While the "Shcumaker SpeedCharger" is advertised as a smart charger, its
smarts are limited and it definitely is not adaptive. This is also a
somewhat unfiltered switching power supply and it is not right for your
application. While it does have a "Boost" function to help get vehicles
started, it is not intended to regularly be used to fully charge batteries
while installed. It is not designed to charge batteries while loads are
connected. The Progressive Dynamics unit would work much better here and the
1315 wouldn't chatter. You also wouldn't have to worry about blowing up your
stereo and ECU. When using the Shcumaker you should disconnect the battery
from everything, especially during equalize cycles. Also, you don't want to
those very often.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Ovregaard [mailto:kovregaard@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 12:48 PM
To: Dennis Haynes
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Surepower 1315 test report

 From what I have learned about batteries, it is not recommended to
charge dissimilar batteries or dissimilar states of charge. Deep cycle
batteries require a different charge cycle than a start battery.
Granted, most of the time there will be no problem, but when I want to
run an equalizing charge on the deep cycle battery I can't do it with
the current setup. In fact, yesterday my smart charger (Schumaker
2/10/30/60 SpeedCharger) went into error mode probably because the
1315 was switching back and forth as the charger was trying to do it's
thing. I don't really know, but once the ground on the start battery
was pulled, the charger was OK.

Keith

On May 10, 2009, at 9:10 AM, Dennis Haynes wrote:

> Once you add or use the battery switches it is no longer automatic.
> I also
> see no problem letting the charger also top off the starting
> battery. If the
> charger is really large, having another battery connect during the
> bulk
> charge may actually give you better results. What size is your
> charger and
> house battery? My present and past RV used the bi-directional combiner
> concept and it has worked very well for nine years.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Ovregaard [mailto:kovregaard@gmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 12:04 PM
> To: Dennis Haynes
> Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Surepower 1315 test report
>
> Certainly a relay would have worked for my setup, but since I already
> have the separator installed, I might as well add the battery switches
> to isolate the batteries while hooked up to the high-amp charger.
> Otherwise, this system works very well and I don't have to do a thing.
> It's totally automatic.
>
> Keith O.
> 90 Westy Syncro "VikingWagen"
>
> On May 9, 2009, at 7:26 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>
>> At that point what you really want is an ignition switch or
>> alternator
>> controlled relay. A lot cheaper than the combiner.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>> Behalf Of
>> Keith Ovregaard
>> Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2009 6:05 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Surepower 1315 test report
>>
>> To answer the question of whether disconnecting the ground from the
>> 1315 battery separator would force the battery banks to separate, the
>> answer is no. The 1315 must be able to sense voltage between the
>> batteries without being grounded. FYI, my 1315 is wired with a manual
>> boost switch and LED indicator, for what that's worth. That shouldn't
>> have anything to do with normal operation. I also isolated the 1315
>> from the frame ground to see if that had any effect and it didn't.
>> So,
>> it looks like the installation of a main switch on each battery will
>> do the trick to guarantee isolation of the batteries.
>>
>> Keith O.
>> 90 Westy Syncro "VikingWagen"
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>