Projecta IDC25

Be warned. This unit appears to forget your battery chemistry when the power has been disconnected. It reverts to AGM so will damage a lithium battery unless you notice the fault and reconfigure it. Very amateur design / firmware. Show details

I have one of these in my car and one came installed in our caravan. After some investigating I have found both of them do not charge off the solar. When I plug my 400w solar into my mppt controller it spits out around 280w to 315w in either the van or the car but going through the dc2dc chargers it drops to around 100w in the car and a mere 26w in the van. They are absolute rubbish. Will never buy Projecta dc2dc chargers again. Show details

IDC25 charging problems (2 causes) – When you receive exceptional service support like I recently experienced, it deserves public acknowledgement. Following my email to Brown & Watson re a charging problem with our IDC25 V4 DC/DC charger, Benny Blood (Technical Support Officer) responded and over the next couple of days we together worked through my charging problems very expediently… Read more

and professionally to a successful conclusion. The unit had erratic solar charging especially if the batteries were down more than normal, making it difficult for me to establish the cause. It was nearing 30 months old (12 of which I was unable to enjoy caravan travel due to ill health) so my problem dragged on time wise before finally contacting Brown & Watson. I actually expected to be fobbed off due to its age but without hesitation Benny Blood worked with me establishing 2 issues. First, undersized cabling from the tow vehicle (volts collapsing causing the unit to shut down if the batteries were too low) and secondly an issue with the unit trying to charge from our solar panels. Benny promptly arranged a FOC replacement complete with pre-paid return courier bag. With the cable size upgrade and replacement unit our batteries now recharge quickly and completely from either solar or tow vehicle. It is nice to know we have an Australian Company that has your back and prepared to work with customers to ensure their product performs as promoted, even beyond their warranty period. Thanks for your service Benny.

Works well except for the solar – Wish I read these reviews before buying the IDC25 as it seems that solar input is a major issue. I bought the dc charger to power my dual battery system in my Pajero. Had it installed professionaly and it's done the job well, except for the solar part. I've spent days troubleshooting it, mainly thinking it was something to do with the panel or a… Read more

bad connection somewhere. However, I've tested it directly to the charger with my original panel and a 2nd genuine panel and I still have issues which makes me strongly believe it's the Projecta charger. When the solar panel is connected I either get a fluctuating Voltage from 5V to 18V to 21V in rapid succession (along with a siren sound) or it just stays at 5V. This despite the open circuit reading being 21V in both cases. I did ring up customer support at Projecta (forgot the person's name) and they did try to help troubleshoot the error, but in the end put it down to a compatability issue with the solar panel which I found strange? After testing the second panel and seeing these reviews I feel confident in saying that the charger is not fit for it's intended purpose (at least on the solar side). I was told I'm on a waiting list for a newer version, but would have to wait until July which is dissapointing.

Update #1 Projecta have replaced my unit for free and seems to be working well. Once I know 100% that the system works with my solar panel I'm happy to increase the rating to 5 because of their help.

Solar charging issues – PART1: Having previously owned Redarc products which were sold with my last car I decided to buy a Projecta IDC25 & BM320 power gauge. I wish I’d spent the extra and bought Redarc. The charger requires resetting on a regular basis due to the solar input even though the panel is within the specs listed by Projecta. The powers gauge… Read more

intermittently freezes and needs to be reset.

Resetting both products isn’t a matter of pressing a button, this requires disconnecting cables from the primary and auxiliary batteries.

Tech support were helpful and advised that there is aknow issue with the early revision however customer support refuse to replace the products without testing for one week at their HQ.

SOLUTION: 1.return the products to Projecta and let them do whatever they decide which unfortunately won’t be a refund. 2. Buy Redarc products. 3.sell the Projecta rubbish once returned by Projecta.

Buy Projecta products at your own risk and expect to have to undo your wiring often to reset their rubbish products.

PART 2:

The above review prompted Benny from Projecta to contact me to discuss the situation.

