Alternator Power Options

1. CANbus Alternator Controller can transfer up to 10kW power at same voltage. It is installed in cabin with maximum current of 10A as all digital.
2. Read this article on Regenerative Braking & why conventional DC to DC have a problem in the future:
   https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/six-times-power-energy-only-2kgs-bruce-loxton/
3. Scotty transfers 3,000W from 12V to either 24V or 48V and vice versa.
   It is a bi-directional power converter at 95% efficiency.  
   Can be parallelized to double or triple this capacity if required.
   It is Automotive compliant and installed in engine bay.

Scotty  3.1 with Energy Management Mode

Hardware:

• Billet machined IP65 Case is complete. 
• Short pre-crimped cables from Scotty for 300mm.  1 x 70mm2 12V +, 1 x 50mm2 12V – and 1 x 35mm2 24 or 48V +. These will be crimped with lugs to match optional megafuse holders. This reduces installation costs and means the Scotty case does not have to be opened.
• Optional mega fuse holders with facility to hold a spare Mega Fuse on side of cover:
   300A on 12V side and 125A on 48V side. If this is 24V then Fuse will be 150A.
• CANbus wiring is complete internally with CANbus Pin out on the RJ connector. This simplifies installation. 
• 12-70V DC can be applied to the “Ignition or Power in”; there is a 12V power supply inside Scotty for the CAN controller.
• The Auxiliary-In wire can now be switched high to chnge operating mode from Power Management Mode to Energy Management Mode. 
• There will be a simplified harness for Scotty with Alternator connections AND Battery & Current Sense connections.
• There will be a range of optional compact battery post Integrated Fuse Blocks at up to 300A for connection from Alternator/Starter battery to Scotty on 12V side.

A quick recap on Scotty and Spock. (Patents filed on several features.)

Scotty has a 12V or 24V low side to a 24V, 36v, 48V high side. It has a max power of 3,000W

Spock has 12V or 24V low side to either 400V or 800V high side. It has a max power of 4,000W. Multiple Scotty’s or Spock’s can be installed in parallel.

Each has 6 parts to it:

1. A bi-directional planar transformer DC to DC.
2. A target battery charger program with set points for bulk and float charge. Once bulk charge is reached, the battery charger moves to float mode. There are conditions which can be set to kick the controller automatically from float back to bulk charger mode. There are also input conditions on the feature in wire that push the battery charger to float. Every time the controller is turned on and started up, it starts in bulk mode.
3. A CANbus controller program which can communicate with CANbus connected Lithium Battery BMS. The benefit is the battery current and battery alerts are read directly through the CANbus. However, the battery voltage is read through the Target Battery Sense wires for accuracy.
4. Connected sensors that can create trigger points for either 1 or 2 above or both. Examples are alternator temperature, RPM, target battery temp.
5. Energy Management Mode software. (EMU)
6. Power Management Mode software (PMU)

A quick recap on fundamentals of bi-directional planar transformer DC to DC:

1. These have Low Side and High Side voltage “Pins”.
2. When the low side pin voltage is higher than the specified setpoint, power will flow through to the high side to a voltage level specified by the battery charging program.
3. Load demand by the high side is met by the delivered power until the power supply on the low side cannot meet the power load at which time the voltage will decrease.
4. When the voltage decreases to below the low side set point, the power flow will stop and may reverse direction if programmed to do so.

That is it. Using voltage as the primary electrical switching function makes it so simple. The result is these products are so reliable to use.

5. However, the lithium battery charging program, PID control program, energy management mode program, power management mode program and other functions are complex programs layered on top of the simple electrical control function.
6. These products need the right constant CANbus messages as a heart beat to function. The speed is high at 500kBps
7. The efficiency is high at > 96%
8. There is an internal temp sensor which will cause a power reduction if a setpoint is reached.

A quick recap on fundamentals of Scotty or Spock as an Alternator power extractor:

1. The load to the high side is created by one of the MODE programs and the battery charging program
2. This pulls power through from the low side providing the low side voltage is greater than the setpoint.
3. The alternator’s inbuilt regulator sees the low side load and works to maintain or exceed that voltage.

