Space Heater Dorset ES and Battery advice

Hi all,
hoping someone may be able to explain the following, or at least confirm that I have 3 heater outlets in a 2011 Dorset ES (Symbol ES).

Whilst on a couple of nights in York we used the space heater in the camper but was surprised to see that out of the 3 outlets, only 2 blew warm air with the third blowing cold air.

We have one outlet by our 240v socket on the front/side panel of the offside seating near the oven. We have an outlet in the shower room. Both of these were blowing warm air as expected. However we also seem to have an outlet on the side panel of the nearside seat  lower down from the awning light switch and step switch, accessible with the sliding door opened. This outlet was blowing with the same force of the others, but absolutely stone cold air.

I dont see the logic of how this can happen if it is an outlet for the space heater, surely if the hose had come adrift there would be no forced air from that point. I am questioning if it is an out let for the heater and if not, then what is it. 
It has a metal grid rather than the plastic adjustable flap which the other two have. I cannot understand why this would only blow with the heater on because it seems counter productive having the heat on only for a forceful draught to be coming from beside this seat.

Finally, could anyone advise me on the batteries whilst winterising. I have the EC155 unit with the EC 50/51 control panel
If I hook up at home and select the Hab battery, would it be advisable to disconnect the Veh battery and put it on a smart trickle charger, or would the hook up look after both hab and veh automatically?

Thanks
Andy

Where is the inlet for the blown air system on a Dorset?

Roopert wrote:Where is the inlet for the blown air system on a Dorset?

I am not exactly sure where the heater inlet is, the hole by the sliding door certainly looks like it should be the inlet but it is definitely blowing forced air outward creating a draught.
The only other vents (cooker fridge water heater and heater) are all on the offside of the van and I believe the actual heater unit is situated beneath the oven, again on the offside of the van.

Andy

Is it actually blowing or are you confusing the airflow as sucking, sounds more like the air inlet to the heater to me...

andyfal wrote:I am not exactly sure where the heater inlet is

Every blown air system has to have one inlet, inside the van. So if you can find no other inlet, that is probably the air intake.

Thanks, I will fire it up later and check again.
Has anyone any suggestions on my battery enquiry?

Select which battery you want charged and leave the panel switched on, the charger does not do the two together.  If you have solar and a dual controller , that will serve both if sufficient light.

Thanks Paul, unfortunately I don't have Solar (no room on the roof). I will switch over on the panel every few days or so.

andy

Probably the simplest solution would be to fit a Battery Master or equivalent.

I believe that the EC155 is the first of the Sargent controllers to have a split charge relay built in so, unlike earlier versions, it's not so easy to fit a voltage sensing relay in place of the split charge relay.

Thanks Roopert, I have just taken a look at the battery master and think you may be right as it looks like I can then hook up at home, select the leisure battery on the EC51 control and the battery master will take care of the vehicle battery where there is an imbalance between the two.
Am I correct thinking this can be wired in at the split charge relay (assuming I can locate and identify the split charge relay)

Andy

BatteryMaster fitting instructions here:

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Cheers I will locate the split charge relay and take it from there.

As already said, as far as I can tell, the split charge relay is built into the EC155. I should add that I have never owned a van with an EC155, so I don't know from personal experience. But Sargent's documentation on that product suggests that is how it is designed.

I thought the battery master simply needed a connection to both batteries and an earth. You don't HAVE to use the relay...

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As you say Paul, it does, but the VanBitz instructions start by telling you to find the split charge relay. I don't think you will find a separate one with an EC155.

In that situation it may be simplest just to intercept the wires at the power connector on the EC155 (pins 5 & 6 - vehicle battery, pins 8 &9 - leisure battery), but I don't know enough about the wiring layout on a Dorset to know if that wiring is easy to access or not.

Looking at the wiring diagram in the handbook it shows the split relay separate from the EC155. However I have come to realise the handbook on these are to be taken with a pinch of salt.
I will have a look and keep in mind your advice of intercepting the cables to the EC155.
Cheers.

Paulmold wrote:I thought the battery master simply needed a connection to both batteries and an earth. You don't HAVE to use the relay...

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The batteries are some distance apart, so installing at the split charge relay would result in a much neater and easier install.
Andy

andyfal wrote:Looking at the wiring diagram in the handbook it shows the split relay separate from the EC155.

Ah, Ok - I was just looking at Sargent's example circuits for the EC155, which don't show a separate split charge relay - but it might be an assumption too far to conclude that it's within the EC155 itself. All later models have one built-in, but I wasn't sure about that specific model.

Different van but when I had a Nuevo I had battery master fitted in wardrobe where wiring from both batteries passed through, what I'm saying is you don't have to have direct access to the batteries, as in the diagram where it says 'connect to a source that goes directly to the battery.' Just trying to show there are easier ways than trying to find the relay.

Thanks Paul, I agree it could be put anywhere there is access to the specific wiring, but in my case it is identifying the specific wiring confidently. If I am at the batteries it is simple, same at the split charge relay, and again at the EC155. however knowing which wire goes where within the van behind a cupboard or under a seat is not as clear as at their termination points, more so the vehicle battery.

Andy

Roopert wrote:

andyfal wrote:Looking at the wiring diagram in the handbook it shows the split relay separate from the EC155.

Ah, Ok - I was just looking at Sargent's example circuits for the EC155, which don't show a separate split charge relay - but it might be an assumption too far to conclude that it's within the EC155 itself. All later models have one built-in, but I wasn't sure about that specific model.

Yes I have downloaded a copy of the unit manual and this states the relay is built in. I am gonna have to take a look when it gets warmer. I have a feeling the diagram in the AS handbook is simply a representation and the EC155 does incorporate the relay as in the Sergent handbook.

Ok - you know the connector to look for on the EC155, and you know the pin numbers (given above). That makes finding the relevant wires easy. Simply follow those wires away from the EC155 to a location where it's easy to work on them, and install there.

I've never seen the location of the EC155 wiring in a Dorset so that's oversimplifying, but that seems (to me) to be the simplest approach.

Thanks Roopert, as soon as I can get in the van I will investigate (we're all frozen up atm). In the meantime I have seen a Voltronic standby charger which does the same as the Battery Master but at a lower price and german engineering. So am researching that unit to order in readiness. I believe I will also need to purchase the cable and some 5 or 10 amp inline fuses, as there is no mention of the unit being fused as per the Battery Master.

andyfal wrote:Thanks Roopert, as soon as I can get in the van I will investigate (we're all frozen up atm). In the meantime I have seen a Voltronic standby charger which does the same as the Battery Master but at a lower price and german engineering. So am researching that unit to order in readiness. I believe I will also need to purchase the cable and some 5 or 10 amp inline fuses, as there is no mention of the unit being fused as per the Battery Master.

See previous threads regarding this, which may or may not influence your decision depending on what you wish to achieve - e.g:

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Roger - agreed, the characteristics do seem to be slightly different, if the product descriptions are correct. I can see pros and cons to both.

The one thing that annoys me a bit about the Battery Master is that not so many years ago it was £30, and now it's £70 + £10 shipping. Of course, inflation has taken its toll, but there still (to me) seems to be an element of "motorhome owner pricing" in there...