Roller team charging question

[Polome]

Hi I have a 2020 Rollerteam Zafiro 696. . As well as battery charging from the engine alternator it has a roof mounted solar panel . The van is fitted with an isolating flick switch in the harness that isolates the engine side from the habitation side. The handbook recommends leaving the flick switch in the “off “ position when the van is stored and switching “on” before starting engine. A recent 5 month storage left me with a flat battery (engine side ) needing jumpstart whilst the habitation battery still showed 60% charge.
My question is “what does the solar panel charge”..is it both batteries when isolating flick switch is “on” , or is it only suppling power to habitation battery. If it’s both batteries surely it would be beneficial when van in storage to leave flick switch on and help keep both batteries healthy. I have asked my local Roller team dealership and they couldn’t answer , fair play to them as they were “general” motor home dealers. Does anyone know the details of a Rollerteam charging circuit.?

[donaircooleone]

Polome said:

Hi I have a 2020 Rollerteam Zafiro 696. . As well as battery charging from the engine alternator it has a roof mounted solar panel . The van is fitted with an isolating flick switch in the harness that isolates the engine side from the habitation side. The handbook recommends leaving the flick switch in the “off “ position when the van is stored and switching “on” before starting engine. A recent 5 month storage left me with a flat battery (engine side ) needing jumpstart whilst the habitation battery still showed 60% charge.
My question is “what does the solar panel charge”..is it both batteries when isolating flick switch is “on” , or is it only suppling power to habitation battery. If it’s both batteries surely it would be beneficial when van in storage to leave flick switch on and help keep both batteries healthy. I have asked my local Roller team dealership and they couldn’t answer , fair play to them as they were “general” motor home dealers. Does anyone know the details of a Rollerteam charging circuit.?

Really depends on how the solar panel was installed and wired in I'm afraid. Might need to physically check your self for a definitive answer.

[nagsheadwarrior]

Can be wired to do both but most are just wired ti charge the leisure battery only.

Find your solar charge controller they normally habe lights to show if they charge both batteries, if you babe a handbook for the charge controller it will help you decode the flashing leds

[missing the VR6]

I'm really sorry I can't remember the name of the item, but a chap I was talking to told me about a device that registers the hab battery level and the actual engine battery level and tops them up equally. Pretty sure it was about £110/115 fitted. Say hab battery is 9V and engine battery in 8.8V it would charge the engine battery o 9V then move on to hab battery again. Sounded pretty sensible, especially for such little outlay.

[donaircooleone]

missing the VR6 said:

I'm really sorry I can't remember the name of the item, but a chap I was talking to told me about a device that registers the hab battery level and the actual engine battery level and tops them up equally. Pretty sure it was about £110/115 fitted. Say hab battery is 9V and engine battery in 8.8V it would charge the engine battery o 9V then move on to hab battery again. Sounded pretty sensible, especially for such little outlay.

Indeed, have used these before:

Votronic StandBy Charger 12V - https://www.votronic.de/index.php/en/products/peri...

[Polome]

Thank you all for the advice so far…im heading to storage yard next week to check the van. The additional diverting box sounds good if I can sus the wiring out. Cheers. Ian

[chopper602]

Buy a cheap voltmeter and check the voltages yourself, when it's sunny and the panel should be charging