Anyone using gel battery with the sargent ec325

[garry63]

Hi as anyone out there using gel batteries with the sargent ec325 with built in charger?
I know the sargent manual says can't be used with gels but had conflicting advice on this so what I'm going to do is charge the gels with a victron charger when on ehu but been told you can use sargent charger when driving.
Can't get a proper answer of sargent and various advice wich conflicts one another
.is anyone already doing this?
Sargent said that ec325 could be configured to take gels but needed to be done by dealer

 

[GeoffnDee]

When driving it is the alternator charging the batteries through the Sargent unit and this will not produce the 18v boost charge rate that your EC325 can do when on EHU if it senses a low battery.

 

[garry63]

What i plan doing is fitting 2x gels and fitting a victron smart charger wich will plug in to 240V socket when on ehu and removing fuse from sargent unit so as to charge batteries, then when driving putting fuse back in and this should charge batteries when driving and am I right that this will not damage batteries through sargent unit and sargent won't be damaged using this method?

 

[GeoffnDee]

Sorry , but I do not know for sure if what you plan could damage anything , but if you get the EC325 re- configured , as Sargent suggest , the built in charger would then charge the gel batteries correctly without needing an extra charger with fuses being removed/replaced and also no chance of damage to the EC325 with its built power supply system along with its control display panel .

 

[garry63]

Sargent suggested this but can't find anyone that does it and sargent not giving instructions and nothing in manual so frustrating

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[GeoffnDee]

Have you tried www.apuljackelectronics.co.uk they may be able to help or have an alternative solution. (check out their catalogue)
www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk repair chargers and may be also worth asking for advice

 

[garry63]

Have you tried www.apuljackelectronics.co.uk they may be able to help or have an alternative solution. (check out their catalogue)
www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk repair chargers and may be also worth asking for advice

Cheers Geoff
Thanks for your help giving it a look

 

[Lenny HB]

What you are planning to do will not be any different to most Motorhomes with Gel batteries.
The mains charger charges with the correct Gel profile but when driving charging is done by a standard split charge relay. It won't cause any problems.

If you have solar it is best if you replace the solar controller in the Sargent unit with one with a proper Gel profile like a Votronic or Victron.

I don't think it is possible to modify the Sargent unit to correctly charge Gels, the charging voltage can be changed but it won't be able to be modded to give the long absorbstion phase Gels need to get a full charge.

 

[garry63]

What you are planning to do will not be any different to most Motorhomes with Gel batteries.
The mains charger charges with the correct Gel profile but when driving charging is done by a standard split charge relay. It won't cause any problems.

If you have solar it is best if you replace the solar controller in the Sargent unit with one with a proper Gel profile like a Votronic or Victron.

I don't think it is possible to modify the Sargent unit to correctly charge Gels, the charging voltage can be changed but it won't be able to be modded to give the long absorbstion phase Gels need to get a full charge.

Hi Lennoxtown
I have a victron mppt controller for the solar

You can have the sargent ec325 reconfigured for gels but it needs sending away and costs approx £100 with postage wich is same as a smart charger
Thats the route I'm going down 2x gels from alpha batteries and smart charger
Might be a daft question but on the sargent is an on off switch for charger.is it as simple as turning off sargent with the switch and plugging victron in to 240v or should I remove fuse aswell to be on the safe side?

 

[GeoffnDee]

As the EC325 is a power converter as well as a charger when on EHU , converting 230v > 12v for the power supply to the habitation electrics have you checked that the 12v operation of lights, water pump etc will still work ok with the power (charger) switch off. ?

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[garry63]

Thats why I think i just remove fuse from charger but I'll check

 

[garry63]

What you are planning to do will not be any different to most Motorhomes with Gel batteries.
The mains charger charges with the correct Gel profile but when driving charging is done by a standard split charge relay. It won't cause any problems.

If you have solar it is best if you replace the solar controller in the Sargent unit with one with a proper Gel profile like a Votronic or Victron.

I don't think it is possible to modify the Sargent unit to correctly charge Gels, the charging voltage can be changed but it won't be able to be modded to give the long absorbstion phase Gels need to get a full charge.

Sorry about predicted txt getting name wrong