Connecting Schaudt LR1218 to EBL208 (1 Viewer)

[Stroppy Bird]

Has anyone connected the schaudt solar regulator LR1218 to an electrobloc EBL208?

Darned if I can figure out quite how to do it. I think I need to adapt it somehow but am not sure how.

I'm a little bit flummoxed as to whether I should be using para 5.2 or 5.3 of the regulator instructions. With 5.2 I don't have anywhere for the Y1 and Y2 connector to plug in and with 5.3 I don't have anywhere for Y1,Ya,Yb adaptor to plug in.

I have found on another forum an old thread where someone has done it and they said that they had to adapt it but I can't figure out what they've done and they've not been active on there for nearly a year.

My van is an Adria Twin if that makes any difference.

I haven't got all the stuff ordered yet, I just wanted to be confident of what I'm doing before I order it all and this is the only stumbling block I've hit following much research on here (thanks everyone)

Thanks in advance everyone

 

[JeanLuc]

I think you should be using para 5.2 for an EBL that is connected to a DT/LT control panel. The charge cable to charge the leisure battery(ies) goes into the three socket MNL connector towards the right of the EBL - marked 'Solar Regulator'. In modern EBLs like the 208 I believe the centre pin of this connector charges the starter battery so you do not need the adapter wiring loom referred to in para 5.3. The signal cable connects to the LR1218 with push-fit spade connectors Y1 and Y2. The other end should go into a small three pin signal connector socket. From what I can see in the picture on Schaudt's website, is it the top of the black connector set at the top left of the EBL? If in any doubt, email Udo Lang at Schaudt for instructions / confirmation: Udo.Lang@schaudt-gmbh.de

 

[Stroppy Bird]

Thanks JeanLuc.

I think you're right that it's the instructions para 5.2. I think my control panel is an LT311 (I've a brain like a sieve - I've only just got back from the van from unscrewing it to have a look at the back to see if there is an input).

Just unsure of where the signal connector should plug in. The bit on the far left of the EBL that is labelled 'to panel' does indeed have all the wires that go to the panel, but there doesn't seem to be room for a spade connector.

Having re read the other post on t'other forum it would seem that the guy has used a separate schaudt ammeter. And that his mod was something to do with moving the wiring on the connector as the starter battery wiring wasn't where it was expected on the ebl connector?

I think your advice to contact Udo is probably best.

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[Stroppy Bird]

Thanks JeanLuc.

And that his mod was something to do with moving the wiring on the connector as the starter battery wiring wasn't where it was expected on the ebl connector?

Ah - I've re read the 208 charger manual. It says that only the living area battery is charged by the solar regulator so he's done some sort of mod so that the starter battery is charged as well.

That's a shame that it doesn't take care of both batteries automatically like it does via the alternator and mains charging.

In which case should I be following para 5.3 - think I'll email Udo

 

[JeanLuc]

The spade connectors go into the LR1218; it is a small black plastic connector on the other end of the signal cable that should go to the EBL. Is there not a spare socket position in the 'to panel' connector?
I am surprised that the starter battery is not charged. Basically, all you need is a +ve cable that goes to the starter battery which you connect to the 'starter battery +' spade connector on the LR1218. This can be done by connecting to the Starter Battery+ terminal on the back of the EBL but be careful not to create a short-circuit whilst doing it. Udo should be able t give you guidance on this.

 

[Stroppy Bird]

I was surprised it wouldn't automatically charge it too, but that's what it says in the instructions, and the other forum posting would suggest the same.

There doesn't seem to be anywhere on the EBL for the other end of the signal wire to go.

I've emailed Udo to clarify whether I should be using para 5.2 or 5.3 and if 5.3 the best way to proceed to also charge the starter.

Many thanks for your input JeanLuc

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[berni109]

How old is u‘r van mine is 2008 twin and the electrobloc has a 3 pin socket that says solar. The 1218 has a lead with 3 spade and the socket in the kit. As far as I could see no way of using any of the other cables in the kit.
Hth

 

[Stroppy Bird]

It's 2010 and I think the same as your set up.

I've studied the schematics a bit more for the ebl208 and while there is a 3 pin solar socket on it only the first and third pins have a connection - to the positive and negative of the hab battery.

So I think basically I can only charge the hab battery and with the display panel I have would have to buy a separate schaudt display panel to show what's going in.

