Redarc BCDC1225D In-Vehicle Battery Charger Dual Input DC to DC for RV Trailer

Description

Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger - Dual Input - DC to DC - 12V/24V - 25 Amp
Maintain the charge on your RV's battery with this dual-input, DC-to-DC smart charger. Unit installs in your vehicle or trailer and pulls power from your solar panels before tapping into the vehicle battery. Great for boondocking and dry camping.
Features:
DC-to-DC battery charger draws power from your vehicle to provide power to an auxiliary battery on your trailer or RV
Ideal for battery banks rated between 75 and 200 amp-hours
Dual-input device can pull power from 2 sources
Connect yellow wire to solar panels (sold separately)
Connect red wire to 12V or 24V start battery
Multi-stage charging algorithm ensures a complete charge on secondary battery without overcharging
Boost stage - provides a constant charge while monitoring auxiliary battery voltage
Absorption stage - keeps voltage stable to avoid overcharging while bringing battery up to 100-percent charge
Float stage - maintains charge on auxiliary battery
Solar power capable - solar panels sold separately
Charger automatically draws power from panels before tapping into vehicle battery
Built-in MPPT regulator ensures most efficient power transfer possible in all conditions
Fully sealed construction with fan-free operation ensures durable performance under harsh conditions
Tested to ensure operation in temperatures as high as 176 F
Protects sensitive electronics from water, dust, and shock
Fault recognition technology prevents damage to batteries from voltage spikes, overheating, and reverse polarity connection
Battery isolator function prevents charger from pulling power from start battery when vehicle is off
Multiple mounting options for convenient installation
Secure the unit in the cabin of the vehicle, along a chassis frame rail, in the engine compartment, or on your trailer
Cables, fuses (331-FK40 - sold separately), and connectors sold separately
Made in Australia
Specs:
Application: 12V or 24V vehicle systems with standard or smart alternators
Battery types supported: AGM, gel, standard lead acid, calcium, and Lithium ion (LiFePO4) batteries
Overall dimensions: 4-3/4" long x 4" wide x 1-1/2" tall
Battery capacity range: 75 amp-hours - 200 amp-hours
Maximum charging voltage: 15.3V
Output voltage: 12V DC
Output power: 375 watts
Output current rating (continuous): 25 amps
Input current (maximum): 25 amps
2-Year warranty
The Redarc BCDC dual-input battery charger allows for easy charging of a DC battery while you're on the move. Most battery chargers require that you plug into an AC outlet, but this DC-to-DC charger pulls power from your vehicle's start battery instead. The BCDC also has solar power capability so that you can keep your secondary battery charged while you're parked at a remote campsite. This means that you can go off the grid without worrying about being without power.
This charger connects directly to your battery, rather than pulling power from your vehicle via the trailer connector. This is to ensure that it's able to fully charge your auxiliary battery. A standard 7-way trailer connector is limited to 10 or 15 amps of current, which will not be able to fully restore a battery for use. But this charger can transfer up to 25 amps of current to both charge and maintain your auxiliary battery.
Solar Power Compatible with MPPT Regulator
This charger can pull power from 2 different sources. The first input accepts charge from your vehicle's battery. The second input on this dual-input unit is designed to receive power from solar panels (sold separately). The built-in maximum power point tracking (MPPT) regulator on this unit ensures that the charger will get the most power possible from your panels at any given time. An MPPT regulator is able to determine the point at which your solar panels reach their maximum output. Then the regulator can simulate that load on the panels to effectively draw the most power possible. This type of regulator is more effective than traditional ones at gathering power from solar panels and at drawing power in low-light conditions.
Built-in Green Power Priority, or primary solar selection, ensures that power is pulled from your solar panels first. The BCDC will only tap into your vehicle's battery when necessary. This will save your vehicle battery from unneeded stress. It also has a built-in battery isolator function to prevent the charger from pulling power from the start battery when the vehicle is off.
The BCDC battery charger can be used to charge AGM, gel, standard lead acid, calcium, and Lithium ion (LiFePO4) batteries. An LED on the front panel of the unit will illuminate to show the charge profile, confirming that you've wired the charger correctly based on your auxiliary battery type. This LED will be solid while the unit is charging, and it will flash when the unit is in standby mode. Additional LEDs on this panel indicate where the charger is pulling power from, and what stage of the charging process the unit is in.
This smart charger completely and efficiently charges your auxiliary battery in 3 separate stages. This ensures that the battery reaches maximum capacity without being overcharged.
The first stage of the process, the boost stage, begins when you start up your vehicle. In this mode the charger will maintain a constant current to the auxiliary battery to quickly help it regain power.
Once the unit detects that your auxiliary battery is nearing its maximum charge, the charger will move into the absorption stage. In this stage it will slowly supply the needed current to safely reach 100-percent capacity on the auxiliary battery.
The final stage is known as the float stage. In this stage the unit monitors your auxiliary battery for drops in power and supplies the needed current to keep it fully charged. If a drop in power is detected, it will revert back to the first stage and begin the charging cycle over.
Compatible with Smart Alternators
A number of newer vehicles on the market have ECU-controlled, variable-voltage alternators designed to reduce emissions and boost performance. This type of alternator varies its voltage based on the driving conditions. When the alternator voltage is low, the system can drop below 12.7V, which would deactivate a standard isolator or battery charger. However, with the Redarc BCDC battery charger, this is not an issue. Simply connect the blue override wire to the vehicle ignition and the charger will recognize that the car battery is still receiving a charge from the alternator, even if the voltage has dropped. The charger will modify its voltage requirements so that it can continue to pull power until the start battery drops to 12V, as opposed to the standard 13.2V.
Versatile Mounting
This unit can be mounted in a variety of places to best suit your application. Use the 4 mounting tabs to secure the unit in the cabin of your vehicle, along a chassis frame rail, in the engine compartment, or on your trailer. The charger should be mounted as close as possible to the auxiliary battery being charged to prevent current loss. The farther the current has to travel, the more amperage is lost. A larger diameter wire will allow more current to flow through it, which can offset the current loss that occurs with longer lengths of wire. As a result, it is recommended that you use a heavier gauge wire to cover longer distances. The table below outlines the recommended wire size for a given length of cable:
Redarc BCDC Dual Battery Charger Wiring Guide
To ensure a low-resistance connection, you will want to use MIDI fuses (331-FK40 - sold separately) when connecting the BCDC to your batteries.
For a typical lead acid battery setup, refer to the wiring diagram (shown with fuses and optional LED and solar panel - sold separately) below: