Sargent ec325 with AGM/Gel?

[Leakylunar]

Contacted Sargent this morning just to clarify if fitting an alternative type of battery is possible.
They sent me email with charging profile and jumper settings.
So can I fit agm or gel!

 

[ultimajk]

Hi Leakylunar, Im just about to replace my batteries and am using EC325. Did they provide any further info? Where jumpers are located etc. Any info gratefully received.
thanks
John

 

[Lenny HB]

If that charging diagram is correct it is totally unsuitable.
The bulk charge voltage, the absorption voltage, the absorption time and the float voltage are incorrect for both AGM and Gel.

 

[Leakylunar]

I sent the graph to a battery store so they could check which battery would be suitable, 3 agm batteries!
Also when I rang Sargent and asked for clarification I was told gel/agm/lead acid would be fine as it has a smart charger!
I’ll end up buying a flooded lead acid battery. I’ll see how I get on this year with more use and solar if it’s causing concerns then maybe I need to think about by passing the Sargent unit so I can have 2 batteries & b2b mainly for our 5 day plus jaunts.
As I’m new to all this it’s finding the balance on cost but having the right information would have helped!
Thanks for the replies.

 

[ultimajk]

Did they provide you any further info? where the jumpers are?

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[Leakylunar]

No but I’ll ring to find out, it’ll be on psu it’s just how easy it is to get to it.

 

[Pausim]

The jumper settings seem to only affect the float and restart voltages but do nothing to improve the charging profile.

 

[ultimajk]

Interestingly I have a EC325 and dual batteries (in parallel) on an Autotrail Cheiftain. Not sure what AH they are but I will check tonight. Apparently its been like that from new but i only collected earlier this week.

 

[Leakylunar]

That will be interesting, a few on here have 2 batteries with ec325

 

[Lenny HB]

That will be interesting, a few on here have 2 batteries with ec325

It will be fine providing you don't keep charging flat batteries and overloading it.

I would be more concerned above the crap charging profile if you want your batteries to last fit a decent charger.

With the Elektroblock in my Hymer you are supposed to fit an auxiliary charger if fitting a second battery. I have 3 batteries with the standard charger but most of my charging is done via solar hardly ever use EHU.

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[Leakylunar]

That’s what I’m hoping to do, allow solar to charge battery and on longer trips will book into sites now and then
For black n grey waste and ehu but we’ll see.
If I new the solar will charge my battery and ehu wouldn’t damage a gel battery to much id buy one.

 

[jezport]

The Votronic MPPT regulators have proper profiles for AGM so if you fit one your batteries will get the full 14.7v that AGMs need, but only by solar

 

[Leakylunar]

Mines a victron smartsolar 100/20

 

[Lenny HB]

The Victron will be fine with Gels but the Sargent will never charge a Gel much past 80%, it won't even fully charge a flooded cell.
I would be inclined to change the mains charger Photonic Universe do a couple of reasonable cost one Richard and Ann has one it appears to work well they also sell Votronic & Victronic chargers (10% off to C&CC members).

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[Leakylunar]

Wonder how easy it is to swap the charger?
I’ll have a look at them

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[Richard n Ann]

Wonder how easy it is to swap the charger?
I’ll have a look at them

Ours was easy. The original charger is at the back of the fuse box, just unplugs on a kettle type plug. The new one was too big to go in there so I screwed it up on the other side of the battery. It's the 10 amp one (about 70 quid) can't remember the brand, works great.

 

[Pausim]

It looks like the person who designed that Sargent charging profile needs to talk to a few battery manufactures. I wonder why they design fancy systems that don’t even do the basics properly.

 

[Leakylunar]

It has a good charge 18v when on ehu if the battery is low

 

[Pausim]

It has a good charge 18v when on ehu if the battery is low

18V doesn’t sound right. I thought that was in the boil the battery zone.

 

[Lenny HB]

It has a good charge 18v when on ehu if the battery is low

I take it you mean 18 amps but it will never fully charge a battery the absorption voltage is wrong. Even for a flooded cell it needs to hold the voltage at 14.2 -14.4v at limited current for 1 hour.

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[Leakylunar]

 

[Leakylunar]

 

[Lenny HB]

Reading that it sounds like a right pile of poo not fit for purpose.

 

[jezport]

We need a battery expert! One with Qualifications not from Facebook

 

[Leakylunar]

Yes agree , I’d just like a definitive answer, when a battery firm says yes to agm, Sargent says yes it’s a smart charger then auto electrician says No
So no wonder I’m confused.

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[Pausim]

Yes agree , I’d just like a definitive answer, when a battery firm says yes to agm, Sargent says yes it’s a smart charger then auto electrician says No
So no wonder I’m confused.

Yes it is a confusing position to be put in. Unfortunately there are several different types of battery and they need treating differently. Being “smart” does not mean the charger knows what type of battery it is connected to, that needs to be a user setting and the Sargent does not seem to have this.