It is that simple.

A quick recap on fundamentals of energy management function in Scotty and Spock:
Patents filed.

For Euro 6 engines and vehicles using the starter battery as a very mild hybrid.

1. These vehicles drain the starter battery down when idling and under load until the starter battery reaches around 70-75% SOC measured by a coulomb counter on the battery negative post.
2. As a result, using this stored energy to reduce engine load reduces fuel consumption. On top of this, if this is done when fuel efficiency is poorest, there is an added boost to fuel economy.
3. These vehicles then replenish this energy when the vehicle is in “regenerative” mode of either braking or coasting and the EFI control is off.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT MODE - EMU (energy management function enabled):

4. The high side will deliver power to the low side and starter battery when the vehicle is NOT in “regenerative” mode.
5. As a result of shifting the high side stored energy to the low side starter battery, available stored energy is significantly increased, reducing engine load as the alternator will not be under load. This reduces fuel consumption.
6. This will continue to occur to a specified point of capacity of the high side stored energy capacity.
7. This may be for a significant period of time.
8. On top of this, if this is done when fuel efficiency is poorest, there is an added boost to fuel economy.
9. When the vehicles is in “regenerative” mode, and the low side pin voltage is higher than the specified setpoint, power will flow through to the high side to a voltage level specified by the battery charging program.
10. The vehicle mode and other setpoints such as vehicle speed and engine RPM are read by CANbus from the vehicle. A fuel efficiency curve correlation to RPM and Speed (and therefore gear ratio) can optimize extending “regenerative” mode if the high side energy storage is depleted to a critical point. 
11. If the vehicle has solar replenished power to the high side, then it can truly be a solar assisted vehicle!
     

POWER MANAGEMENT MODE - PMU (energy management function enabled):

12. A different suite of set points are loaded to extract as much power as possible from the alternator.

Its generally once in a lifetime that we see a revolutionary product that changes the game. Scotty is such a product. The On-road /Off-road feature is a significant game changer that will both save fuel costs when power and energy in the canopy/vehicle is not critical (driving around town during the week) AND flick a switch for abundant power on the weekend off-road. The fuel saving adds value to the product.

There are the ways to apply Scotty to suit:

 LC200 or LC79 Series

1. Use existing 12V alternator for up to 1,800W (130A at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
2. Upgrade the Alternator to either the brushless 200A or brushed 250A 12V alternator. This will pull up to 3,000W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
3. Upgrade Alternator to 48V 100A. This will pull up to 5,000W (100A+ at 52V) of power charging directly to 48V batteries. Connect the 12V Pin of Scotty directly to the Starter Battery and disconnect the Alternator/Starter battery wiring. (The original 12V alternator is kept as a spare and can be refitted at any time if the 48V unit malfunctions)

There are the ways to apply Scotty to suit:

Ford Ranger/BT 50/ Y 62/ VW transporter and any vehicle with LINbus controller Alternator

1. Use existing 12V alternator for up to 3,00W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. If the alternator is only 130A, then 1,800W of power. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
2. Use the 1.5kW DC to DC for 12V ONLY power. This is not the Scotty product at present. We will have a 1.5kw Scotty in 2Q 2021. In the meantime up to 1,500W van be extracted for 12V charging but there is no on road/ off road mode. Package and price shown on website for this.

These options mean there is no modification to the alternator.

These are the ways to apply Scotty to:

• Mercedes Sprinters
• MAN TGE (VW Crafter collaboration)
• Dodge Ram
• Ford F Trucks
• Any vehicle with second alternator support.

1. Use existing 12V alternator for up to 3,00W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. If the alternator is only 130A, then 1,800W of power. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
2. Upgrade the Primary Alternator to 250A 12V alternator. This will pull up to 3,000W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
3. Install a second Alternator at 12V 250A. This keeps the existing alternator and “Factory Warranty” Intact. This will pull up to 3,000W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
4. Install a second Alternator at 48V 100A. This will pull up to 5,000W (100A+ at 52V) of power charging directly to 48V batteries. Connect the 12V Pin of Scotty for 12V power in vehicle and also use for winch support.

