After two seasons running a basic split charge relay setup in my Transit-based camper, I finally caved and fitted a Victron SmartShunt 500A alongside a Cyrix-Li-CT to manage charging from the alternator into my 200Ah LiFePO4 leisure battery. The install took a full weekend and involved rerouting quite a bit of cabling under the floor, but it's all tidy now and the Victron Connect app is genuinely brilliant for keeping an eye on state of charge.
What pushed me into it was the old relay hammering the alternator on a cold morning – I'd read enough horror stories about fried alternators on modern Euro 6 vans with smart alternators that I didn't want to risk it any longer. The Cyrix-Li-CT is supposed to be far kinder because it monitors battery voltage properly rather than just slamming a connection open when the engine fires up. Whether that's actually saving my alternator, I honestly can't measure, but it feels more solid.
I've still got a 175W panel on the roof going through a Victron MPPT 75/15, so on a decent day in the Lakes the leisure battery is topped up without even needing to run the engine. That said, I'm heading up to Northumberland next month for a week and I know I'll be doing very little driving, so the solar will be carrying most of the load.
Has anyone else made this swap on a Euro 6 van and noticed a real-world difference – either in alternator longevity or just general peace of mind? Also curious whether anyone's running a DC-DC charger (like the Victron Orion-Tr Smart) instead of the Cyrix route and whether that's genuinely worth the extra outlay.
