Using to many volts on 12v than EHU?

[Jo662]

Just unplugged the EHU and this is reading from box

 

[HandyAndy]

So there we have it.. your batteries are rated at 90ah, and that's the 20 hr rating
90 divided by 20 is 4.5
So your batteries should be able to supply 4.5 amps for 20 hrs
I've assumed they are 90ah each not in total and therefore used half the ah rating so as to only calculate a 50% discharge (safe) from the pair..

 

[Jaws]

I am currently on a campsite on the Ile de Re,but last night we were on an aire in Cognac. The leisure batteries went down to 11.9 last night with only a couple of LED lights,tv for a few hours and heating for a few hours. With those on,the Sargent EC450 box said I was using nearly 7amps,but now I am on EHU and with every light on,tv and heating on electric it says I am only using 1.1 amps!
So how can I find out what’s drawing power from the leisure batteries that doesn’t draw when I am on EHU?

The Sargent system is set to deliver 10 amps charge and up to ten amps to the 12v system components when on hook up
It is also set to top out at 13.8 volts which means the system never goes in to bulk charge mode ( a bone of contention as far as I am concerned )
Looking at the figures suggests the Sargent is working correctly
Volts went down to 11.9 last night, but when was the last time you was on hook ?
The batteries are charging with the engine running, but to fully charge a couple of 100 Ah batteries you would have to be driving for 10 or 12 hours
How long had you been driving that day ?
How many solar panels have you got ? Was it a bright sunny day that day ?

 

[HandyAndy]

batteries appear to be fully charged at the moment..
Now turn everything in the van off, lights heating tv etc and recheck the BATTAMPS

 

[Jo662]

The Sargent system is set to deliver 10 amps charge and up to ten amps to the 12v system components when on hook up
It is also set to top out at 13.8 volts which means the system never goes in to bulk charge mode ( a bone of contention as far as I am concerned )
Looking at the figures suggests the Sargent is working correctly
Volts went down to 11.9 last night, but when was the last time you was on hook ?
The batteries are charging with the engine running, but to fully charge a couple of 100 Ah batteries you would have to be driving for 10 or 12 hours
How long had you been driving that day ?
How many solar panels have you got ? Was it a bright sunny day that day ?

I had it on hook up for a couple of days last week before we set off for the tunnel Friday night. I have a 150 watt solar panel which fully charged the batteries this morning in Cognac. So all working well apart from something drawing down the leisure batteries.

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[HandyAndy]

at a guess I would say your twin 90ah batteries would last at LEAST 8hrs from fully charged. with the load the sargent is suggested is being drawn, if you are saying, even with solar, they went flat in a couple of hours, then there appears at this stage to be something wrong with them as the charging seems to be fine.
I don't care whether they were only bought in September last year..

 

[pappajohn]

Never had anything to do with Sargent electronics but could it need resetting?
A possible glitch and there is no load?
Seems odd if its showing 1.1amps from the battery when on hookup but capable of delivering a higher current and 7.9 when off hookup.

 

[Jo662]

at a guess I would say your twin 90ah batteries would last at LEAST 8hrs from fully charged. with the load the sargent is suggested is being drawn, if you are saying, even with solar, they went flat in a couple of hours, then there appears at this stage to be something wrong with them as the charging seems to be fine.
I don't care whether they were only bought in September last year..

They were fully charged yesterday but went flat with use last night obviously when no sun.

 

[Jo662]

at a guess I would say your twin 90ah batteries would last at LEAST 8hrs from fully charged. with the load the sargent is suggested is being drawn, if you are saying, even with solar, they went flat in a couple of hours, then there appears at this stage to be something wrong with them as the charging seems to be fine.
I don't care whether they were only bought in September last year..

Will check the batteries when I get back next week. Its just going to limit where I can stay over the next 7 days?

 

[Jo662]

I turned every thing off at the reading was this

I



I have four fluorescent bulbs I turned on and the amps went to this with just them on

That seems alot for just those on?

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[HandyAndy]

0.8amps doing nothing... something is still on..
Fridge?

 

[Jo662]

0.8amps doing nothing... something is still on..
Fridge?

Yes fridge is still on doh

 

[pappajohn]

Fluorescents are power hungry for what they are.
They run on 230vac so have small, primative inverters inbuilt.
Inverters eat power, even little ones, for what they give back.
Best option with those is remove the guts and fit LED strips inside the casing.

My old RV had nine of them, all twin tube jobs.
In total, all running, almost 24amps.
I had 440ah of battery power but still swapped for LEDs.

 

[HandyAndy]

That's not a good sign..
Can you not switch the fridge over to gas?
Is it a compressor fridge?
As that 0.8 amps could be when it's just "idling" (i.e fridge thinks it's cold enough so doesn't power up).. When the compressor kicks in though... That'll be where your battery power is going (most likely) if it is running and is a compressor type..

