Be careful not to get water in vents when washing van!

[Thornebt]

I washed the van today and managed to get water in the Sargent EC325 power unit through the small circular outside vent. The problem is that the unit is fitted on the inside wall and the external vent is up against the ventilation slots in the Sargent unit. So it is quite easy to get water ingress.

My Sargent control panel displays a message that the unit is disabled as the engine is running - which it wasn't. So I've disconnected it and have it in front of my log burner so it can thoroughly dry out.

If the worst comes to the worst I can buy an EC328 unit which should be a direct swap for the EC325. It needs to get sorted as we're away in the van on Wednesday!

So if you're washing your van please be more careful than me! Maybe cover that vent!

 

[Podney]

I washed the van today and managed to get water in the Sargent EC325 power unit through the small circular outside vent. The problem is that the unit is fitted on the inside wall and the external vent is up against the ventilation slots in the Sargent unit. So it is quite easy to get water ingress.

My Sargent control panel displays a message that the unit is disabled as the engine is running - which it wasn't. So I've disconnected it and have it in front of my log burner so it can thoroughly dry out.

If the worst comes to the worst I can buy an EC328 unit which should be a direct swap for the EC325. It needs to get sorted as we're away in the van on Wednesday!

So if you're washing your van please be more careful than me! Maybe cover that vent!

Been there,done that! Very easy to get too much water near the fridge vents. Fortunately,the signs of damp that resulted were invisible within 24 hours,and lesson learnt.

 

[Thornebt]

Pleased to report that my Sargent control unit spent an evening basking in the warmth of my log burner and was fully functioning when I reinstalled it in my van the following morning.

It surprises me that it's possible for quite sophisticated electrical equipment to survive getting water in it and just make some strange buzzing and bleeping noises. I thought the short circuits would have trashed it!

Anyway, happy days. £379 saved on not buying a new unit.