Symbol 2018 model, EHU and solar panel

Hi

Wondering if anyone can help please?

On Sargent CPU screen smart charging is selected.  Leisure batteries charge with no problem.  Highland Campervans who are great (now dealership for A-S) looked at this with me before lockdown.  There are some things that they currently prefer Willersley to deal with.  

Faulty CPU was replaced last year at Willersley (different fault).  However, since then the vehicle battery has never been selected on display when EHU was disconnected.  I always check after removing EHU.
I was booked in to Willersley in April this year for this and other warranty issues to be fixed . . .

This was not an issue as 'Breagha' is my only vehicle and I was driving regularly so the vehicle battery was being topped up.  Since lockdown I have only driven once.  I had the solar panel switched on to charge.  But discovered that the solar panel was only charging the leisure batteries.  I switched off the CPU and switched back on and had to press the button to swop from leisure to vehicle battery charging button on the display screen a few times before it seemed to work.  When I next checked, the vehicle battery was reading 11.2 and the engine would not start.  I then did a complete power down.

Someone has given me a trickle charger, but I'm not sure how to disconnect the vehicle battery  - as stated in the Peugeot manual so I can trickle charge - or which points to attach the croc clips to.

I also have an engine management light on the dash which was due to be fixed by Peugeot in Inverness two days after lockdown . . . 

I do not know if the engine management problem is related to lack of vehicle battery charging.  The light came on some time after the CPU was changed.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to:

1. What I could check / how vehicle battery charging could be fixed without going to a garage (Peugeot and Highland Campervans are still closed) so that at least the solar panel can charge the vehicle battery?

2. What to do so I can trickle charge the vehicle battery?

3. Does anyone have the number for Sargent as I tried googling but did not find them?  I moved home (only a few miles) recently and currently unable to find my manual etc as I took everything out of Breagha while moving boxes of belongings!

I can always run the engine for a while to top up the vehicle battery if the solar panel continues to be a problem.  However it would be great if there are various things I can check, or get someone in the village to check for me.  I do have a voltage meter, but haven't used it as yet!

I would also like to have a trip away in Breagha on my driveway for a change!

Thank you for reading this.
Librangoat (she/her) 

Librangoat wrote:Someone has given me a trickle charger, but I'm not sure how to disconnect the vehicle battery  - as stated in the Peugeot manual so I can trickle charge - or which points to attach the croc clips to.

Typically you should not need to disconnect the battery to connect a trickle charger - they should be designed such that they can connect at the same time. However, it would be best (if it is available) to check the manual for the charger to confirm this.

Assuming it's Ok to connect with the battery in place, simply connect the croc clips to the engine battery terminals (you may need to remove covers to do this), red to positive, black to negative and leave it to charge.

A typical trickle charger will take a *long* time to recharge a flat engine battery, but - assuming it's a decent make - it will get there in the end. Depending on the spec, it could easily take a full day or more to do it.

The engine management light could be any of a number of things - it could be due to the low battery state, but probably not. On modern engines you will only find out more by reading the diagnostic codes - so it's probably best to leave it until the garage can do that.

It's possible that you could buy/borrow an OBD diagnostic code reader, but this may not help, depending on whether the fault is emissions-related or not (OBD, EOBD and OBD2 are all mainly designed to standardise emissions-related faults, and it may not be one of those!).

Sorry if I’ve got confused (not difficult) but when on EHU your Symbol will simply keep both batteries charged using the inbuilt 3 stage charger.
Probably best to just leave on EHU in current times and you won’t have any problems whatsoever.

You can select to charge either the vehicle or leisure only in the advanced settings but let’s not confuse things for now!

Solar on the EC500/EC700 is a current topic of interest on the forum. For info you have an EC500

Thanks for your reply Dbvwt.  For some reason the vehicle battery is NOT being charged when on EHU.  Smart charging is selected. 
I know how to access advance settings so will have a go at changing to vehicle only :)

Battery is down to 2.1 - even though I thought I had shut everything down, including switch on ignition.  Is the battery worth charging - or is it beyond being salvagable?

Starting to feel this is an uphill battle . . .

Google FOXSUR battery charger.
I've mentioned this many times on various posts now, it must be difficult to miss one!
This has a repair facility, and in the time I've had mine I've rescued several batteries at less than 1.5v. The capacity is good too, one is in my Volvo and it was recovered form 3v, the glove box light was stuck on. Used repair for 12hrs, then normal charge, been perfect ever since.
The cost is circa £20 a lot less than a starter battery, if all esle fails, at least you'll have a very good charger!

Here's a video......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA7glWJqM3o

Ian, I had a look at your link in my battery charger thread and it looks great.
I think you said that you got yours in 2 days but the website seems to indicate it would come from China/HK?

I would definitely take a punt at that price but not if coming from afar at this time. Any more info would be appreciated.

Had a look myself and agree not as easy to come by.
I'd go for the delivery from China (much as I prefer not to these days) everything I have had in the recent past has come quicker than stated.
Unless you need it in a hurry might be your best bet

There is this one but a bit pricey.....
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Cheers Ian, after spending ages looking yesterday that would be my choice.
Even at the UK price of £40.99 it is still more competitive than many others.

One last question, do you know if it is suitable for stop/start vehicles?

Re stop/start I don't see why not, the way SS works is to fit a bigger battery and starter motor. 
As far as the charger is concerned its just...............a battery!
Wouldn't worry personally

Stop start usually specifies a gel / advanced glass mat battery and most modern chargers will have a mode to best charge these batteries .

Thank you all for comments :)
The charger I have borrowed automatically works out what type of battery etc and automatically stops charging when battery is charged.  
Realised I had not switched off CPU main off button!  At least I now know why battery is so low.  Not being a very technical soul I have found these issues slightly beyond me . . . and lockdown is not helping!
Again, thank you.

Just ordered this off Amazon cheaper, but might not arrive till end of July.

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That's the exact one I have, just slightly differently badged
I'm sure you won't regret it
Good Luck
Ian

IanH wrote:That's the exact one I have, just slightly differently badged
I'm sure you won't regret it
Good Luck
Ian

Thanks for the recommendation Ian 


Apart from emergency light weight high output charging of leisure and vehicle batteries, it will also be useful to improve the performance of 12 volt low ampere hour gel batteries (motorbike type) that I use.
No doubt others will get the emergency benefits more than me - like my jump leads, tow rope, sand ladders etc.
Happy to help others though 

Richard

Baggiecamper wrote:Just ordered this off Amazon cheaper, but might not arrive till end of July.

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Arrived today 
Less thran 8 days delivery and on a Saturday with Royal Mail?
Tried on three motorbike batteries -  impressed so far.

8 days is very good and I would definitely buy one of those as I said in my earlier post.
By a total coincidence I’ve just posted the outcome of my eventual purchase in another thread.

For a bit of a laugh maybe someone can work out if your 8 day delivery for admittedly an 8A charger would have charged my 75ah battery quicker than the 4A charger I had delivered next day and took 30 hours 

In all seriousness, if I hadn’t have needed a charger quickly then that is a good result for what looks like a nice bit of kit.