REDARC Manager30 BMS1230S3-EU battery management system12V 30A AC, DC and solar battery management system with remote monitor, EU plug

Overview

The BMS1230S3-EU is the Manager30 S3 with an EU mains plug: a 30A battery management system for the 12V house battery of a caravan, camper or motorhome. It charges from 220–240V mains (560W), from a 12V or 24V vehicle and from 12V solar through its MPPT regulator, using solar first, and also isolates the start battery and controls a load disconnect relay. It suits batteries of 40–800Ah in lead-acid or LiFePO4 types. The fan-free main unit comes with a remote monitor and battery sensor.

• 30A to a 12V house battery of 40–800Ah
• Inputs: 220–240V AC, 9–32V vehicle, 9–32V solar
• Solar first, then mains, then vehicle
• Gel, AGM, calcium, lead-acid and LiFePO4 profiles
• Load disconnect output for a 12V relay such as SBI12-BLD
• S3R version with RedVision display and Bluetooth app

How it works

The Manager30 works as six products in one: a mains charger, a DC-DC charger, a solar charger, a dual battery isolator, a load disconnect controller and a battery monitor. It selects and combines sources automatically, using solar first, then mains, then vehicle power, up to 30A into the house battery. The DC input draws up to 50A from the vehicle battery and works with 12V or 24V vehicles and variable-voltage alternators; it disconnects automatically so the start battery keeps enough charge.

When the maximum charge current is set below 30A, any excess current supplies loads running from the battery, which allows batteries as small as 40Ah. A separate battery sensor measures current, voltage and temperature even in standby, for state of charge and time-to-full information.

Key features

Touring mode charges and protects the battery while travelling; storage mode adds soft start, battery test, desulphation (not for lithium), equalisation (not for lithium, AGM or gel) and maintenance stages, and puts the system to sleep after 30 seconds without a source. Mains power is rated 560W, the DC and solar inputs 520W each. The unit has no fan, includes reverse polarity, short-circuit, surge and overload protection, and complies with IEC 60335 safety standards.

Installation and compatibility

The main unit must not be fitted in the engine bay or exposed to rain or spray; mount it on a flat surface with four M6 screws, preferably horizontally, with at least 10cm free above the heatsink and within 2m of the house battery. REDARC recommends 8mm² input cable up to 3m and 13mm² beyond, and 8mm² output cable up to 1.5m and 13mm² beyond, with a recommended maximum of 5m.

The load disconnect wire switches the earth of a 12V relay with a coil current up to 1A. REDARC recommends the SBI12-BLD for non-essential loads and the SBI12-LLD between a lithium battery and essential loads. The mains cord must go to an earthed socket outlet.

Monitoring and settings

The BMS1230S3 includes a remote monitor showing charge sources, battery data and state of charge, and is used to set battery type, capacity, maximum current and modes. The BMS1230S3R replaces it with a RedVision colour display that also links to the RedVision smartphone app over Bluetooth, giving the same data and control; with a RedVision distribution box it can also control an inverter and loads. Both displays can be surface-mounted or recessed.

Questions and answers