cab battery charging but not leisure

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Thanks John.. I agree with you re 100% leisure batteries. I have commissioned the guy who did my other work to add another Solar Panel, which will add 150w (currently have 2 x 60w). He will need to put them via a different "system".

I believe he is wiring on a different 'system' as the Sargent solar to battery controller is already maxed out at 120w.

 

[Don Quixote]

I believe he is wiring on a different 'system' as the Sargent solar to battery controller is already maxed out at 120w.

Good man, get him to bypass the Sargent system using ALL panels connected together and use/fit a good MPPT controller and nothing else.

 

[themountaintiger]

I believe he is wiring on a different 'system' as the Sargent solar to battery controller is already maxed out at 120w.

yes, thats correct... i believe

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Good man, get him to bypass the Sargent system using ALL panels connected together and use/fit a good MPPT controller and nothing else.

Excellent advise. The Sargent units are not consistent with the power control.
For those who doubt this, try altering the awning light setting to come on only when unlocking or locking! It's works fine if set to on with lock and unlock, also ok if set to off.
Sargent are not able to fix this even thou the book says it is possible!
The solar control will have one set of batteries showing 14v while the others are going flat. Don Quixote obviously knows his stuff.

 

[premiere99]

Good man, get him to bypass the Sargent system using ALL panels connected together and use/fit a good MPPT controller and nothing else.

I agree 100% with that, I use the excellent MPPT controller from ebay Broken Link Removed with 6mm solar cable from the panels andHO7RN=F 2 core 6mm black flexible cable from MPPT direct to the batteries. The more I can relieve from the Sargent EC325 the better. An alternative to using a battery master I have disabled the Sargent split charger and installed a Merlin Voltage Sensitive Relay split charge kit so that both engine and leisure batteries are charged when either my CTEK charger, engine alternator or Solar goes over 13.3 volts and then disconnect below 12.8 volts, has worked faultlessly for over a year now keeping both set of batteries charged.

Continue posting @Don Quixote!!!

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[Don Quixote]

That MPPT controller link is the same as the one I use. The thing about MPPT controllers is they will supply 20% to 30% more from the panels, which is great for the UK sun................

 

[Al-Di]

please be aware if buying above MPPT from taiwan you may get busted for import tax I did, others have got away with it

it seems to be a well used product,

 

[premiere99]

That MPPT controller link is the same as the one I use. The thing about MPPT controllers is they will supply 20% to 30% more from the panels, which is great for the UK sun................

And as the Sargent is using 1.5mm cable to the battery from their PWM controller the cable loss must also be factored in, hence why I use 6mm!

 

[themountaintiger]

If the shutdown button is off, no power is available to any habitation lights or 12v outlets.
Read how to set the advanced settings by holding the push switch down for a couple of seconds to change menus, then scroll to smart charging settings and set to habitation only.

Thanks Derbyshire Wanderer.. I managed to change the settings on the EC450 and now just the leisure batteries are being charged up. I'm a bit unclear why Sargent would class charging the cab battery first instead of a drained leisure battery "smart".

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

The theory for the smart protocols is that as long as the cab battery is in good order, starting the engine will address the charging of the habitation battery. Logical yes but in reality, the cab battery has nothing draining it so the hab battery really does need the charging that is available.
I would only advise using the hab setting when on site and revert to smart in storage so it has the best chance of starting the engine.

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[themountaintiger]

again, thanks.. in fact i did change it back to smart on bringing it back today.