Help needed please. Schaudt Electrobloc 220-2

The Schaudt LR 1218 can handle up to 18 Amps Eddie (LR = Laden Reger (charge regulator) 1218 = 12V 18A), that's a fair bit of solar real estate to produce 18 Amps. The Schaudt LR1218 in conjunction with an EBL can do as good as a MPPT reg according to Schaudt's blurb and it automatically distributes charge to both leisure and engine batteries.

D.
 
I know Dave, but the Factory fitted 4 x 130 watt panels on the German van in the workshop we are currently working on would melt that.

On my own van I have 400 watts of solar, and have tested lots of claims regarding regulators, and have seen three regulators produce, 1.9 amps 4.2 amp and 4.9 amps Three identical panels, at the same time! So we are very sceptical about all claims.

The Schaudt set up will not share the quiescent load on the engine battery over winter unless there is hook up or solar activity. So vehicles kept in storage for example or under cover are a problem.

Hence why we prefer a MPPT regulator from a company that such as Victron, and are happy to share the charging from mains or solar and the quiescent loading using our Battery Master.

Eddie
 
At the risk of being crushed between two technical Titans (both of whom I respect greatly) Schaudt now produce a MPPT regulator (LRM1218). I realise this will not handle the half-hectare of panels that Eddie has on his RV or similar installations that he supplies, but it might be worth considering for those with less real-estate up top who can only fit one or two panels and already have an EBL installation.
:imoutahere:
 
Sounds great, I didn't know that so we'll look into it.

I never want to re-invent the wheel, just want to make sure that it's balanced lol (y)

And I AM sure that its Daves round lol
 
I prefer to use the Schaudt reg where an EBL is fitted as it simplifies the job and assuming it has enough capacity it is a good solution. I did have the situation last year where I fitted a standalone dual channel reg and the vehicle had a late/high model EBL and it did create a problem. When the batteries were fully charged it put the mains indicator lamp on the control panel on plus a couple of other funnies. After taking advice I fitted a LR1218 and it cured all the problems. since that experience I use the Schaudt reg where Schaudt electricals are fitted. I wasn't aware of the LRM unit either but will look into it, thanks JL.

Happy to stand you a beer Ed but as we've been promising to buy each other a beer at P'boro for the last five years and not managed it yet...........................

D.

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Update.

Emailed Udo Lang at Schaudt. Few emails back and forth. Send the bloc to Germany and he will test. Also spoke to Allan at A and N in Wales. He had a bloc in stock. Husband still away. I didn't want to drive to Wales from Yorkshire. Still not knowing what was causing problem. Decided to wait to speak to my hubby. Decided could be in winter mode as Udo Lang suggested and just not waking up. Tried another mobile engineer who said had worked on Electroblocs. You've guessed .. I knew more about them after Udo Lang had sent me detailed instructions on both EBL220 and DT 220. To cut long story short they blew the panel and still didn't know what was wrong. ER 1. Gutted to be honest but my own fault. Never ever let someone touch without good references.

Anyway email to Allan in Wales and he could have called me an idiot but never, well did in a round about way, and said the DT no good now. None in stock so he ordered one from Udo Lang and now taking the motorhome to Wales. Allan picked up that we haven't got a schaudt solar regulator on our van, so have ordered one to have to be fixed before Allan will touch the van. Sent pics and he observed we had put AGM batteries on the van when the others drained at Lincoln show and these aren't any good either. Not for motorhomes. So all in all I have come to the conclusion I have spent a lot of money in the last week but thank you for recommending A and N services in Wales and will let you know how I get on.

We are booked in For Peterborough for Thursday Jim but that is the day repairs are being done. So hopefully if everything ok we will travel from Wales to Peterborough. So expect us when you see us I think, and when we arrive I for one will heave a sigh of relief.

Moral of the story has to be don't let anyone touch your motorhome without you knowing they know what they are doing.
 
