Elektroblock power supply unit

[yeti]

I have a 2010 Hymer Exsis with an Electroblock. I phoned Dave Newell a few weeks ago and was told that they were awaiting new stock,they took a note of my number.

Good enough Jackie phoned earlier this week and left a message to say they were now in. I returned the call and ordered one,it arrived yesterday-well done for excellent service.

It still beats me when you spend £60k+ on a motorhome the builders penny pince on something that costs less than £100!

Thanks once again Dave.

[peterandlinda]

Hi

 

Dave sold us one of these after he had sorted out our fridge last summer - easy to fit and we haven't had a problem since, despite Greek, Italian and French electrics, though this is a matter of faith, since we don't know what would have happened without it!

 

P&L

[david1949]

I sent Hymer a Long E mail about this thread and asked why a O V P 1 was not fitted as standard to all Hymers as i have just bought a mew Silverline 562 an am very concerned about this natter i also enclosed the E mail from Schaudt trade information about the O V P1 .

 

I now enclosing the E mail i have just received back from Hymer on this matter

 

We refer to your request dated 21.01.2011 and thank you for purchasing a

Hymer vehicle.

 

The overcharging protection unit Schaudt recommends is not included in the

serial delivery scope of our motorhomes because voltage spikes are not a

common problem in the first place. In most European countries, the voltage

from the mains is reliable. When travelling in Southern Europe, and on some

camping places, however, there is some risk of voltage spikes that might

damage the Elektroblock.

 

You are mistaken in your belief that Hymer pays for fitting accessories like

the OVP 1.

 

We hope we were able to help you with this information.

 

Mit freundlichen Grüßen, yours sincerely, sincères salutations, cordiali

saluti

 

Hymer Aktiengesellschaft

Kundendienst, After-Sales-Service, Service Après-Vente, servizio di

assistenza clienti

 

 

[Dave Newell]

Thanks to Yeti and Peter, we try to please :-D .

 

As for Hymer's response, Hmmm why am I NOT surprised? Despite Schaudt's advice Hymer "believe" there is no need for the OVP-01!

 

Of course the real problem is informing enough Hymer(and other manufacturers) owners/prospective buyers of the potential issues/costs ( of course any failures within gurantee period will be dealt with FOC) to make them complain/insist on an OVP being fitted before purchase.

 

We still have sotck of OVP-01 :D

[chris]

Received our OVP from you Dave. Thanks. Prompt delivery too.

Instructions are in German! Is there anyway you can direct us to English instructions via the internet. Working it out anyway but nice to have the correct version if it is possible.

Chris

[Dave Newell]

Try this,

 

Overvoltage protection OVP 01 application with leisure battery

The OVP 01 is designed for protecting 230 V

devices from the danger of excess or low voltage

e.g. lightning striking the mains power supply,

generator operated power, poor electrical installations

or when travelling abroad.

The OVP 01 is set between the power supply and

the Schaudt devices which need to be protected.

In a recreational vehicle these are the 12 V charger

system (Electroblock), the 12 V power supply

or a battery charger.

External devices can also be connected. Before

connecting ensure that the switch on and switch

off voltage is compatible with the device and

does not cause damage. The permissible connection

load of the OVP 01 may not be exceeded.

Up to two consumers can be connected. In the

event of excess or low voltage the device disconnects

the connected devices from the 230 V supply

within a few milliseconds. The devices are not

switched back on until the power supply has returned

to normal.

connection load: 2000W max.

switch off threshold for

overvoltage approx: approx. 265V ac eff.

switch on threshold: approx. > ca. 175V ac eff.

switch off delay: < 10ms

switch off time

for overvoltage: > 1s

Device connection switch off Dimensions Weight Order no.

load threshold H x W x D in mm in g

OVP 01 max. 2000W approx. 265Veff ~ 130 x 47 x 90 200 999.193

 

Taken from here: http://www.schaudt-gmbh.de/uploads/media/Schaudt07_GB.pdf

 

D.

