Battery charging/Sun panels Query

Help needed.....
Went to my Nuevo (in storage for last 12 wks) to start it up ready for the big off (hopefully). Found battery flat, so couldn't fire it up.

On taking it to storage, I followed advice from my dealer and turned the ignition switch back the extra turn (pressing the red button) to completely isolate the battery, but this does't seem to have worked.
Even though I have Sun panels (80w) on the roof, my dealer told me it was better to activate the battery isolation option, thus stopping the Sun panels from being active.
Ok. can anyone tell me in what situation the panels actually keep the batteries topped up, because it appears they panels don't function with the ignition switch turned to the isolate position, so what use are they ? or when do they actually do anything, because they are not needed when plugged into site hook up and and don't work when in storage (if I follow my dealers advice).
Anyone enlighten me?

p.s My van is a 2017 Nuevo (Oct)

Batteries will slowly discharge naturally even if there are removed. So isolating via the ignition switch probably worked and it is the right thing to do if your alarm, tracker etc are not fed from the vehicle battery. But 3 MTHS is to long to be left isolated without a top up from a solar panel, driving or EHU

Presumably the solar panels have kept the leisure battery charged? That's the purpose that they serve if you isolate the engine battery as you did.

Incidentally, in current light conditions, you would probably find that the solar panels would recharge the dead battery in a few days without any further action needed (other than to "unisloate" it and select the engine battery on the panel), as you're likely to be averaging at least 8 hours of good sunlight a day.

Roopert wrote:Presumably the solar panels have kept the leisure battery charged? That's the purpose that they serve if you isolate the engine battery as you did.

Incidentally, in current light conditions, you would probably find that the solar panels would recharge the dead battery in a few days without any further action needed (other than to "unisloate" it and select the engine battery on the panel), as you're likely to be averaging at least 8 hours of good sunlight a day.

Thanks Roopert....
Yeah, Leisure battery seems fine.
Are you saying that if I un-isolate the engine battery, then the panels will trickle charge the engine battery as well?
This would be good news as it's not completely dead (fans, windows, radio work) just not enough to turn the engine over.
Do you happen to know in what situations does the sun panel charge both batteries:=
i.e.
a) just parked up without isolating the engine battery, 
b) parked with engine battery isolated, 
c) parked with elec hook-up, etc)
otherwise what function does the solar panel perform and under what conditions/settings?
Thanks
Baz

Baz - [text corrected - it seems the OP's van is fitted with an EC500 controller].

I would say the best thing to do would be to read section 7 of your Owner's Manual, and then come back and ask if there are things that still aren't obvious.

One possibility is that your solar panel might not have been fitted from the factory and so may be connected in a different way - but the only way to know that would be to have a look around and see what is installed where. It will help if you have the original spec sheet for the van, as that should tell you if the panel was factory fitted.

Roopert wrote:Baz - as I understand it there were two different types of power control sytem fitted to the 2017 version of your van - the EC480 and the EC500 - and the exact way they work varies slightly.

I would say the best thing to do would be to read section 7 of your Owner's Manual, and then come back and ask if there are things that still aren't obvious.

One possibility is that your solar panel might not have been fitted from the factory and so may be connected in a different way - but the only way to know that would be to have a look around and see what is installed where. It will help if you have the original spec sheet for the van, as that should tell you if the panel was factory fitted.

Hi again roopert...
Thanks so much for taking an interest.
Sun panel def factory fitted. and is the EC500 model powerpack.
Can't check handbook as it is in storage some distance away, so will have to wait until another visit.
Baz

Ec500 on and set to smart solar charge uing the ec480 display control panel this will charge both batteries but only for 9 MTHS of the year as there's not enough solar in winter. It's part of the advance settings menu you can set it to leisure only, vehicle only or off

Your handbook is available at the link below. It wont tell you how to access the menu to configure smart charging.

https://orbit.brightbox.com/v1/acc-jqzwj/Auto-Sleepers/handbooks/handbook_documents/000/000/072/original/Nuevo-EK-ES-2013-handbook.pdf?1560167408

Thanks Woodlice....
will check that out