Benny agreed to have the IDC25 replaced on the spot which has now been installed for 24 hours, additional run time will determine if the solar charging problem has been addressed by the latest firmware. I have high hopes that Projecta’s tech team has diligently addressed the issue and thoroughly tested the new version as I am not aware of any customers reporting the problem with the new version.

The BM320 power gauge was handed over to Projecta who were able to test and validate the fault (freezing when exiting sleep mode) within 24 hours and a new unit is being sent to me.

***Star rating changed from 2 to 3. Increase in rating to 4 pending long term reliability***

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Benny and his team at Projecta HQ for their customer service and hope that the new Projecta products operate reliability from here on.

IDC25L Good. , IDC25X Great – I have no issues with the IDC25L Note the L as it was the Lithium version Anyway, I replaced it (gave it to a mate) not because there was anything wrong with it nut because there is now a new version IDC25X that has bluetooth so you can see what is doing and make custom setting. I did have an initial install issue , but that turned out to be user install error (my bad). Great customer support. Show details

Drama free so far! – I installed this myself about 2 years ago just by reading the instructions and a few videos. It took a bit to install but most of it was easy. So far, so good with no hiccups. Just need to now find a solar panel to top it off with! Show details

Outstanding Customer Service – Had an IDC25 installed in our camper trailer but wasn't working properly, contacted customer service at BWI and they took the time to try and diagnose the issue, ultimately I returned the unit to them for testing and they sent me a new one. You don't often find companies that back up there products with great customer service. Thank you Daniel and the team at BWI.

It will change but for maintenance it killed my battery – I drive my car once every three months. Battery was approx 1 year old. Centery brand battery. I connected the projector battery charger up to keep it maintained. One month later the battery is done, won't hold any charge. What a POS. Now I need new battery and a decent charger that can maintain the battery. I am tired of buying crap. Show details

Solar charging function isn't reliable – I brought this dcdc charger for my camper trailer, thinking I had brought a good Aussie made product. The first charger stopped charging and flashed lots of faults, and projector replaced it. The second one has given me nothing but drama's. The solar function would not work, and my lithium battery would be dead flat while we were out camping. … Read more

Now I have installed a itech dcdc charger, and every thing is working how it should. I would say to stay clear of this charger, and go for redarc or itech chargers.

Doesn't work – I connected the charger per the instructions. The alternator led is solid green, the battery led is solid blue but the charging light only comes on occasionally. Sometimes it comes on and charges (Every 10th time i start the vehicle) most of the time not green charging light. Is this normal?

IDC 25 DCDC – Hi, I've had a IDC 25 for about 8 years. I've just purchased a new 200w Kings blanket. When I plug it in the dcdc makes a noise and the volts only go to 13.2-13.5. I've got an older panel when I plug that in it doesn't make any noise and the volts read 14-14.5. Any help would be great. 4WD Supacentre say the panel is fine as they tested it? Cheers Steve

Projecta Battery chargers – I bought a battery charger more than 5 years ago. hardly used it but when I did it overheated and now no longer works. Off to landfill it is and I will certainly not recommend the Projecta brand. No reliable enough for me. Show details

Don't waste your money – The charger has made horrible squealing noises from day one. I have contacted support many times to be told it is normal. Good news is it has stopped making the noise bad news is it no longer works. This charger has been rubbish since the day it was installed. Support from projecta will tell you all good until out of warranty. Avoid anything they make.

Brilliant. 5 years plus – Had my unit for over 5 years. Fitted it myself to a ute that I lived in for two years. Unit was in the tray, exposed to weather and forklift drivers. Charging a calcium battery. Then pulled it out and put it into a Nissan patrol, to run a deep cycle for fridges. Goes brilliantly still. Had an issue with my battery, and still got assistance from… Read more

Daniel at Projecta. Very happy with this item. Very rare service backup, and half the price of other brands. Mark

Garbage – Worked well for a year and that’s about it. Rang customer support and was told I had a bad earth, had all my wiring checked by a auto electrician at my cost and everything was perfect. Changed to a C-tech and bang problem solved. A High price tag doesn’t always mean it’s a good product, beware of these dodgy chargers Show details

