A DC to DC battery charger is like having a solar charge controller in parallel with the starter’s battery. Why not charge directly from the alternator?

A DC to DC charger should be installed in a vehicle’s engine bay, cabin, or in its tray (if it’s a ute), or in the canopy, caravan or camper trailer. The DC to DC charger should be installed as close as possible to the auxiliary battery that it’s intended to charge – within one metre is recommended.

DC-DC Charger Category

A DC2DC battery charger is like a smart charger for your 12V system. It will boost charge into your battery while you’re driving and also acts as an isolator, so that your starter battery doesn’t go flat when you stop for a while. Deep cycle batteries cannot be completely charged from a vehicle’s alternator which only delivers a single voltage, typically 13.8V. This voltage (13.8V) under-charges and reduces the life of the deep cycle battery. The 3 stage charge delivered by the IDC range of chargers inputs a tailored charge specific to the selected battery ensuring increased performance and life of your deep cycle battery. The first stage (bulk) charges the battery faster while the second stage (absorption) ensures the battery is thoroughly charged. The final stage (float) maintains the battery ready for use and can be left connected indefinitely. In this image, you can see the circuit diagram for a DC to DC battery charger. DC to DC charger wiring diagram Victron DC to DC charger for the orion TR smart DC to DC Charger with Solar Input What they found is that charging a lithium battery with a car alternator is not always the best solution. At lower RPM’s the alternator was overheating. This is due to the following facts: The unit isolates the vehicle battery from the aux battery by discontinuing charging after the engine is turned off. In essence, the unit takes power from the alternator and leaves the vehicle battery charged. This is done by not loading the vehicle battery below 12.8V for more than 5 minutes. After 5 minutes if the vehicle battery is below 12.7V the unit will enter sleep mode with all LEDs off. This allows the unit to remain permanently connected without draining the vehicle battery. The unit resumes charging once power is supplied from the alternator.

Based on the models, the DC to DC Battery Charger with Solar Input will deliver at 30 amps or 50 amps. You should choose the proper one based on actual requirements. Supported Battery Types: Our selection includes chargers for both 12V and 24V systems, ensuring you find the right charger for your specific power requirements. Victron Energy DC-DC Chargers c) Nothing in these Business Terms excludes your Statutory Rights as a consumer under the ACL. You agree that our liability for goods provided to a person or entity defined as a “consumer” under the ACL is governed solely by the ACL and these Business Terms. We exclude all conditions and warranties implied by custom, law or statute except for your Statutory Rights. The charger will have all battery types flashing and the BULK and PULSE LED lights will remain on for 30 seconds before entering Recovery ModeThe fully-automatic battery charger uses an intelligent, multi-stage charging program that can be set to a wide variety of battery types using easy, one-button programming and features a full suite of electronic protections. Yes the Orion-Tr has Bluetooth. Once it’s plugged in, you can install the Victron Energy app on your phone and control it wirelessly. Through the app, you can program your charger and monitor its status. You can also install a wired remote for a simple dashboard on/off switch. Sometimes DC to DC battery chargers are referred to as a BCDC. This is the abbreviation of: Battery Charger Direct Current, which has the same meaning as a DC to DC battery charger.