Smart Alternators

[KevofCov]

mucbutler

just for info regarding manuals on your mk8 -

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=194496&p=1720250#p1720250

[Rob62]

Hi all, I have just bought a victron orion 12/12 30amp isolated b to b charger, based on good reviews and simplicity of installation i.e. no ignition wire feed required. The only thing I’m a little concerned about is connecting it to my battery.. My vehicle is a 460 minibus 2016 with dual batteries. From reading these various posts I believe that the front battery is the starter battery and the rear is the auxiliary, I believe the connection should be to the auxiliary. But I can’t find any confirmation of this on the internet, can anybody confirm this is correct? Cheers. Rob.

[Somersetting]

Thank you Dumper. I have just found this thread as it was one of my 1st requests to work all this out as i am converting my 350 2016 L3 to a campervan.
So in short
The starter battery is the front one.
The Alternator is a smart unit.
The Leisure batts need to be connected via a Sterling thingamebob costing about £173.00 as apposed to a b2b.
and fused in between with 50amp bolt down fuses.
Appreciate the guidance freely given.

[johnporter11]

But the Sterling thingamebob IS a B2B.
For what it's worth, I've connected a Renogy 12/12 50A with integrated solar controller to the rear battery. And the whole thing has been working beautifully for the last four months. It even charges the vehicle battery when the leisure batteries are full.

[dumper]

Thank you Dumper. I have just found this thread as it was one of my 1st requests to work all this out as i am converting my 350 2016 L3 to a campervan.
So in short
The starter battery is the front one.
The Alternator is a smart unit.
The Leisure batts need to be connected via a Sterling thingamebob costing about £173.00 as apposed to a b2b.
and fused in between with 50amp bolt down fuses.
Appreciate the guidance freely given.

Yes that’s what my set up is I’m not sure on witch battery mine is connected to at the time I rang Sterling and I’ve forgot which one they told me to use and wasn’t to sure on witch was the starter battery at the time .

[2tall]

The starter battery is the front one.

No.

If you have OEM dual battery setup the aux battery is the front one.

[Altransit]

The starter battery is the front one.

No.

If you have OEM dual battery setup the aux battery is the front one.

We seem to have conflicting information on this:-

Also,custom (and mk8) batteries are opposite to mk7.
Front is starter battery,rear is aux.

[2tall]

Hmm...that is confusing indeed

In my Mk8 the aux battery is the front one. But it's a LHD, maybe there's a difference?

There is this in Ford's Body and Equipment Mounting Manual for Mk8:

[Rob62]

This diagram looks fairly conclusive. My only question would be, what geographical region is the manual taken from? You say that your vehicle is LHD and that you know your auxiliary battery is the front one. Are you basing that on the diagram or do you have other information. I have looked on the internet but am really struggling to find any conclusive details about battery identification. Cheers. Rob.

[Rob62]

I have managed to locate the manual from which the diagram clip is taken. It appears to be a manual for vehicle converters and is relevant to European vehicles. Further clips and a link below. It is for 2.0L vehicles but would seem likely that the 2.2L would be the same layout....
https://faroutride.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Ford-Transit-BEMM-2016.pdf