Dc to Dc charging

Just got our 21plate Symbol back from Sargent leisure at Beverley after having upgraded charging to latest van spec also had 100amp battery fitted, first class job,but not cheap

I’ve just finished installing a DC-to-DC charger myself. 

Frustrating that vans of our age didn’t have them fitted in the factory. They are now included in the spec but it took AS far too long to realise that smart alternators don’t put adequate charge into a leisure battery. Even worse, they started fitting Lithium leisure batteries with little thought for how the increased charging requirement was to be achieved. 

We’ve driven some long distances over the past winter with dipped headlights, windscreen wipers and fans running, trying to persuade the alternator to keep outputting some juice, all without success. I’m looking forward to being able to recharge a depleted leisure battery while driving, it’s not much to ask and all our previous vans managed it. All thanks to Euro 6, two steps forward and one back.

At least I’ve been able to upgrade the electrics myself and to my spec, rather than rely on AS to have done half a job. Electrical installation isn’t one of their strong points.

Given the similarity in front end layout between your Symbol and our Kemerton I’d be interested to know where Sargent located the DC-to-DC charger. Also, are you able to say what make of battery they fitted? I’m guessing you opted for a LiFePO4 battery.

I’m sure you’ll see a noticeable improvement in being able to keep powered up when offgrid. More to the point, if you have the same Whale Heat Air space heating as we do, you’ll know how power hungry its blower fan is. Look forward to hearing how you get on with the upgrade.

My next upgrade is to fit more solar on the roof.


Tim

Bendog wrote:Just got our 21plate Symbol back from Sargent leisure at Beverley after having upgraded charging to latest van spec also had 100amp battery fitted, first class job,but not cheap

Are you able to list all the individual changes? I think I’ve got it covered but just wondering if I’ve missed anything.

From what Craig at Sargent explained to me, the modified wireing loom is a dealer only fit , the split charge relay needs switching off .If you have active tracker it needs a mod . The charging rechem needs modifying.The charger is mounted next to where the battery is located.I supplied the battery,a 100amp hr Renogy. The rest was supplied and fitted by Sargents at a cost of £440.Hope this is of interest.

Yes, I’ve had Marquis do that under instructions from Sargent. The split charge relay can be switched off in the updated EC700 settings. I also replaced the solar controller with the newer MPPT one. The DC-DC charger is quite small and mounted near the EM40.

I was wondering if they had replaced the EM40 with EM41. That part alone is nearly £200, so it sounds like probably not. I just wondered because it is described as “EM40 upgrade for lithium battery or high current application” on their website. But if they haven’t, then it sounds like I won’t need to.

I know what I've spent on my DC-to-DC mod and £440 for parts and labour is quite reasonable.  

Tim

Mine was a bit over £500 but that did include the solar controller as well. I might not even be going down this route if not for the problems caused by the smart alternator, but that really needed fixing. A welcome side effect is that swapping to a LiFePO4 leisure battery becomes simple. But really it’s how it should have been built in the first place.

v8oholic wrote:
I was wondering if they had replaced the EM40 with EM41. That part alone is nearly £200, so it sounds like probably not. I just wondered because it is described as “EM40 upgrade for lithium battery or high current application” on their website. But if they haven’t, then it sounds like I won’t need to.

I wondered that too. My 23 plate Symbol has an EM40 fitted (complete with 20A fuse) but it does have the dc-dc charger fitted. I assume that you don't need an updated EM module if you have the upgraded wiring loom but I stand to be corrected!

I have had the same problems and what a nightmare it has been, nearly there now, I found that the main (now 30 amp)  fuse blown after a night on hook up took it back to the service center and discovered it was the fuse, was advised that I would have to live with fuse changing or swop the lithium for a lead acid battery.

Wasn't impressed so I rang Sgt and was asked about smart alternator, yes, I said, suggested B TO B, already fitted I said and then he mentioned was the relay turned off, I didn't know but I knew it wasn't on the control panel, ( i did ask last Tuesday if there was an update for the panel and told no) anyway, going in on Thursday to have the panel updated and the relay turned off so, maybe we will be able to go away and not have any more fuses blowing, this will be the first time in three years, glad I bought a motorhome of excellence.

Pete

Good luck! It should do the job. If not, I'll want to know, because I'm relying on that control panel setting actually working. As far as I can tell, it does.

I hope so to V8oholic.

It has been a pain and a very expensive exercise, Twice we have had to cut holidays short and travel back from Llanddudno, I were beginning to think that the cl we were on had an electromagnetic field and was blowing fuses lol 
Pete

I had the control panel upgrades last year, (CP49 for the control panel and 38 for the PSU) changed the fuse to 25A, switched off the split charge and selected Lithium battery and all working well. Changed the solar regulator to a Victron and fitted Victron B to B.
Van was fitted with smart alternator.

Hi Timsurf,
Mine is version 46 & 34 psu

Hopefully this upgrade and turning off the relay will stop the fuse from blowing, it doesn't happen every day but after a couple of nights on hookup by the time we arrive at where ever we got the 12 volt has failed, its usually the fuse that is attached to the wall behind the battery.
When they advised either change the lithium to Lead acid or just keep changing fuses, I thought that this is never the right way to go

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Pete