[Keithl]

Dave Newell - 2011-01-28 1:41 PM

 

connection load: 2000W max.

 

D.

 

Dave,

 

Does that mean that you are then limiting the usable 230 volt supply in the M/H to 2,000 Watts (or just over 8 Amps as 2,000/230 = approx 8)?

 

If so is this made clear to owners as we regularly use near our full 16 Amps when on EHU in the winter?

 

Keith.

 

Edit. Just to add, before any bright spark pops up, that we do not continually use 16 A but do not have to bother turning the heater off to boil the kettle!

[Brambles]

 

Read and Digest!

 

"The OVP 01 is set between the power supply and

the Schaudt devices which need to be protected.

In a recreational vehicle these are the 12 V charger

system (Electroblock), the 12 V power supply

or a battery charger. "

[Keithl]

Dave Newell - 2011-01-18 6:12 PM

 

It is the 230V side that goes phut and it was a 230V vacuum cleaner plugged into a socket in the motorhome in question as I understand it.

 

D.

 

I was only asking as from an earlier post by Dave (above) it wasn't entirely clear whether the offending vacuum cleaner would have been plugged in through the PSU.

 

Keith.

 

Edit. And the spec above also says "External devices can also be connected."

[Clive]

It is only the mains supply to the Schaudt charging equipment that needs to go through the OVP 01. Everything else, mains sockets, fridge heating etc goes direct, NOT through the OVP 01. So your massive mains capability is not compromised.

 

C.

 

[Dave Newell]

As Clive says. Plus you have a second outlet on the OVP if you wanted to connect a voltage sensitive device such as a TV or computer, as long as the TOTAL loasd carried by the OVP is not more than 2000 Watts.

 

D.

[Brambles]

Dave, Does the unit come with an additional power lead to connect between unit and charger? And if so, what length is it approx?

 

It seems a very good price for a unit of this type. having searched for similar devices, any I have found are a lot more expensive... a LOT more.

[Dave Newell]

The OVP unit comes with a patch lead so that once you've disconnected the mains from the EBL (most are on a kettle type plug) and plugged it into the OVP input the patch lead then plugs into either of the outputs on the OVP and the other end into the EBL mains input. The patch lead is about 1 metre long.

 

D.

[Brambles]

Thanks Dave.

[cviclark]

Following the December MMM I decided to protect my Electroblock. However I wish to protect all the devices used in the van, not just the Electroblock and want to hard wire it into the mains distribution. I know my Fridge control board has been replaced and TV`s are also vunerable to voltage fluctuations. In my Hymer this is easy as there is space next to the trip switch in the boiler cupboard. This could be fitted between the Mains input to the van and the distribution panel to protect all eight spurs. As the trip is current operated it should not matter which side of the trip it is fitted. I have found a unit from Sollatek.com called the AVS30 which is rated a 30A, has a better spec. than the Schaudt OVP01 and is about half the price. Sollatek have a range of devices that could be used but I would rather hard wire than use plugs. Aparently this unit featured in MMM about 5 years ago but I cannot find the article. Does anybody know anything about this product? I begrudge spending over £90 on the Schaudt unit to fix a problem they should designed out of the original product.

[Brambles]

Hi, I have had a look at all the information and specifications I can find for the sollatek units and nowhere can I find the specification for what they call the blind time. The time it ignores a fault such as low voltage before it switches off. The time before switching off to switching back on is defined and is adjustable between 10 seconds up. There is also a delay of min 15 seconds when switching on. This is not the same as the OVP which switches off within 10mS of detection and min of time before switch on after fault of 1 second.

 

So with a momentary fault condition the OVP switches off and back on again more or less as soon as fault is cleared. The Sollatek unit will give a very noticeable delay and the time to switch off after fault condition occurs is not specified. There is no way of knowing if this will protect the Schaudt power supply system because no one seems to know what fails and why it fails except related to low and over voltage. If the 'blind' time is excessive it is possible the Schault sytem could still be damaged. I say possible because I just do not know.

