Charging method and criteria

Bill wrote:Along with a few problems I am still trying to understand some of the workings of my new to me and first campervan my 2017 Symbol !  This is after 40+ years of caravanning !!

The Symbol is completely standard as it left the factory and supplied with the smallish (?) leisure battery and 80W roof mounted solar panel.

I am unclear how the battery charging works and assumed that when say the Leisure battery is fully charged the charging goes to the vehicle battery to keep both full.  Is this the same on solar and EHU ?  The Sargant control panel has a switch so you can change the battery being charged but if I had flattened the Leisure battery I wouldn't want to use the Vehicle battery and jeopardising being unable to start the vehicle.

I would welcome some help and advice.  Many thanks.  Bill

I don't know if you have got the answers you want.  This instruction on Sargent's website explains quite a bit:
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If your EC500 is shutdown, all your solar charge and mains charger output (if connected to an EHU) will go to your leisure battery which will also be under no load.  If your EC500 is not shutdown, your leisure battery will be under a constant load from the EC500 and therefore will need charging either from the mains charger (if connected to an EHU) or the solar panel if there is enough sun which there isn't at this time of year.  You will also be able to switch the charge to smart, which should automatically select which battery needs charging, or manually switch the charge to whichever battery you want.  If off-grid smart isn't that smart so in the summer its better to manually select which battery receives the solar charge.  As already stated, in the winter there is insufficient solar charge to compensate for the EC500 load and any other 12V load.  This document might also help:
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rgermain wrote:the solar panel if there is enough sun which there isn't at this time of year. 


I think I have misread this, as my 120w panel connected to a MPPT and EC500 shut down when van not in use has kept both my batteries fully charged for the last 3 years with never having to use EHU, apart for 1/2hr before we go out for the day to heat water.
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Richard

My clumsy wording.  My comment was made in the context of the EC500 not being shutdown when at this time of year the 80W panel on its own will struggle to keep the leisure battery fully charged due to the EC500's constant load.

IanH wrote:

rgermain wrote:the solar panel if there is enough sun which there isn't at this time of year. 


I think I have misread this, as my 120w panel connected to a MPPT and EC500 shut down when van not in use has kept both my batteries fully charged for the last 3 years with never having to use EHU, apart for 1/2hr before we go out for the day to heat water.
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Richard

I never understand this either Richard.
Although I have a 240v socket right next to its launch pad, it is only ever used to pre cool the fridge prior to departure on a trip. On 5 different vans now, 4 with 100w and this one with 160w both VB and LB have been 100% full all year round.
Sure if you wanted to camp on the shortest day and want to use a lot of electrical power then it'll be different, but we don't so all the solar has to do is maintenance charge to both batteries

In fact, at present, my 160w panel is off the truck for warranty work and a spare 23w one we have is doing the same job, perfectly adequately, I will admit we aren't using the van but it is still doing the maintenance charge work just fine.

I

You don't have the power hungry EC500/EC700.  When the van is in use, it has to be on (unless you carry out major electrical modifications).  In the winter months the supplied 80W solar panel and its single output regulator working through the EC500/EC700 generates less power over time than the EC500/EC700 uses.  I understand this is worse with the EC700 (which I have) than the EC500.