Awesome customer service – I had an IDC25 just over 2yrs old that I believed wasn’t working properly. The team at B+W talked me through testing it the best they could. I ended up sending back the unit and within 2 weeks I had a new unit on my door. I can’t believe how professional these guys are and customer service is outstanding. I would have no hesitation on buying these products again knowing how easy the process was and this is the backup they offer. Thank you. Show details

Fantastic Customer Service, – Had an IDC25 installed for 3 years now and discovered no output from solar only recently. Contacted B&W and they replaced it with new model , all good now. Customer service is top priority as can be seen from other reviews Show details

Great customer service – Had a problem with early model idc25 spoke to Benny who was more than helpful had to send back for replacement old unit got lost in transit was no problem for Benny to replace still what a great company Show details

Great Customer Service – Our IDC25 had been installed for 2.5 years when it fused with an internal short, blowing the main supply fuse on the caravan battery. I have only been using the solar side of this product so far and until this point no problems. I contacted B&W and sent the unit back to them. Within a week I had an email from them saying they had assessed the… Read more

fault and that they were sending me a new replacement unit FOC! I was gobsmacked, expected to at least pay for a repair so am very pleased indeed and have no reservation in recommending them to others. I would give 5 stars for customer service but can't split that from the original part which failed early so I think 4 stars is fair. They seem to be treating their customers very fairly and standing by their product, somewhat unusual in this throwaway day and age we live in. Well done Projecta!

Customer service second to none – Happy with Alternator charge, finally connected solar after having the van for several years and experienced same issues as stated by others. Benny and his crew are living in the wrong era, I have never experienced customer service like this. I have no hesitations in investing in Projecta products knowing that there is a dedicated support network… Read more

who will look after your interest in the unlikely situation of equipment failure. Projecta products are a great “blue collar” product that perform as advertised for a sensible price with proven support.

Update on Projecta IDC 25 – Fitted new version IDC 25 to a friends vehicle. Straight forward process but just remember to run heavy wiring if over long distances for greater efficiency from any type of DCDC. No problems with the unit and performing well on both alternator and solar. Earlier solar issues seem to be all fixed in the later version and it is doing a good job.… Read more

Size up your current draw and make sure you have enough solar panels to cover the amperage requirements. All the best Noel

Great on alt but was disappointed on Solar with the V4. Upgrade to V5 and its Good – I had the V4 IDC25 since Sept 2018, and while it was fine on alternator, I was disappointed with its solar performance. Direct comparison with PWM, after settling only a few Amps, and pulling the plug and connecting a 3 stage PWM, consistently feed of 10-12 Amps from the panels. I had noticed this previously while camping, but proved it with… Read more

addition of extra panels.

I was contacted by Benny, technical support for Brown & Watson regarding my V4 unit. The IDC25 has now been replaced with a V5, and the unit now looks to perform correctly and noticeably better on Solar with my panels. Overall I am happy with the product, and particularly with the companies after sales service.

5 stars for customer service – purchased unit 12 months ago. Great with alternator, not great with solar. Contacted projecta and the team solved my issue with an updated unit almost instantly and without any hassle. Ditto to other comments on this forum re customer service. Show details

5 Star Customer Service – Same as previous post, good customer service is not often enough rewarded or acknowledged. Wired up a Projecta IDC25 for my cousin on the weekend and could not get it to work, eventually tried plugging in solar and it worked immediately. Threw the towel in called today for help. Explained the situation to Ben and what lights I was getting and what… Read more

was happening (input voltage, AUX battery voltage, etc.) and given my information he immediately identified the issue and provide a clear and simply explanation as to why as well as provided advice on best way to rectify the issue. Was very nice to speak directly to someone well versed in the product and able to troubleshoot so effectively.

