What I’ve got and what I haven’t. (Electrical)

[The Dotties]

I’ve got...
An autotrail Dakota with Sargent electrical system, the EC500.
2x110amp leisure batteries approx 9 months old.
13.2v read by a multimeter.
A battery drain, with nothing switched on but the system was powered up.
The read out on the Sargent panel agrees with the voltage from the multimeter, showing 13v. But is showing 24% remaining capacity.
This has dropped to 19% over 1 hour***

I returned from Thetford (early) and the batteries were showing 100% on return home, and had been performing well up to that point.

I have not connected the van to EHU at home, but have power available.

I haven’t got.....
Any idea whatsoever, and very little technical ability.

I have now closed the 12v system down***

Any body with suggestions as to course of action?

Geoff.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Knackered batteries ?

 

[The Dotties]

Batteries 9 months old, showing 13.2 volts

 

[Langtoftlad]

Showing but not holding their charge ?

 

[TheBig1]

Or is the 13.2 the charge voltage from a solar panel?

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[joka250]

Could be failed batteries but I had same sort of apparent issue 2 years ago on very similar set up. Had to recalibrate the display panel and all o k since. If memory serves me correctly, it doesn't always, Sergeants web site has info on this. Can't remember what I did, notes in vehicle and won't be in it till middle of next week, if you get nowhere I'll try and get back to you. Would suggest you leave panel powered up but everything off so you get solar charging. Perhaps ring Sargent usually helpful.

 

[TheBig1]

Double check that the fridge is not left on 12v and draining off the leisure batteries too. I know the fridge should be run of the cab battery but many now are powered from the leisure bank

 

[The Dotties]

Could be failed batteries but I had same sort of apparent issue 2 years ago on very similar set up. Had to recalibrate the display panel and all o k since. If memory serves me correctly, it doesn't always, Sergeants web site has info on this. Can't remember what I did, notes in vehicle and won't be in it till middle of next week, if you get nowhere I'll try and get back to you. Would suggest you leave panel powered up but everything off so you get solar charging. Perhaps ring Sargent usually helpful.

I’ve done that bit, disconnected the wiring inside the panel and left off for 10 mins.
System set to SMART. Amps set to 220.

 

[The Dotties]

Double check that the fridge is not left on 12v and draining off the leisure batteries too. I know the fridge should be run of the cab battery but many now are powered from the leisure bank

John
Nope, 12v on AES is engine running only, does not use any battery source.

I’ll try to cover the solar panel, unless it can be isolated from ground level?

 

[The Dotties]

Showing but not holding their charge ?

As per the big one, I’ll try and isolate the solar and see what happens.

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[TheBig1]

John
Nope, 12v on AES is engine running only, does not use any battery source.

I’ll try to cover the solar panel, unless it can be isolated from ground level?

Hopefully you have a fuse on the feed from the solar panel to the regulator, pull that out

 

[Oldbob]

I had the same issue with my autotrail, turns out it was the media system draining the batteries as had been wired direct, so it never used to be dead when you take keys out.

I put a separate switch inline now so all is good.

Just got to remember to switch on for reversing camera etc not sit there grumbling it doesn't work

 

[The Dotties]

Nope, radio is on a separate switch van Bitz style.

I’ve covered the solar panel, still showing 13.2 volts,
Do I need to “load” the circuit or just wait to see if the voltage at the batteries drop?

 

[hilldweller]

The read out on the Sargent panel agrees with the voltage from the multimeter, showing 13v. But is showing 24% remaining capacity.
This has dropped to 19% over 1 hour***


Geoff.

Fake News ?

Believe your multimeter and the standard voltage table available on here and elsewhere.

 

[The Dotties]

Brian @hilldweller
Thanks for the table.
Batteries have been resting for 5 hours and voltage is showing 12.89 with a multimeter, taken at the 12v fuse box.
Is it possible to test amps with a multimeter as the Sargent display is showing 18%, and according to the table it is 100%.
I assume that the Sargent panel is telling fibs,
Thanks all for your help and suggestions

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[The Dotties]

Batteries are at 12.7v after 54 hours at rest with no input or load on them
Panel showing 10% remaining.
Phone call to Mr Sargent tomorrow’s methinks!

 

[hilldweller]

Is it possible to test amps with a multimeter as the Sargent display is showing 18%, and according to the table it is 100%.

Testing the amp-hours left is not that easy but possible.

