Lithium Aux Battery Upgrade, chasing advice Victron vs Redarc

[Rok_Dr]

A common observation is that the D250SE is only a 20A charger. That's fine to pair with the Smartpass 120S to keep the factory EFBs topped up from a solar input if you're on a camp site running a fridge and some LED lights for a few days, but not enough to bulk charge a lithium battery from any source if you're running bigger loads like an induction cooker or a coffee machine or other essentials of modern camping (apparently ).
If your needs are modest then the 250SE is adequate. That's what I'm using.

Also if you are using the DS250Se as a solar regulator it has a low VOC limit of 23v which precludes using many solar panels.

 

[Clark Kent]

Also if you are using the DS250Se as a solar regulator it has a low VOC limit of 23v which precludes using many solar panels.

Excellent point Steve. I always forget about the D250SE VOC limit because I use a 200W MK1 Hardkorr folding panel with a D250SE to charge the Crystal AGMs in my camper when I'm away.

The MK1 panel is 21.24 VOC. The newer MK2 panel is 23.6 VOC which takes it out of safe D250SE range.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Any reason why people goto victron or redarc when the car has ctek? Am I missing something like i can get the 250se and have solar import and run the lithium 2nd battery seems like an awful lot of money for Bluetooth monitoring.

Some owners do it because they want the primary and secondary batteries isolated from each other. A more common setup in Australia.

I went with the CTEK250SE as the easier option. I do not run induction cooktops out of the car. Plus the 250SE allowed me to put a solar panel on the roofrack - keeping both EFB batteries topped up.

If I need extra power I can plug in my Lithium battery box (BB), but I have not needed the BB so far.

My dashcam (front and rear) have their own lithium battery that I can recharge from the two main batteries, which I will do if there is plenty of sun around. That dashcam battery only charges when the ignition is on, unless I flick a switch when the car is off.

 

[Adam-Oz]

Any reason why people goto victron or redarc when the car has ctek? Am I missing something like i can get the 250se and have solar import and run the lithium 2nd battery seems like an awful lot of money for Bluetooth monitoring.

Having owned victron, redarc and CTek installations for 12v systems the reason that victron is the clear winner is the choice of specs, support and usability (especially the app). It just works flawlessly as an entire ecosystem. Redarc is great too and I would place it a close second and CTeK is overrated and too limited in any ability to customise or have an integrated system approach IMHO. If you want just a simple DC charger then the CTek is okay, beyond that the other choices offer far better levels of system customisation.