Replacement leisure batteries panel question

Glyne - are you saying that even with the solar panel covered (or working at night) when there is no output from the panel, it has to be disconnected from the controller before the battery is disconnected?  If so, it is impracticable to do this as the controller is buried in the EC700 as I assume it also is in the EC500.

Dbvwt wrote:

I did take it as a given that the ECXXX would also be shutdown but worth pointing out 

All the manual says is 'Always disconnect the 230v mains supply and turn the PSU green charger switch to the off position (button out) before removing or installing the leisure battery.'  It doesn't say shutdown the ECXXX and no mention is made of the solar charge.  

I believe the ECXXX can be left on if removing or installing the vehicle battery because all the solar charge can be switched away from the vehicle battery to the leisure battery.  The same could be said for removing or installing the leisure battery i.e. switch the solar charge away from the leisure battery to the vehicle battery but as the ECXXX normally gets its power from the leisure battery, disconnecting the latter whilst under load from the ECXXX could be disruptive.  That said, the ECXXX appears to draw its power from the vehicle battery when the leisure battery is disconnected.

I’ve changed my leisure battery recently and just covered it up. I think the EC500 was shutdown, I just assumed that was best practice.
I think the point being made is that you need to make sure the new battery and controller are connected first as the controller will then set itself for 12v working. The panel can then be uncovered etc..
At least that’s how I understand things!

Caraman as Spospe has explained had his battery damage as the controller set it self to a 24volt system and over charged his battery and the fitting instructions clearly say connect the battery first and the panel after and disconnect the panel first and battery after.
if a solar system is fitted correctly should have a fuse on the feed from the solar panel and not just buried as AUTOSLEEPER fit the system. working on batteries is a very high risk if not done correctly

Thanks Glyne.  I might just ask Sargent what they think.  The inability to disconnect the solar panel from the controller is I am sure of their doing.  Auto-Sleepers won't have a clue.  The controller Sargent fit might only do 12V and not 24V as well.  The Votronic I have fitted is only for 12V.  The 24V one is a different model.  That said, the installation instructions all say that the battery should be connected to the controller before the solar panel is connected so you would expect the same to apply in reverse.  Like Dbvwt I tend to think that covering up the solar panel so it has no output should suffice.  If nothing else it will stop the battery terminal from arcing when the connection is made and broken.

Had a bit of feedback from Sargent who acknowledge that the manual should say shutdown ECXXX before disconnecting and connecting the LB, although this is less important than switching the PX300 mains charger off and disconnecting from the EHU.  Shutting down stops the risk of arcing as the ECXXX load transfers to and from the VB when the LB is disconnected and connected.  Shutting down the EC700 will also ensure any solar charge goes to the VB and not the LB.  It appears the only way of preventing solar charge arcing with the EC500 is by covering the solar panel as all the solar charge goes to the LB when it is shutdown.  Sargent say they have no evidence of damage being caused to their solar controller by disconnecting the battery without first disconnecting the solar panel.  I can also confirm that the stated maximum voltage output of the Sargent controller is 14.4V so there should be no danger of this being exceeded.