Using Electroblock EBL 30 for Lithium Charging Queries

[G-A-R-Y]

So, I've done a lot of research with regards to using this unit and changing leisure battery to Lithium.

As I understand (confirmed by apuljack) the unit can be used in Gel setting to charge Lithium batteries for short periods of time (whilst on hook up) but not for longer times like overwintering due to the high float voltage. On hookup EBL 30 would still trickle charge the engines AGM too but on the GEL setting?

Would this do harm to engines AGM? Can this be disabled with fuse removal?

I can/will add solar/controller with Lithium specific charge settings for when off hookup, I think that will work OK??

The only problem I see is when the engine is running, it's not possible to disable engine charging/linking of leisure battery, Apuljack tell me the unit will have to go back to them to have this disabled. A simple fuse removal is not possible.

If we buy a Hymer with the Electroblock battery booster the problem should be solved as this unit has a Lithium setting.

Help and advice please.

 

[Lenny HB]

I've avoided all of these issues - 3 yr old Hymer with standard factory set up and 3 X AGM 95ah by adding in a BOS LE300 lithium extension battery. Took me 30 mins to fit, no adjustments or alterations to anything else. Works very well - just enjoyed a 15 day tour of Scottish Highlands with on 4 nights spent on campsites with EHU. I don't think I saw my batteries drop below 13v the whole time.



View attachment 866499

13v is down to 30% so getting pretty low.

 

[Buddy1012]

13v is down to 30% so getting pretty low.

The 13v was the voltage of main battery bank of the AGMs - onboard computer showing SOC above 75%. Not sure where the 30% comes from?

 

[Lenny HB]

The 13v was the voltage of main battery bank of the AGMs - onboard computer showing SOC above 75%. Not sure where the 30% comes from?

30% on lithium is 13v.

 

[Buddy1012]

30% on lithium is 13v.

Accepted - on my set up, the Lithium extension battery takes the heavy lifting and the existing AGM bank acts as a reserve only kicking in when the LE is depleted. I don't even bother to monitor the LE SOC - I just begin to take account of what's going on once the AGM battery bank gets put to work. With some solar input (2x 160w panels) I've managed 4 full winter days off grid in the Alps without needing to drive or plug into mains.

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[Buddy1012]

Easy pull the 50 amp fuse by the starter batter or disconnect the starter battery cable from the EBL.

Lenny - does that mean I still have to physically leave the Schaudt Booster (DC to DC) in place with 50 amp fuse removed, to maintain the wiring connection between the EBL and the starter battery? I am replacing it with an alternative DC to DC as part of my new set up and was wondering whether the Schaudt could be removed.

 

[LithiumConvert]

A problem with a generic question about usiing the EBL 30 is that different converters wire them up in their own way.

For example, many of the answers on here are wrong for the specific way Hymer have wired the EBL 30 on our 2022 Exsis-i

A particular point is that Exsis-i 580 fridge runs directly off the leisure battery (no connection to the EBL 30) whilst drving. (wiith an assumption made that the leisure battery will be on charge from the engine). Again Hymer Exsis-i 580 does not charge the leisure batttery via the EBL. whilst driving, but does use the EBL on hookup (and solar)

 

[Pausim]

Lenny - does that mean I still have to physically leave the Schaudt Booster (DC to DC) in place with 50 amp fuse removed, to maintain the wiring connection between the EBL and the starter battery? I am replacing it with an alternative DC to DC as part of my new set up and was wondering whether the Schaudt could be removed.

Udo Lang at Schaudt told me I could leave the Schaudt 1212-25 Booster working normally and have my new B2B working in parallel but wired direct to the leisure battery. I now get 70A+ charging, 20A+ from the Schaudt through the EBL and 50A from the Victron direct into the leisure battery. Works a treat.

 

[Verteuil Man]

With the EBL charger discounted via pulling the 20 amp fuse, will the solar panels provide any charge to the habitation batteries?

 

[LithiumConvert]

It may depend on which 20amp fuse you mean, but I think the answer yes, solar will still charge the habitation battery, if you stop the EBL charging that battery from Hook-up.

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[fred_jb]

With the EBL charger discounted via pulling the 20 amp fuse, will the solar panels provide any charge to the habitation batteries?

I would say there is no reason why not.

Regarding pulling the 20A fuse, having done this myself I have found that the mains charger in my EBL31 takes about 1.25 amps from the leisure battery whenever it has a mains supply even though it is no longer providing any charging to that battery, only a small trickle charge to the starter battery.