Winch Support

16,000lb winches require up to 400A at 12V. When combined with the Alternator, Scotty will deliver 250A + Alternator capacity for continuous winch operation.

Warranty

There is 5 years warranty on Scotty. This is a manufacturer’s express warranty and is listed on our website.

Summary

Its generally once in a lifetime that we see a revolutionary product that changes the game. Scotty is such a product. The On-road /Off-road feature is a significant game changer that will both save fuel costs when power and energy in the canopy/vehicle is not critical (driving around town during the week) AND flick a switch for abundant power on the weekend off-road. The fuel saving adds value to the product.

There are the ways to apply Scotty to suit:

 LC200 or LC79 Series

1. Use existing 12V alternator for up to 1,800W (130A at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
2. Upgrade the Alternator to either the brushless 200A or brushed 250A 12V alternator. This will pull up to 3,000W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
3. Upgrade Alternator to 48V 100A. This will pull up to 5,000W (100A+ at 52V) of power charging directly to 48V batteries. Connect the 12V Pin of Scotty directly to the Starter Battery and disconnect the Alternator/Starter battery wiring. (The original 12V alternator is kept as a spare and can be refitted at any time if the 48V unit malfunctions)

There are the ways to apply Scotty to suit:

Ford Ranger/BT 50/ Y 62/ VW transporter and any vehicle with LINbus controller Alternator

1. Use existing 12V alternator for up to 3,00W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. If the alternator is only 130A, then 1,800W of power. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
2. Use the 1.5kW DC to DC for 12V ONLY power. This is not the Scotty product at present. We will have a 1.5kw Scotty in 2Q 2021. In the meantime up to 1,500W van be extracted for 12V charging but there is no on road/ off road mode. Package and price shown on website for this.

These options mean there is no modification to the alternator.

These are the ways to apply Scotty to:

• Mercedes Sprinters
• MAN TGE (VW Crafter collaboration)
• Dodge Ram
• Ford F Trucks
• Any vehicle with second alternator support.

1. Use existing 12V alternator for up to 3,00W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. If the alternator is only 130A, then 1,800W of power. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
2. Upgrade the Primary Alternator to 250A 12V alternator. This will pull up to 3,000W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
3. Install a second Alternator at 12V 250A. This keeps the existing alternator and “Factory Warranty” Intact. This will pull up to 3,000W (200A+ at 14.6V) of power charging. This has Scotty directly connected to the Alternator/Battery.
4. Install a second Alternator at 48V 100A. This will pull up to 5,000W (100A+ at 52V) of power charging directly to 48V batteries. Connect the 12V Pin of Scotty for 12V power in vehicle and also use for winch support.

Winch Support

16,000lb winches require up to 400A at 12V. When combined with the Alternator, Scotty will deliver 250A + Alternator capacity for continuous winch operation.

Warranty

There is 5 years warranty on Scotty. This is a manufacturer’s express warranty and is listed on our website.

Coomera 29^th September 2020

* From Second Alternator. Power can also be extracted from primary alternator as an alternative.

600% increase in Vehicle Charging

Consider a standard factory alternator for Toyota 70 & 200 Series: (photo on right is a used alternator taken from 70 series. 200 series is same unit)

• Rated at 130A output at 6,000 RPM. See Charts below.
• When cruising at 100kph in a Diesel, the max power available from the alternator will be in the range of 130-150A depending on age and temperature.
• However, with a typical DC to DC fitted, in an hour of driving, this alternator can only deliver 30Ah.
  
   

STEPS TO INCREASE THIS POWER BY 600% TO 180A.

Photo on right is the SAFIERY High Performance model specifically designed by Rapid Power in Brisbane Australia. 

1.   Increase the raw output with this high performance alternator

• With an efficiency approaching 85%, upgrade to this High Performance Alternator with a 250A rating. High output is achieved with:
  • Interlaced magnetic leaves added to rotor.
  • 10mm stud for power connection.
  • Field control plug in addition to standard plug to suit Toyota.
  • Optimized capacitor control to minimize DC ripple at this power.

Cruising at 100kph will give 250~270A available output.
Subtract the 75A for vehicle loads and 180A is available for charging batteries.

