‘What is a smart alternator’ is a common question asked when converting a campervan as it dictates which type of battery to battery charger you can purchase.
This blog will help you to run a simple test. This will give you the knowledge necessary to figure out which type you have. After that, you can purchase a corresponding battery to battery charger for your campervan electrical system.
Also, you’ll be glad to know that you don’t need to go it alone. Our team at Vunked have created thousands of campervan electrical systems for adventurers like you. We have created a super simple free tool to build your own campervan electrical system in minutes.
Enough shameless plugging – let’s dive in. We hope you’re sitting comfortably.
Firstly, as a rule of thumb, smart alternators (also referred to as a variable voltage or ECU controlled charging system) are common throughout modern vans (2015 onwards). For example, smart alternators are commonly found in T6s, Transit customs, Renault Masters and Mercedes Sprinters, amongst most other new vehicles.
This is important because the voltage spike of a smart alternator is not compatible with older battery to battery charging technology. For example, voltage sensing relays.
Follow the instructions below to test and see if you have a traditional alternator or a smart alternator. In fact, all you need for this is your van (which we assume you have handy) and a voltmeter that can read 12v DC.
Generally, if your vehicle is manufactured from 2015 onwards, you most likely have a smart alternator installed but it is worth testing.
Traditional alternator: If your first and second readings are the same, around 14.4v, then you have a traditional alternator.
Smart alternator: If your first reading is around 14.4v but the second reading is lower, around 12.5v-13.5v, you have a smart alternator.
Whether you have a traditional alternator or smart alternator, you can still use battery to battery charging in your vehicle to charge your leisure battery while driving.
If you have a smart alternator, you will need to use a DC-DC charger. The variable and high voltages of a smart alternator are not compatible with older voltage sensing relay (VSR) chargers. The best option is to use Victron’s Orion-Tr DC-DC charger. These are more efficient and easy to install.
If you have a traditional alternator, you can still use a DC-DC charger like Victron’s Orion-Tr charger but you also have the option to use a voltage sensing relay (VSR). The latter is often the cheaper option. As a trusted Victron partner, we can support you to buy what you need as part of your bespoke campervan electrical system build.
Without a doubt, there are many different factors to consider when planning your campervan electrical system. We hope this blog has helped. Our team are dedicated to making campervan electrics as simple as possible. As always, please get in touch if you have any questions.
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