF8 was not intended for overseas use.... and to purchase an alternative more suitable Zig model, naturally more expensive, a bleeding priceless response!!!!

Even the more suitable model needs near 240V supply to do it's job. I suppose the lesson is, to check the supply Voltage against the Spec on any charger, before chucking what my not be prove to be a dud battery.

Just one caveat, this was some years ago so they just "may" have upgraded the unit.

 

[n brown]

I decided to take out my zig. a zig is just a limited fuse board,combined with a limited battery charger and a couple of switches,and a simple battery charge indicator. I now have a 6 way fuseboard,a voltmeter,a smartcom relay and a smartcharger. the smartcharger is permanently on,so any time i'm on hookup it's charging the leisure battery .the fridge I tend to leave on 12v as I hardly ever hookup,and with the relay it can only work when the engine is running. so I don't have any switch to go from car to leisure battery as it's not necessary,everything is automatic

 

[oldish hippy]

i dont have a zig just a fused relay to charge lesuire battery and mains is seperate and with the fused relay pull the fuse swap two connection and then can jump start van with no worrys .the fuse in the relay saves on a inline fuse which is another connection to go wrong and check, my answer to it is the less connections you have the less to go wrong when wiring light iwould wire each one back to a fuse board, or continue on to next light from the first one not put a connecter in l ine so if you do get probelms then you dont have to go hunting to find the breaks and you can check each length of cable easily and the other suggestion is to tag each cable with marker

 

[Firefox]

The smartcom relays work well and are easy to wire. It's still a relay however, and prone to failure. I haven't seen one fail yet though, probably because they mostly quite new. The problem with relays is they are electromagnets with a coil and coils overheat and burn out. So people buy 10 year old motorhomes and the relays are often dodgy or prone to failure because of long use. Watch the terminals on the smartcom relay - the wires can come out if they are not really well fitted (preferably use crimp terminals and screw down onto those).

I would also recommend getting a 90W or 100W solar panel for your van. In the summer, you will hardly ever need to use any other charging. Through a combination of solar and hook up at home I find I very rarely need to use my alternator charge now. Perhaps once a month maybe, even though I use the van full time.

 

[schubert]

ZIG cf8

Hi I dont know anything about ZIG units but I know the thing to do with convetional split charge relays is to get a 100 amp rated one and use very heavy duty cables. The relays fitted to most vans are to low rated (cost) ? and can burn out, mine has been in use 10 years . Solar power is great but get as higher wattage as you can afford and a good regulator . I have 2x 85w which works OK with 2x 110 amp batteries.

Shubert

 

[Luckheart]

http://www.club80-90.co.uk/pages/downloads/docs/zig-cf8.pdf

There's lots of zig stuff here.

Say thanks to the 80-90s if it's useful.

 

[Rob81]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Lots for me to think about. I need to get the van finished and see how we get on I suppose. I would love solar panels though but am slightly worried about their vulnerability; we often visit family with low trees and a few finger thick branches hit the van roof as we park. I wouldn't want to break the panels!

 

[Rob81]

Sorry to bump this up but i'm still trying to decide what to do with this. My current aux battery is on it's last legs so i'm going to replace it soon. I've decided I want to leave the zig unit on "site mode" and add a voltage sensing relay charging system instead. I hope that this will give me a charging system that isn't dependent on remembering to switch the zig unit and reduces the chance of killing my starter battery. If I add a voltage sensing kit can I use the earth that's currently in place on the zig? I'm afraid i'm a bit clueless when it comes to electrics!
Thanks,
Rob

 

[ellisboy]

Hello Rob! I'm using a smartcom charging system on my van.Theres a diagram of the system on my build blog.Its quite an easy system to wire in and you don't need to touch the alternater,its all wired from the starter batt.