While this overhead would be OK while providing a 20A charge to the battery, it is just an unwanted drain once the fuse is pulled. As a result I have decided to remove the mains connection completely from my EBL and rely on my Ablemail device to trickle charge the starter battery

 

[Dusty_Rhoades]

A problem with a generic question about usiing the EBL 30 is that different converters wire them up in their own way.

For example, many of the answers on here are wrong for the specific way Hymer have wired the EBL 30 on our 2022 Exsis-i

A particular point is that Exsis-i 580 fridge runs directly off the leisure battery (no connection to the EBL 30) whilst drving. (wiith an assumption made that the leisure battery will be on charge from the engine). Again Hymer Exsis-i 580 does not charge the leisure batttery via the EBL. whilst driving, but does use the EBL on hookup (and solar)

My BMC t580 fridge 12v is also powered directly from the battery terminal therefore the booster never sees the trickle charge switch over amperage of 2.5 amps and continues to give 14.4 volts.

 

[Buddy1012]

Udo Lang at Schaudt told me I could leave the Schaudt 1212-25 Booster working normally and have my new B2B working in parallel but wired direct to the leisure battery. I now get 70A+ charging, 20A+ from the Schaudt through the EBL and 50A from the Victron direct into the leisure battery. Works a treat.

I would say there is no reason why not.

Regarding pulling the 20A fuse, having done this myself I have found that the mains charger in my EBL31 takes about 1.25 amps from the leisure battery whenever it has a mains supply even though it is no longer providing any charging to that battery, only a small trickle charge to the starter battery.

While this overhead would be OK while providing a 20A charge to the battery, it is just an unwanted drain once the fuse is pulled. As a result I have decided to remove the mains connection completely from my EBL and rely on my Ablemail device to trickle charge the starter battery

Do you still get the starter battery voltage indicator on your main panel?

 

[fred_jb]

Do you still get the starter battery voltage indicator on your main panel?

My main panel does not show the starter battery voltage only the leisure battery. However I have installed a Renogy One Core display and this shows this information, both from the Renogy B2B and from the Renogy shunt.

If you do the same as me and bypass the EBL by connecting the output of the B2B directly to the leisure battery then it might be that the EBL no longer reports starter battery voltage to your control panel

However, if your unit currently reports starter battery voltage without the engine running, then it may be using a different connection than the B2B input to sense the starter motor voltage. I say this necause the input from the B2B is normally only connected into the EBL by the split charge relay when the engine is running.

I can't spot anything on the circuit diagram for my EBL31 which would sense the starter battery voltage, there only seems to be a sensor for the leisure battery, but your model of EBL may well be different.

 

[autorouter]

I can't spot anything on the circuit diagram for my EBL31 which would sense the starter battery voltage, there only seems to be a sensor for the leisure battery, but your model of EBL may well be different.

There is a wire from the starter battery, via a 20A fuse, to Pin1 of the Block2 5-way connector on the EBL front panel. Inside the EBL31, there is a link to Pin8 of the Block3 12-way data connection to the display panel. That's how the starter battery voltage information gets to the display panel.

That 20A fuse is located next to the starter battery, next to a big 50A fuse and a 2A fuse for the D+ signal. The big 50A fuse is for the main starter battery supply to the back of the EBL, to the split charge relay.

That wire with the 20A fuse is also connected to the fridge relay inside the EBL, and usually supplies the 12V fridge heater element when the engine is running, via the Block1 4-way connector. However some newer motorhomes supply the fridge 12V element independently of the EBL.

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[fred_jb]

There is a wire from the starter battery, via a 20A fuse, to Pin1 of the Block2 5-way connector on the EBL front panel. Inside the EBL31, there is a link to Pin8 of the Block3 12-way data connection to the display panel. That's how the starter battery voltage information gets to the display panel.

That 20A fuse is located next to the starter battery, next to a big 50A fuse and a 2A fuse for the D+ signal. The big 50A fuse is for the main starter battery supply to the back of the EBL, to the split charge relay.

That wire with the 20A fuse is also connected to the fridge relay inside the EBL, and usually supplies the 12V fridge heater element when the engine is running, via the Block1 4-way connector. However some newer motorhomes supply the fridge 12V element independently of the EBL.

Thanks - that makes sense. I did wonder if that was the route but because it didn't say sensor against that output I thought it was maybe only used for the trickle charging circuit.