So sorry you have had such hassle with your MH and look forward to seeing you at Peterborough show

Kath
 
dave newell lvs said:
I did have the situation last year where I fitted a standalone dual channel reg and the vehicle had a late/high model EBL and it did create a problem.
Click to expand...
.... & therein, I suspect, lies the source of so much confusion.

I was in the 'use Schaudt's own regulator if possible & even if not, always wire through the EBL' camp after reading similar stories. Trouble was, the Schaudt regulator isn't really suitable for what I want to do, which is to wire a couple of panels in series to improve the low light performance.

So I emailed Udo & asked him, telling him that I had an EBL 99, which I think is now the absolute base model. Udo replied to say that it was fine to fit a non-Schaudt regulator & it could go straight to the battery or through the EBL 99, whichever was more convenient.

I think the answer might well have been different if I had one of the more sophisticated Schaudt models & Dave's experience would seem to support this.

Dave & Eddie will put me right if they disagree, but the further advice I have had from installers is that if not using the Schault regulator, then it is preferable to bypass the EBL 99 & go straight to the batteries.

But I stress - the above advice was given for the specific EBL 99 model. You would need to ask the question again for a different model - you would very probably get a different answer.

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The one main difference in using the Schaudt reg with the EBL99 is the way it connects to the EBL splits the charge between leisure and engine batteries, it can be done in a similar fashion with a 3rd party reg but it can just as readily be wired direct to the two battery banks. As Udo said in his reply it simply depends on which is the easier way to connect.

D.
 
Among the things that Udo sent to me were the Installation instructions for the LR1218. This was very revealing and corrected a misunderstanding that I had about which unit does what.

It turns out that the LR1218 it a twin output regulator in its own right. It outputs two separate feeds, one for each battery. It will charge both the habitation batteries & the starter battery even if there is no EBL fitted to the vehicle at all. This came as something of a surprise to me, as it was not the impression I had gathered from reading elsewhere. I had always understood that it was the EBL that split a single feed from the regulator.

The advantage of wiring via an EBL 99 is therefore simply one of convenience. The feed into the EBL is already split into the two destinations. It comes with all the necessary EBL connection leads & there is no wiring to the batteries required.

As you move up the EBL range, the advantages of going via the EBL increase. As soon as you have an EBL that displays current flow in or out of the batteries, then the solar charge current needs to go via the EBL f0r that display to be accurate.

I don't know anything about the most sophisticated models in the EBL range, but it is apparent, from the experiences of Dave Newell & others, that these models get confused if there are charge sources that bypass them & go straight to the battery. At this level of EBL, the case for using Schaudt's own regulator gets very strong & I wouldn't contemplate fitting anything else without running it past Udo Lang first to determine if it could be done in a way that wouldn't upset the EBL.
 
In case anyone is short on bedtime reading, I've posted the LR1218 installation manual in the 'Manuals' section of this forum's 'Resources' area.

This is almost certainly a technical breach of copyright rules, so it may have to be removed, but if it leads to fewer inappropriate installations, it is probably in everybody's interest, including Schaudt's. Sometimes it's too late to read the install instructions only after you have bought the unit! In this case it shows that the LR1218 can be used in more situations than one might imagine (because it's not dependent on the presence of an EBL).
 
I am sure you will be all right, they know what they are d
Bebe said:
Update.

Emailed Udo Lang at Schaudt. Few emails back and forth. Send the bloc to Germany and he will test. Also spoke to Allan at A and N in Wales. He had a bloc in stock. Husband still away. I didn't want to drive to Wales from Yorkshire. Still not knowing what was causing problem. Decided to wait to speak to my hubby. Decided could be in winter mode as Udo Lang suggested and just not waking up. Tried another mobile engineer who said had worked on Electroblocs. You've guessed .. I knew more about them after Udo Lang had sent me detailed instructions on both EBL220 and DT 220. To cut long story short they blew the panel and still didn't know what was wrong. ER 1. Gutted to be honest but my own fault. Never ever let someone touch without good references.

