Autotrail batteries and extra solar panels (1 Viewer)

Scout

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Autotrail batteries and extra solar panels

My new to me van has 3 leisure batteries all different and of unknown age

I tested them by charging them for 3 days with the on-board charger Sargent in the ec500, they were showing 13.7volts at the autotrail 480 control with charger off. I then unplugged the mains. I put on the inside lights and the panel showed a current draw of 4 amps, within 4 hours the battery alarm was going and the panel said 10.5 volts.

I took this to mean 1 or maybe all of the batteries was duff, as I’ve no knowledge of the age of the existing batteries and the fact that they all appear to be different makes so I’ve decided to start fresh with two new batteries of up to 130ah, which I will order later this week. (Recommendations of types welcomed)

I spoke to Sargent electrical a few times and they said if I fit extra solar, I will

A: need a separate controller feeding the leisure batteries
B: need to program the existing panel going into the Sargent ec500 to feed ONLY the hab battery? Has anybody done this? Is it correct?

They said this because if two feeds from two different solar controllers feed the same bank of batteries it can cause confusion to the controllers and end up being worse off not getting a full charge.

The other thing I could do is disconnect the existing panel from the Sargent ec500 and connect it along with any new panels into my new regulator using that to feed both banks of batteries.
 
Nov 14, 2009
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normandy
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on my scout i have wired in the solar setup totally independent from the sargeant unit as the wiring autotrail use is crap . i had metres of it rolled up in the battery locker and in the end cut it all back to proper lengths.
be careful as well with the battery box , if yours is the same as mine it is only a fibreglass "shelf" screwed in to the plywood floor from underneath with about 12 screws !! nowhere near good enough to carry 2 let alone 3 batteries . i modded mine with steel box section below it and drop rods through the floor to take the weight as mine was coming adrift and about to drop my batteries in the road .
 

tonka

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If it was me....

Take out the 3 batteries and re-fit 2 or 3 new ones..
Leave solar as it... See how you get on..

On my apache 700 i have 2 x 110amp banners and 120w solar via the Sargent EC500. Works fine for me.
If you are doing more winter camping the maybe that third battery. The EC500 will only take 120w so any more panels then as said remove from sargent and re-wire via a seperate controller, maybe with a split regulator to do the cab battery as well (y)

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Scout

Scout

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If it was me....

Take out the 3 batteries and re-fit 2 or 3 new ones..
Leave solar as it... See how you get on..

On my apache 700 i have 2 x 110amp banners and 120w solar via the Sargent EC500. Works fine for me.
If you are doing more winter camping the maybe that third battery. The EC500 will only take 120w so any more panels then as said remove from sargent and re-wire via a seperate controller, maybe with a split regulator to do the cab battery as well (y)

How come you have 120watts into the sargent is that an aftermarket panel? I thought all autotrail fitted ones were just 85 watt
 

tonka

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How come you have 120watts into the sargent is that an aftermarket panel? I thought all autotrail fitted ones were just 85 watt

Yes.. DIY FIT... £89 plus about £50 for the cable and all the other bits..(y)
The Apache never used to come with a fitted panel but now I think they do.

80w used to be fitted as standard on the Frontier range but as far as I know newer models may have 100 or 120 watts...
 
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Scout

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Yes.. DIY FIT... £89 plus about £50 for the cable and all the other bits..(y)
The Apache never used to come with a fitted panel but now I think they do.

80w used to be fitted as standard on the Frontier range but as far as I know newer models may have 100 or 120 watts...

Im fairly sure mines a 85 watt, having said that I going to have to put it on hold for a few weeks as Ive just had a cancilation appiontment given to me for Friday to my peg feeding tube removed so so lifting batteries for a while.

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Scout

Scout

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Well that`s our 13th year & still loving it.
I would 100% recommend Eddie Vanbitz to sort out any of your solar panel / battery issues.

He will sort it out and won`t rip you off.
 
R

Robert Clark

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but there only 90AH Ive got a 2k inverter, and I did read the info sheet, don't
they do a bigger one
You just buy as many as you need and link them together.

They spoke in the article about the problem with larger batteries.

We've got 4 x 80ah batteries in our current van and are having 6 of these Varta batteries in the new van
 
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Scout

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I would 100% recommend Eddie Vanbitz to sort out any of your solar panel / battery issues.

He will sort it out and won`t rip you off.

I agree with you and he would have been my first choice but unfortunatly hes down the west country and Im up north, besides doing it myself is theraphy and Ive got lots of time (hopefully:):whistle:)

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Scout

Scout

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You just buy as many as you need and link them together.

They spoke in the article about the problem with larger batteries.

We've got 4 x 80ah batteries in our current van and are having 6 of these Varta batteries in the new van

I think the standard autotrail 300watt amp charger would take forever to re charge them
 
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Scout

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I did some more investigation on this today,

There are 3 batteries,

NO: 1 is an orange battery of unknown make or size at this time this is connected to the Sargent loom A:

No: 2 & No: 3 are parallel connected and connected to the Sargent loom B:

These are Moura 019 int 110ah units, the inverter is conected to these

Firstly I charged the batteries for more than 48 hours, this left the ec480 showing Leisure batteries as 14 plus volts on charge and 13 plus volts after being taken of charge for 2 hours.

I measured them at the terminals & NO: 1 showed 13 plus volts but 2 & 3 only 12.39 volts

I swapped the looms A: B: over put it back on charge the results were the same

I disconnected the batteries 2 & 3 form everything and took them out, on the bench they show the same voltage 13.39 volts

The magic eye on NO: 3 looks clear on NO 2: it looks black, I think they are knackered, but I will charge them when I get my charger back.

I think I going to replace everything with just two new ones, barring in mind we have a 2k inverter which will occasionally need to power the 700watt microwave and possibly a hairdryer

I’ve come up with 3 possible choices for new batteries

2 X VARTA LFD90 90AH
https://www.tayna.co.uk/LFD90-Varta-Professional-DC-Leisure-Battery-930090080-P3638.html

2 X Banner 110AH
http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/le...energy-bull-low-height-leisure-battery-95751/

2 X Banner 135AH
http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/le...nner-135ah-energy-bull-leisure-battery-95901/

We intend to fit at least 200watts of solar going to the leiuser batterys only, the existing 85 watt pannal will be programed to feed the hab batters all the time.

Id value opinions of what would suit my set up best,
 
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Scout

Scout

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I disconnected the batteries 2 & 3 form everything and took them out, on the bench they show the same voltage 13.39 volts

EDIT: should hve been 12.39 volts
 
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Scout

Scout

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and the winner is

LFD90 Varta Professional DC Leisure Battery 90Ah (930090080)

2 @£91.95
1 CTEK MXS 5.0 12V Charger and Conditioner MULTI XS 5.0 1 £64.95
P&P £16.83
Discount £7.47 (I Allways ask for a discount)
TOTAL £258.23

Tanya Batteries

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