Schaudt Electroblock and ChargeMaster

[Padders]

Our van (Adria Twin) has 2x leisure batteries linked to a Schaudt Electroblock EBL 211. This works well for our leisure needs when not plugged in at home or on site, but over four days at a festival last year the residual van electrics (alarm, central locking, courtesy lights etc) nearly killed the starter battery - I’ve seen the ChargeMaster from Vanbitz (which I understand effectively trickle charges the starter battery from the leisure batteries) getting good reviews and am thinking if fitting one, but just wanted to double check if anyone who has one fitted in a similar set up has any thoughts / advice.

To take some of the load off the starter battery when stationary I’ve wired the cab audio system (which we use on site) back to the leisure battery and swapped out the bulbs in the courtesy lights for leds.

 

[hilldweller]

4 days is not normal. 2 or 3 weeks is normal. First find out why the high drain or duff battery.

 

[Padders]

Brian - many thanks, good thought I’ll check that out.

 

[Lenny HB]

Was the audio system still wired to the starter battery at the time?
If so that could have been your problem, some stereo's can draw up to 10 amps if run flat out. Pioneers are particularly bad.

 

[Padders]

Lenny, thanks for your reply, but no the audio had been rerouted - it was one of the first things I did I after we got the can because I knew we’d be using the radio when we were parked up.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Theonlysue]

I thought schaudt charged the engine batteries as well.
Sometimes you can set how much goes to each battery.
Have you read the instructions?
It says charging of the engine battery depends on which solar regulator you use.

 

[Lenny HB]

Lenny, thanks for your reply, but no the audio had been rerouted - it was one of the first things I did I after we got the can because I knew we’d be using the radio when we were parked up.

As Brian says it should last 3-4 weeks then.

 

[autorouter]

As others have said, it looks like you have something taking more current than usual from the starter battery. That needs to be traced and fixed.

When you've done that, a BatteryMaster will solve your problem. It is a trickle charger that only supplies 1.1 amp maximum. I think if it's discharging in 4 days, it's draining about 1 amp at least, so the BatteryMaster will only just cope. That's why you need to fix the drain first.

You have not mentioned solar panels and controller. If you haven't got solar, you could use the 'Solar Regulator' connector on the EBL211 as an easy way to connect your BatteryMaster.

From the manual, connect the Battery master wires: negative to pin 1, Starter Battery to pin 2, and Leisure battery to pin 3. You will need to insert a fuse (15A should be OK) in the solar panel fuse slot near the Solar Regulator connector.

This doesn't work on all EBL models, but it works OK on this one.

 

[Padders]

Many thanks for your feedback and thoughts, I don’t have solar so using the SR connector in the way you suggest sounds like the way to go. But first I shall be setting out the can with my ammeter to check and investigate the battery drain.