Redarc have just released the BCDC1225 in-vehicle battery charger. It is a three stage DC-DC battery charger that operates from any input between 9 and 32 Volts DC &  is designed to charge any commonly used automotive battery to 100%.

The BCDC1225 features the same multi-stage charging algorithm as the award winning BCDC1240 with an output regulated to 25 Amps. The lower output current means the BCDC1225 is perfectly suited to small and medium battery bank applications such as 4WDs, Campertrailers and marine craft.

The BCDC1225 features a MPPT Solar Regulator, which can be used to charge your auxiliary batteries when 12V is not present from your vehicle. The MPPT Solar charging algorithm extracts the maximum available power from your solar panels at any given time. The BCDC1225 is also designed to isolate the main battery from the auxiliary battery.

what is mppt?

MPPT stands for Maximum Power Point Tracking and relates to the solar cell itself. Each solar cell has a point at which the current (I) and voltage (V) output from the cell result in the maximum power output of the cell. The principle is that if the output from the cell can be regulated to the voltage and current levels needed to achieve a power output at this point, then the power generated by the solar cell will be used most efficiently.

MPPT ensures that you get the most power possible from your solar panels during low light level conditions. All this calculation and regulation results in the output from your solar regulator providing the maximum current possible at the required voltage at any given point. During low light level situations it will compensate for the low light level and find the new point at which the solar cell delivers its maximum power output.

alternator & solar automatic switching

With the addition of Redarc's RK1260 relay kit you can set up the BCDC1225 to automatically select between the best power source. This means you can have a solar panel permanently mounted so when you stop to camp & switch off the vehicle's engine, the relay will select the solar panel.

display panel

The BCDC1225 has three battery type settings available which enable optimal charging profiles for the auxiliary battery. The battery type selected is displayed via the LEDs on the front panel in the section ‘Battery Type’.

In addition to the battery type, the status of the charger is indicated via three LEDs. The ‘Charging Status’ shows when the unit is in BOOST, ABSORPTION or FLOAT. In order to give more information, the applicable LED will flash to indicate the output by the unit. The longer the flash, the more current the charger is putting out. If the LED is ON solid, then the unit is supplying a full 25A to the auxiliary battery.

Standby mode is entered when the unit is not charging. In this mode, the battery type LED will blink approx once per second, the charging status LED's will be off. In this mode, if the battery type wire is moved then the selected battery type will update.

specifications