Sterling Power Battery Maintainer (1 Viewer)

[Phil J.]

Hi,
I have one of these fitted to my 2007 Autotrail Cheyenne 696. I have read through the blurb on the Road Pro website:

Link Removed

As far as I can see, when the leisure batteries are charges, the unit switches excess amps to the engine battery to keep it topped up.

My question is - Why have I got it? As far as I am aware my Sargent EC325 already does this.

Can anyone enlighten me?
Thanks in anticipation.
Phil

 

[pappajohn]

Probably far more reliable than the sargent unit which appear to go wrong quite often according to various threads/post on fun.

 

[FULL TIMER]

From what I can make out your Sargent unit only charges whilst connected to the mains UNLESS you have a solar panel fitted in which case power from the built in solar regulator will charge both leisure and vehicle batteries, The Sterling unit will maintain your vehicle battery regardless as long as the leisure batteries are not flat. But also agree with pappajohn the Sterling is probably a lot more reliable, did you buy the van new if not may be someone had problems with the Sargent unit and opted to use the Sterling unit instead of repairing /replacing the Sargent unit.

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[Techno]

The Sterling unit will maintain your vehicle battery regardless as long as the leisure batteries are not flat

It only starts to transfer charge when the leisure batteries reach 13.3 volts.
Very often extras are fitted with no knowledge of a vans existing electrics

 

[Phil J.]

Thats what I wondered. however, also sat at the side of it is a Roadpro 1000w inverter and I thought that they might be something to do with each other.

 

[Techno]

No it is most likely fitted there as it is the most convenient position for the connections required by the maintainer.
It's either a DIY fit or a sub'd out dealer fit without checking what the Sargent does.

See this recent thread
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum...ery-master-to-my-existing-sterling-b2b.98913/

EDIT sorry misread your post DOH!

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[Phil J.]

No it is most likely fitted there as it is the most convenient position for the connections required by the maintainer.
It's either a DIY fit or a sub'd out dealer fit without checking what the Sargent does.

See this recent thread
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum...ery-master-to-my-existing-sterling-b2b.98913/

EDIT sorry misread your post DOH!

Cheers Andy,
I've just watched the Youtube video and I'm clearer on it now. Re. our previous conversations I'm fitting the solar panel next week. Having the battery maintainer fitted means I can switch off the 12v on the control panel which stops the 0.3A drain and still charge the motive battery via the maintainer when the solar is charging. As you know when solar is connected to the EC325 it has to be switched on to maintain the motive battery at the same time as the leisure batteries when it's off only leisure batts are charged i.e. it won't discharge at 0.3A overnight.
Thanks again.

 

[FULL TIMER]

It only starts to transfer charge when the leisure batteries reach 13.3 volts.
Very often extras are fitted with no knowledge of a vans existing electrics

Ah from the roadpro blurb I got the impression that it put a very small amount of current from the leisure battery into the vehicle battery as long as it wasn't flat as such.

 

[Wildman]

if you want to remove it I could well be interested.

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[FULL TIMER]

It only starts to transfer charge when the leisure batteries reach 13.3 volts.
Very often extras are fitted with no knowledge of a vans existing electrics

now made clear after a visit to the Sterling website

 

[Techno]

Yes the only item that will transfer charge under any conditions is a battery master "Vanbitz"
Unfortunately the whole community now call every device a battery master WRONGLY! they are very different.