I fitted the NDS Gold Service 40 to my custom-built campervan in 2017 and have been using it ever since. The key benefit to me is the 40A battery to battery charger which enables me to rapidly recharge my two 100AH Banner leisure batteries between campsites, or photo and video shoot locations if I’m working. As my vehicle also uses a compressor fridge, as well as a diesel hob/heater and a 1500W NDS inverter powering a Nespresso coffee machine it can be quite demanding on power – especially on winter shoots with the heating on - so I wanted something that could recharge the batteries rapidly and would be a fit and forget item. It can also charge from a hook-up at up to 20A and has a built-in solar regulator allowing for panels of up to 250W (I use a 150W panel and it has been fine over winter).

Even over lockdown, it managed the charge from the solar panel to keep both leisure batteries fully charged. It looks after the batteries with no intervention from me – which is perfect for a forgetful journalist! The other point to make is that including the solar regulator/charger/B2B in one compact box makes for an easy and neat install – important in a campervan where every mm of space counts. The unit itself is easy to wire, too. It also works fine with the smart alternators fitted to modern vehicles, sending far more charge to the leisure batteries than any split charge or VSR system would do. In the four years I’ve had it, it’s performed exactly as it said on the box and has proved reliable.

Peter Rosenthal (specialist technical writer for campervan and motorhome magazines)