Ya'arwl need to C this,,, weird battery experience!

[bigguspeckus]

We're in Sanluca de Barrameda, Southern Spain,,, electric hookup (only 3amp but it charges the batteries) and 8 hours of blazing sunshine every day feeding 200watts of Solar Panel on Moho's roof.
Yesterday, overnight, our L batteries went from 100% ah to 7% ah ???
How is that possible?!

But here's the weird bit,,,
this morning a Guy came over from an identical van ( Autotrail Frontier Scout) parked 30 metres away and asked if we could help:
He said his L batteries had plummeted from 100% ah to zero ???!

Honestly, this isn't a wind up.
Any ideas?

 

[Kingham]

Did you hear any humming noises, or see any strange lights ?

 

[tonka]

Only speculation but if you both have the EC480 colour panels I know there is a way to re-calibrate them.
If you were both on EHU, maybe a spike or surge has upset the Sargent system...
Could be worth an email or call to Sargent.

 

[bigguspeckus]

Did you hear any humming noises, or see any strange lights ?

View attachment 362163

That isn't at all helpful but BeJasus it made us laugh out loud ????

 

[bigguspeckus]

Only speculation but if you both have the EC480 colour panels I know there is a way to re-calibrate them.
If you were both on EHU, maybe a spike or surge has upset the Sargent system...
Could be worth an email or call to Sargent.

Yep,,, EC480 colour.
And we're both on lecky hookup,,, which isn't what you'd call brill (low voltage and very low volt reading twixt live-earth).
Thanks for your suggestion, much appreciated.

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[nicholsong]

Have you put a voltmeter direct onto the battery terminals so as to eliminate a false reading in the system?

Can reverse polarity cause such a problem?

 

[bigguspeckus]

Have you put a voltmeter direct onto the battery terminals so as to eliminate a false reading in the system?

Can reverse polarity cause such a problem?

I've no idea re your RP question except to say the hookup is showing reverse polarity,,, however,,, I've fitted my in-line "reverse the reverse polarity coupler" but it doesn't change the problem.
The on site voltage is abysmal, its low and inconsistent but the worst issue is the live to earth voltage which reads out at about 50% of live-neutral!
Our amp-hour indication has slowly climbed to 42%.
We only use the lighting and the TV in the evening for 2/3 hours.
We've got 200watts of Solar and eight hours of blazing sunshine every day and a 3amp hookup which we only switch on overnight.
Its a mystery to me???

 

[bigguspeckus]

Have you put a voltmeter direct onto the battery terminals so as to eliminate a false reading in the system?

Can reverse polarity cause such a problem?

By the way, thanks for your time and interest. ??

 

[DP+JAY]

I would bin the EHU. With 200w of solar, & your minimal usage, you don't need it anyway.
DP

 

[bigguspeckus]

I would bin the EHU. With 200w of solar, & your minimal usage, you don't need it anyway.
DP

I think you've made a very salient point.
Thanks.

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[Minxy]

2-3 hours of TV, plus lights etc could make quite a draw if your system is struggling to keep up with the demand, even with 8 hours of sunshine during the day as, during winter, it won't give anything like the input a summer's day will.

What was the reading on the meter when you went to bed?

A more serious and 'sneaky' answer could be that at night the campsite has a way to change the EHU so that it DRAWS power from MHs etc ... so rather than reverse polarity it's reverse supply!

(PS ... I'm joking!)

 

[Brakers]

A more serious and 'sneaky' answer could be that at night the campsite has a way to change the EHU so that it DRAWS power from MHs etc ... so rather than reverse polarity it's reverse supply!

So what you are saying the campsite might be selling the electric back to the Spanish grid?

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

These curling tongs use more juice than you would guess

 

[Minxy]

So what you are saying the campsite might be selling the electric back to the Spanish grid?

... or storing it and selling it back the motorhomers the following day!

 

[bigguspeckus]

more serious and 'sneaky' answer could be that at night the campsite has a way to change the EHU so that it DRAWS power from MHs etc ... so rather than reverse polarity it's reverse supply!

Nice one! No knowing WOT the sneaky Spanish will get up to?! ??

Re the summer/winter sun,,, I know I've said it before but the weather here for the last three weeks has been stonking.
Temperatures (in the sun) have been in the high twenties and our 200 watts of Solar are exceeding our needs, there is simply no way that our AH capacity could drop 93% in a matter of hours,,, and most of those hours covering nightime with zero current usage.
My immediate thought was that the reading was a instrument malfunction, but that same instrument has been indicating a steady climb of the AH capacity,,, hardly indicative of an instrument failure?
Last but not least is that an almost identical incident occurred hardly 30 metres away in another Moho???

Ass beeyond me Borr?! ???

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[Lenny HB]

but the worst issue is the live to earth voltage which reads out at about 50% of live-neutral!

Could be a two phase supply, many years ago when a lot of European countries changed from 110v to 220v they often used two phases of 110v.

 

[autorouter]

Could be a two phase supply, many years ago when a lot of European countries changed from 110v to 220v they often used two phases of 110v.

They do that sort of thing in the US. Two 120V phases, put together to make 240V for large appliances like ovens and washing machines. And by a curious coincidence, there is a large US base just round the corner in Rota.

To change the subject, San Lucar de Barrameda was where Magellan started the first ever round-the-world voyage, and it was the 500th anniversary last September.

 

[Minxy]

Nice one! No knowing WOT the sneaky Spanish will get up to?! ??

Re the summer/winter sun,,, I know I've said it before but the weather here for the last three weeks has been stonking.
Temperatures (in the sun) have been in the high twenties and our 200 watts of Solar are exceeding our needs, there is simply no way that our AH capacity could drop 93% in a matter of hours,,, and most of those hours covering nightime with zero current usage.
My immediate thought was that the reading was a instrument malfunction, but that same instrument has been indicating a steady climb of the AH capacity,,, hardly indicative of an instrument failure?
Last but not least is that an almost identical incident occurred hardly 30 metres away in another Moho???

Ass beeyond me Borr?! ???

As you were both affected the common link is the site's EHU/wiring so I certainly would NOT connect to it anymore, its better to do without than risk it frying your MH's electrics.