Awesome so far – Went camping for four days. Ran 75 litre Waeco cfx. Plus two camping lights two out of three nights. Quick question does the dc to dc charger draw any power from the main battery as all the videos Ive watched have said no is there any proof of this my main battery did run down but Ive also a red arc battery set up with a yellow top for such… Read more

emergencies problem being not long after trip both batteries packed it not the deep cycle maybe it was time for the batteries as I did buy the car second hand and the previous owner was not sure how long they had been in there for

Upgraded from vsr – Happy with the unit it Seems to charge better than the vsr i was running. Haven't tryed solar input yet, will updated later once connected. Read reviews about the solar not working on older units. This one has stamped on the side V05, so I'm hoping its the new version 5. Pretty straight forward to install, just make sure to ground the earth to chassis, both unit and solar. Show details ·  1

Very Happy with my IDC25 – Works exactly as they say. Best ever on solar,one good day of sunshine and the batteries are full. I have a 240 watt flexible solar panel on the caravan roof and 150A/hr battery, more than enough for us. Show details

Outstanding customer service – EDITED, PLEASE READ WHOLE THING Hi all, Just like many others, I have found the alternator charge side of the unit works very well, the Solar is less than ideal. I have tried 3 different panels, a 100w, 120w and a 200w, all work on another mppt charger I have. I have tried on batteries with low voltage (12.4v), no dice. It does charge, but very… Read more

very slowly. If you dont intend to ever use the solar, they work fine.

EDIT: I was contacted by Benny from Brown and Watson, I ran a few test and sent my V3 back for tests and repairs/replacement. 4 days after I sent it I got a brand new V5 in the post. New unit works perfectly. Solar output is as good as I could hope for. Simply the best customer service from an Australian supplier. Thanks.

Solar not working – Hi guys I bought a xt17 Mdc camper with a idc25 dc dc charger .. works well on alternator but Its a bit howdy doody on solar .. the green light just flashers .. am I missing something here ?? Or is the unit crappy with solar ?? Cgeees Steve

Excellent Customer Service – I sent this message to Projecta's support: Hello, my Projecta IDC25 stopped working on Solar. I have checked the fuse (of course) and the fuse is OK. The unit doesn't react when I plug the solar panel (I have two and both are not working (90W and 300W)). I bought the unit two years ago (Perth 4WD show). I didn't use solar charging last 6 months or… Read more

so, so I don't know when it stopped working. Alternator charging is ok. I removed power supply to it (both from the main and the aux battery) but it is still the same behavior. Could you please advise me what to do? Kind regards

Benny answered immediately and after a few exchanged emails he found solution to my problem. The issue was with the ground wire from the solar panel.

I am impressed with the way how he dealt with my issue and he offered support if needed in the future. I am also happy with the product itself. It works as advertised and I already recommended it to several of my friends. Thank you

Best customer service – bought ther e idc25 n heard the solar charger didn’t regonise the cheaper eBay panels on some hit n miss .. guys we’re straight up honest on phone who does that in this day n age ?? 8 months down track I hear they have sourced the problem software etc . So over the phone projectr customer support tells me they will send me the new version v5 no… Read more

extra cost with a return satchel pre post bag send us your old and your good to go .. I can’t speak highly enuff from these guys at time had support on phone for 45min helping me trouble shoot my earth problem .. not dcdc unit but my install and cant speak highly enuff of these guys for the patience and honesty.... ty projectr great value and Aussie support service ty

Next level customer service – I previously posted a question here in regard to the version 4 IDC25 DCDC charger and its poor solar processing ability, Benny was very helpful back then both before and after I decided on purchasing the version 4. Since running the V4 and realising the issues faced with some solar panels it was quickly evident that the V4 just couldn't keep up… Read more

(with all panel types).

After contacting Benny again he was more than helpful and quickly dispatched a V5 for me. Instantly I have seen a massive improvement in the IDC25, previously I was lucky to see 0.5 Amp input via the solar panel in direct sunlight, I can now see over 3.5 Amps in the shade!

Benny and the technical support team have been extremely helpful and obviously the business as a whole have taken the time to improve the products' ability to perform at no added cost to customers.

Big thanks to the whole team, I will be a return customer.

works as expected – wired it up myself, easy to do so following manual. had a faulty led indicator came on one day, rang the 1800 customer service number, spoke to someone who knows the product, was very helpful and informative. fixed the problem myself, turned out to be a loose connection.