2.   Upgrade from an Analog DC to DC Converter to a Digital CANbus Controller

• DC to DC Converters operate around 85-87% efficiency.

  

• They generate a lot of heat.
• Adding 3 of these in parallel from Victron will increase the output by 250% after taking into account efficiency losses. However, at idle, demanding 90A from the Alternator may cause it to overheat as the cooling fan speed is low.
• This is the problem with analog control. It is a “one size of output for all conditions”. To protect the Alternators, DC charging has to be limited. The user then misses out gaining the high power output at cruising speeds.

Digital CANbus controllers do not convert power, they control it.

• They are effectively 100% efficient.
• They change the performance of the alternator to deliver the maximum power to charge the batteries whilst monitoring the alternator and vehicle engine.
• They scale the power to maximum. In this case a comfortable 600% increase.
• They are perfect with Lithium batteries taking them to 100% SOC.
• Can be used with AGM, but remember AGM charging efficiency is very poor once over 80% SOC.
• They can be mounted in the engine bay.
• They are rugged and compact- only 190 x 100 x 60 mm

Triple battery charging

If you have a second AGM battery in the engine bay and a lithium in the rear, this Digital CANbus controller is perfect for your application.

• No other DC to DC is required.

• A Victron ARGOFET 200A Charging Splitter is added with ignition switched activation. This directs the charging to both the second battery in the engine bay and the Lithium battery in the rear. When the ignition is turned off, the device isolates all batteries from each other.

• Lithium is given priority to charge first, then the AGM in engine bay, at the same time a small percentage of power is directed to the starter battery.
• This complex arrangement of 3 batteries and mixed chemistries is easily managed.

3.   Purchase Lithium battery(s) that will accept 180A of charge if you don’t have one.

Quality Lithium batteries are required. Lithium batteries are sensitive to poor charging profiles. With the significant amount of charge applied, it is important that the lithium battery(s) can accept the charge. The CANbus controller can be programmed to limit the maximum charge, however this limits the technology and a DC to DC converter may be best investment.

4.   Optional Smartphone App Display

If you dont have a method for monitoring the Vehicle Charging, then we have a slick option for you. By upgrading from a standard Shunt to a Smart Shunt, you will see on your smartphone:

• Charging Power in Watts.
• Battery Voltage being Charged.
• Alternator temperature.
• Charging History in kWh.
• Min/Max Battery Voltage.
• MinMax Alternator Voltage.

FOUR eBooks to cover most Applications

Ultimate Power 5kW to suit any vehicle CANbus Controlled

RUN VAN AIRCON USING 4WD as POWER PLANT

Charge 300Ah Lithium in 1 Hr from Engine

CANbus Alternator Charging Lithium Batteries

5. For high power 48V systems

Add the 3kW bi-directional buck boost charging controller. It will charge from 12V to 48V and vice vera.

This "Buck/Boost" is a 3kW bi-directional converter from 12V or 24V to 24V or 48V at 3,000W power.

It is 95% efficient.

FAQ on the CANbus Controller:

How affordable is this?

Very affordable. The CANbus controller is a similar price to the published price by REDARC of their award winning BCDC1250D:  a 12V 50A In-vehicle DC to DC battery charger. However, the CANbus controller can deliver 300%+ performance compared to this REDARC model. In addition, if you have a second AGM in the engine bay, then the savings are significant as Dual DC to DC converters are not required.

The optional Smart Shunt and Smartphone App is additional price. This is the only App dedicated to Alternator Charging with Alternator temperature as well as Power, Voltage and history in the market.

What Voltages can be used with the CANbus Controller?

12V, 24V and 48V. However, there is no step up or step down in voltage range.

Can it be used with Mercedes Sprinter?

Definitely. We specialize in Sprinters and have a alternator that mounts underneath the Sprinter on a factory mount that produces 5kW at 48V. This charges the 48-12V hybrid Safiery system in the sprinter. It is more powerful at idle than a 2kW portable generator. It can also be easily installed in VW Crafter, Ford Transit Van and several other vehicles.