The simple way is to get a car headlamp bulb, the normal ones are 55W so 55 / 12 = 4.5A approx.

Measure voltage ( you just did so 12.7V ).

Clip bulb on battery ( that's the hard but, but a couple of crock-clip jumpers will do it, CAREFUL, it's very hot ), note the time.

Now one hour later you will have used 4.5 amp hours. It's that simple. Measure voltage.

Keep this up until the voltage dips to the next step on the chart. Unclip the bulb. Let it settle a bit, the voltage will rise a bit.

Now the sums - say 5 hours at 4.5 = 22.5 amp hours. The chart says it dropped from 100% to 50% ( whatever ) so you could estimate the battery capacity at 2 * 22.5 = 45Ah. But hopefully you'll do batter than this.

Before all the point scorers chip in, this is just a stab at gauging the state of the battery not a PhD scientific thesis.

It does not have to be a headlamp bulb. Anything that draws 5 to 10 amps known constant current will do.

 

[joka250]

Testing the amp-hours left is not that easy but possible.

The simple way is to get a car headlamp bulb, the normal ones are 55W so 55 / 12 = 4.5A approx.

Measure voltage ( you just did so 12.7V ).

Clip bulb on battery ( that's the hard but, but a couple of crock-clip jumpers will do it, CAREFUL, it's very hot ), note the time.

Now one hour later you will have used 4.5 amp hours. It's that simple. Measure voltage.

Keep this up until the voltage dips to the next step on the chart. Unclip the bulb. Let it settle a bit, the voltage will rise a bit.

Now the sums - say 5 hours at 4.5 = 22.5 amp hours. The chart says it dropped from 100% to 50% ( whatever ) so you could estimate the battery capacity at 2 * 22.5 = 45Ah. But hopefully you'll do batter than this.

Before all the point scorers chip in, this is just a stab at gauging the state of the battery not a PhD scientific thesis.

It does not have to be a headlamp bulb. Anything that draws 5 to 10 amps known constant current will do.

That is as you say simple and in the past I have found this to be very effective whatever some of the so called experts will tell us.

 

[The Dotties]

Thank you both. I will give it a go.
Edit.
Just a thought. Would you be happy with the result at #16?

 

[hilldweller]

Thank you both. I will give it a go.

Don't burn your fingers or set fire to the place. The insurers will not pay up if you tell them what you were doing.

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[Neckender]

@The Dotties Geoff you can download the Sargent instructions I had similar problems on our last van and the control panel just needed recalibration.



John.

 

[The Dotties]

@The Dotties Geoff you can download the Sargent instructions I had similar problems on our last van and the control panel just needed recalibration.



John.

Yes, cheers John,
I've got the manual, and tried recalibration, didn't work.
I will try again tomorrow, and if it doesn't work I'll give them a call.
I don't think it's anything major, the batteries are holding well.

 

[TheBig1]

why couldn't you have this problem last week Geoff? there were many members with you that would of been happy to help hands on

just raise the bonnet of your van on a meet and stand looking at the engine, guaranteed to draw a crowd

reminds me of friends of ours on holiday in europe with their caravan. during a drive off site somebody crashed into the back of their ford sierra tow car. on getting back to the site my friend laid on his back under the rear of the car trying to check the towbar was not damaged. within 20 minutes several different nationalities had got together and sourced 2 trolley jacks, axle stands and a workshop of tools. the car was jacked up, wheels off to check suspension by qualified mechanics, towbar cleared as safe and the damaged towing socket replaced. Several languages were spoken, but everyone was keen to help save our friend's holiday. The car finished the holiday and got them home safely.

some things never change, and it's nice to see that help still freely given

 

[The Dotties]

To bring this to a close, firstly by apologising to John @Neckender, for misunderstanding his post at 21. I thought you were referring to calibration of the batteries capacity (to 220 amps).
I spoke to Sargent this morning and they have sent me the method of calibrating the the panel to show remaining amps and I now have 100% again
Thanks to all for your input.
(Sargent have stopped including remaining capacity on their control panels, and suggest using @hilldweller advice)

 

[The Dotties]

why couldn't you have this problem last week Geoff? there were many members with you that would of been happy to help hands on

just raise the bonnet of your van on a meet and stand looking at the engine, guaranteed to draw a crowd


some things never change, and it's nice to see that help still freely given

I was on ehu John and the panel was showing 100 all the time, so I was anaware of the issue at the time, but John @Jaws successfully sorted my fridge on gas problem using your method!!

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