Anyway email to Allan in Wales and he could have called me an idiot but never, well did in a round about way, and said the DT no good now. None in stock so he ordered one from Udo Lang and now taking the motorhome to Wales. Allan picked up that we haven't got a schaudt solar regulator on our van, so have ordered one to have to be fixed before Allan will touch the van. Sent pics and he observed we had put AGM batteries on the van when the others drained at Lincoln show and these aren't any good either. Not for motorhomes. So all in all I have come to the conclusion I have spent a lot of money in the last week but thank you for recommending A and N services in Wales and will let you know how I get on.

We are booked in For Peterborough for Thursday Jim but that is the day repairs are being done. So hopefully if everything ok we will travel from Wales to Peterborough. So expect us when you see us I think, and when we arrive I for one will heave a sigh of relief.

Moral of the story has to be don't let anyone touch your motorhome without you knowing they know what they are doing.
Click to expand...

They know what they are talking about and I am sure you will be ok, ask them about the Silver Batteries for future knowledge, we would never have known or believed it but our van is working more efficient than ever since they sorted us out. While you are there waiting I would get a day Bus pass, much cheaper and you can have a trip down to Rhos on Sea / Llandudno, I would not bother not to much with Colwyn Bay though it is a nice place the Llandudno has a lot more to see and Rhos on Sea is really pretty. We will be sat Peterborough so I hope to say hello there.
 
Just a few observations.
The factor that seems to determine whether problems will occur with a non-Schaudt regulator is the control panel rather than the EBL. The LCD panels (prefixed DT or LT) are more temperamental whereas the old needle panel (IT992) is not. The two are related of course since it is the more recent EBLs that have an LCD panel connected.

As you suspected 'Caller' the Schaudt documentation is clearly marked with a © notice that no part may be reproduced without written permission. I guess this is Jim's call as to whether he wants to hold it on the forum. For information to anyone who needs a manual or instructions, these are all downloadable from the Schaudt website. It is only in German but fairly easy to follow and the documents are multi-lingual. You have to select the document required then give an email address and the website sends you a link to download the document. No catches - it's just their way of controlling access. Here is the relevant web page (scroll down to see the selection menu):
Broken Link Removed

Regarding the A&N recommendation on batteries (they suggest Varta Silver Dynamic or Bosch S5) whilst their argument is compelling, I phoned Varta before buying and was advised that they would not recommend Silver Dynamic as a leisure battery. The comment made by Varta was that they were the ones who had to honour any guarantee. I have just fitted 2 x LFD90s which are classified by Varta as 'Dual Purpose' and listed by them for motorhome use.

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Regarding batteries ... I have checked the Varta Silver they recommend and they are starter batteries. This confusing me. So need two new leisure, researching them all and there is a lot, and just read your post. Will research the ones you have mentioned. Thank you Jean Luc.

Received the Schaudt 1218 solar panel regulator today. Full instructions for installation with it. Fitted tomorrow hopefully.

Udo Lang emailed me all the Electrobloc 220 and Dt220 manuals.

Also thank you Carol. Travelling to Wales Tuesday. So hopefully everything will be sorted in time for Peterborough. Hope to see you there. Thanks everyone.
 
Hi @Bebe confused us as well but they explained to us that batteries and the new technology of batteries now are different they will explain how, so we thought they must know what they are doing and went along with it and got the Vatra Silver that they recommended and they are working very efficiently we think better than our last leisure batteries.

 
All set to leave for Wales. Hubby just got back. Mh all loaded and we would be on our way. New batteries arrived today. New solar regulator arrived. Checked email and one from A and N in Wales. Due to a mistake the Dt 220 panel has not been sent to theme rom Germany , even though we have paid for it, so will be another 10 days to for them to receive it. Due for mot tomorrow and work done at Wales.

Cannot believe this. So looks like we not going to Peterborough now . Anyone know B and B at Peterborough show. Wish we had a tent. Booked for Jim Davidson too.
 

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