 

[berni109]

My van and the manuals are in the UK and I‘m not so cant have a look just working from memory.
I just plugged it all together. The 3 spade connectors Conn to hab veh and neg or whatever the German is on the 1218 and the molded socket will only fit 1 way.
Sure my veh batt got a charge on a bright sunny day but no extra meters or multi meter readings to prove that.
Next yrs job to get volt meters installed 1 for hab 1 for veh. Hours of fun looking at those and trying to figure out whats going on.

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[berni109]

Just had a look online and I don't think the electrobloc u have is the same as mine. Will have another look tomorrow

 

[JeanLuc]

I have just down-loaded the manual for the EBL 208 (not sure which version yours is so I went for the EBL208-SF which was published in 2010). You are correct, there is no direct connection on yourEBL to charge the starter battery. Neither does there appear to be any signal cable connector. I think there will be a work-around for the starter battery as it is the LR1218 that is the key component in this. It is a dual battery regulator and you just need to get a cable from the SB output on the regulator to the +ve terminal on the SB.
My installation is to an older EBL99 (it is linked to an old-fashioned control panel with two needle meters) and whilst there is no signal cable from the regulator to the EBL, I can still see the charging current from the solar panel to the leisure batteries on the control panel.

Time for advice from Udo I think as you have requested.

 

[berni109]

Sharp intake of breath one of those oh f**k moments - perhaps i should have read the technical manual. Just assumed one manufacturer's kit should all plug together seamlessly.
If you do get a response from Udo can you please publish here what the correct connections should be.
Thanks

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[Stroppy Bird]

Have got a reply from Udo. I'm at work at the moment so will post his reply when I get back home tonight.

 

[Stroppy Bird]

Right think I might have got the copy and paste sorted on my phone so hopefully here is Udos reply.

Please check first which model of EBL you have.
When there is the item number 911.600 on the sticker at the back side of the EBL
you must use just the 3 pole connector to wire the solar-charger to the EBL for starter battery and leisure battery charging.
There you find on pin 3 plus leisure battery
on pin 2 plus starter battery
and on pin 1 minus battery.

When there is the item number 911.475 on the sticker at the back side of the EBL
you must use just the 3 pole connector to wire the solar-charger to the EBL for leisure battery charging.
There you find on pin 3 plus leisure battery
(pin 2 is not connected!)
and on pin 1 minus battery.

To wire the plus starter battery from the solar-charger to the EBL, please do a wire with 2,5 qmm from the solar-charger to pin 3 (AMP connector, not solar-entry!)
at the EBL. There you must remove the wire, cut the plug and put the wire together with the wire comeing from the solar-charger.
Then you put the pug with the 2 wires back to the pin 3
(please check the wiring diagram of the EBL 911.475).

Any further wires are not necessary from the solar-charger to the EBL in both issues.

Then wire the solar-cell to the solar-charger and put to solar fuse to the EBL and the solar-charger should charge the leisure and starter battery.



With best regards,


I think the second one is the one that I need for the ebl 208. It's just the second part of that that I need to get my head round - where he says to pin 3.

Failing that, I just have it charging the hab battery. I've never had a problem with the starter battery (tho I think it's coming up for 6 years old so probably needs changing soon anyway).

 

[JeanLuc]

OK I understand what Udo is saying. What is the number on the back of your EBL 208?

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[berni109]

Thanks for posting that up.
If you look at the schematic diagram of the top of the unit connector 3 seems to be the output charging wire direct to the vehicle battery when using the elb on hookup as a charger.
My reading is that you (we?) Need to splice the wire from r1218 vehicle batt connector to the elb battery charging wire (connector 3).

So who knows what I might have done to my electrics but it seemed to work. Obviously wishful thinking!
Bern

 

[JeanLuc]

Thanks for posting that up.
If you look at the schematic diagram of the top of the unit connector 3 seems to be the output charging wire direct to the vehicle battery when using the elb on hookup as a charger.
My reading is that you (we?) Need to splice the wire from r1218 vehicle batt connector to the elb battery charging wire (connector 3).

So who knows what I might have done to my electrics but it seemed to work. Obviously wishful thinking!
Bern

That is correct assuming that you have noted Udo's comments regarding the reference number on the rear of your EBL. It appears that some versions do have the third pin of the M-N-L connector wired to the starter battery for solar charging - but not all versions!

 

[Stroppy Bird]

It's got to be said that one of the best 'gadgets' I have ever bought is a mirror on an extendable stick that has a torch attached to it. Useful for a bizarre number of things including locating the number on the back of the EBL without having to faff about trying to get it off where it's mounted to see the back of it.

Mine is 911.475 as I suspected and so does not have the starter battery input in the centre of the 3 pin connector on the EBL.