 

[Jo662]

Turned everything off including fridge and still reads 0.7 a

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[Jo662]

That's not a good sign..
Can you not switch the fridge over to gas?
Is it a compressor fridge?
As that 0.8 amps could be when it's just "idling" (i.e fridge thinks it's cold enough so doesn't power up).. When the compressor kicks in though... That'll be where your battery power is going (most likely) if it is running and is a compressor type..

No it's not a compressor fridge. Will put it on gas to see if different reading

 

[HandyAndy]

Fluorescents are power hungry for what they are.
They run on 230vac so have small, primative inverters inbuilt.
Inverters eat power, even little ones, for what they give back.
Best option with those is remove the guts and fit LED strips inside the casing.

My old RV had nine of them, all twin tube jobs.
In total, all running, almost 24amps.
I had 440ah of battery power but still swapped for LEDs.

At the beginning Jo said he was using LED lights, so not sure where the flouros came in..
They are power hungry buggers as you say, that is at least halfed his amp draw by not using the flouros but using the LED's instead..

 

[Jo662]

Fluorescents are power hungry for what they are.
They run on 230vac so have small, primative inverters inbuilt.
Inverters eat power, even little ones, for what they give back.
Best option with those is remove the guts and fit LED strips inside the casing.

My old RV had nine of them, all twin tube jobs.
In total, all running, almost 24amps.
I had 440ah of battery power but still swapped for LEDs.

But I have always had these lights but never had the batteries drain like they are now.

 

[Jo662]

At the beginning Jo said he was using LED lights, so not sure where the flouros came in..
They are power hungry buggers as you say, that is at least halfed his amp draw by not using the flouros but using the LED's instead..

Iv got a mixture of both but only had the led on last night as know they are not so power hungry seein as we were in an aire but still drained the batteries

 

[HandyAndy]

I gotta go to bed.. peace out. try again tomorrow..

Go through every item in the van and jot down the BATT AMPS reading for each.

We'll find it eventually but definitely need to find what's using nearly an amp with everything off..
10 watts.. sounds like a bulb of some sort. perhaps its the power consumption of the actual sargent unit!!!

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[Jo662]

I gotta go to bed.. peace out. try again tomorrow..

Go through every item in the van and jot down the BATT AMPS reading for each.

We'll find it eventually but definitely need to find what's using nearly an amp with everything off..
10 watts.. sounds like a bulb of some sort. perhaps its the power consumption of the actual sargent unit!!!

Ok mate thanks for you help?

 

[Jo662]

I gotta go to bed.. peace out. try again tomorrow..

Go through every item in the van and jot down the BATT AMPS reading for each.

We'll find it eventually but definitely need to find what's using nearly an amp with everything off..
10 watts.. sounds like a bulb of some sort. perhaps its the power consumption of the actual sargent unit!!!

Yes the Sargent box must use some,and the solar controller?

 

[Just smiffy]

You’ve not got a light in the garage/wardrobe that’s on...? Cab radio, something plugged in charging ..... outside light.. reversing camera ...

‘’climb in the fridge and see if the light stays on when the door is shut...?

just trying to jog your memory....??

 

[Richard n Ann]

The heating system may use some even when the main switch is off. This is so the fans can still run to cool the heat exchanger down if you suddenly switch everything off at the main switch.

 

[Jo662]

You’ve not got a light in the garage/wardrobe that’s on...? Cab radio, something plugged in charging ..... outside light.. reversing camera ...

‘’climb in the fridge and see if the light stays on when the door is shut...?

just trying to jog your memory....??

Will check all them in the morning. Good idea about locker lights as got a few those??

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[Lenny HB]

You forgot the power eater...... The heating fan.

Old wives tail why does everyone blame Truma heaters. When on full blast they draw about 5.5 amps but that is only for a short time once the van is up to temp it drops to less than 1 amp with a CP Plus controller or a little be more with the classic controller.

 

[Jaws]

Yes the Sargent box must use some,and the solar controller?

Usually Sargent unit will draw .2 to .5 amps depending on which model it is
All the older systems has a reset calibration mode for current draw, but that looks a later unit..
Does it have a model type printed any where, and do you have a control panel that switches on water etc ?

 

[pappajohn]

At the beginning Jo said he was using LED lights, so not sure where the flouros came in..
They are power hungry buggers as you say, that is at least halfed his amp draw by not using the flouros but using the LED's instead..

I turned every thing off at the reading was this
I have four fluorescent bulbs I turned on and the amps went to this with just them on
that seems alot for just those on?

 

[pappajohn]

But I have always had these lights but never had the batteries drain like they are now.

But they've always used almost 4amps every hour they're on.
4 hours on an evening.......16amps
TV for 5 hours at 2amps....10amps
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 3amps....15amps
It all adds up.

 

[HandyAndy]

Amp HOURS PAPA ?
Yes I'm still awake ????
Good to see we have some info on what the sargent is likely using in standby anyway.
One other thing i thought of while in the shower, is anything plugged in the ciggy sockets on the dash, maybe the satnav or a phone left on charge?

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