What happens with vehicles that have a Smart CANbus chip in the Alternator?

It is common to see a smart chip in the alternator with ECU CAN control. We have a proprietary way of working with this so no ECU engine alert occurs for most manufacturers. The list of models available is shown in our on-line store.

What if I already have a high output Alternator?

Then you just need to purchase the CANbus controller. It will be important that the high output alternator has the necessary terminals easily available.

How easy is it to fit?

We ship the product to you pre-configured for your vehicle and lithium battery type. There are thirteen wires to connect on the plug in harness that we provide. Typical installation time in less than an hour for the controller. Adding a large gauge power cable may take longer. An added cable support bracket is provided so the size and style of these large cables does not damage the alternator off-road.

When was this developed?

Alternator controllers have been around for some time. However, higher charging demands from the marine industry, particularly with lithium batteries, could not be met with these controllers. A controller was released to the USA marine market in 2018 with a 300A+ capacity and since developed further by a specialist team with 15+ years of Alternator charging experience. Safiery contributed their deep Lithium charging know how. The result is a CANbus controller that connects to both Lithium battery(s) and vehicle CANbus for the RV market.

Will it work with any brand of Lithium battery?

Yes it can. The battery charging parameters especially at low temperatures has to be fully understood. With Safiery lithium, we have this modelled. For other batteries, the data needs to be supplied by the user.

Whay is it called CANbus?

With Safiery CANbus lithium batteries, the battery SOC and charging level parameters and temperature is transferred using CANbus. It is so simple. No optimization module is required.

Will it work with AGM batteries?

Yes it can using bulk, absorption and float voltage charging. However, as lead-acid chemistry reduces the charge acceptance rate when the batteries are around 80% SOC , charging efficiency drops by more than 50%. In short it may be a waste to invest in this technology and still have AGM batteries.

Alternator is on full output and lithium stops accepting charge?

This is a major problem in the marine industry with high charging alternators. When the charging circuit is suddenly disconnected, the instantaneous power of the alternator has to be absorbed. This power can flow back and destroy the alternator. This is managed by the CANbus controller with precise battery voltage and current. If the lithium battery is also being charged by solar while driving, and the lithium rises to a full state of charge quickly, the CANbus controller will feather back the alternator power as 100% SOC is reached. There is no damage to the alternator. In the unlikely event of a sudden disconnect, the CANbus controller energises the ARGOFT device.

Some may call this a big step forward for vehicle charging?

It’s the biggest step forward we have seen since the advent of the DC to DC more than 25 years ago. It is the perfect match for Lithium systems.

• Perfect solar backup in poor weather.
• Perfect primary charging source when there is not enough roof space for solar.
• Perfect for special vehicles with up to 5kW Inverters on board.
• Perfect genset replacement for Marine market with medium to large alternators.

Can we adjust the settings?

This is a CANbus controllers and Safiery or Safiery Dealers can adjust up to 100 parameters for special applications. Once changed, the firmware is not affected by power off.

Are there other Optimization Modules to suit alternative vehicles?

We are starting with the Optimization Modules to suit Toyota and to suit Mercedes Benz Sprinters as these are dominant brands in their class. This is a software mobule pre-loaded to suit the output parameters to suit a 70 series and 200 series.

We will release modules for other brands in the future.

What can we see on the Victron Display

The Power Generated by the Alternator is displayed in Watts.

The Alternator Master Power Isolator can be turned on/off from the Victron Touch Display.

PRIMARY POWER WHEN TOURING

After camping overnight and driving till midday to next campsite, a CAN Controlled alternator will be a primary source of power. The energy delivered in a 1-3 hour drive will replenish most systems.

BACKUP POWER WHEN CAMPING

After finding the perfect campsite, a CAN Conrolled alternator will be a backup source of power. In poor weather, or if touring southern Victoria or tasmania, back-up power is essential. 
With 90A of alternator power available, a depleted 200Ah Lithium will take just over 2 hours to fully replenish. Selected 12V alternators produce 70A at idle. Just idling the engine is now a viable backup to solar as a primary power source in poor weather.

What is the Wiring?

Safiery CANbus Alternator Controller