Now the slight confusing issue is that, having been and picked up the solar reg today, it is slightly different to the one that you find instructions on the internet is. This is because it only comes with the wiring loom with the 3 pin connector with 3 spades and wires to all 3 pins. It does not come with the adapted cable that has 2 spades and wires to only pin 1 and 3 on the connector block. I thought this was missing to start off with but it does not feature in the instructions supplied at all, instead the instruction show just 2 spades connected and the one with the red wire cut out. The instructions that I have are a later version than the one in the resource section so I suspect that to save costs Schaudt have modified them to save supplying an extra cable.

I suspect that based on Udos instructions I can connect the 3 spades red, black, brown to Plus Starter Battery, Plus Hab Battery, Minus Batteries on the solar regulator. And then cut out the red wire from the 3 pin connector so that black and brown are connected in the right place in the 3 pin connector and take the red wire and connect it with the wire in space 3 on the EBL, which according to the ebl instructions is for the +starter battery.

I've reread what I've typed and it makes sense to me but probably not to everyone else!!!

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[Stroppy Bird]

@JeanLuc - does what I've typed make sense to you?

Remove the red wire from the wiring set so that only black and brown are connected to the 3 pin plug. Then take the red wire, plug the spade into the plus starter battery bit on the solar regulator, and then the other end of this wire be joined with the wire on terminal 3 of the EBL (on the left hand side).

 

[JeanLuc]

Yes it makes sense. I have recently had a conversation with Ambilkate about just the same issue. The LR1218 is no longer supplied with two versions of the charging cable - only the version with three wires connected. The most recent instructions tell you to cut off the red centre cable from the bunch if fitting to an EBL that DOES NOT have starter battery connections to the centre pin of the 3-pin MNL connector. You could recover the red cable from the set and reuse that or make a new one. Instead of cutting off the red cable I suggest folding it back on itself and taping it with insulating tape to the rest of the cable bunch. The other end on the MNL block is not connected to anything anyway to the cable will be ineffective. Then make up a new cable to charge the starter battery. This needs to be minimum 2.5 mm² as suggested in Udo's reply above - it could be thicker but definitely not thinner. One end should have a spade connector to go into the 'starter battery +' on the LR1218. The other end needs to be merged with the existing cable that it goes into connector 3 on the front of the EBL (LHS). As Udo says, remove the existing plug from the existing cable and put this, together with your new starter battery charging cable into the plug and plug it back into position 3.

Hope this is clear.

 

[Stroppy Bird]

Thanks JeanLuc, it does make sense and I feel much happier about it now. I was just going to remove the red wire and reuse it but thinking about it, it will need to be a little longer to reach the other side of the EBL.

My next worry will be drilling a hole in the roof.

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[JeanLuc]

Good luck with that. The cable tails from some solar panels can be quite stiff and difficult to bend so take time to test with a 'dry run' to ensure you can get the cables to 'sit' comfortably into the hole you are planning to drill. (Just a thought - have you used Sikaflex before? Sticks like s**t to all the places you don't want it to go and takes some getting off your hands / gloves etc.)

 

[Stroppy Bird]

I haven't used sikaflex before, but have used tiger seal - learnt my lesson there - old clothes and disposable gloves. Will do plenty of 'dry run' sitings prior to final sticking down.

 

[Stroppy Bird]

Just another quickie question.

I'm planning on putting a fuse between the solar panel and the regulator on the positive feed, just so that I can easily isolate the panel. What size fuse should I use? The panel will be 100w, probably this one (need to get one ordered tomorrow)

Broken Link Removed

It doesn't say it in the ad, but I seem to think that the 90cm attached cable is 4mm, and I've got about a 4 to 5 metre run which I was planning on supplementing with 6mm cable. I was planning on putting the fuse at the join.

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[JeanLuc]

Since the fuse is there as an isolator and not as a circuit protector, just go for a big one to minimise any voltage drop. Make sure you get a fuse holder either with decent sized screw terminals or if it is already fitted with cables, get the largest diameter cables you can reasonably connect to - again to minimise voltage drop.
I fitted such a fuse in mine a few months ago, having got sick of fishing around under the driver's seat to pull the +ve lead out of the LR1218 whenever I wanted to isolate the panel. I got a large fuse holder from Halfords and fitted it with a 30 amp fuse. This one would fit the bill but make sure you have some straight crimp connectors large enough to take the cable. Broken Link Removed

 

[Neckender]

I know this is an old thread, but this is what I'm using.

John.