I agree it looks like a good unit, but with no minimum blind or maximum blind time specified some more research is needed. Also thought given to the delay before power is returned and the delay when 1st switching on as could be seen as an inconvenience.

Regards,

The Devil's Advocate.

 

[pieterv]

The Sollatek website does specify a response time: 10ns to surgers and spikes and 20ms to over-voltage (which is double that of the Schaudt OVP1).

 

Wonder if the 20ms is quick enough to save the Elektroblock, though?

[Brambles]

Must be well hidden as I still cannot find the response time.

[Dave Newell]

The Sollatek unit looks good. Response time for over voltage is quoted as <20ms (its in the brochure download Jon, not the mnaual as you might have expected) and response time for surges/lightning strikes is quotes as 10 nano seconds.

 

A few observations:

Positive:

It is cheaper than the Schaudt OVP by £28.28 when you take into account P&P charges. (compared against my price for the OVP as I have no idea what anyone else charges for it)

It has a higher current capacity than the Schaudt OVP.

Its British.

 

Negative:

It has to be hard wired into the circuit whereas the OVP simply plugs in between the incoming mains and the charger unit (EBL).

Unless you are conversant with electrical installations you will need a sparky to wire it in for you which is likely to cost a fair bit more than the £28.28 saved.

 

So for anyone who is capable of wiring one into their motorhome I'd say go for it, otherwise owners of motorhomes with Schaudt electrics are advised to go for the OVP from Schaudt.

 

D.

[lennyhb]

Dave Newell - 2011-02-18 7:25 AM

 

Its British.

 

D.

 

No, it's Chinese if you want to buy in large quantity loads of Chinese brokers offering it.

 

 

[Brambles]

Thanks Dave.

I am sure I looked at the Brochure as well, anyway found now. Low voltage response is 0.5 Seconds but brown out is 20mS.

Anyway, yes, it looks good. Just the delay to switch back on and intial power up delay is a characteristic to be aware off. Maybe the OVP01 has similar other wise you could get situations where the power supply is so bad your equipment contantly powers on an off every few seconds which cannot be good for it...so maybe this is better.

You can always use the plug in version (7 Amps, 1.6Kw approx) or buy some flying IEC connectors (IEC conectors with leads) and wire it up with them or have someone do that for you, and then it becomes easy to fit in Van and easily removeable etc.

Jon.

 

[Dave Newell]

Yes there is the plug in 1.6KW unit but it uses a standard 13 amp plug/socket so not an easy and direct fit to Schaudt equipment. By the time you've messed about buying alternative plugs and leads and then payed someone to wire it up for you it'll be as expensive or worse than the Schaudt OVP.

 

D.

[Brambles]

..and if the schaudt equipment still failed they would turn round and say you should have fitted the OVP. So the OVP01 does give you a better leg to stand on in a claim for repairs.

[cviclark]

I begrudge buying an OVP1 at £100 from Schaudt as I think they should

have designed this sort of protection into the Electroblock. The

additional cost of the components would be very small at munufacture.

However as so many have had a problem I am not going to take the risk

of doing nothing. I have found a UK product with a spec. as good or better than the OVP01 from Sollatek called the AVS30 which at £48 is half the

price and rated at 30A and stocked by RS. This could be hard wired to protect the whole van not just the Electroblock. Fridges and TV`s are also vunerable to voltage problems. The OVP01 is fused at 10A and while this is adequate for any single spur some supplies can give 16A. The Sollatek was reported some

years ago in MMM but I cannot find the report. Has anybody had any

experience of this product?

 

 

[Dave Newell]

The OVP is £90.78 from us including P&P, you don't have to go to Schaudt directly or Hymer UK for that matter. As has already been explained Schaudt recommend that an OVP 01 be fitted as a matter of course but motorhome manufacturers seem to believe they know better.

 

As you are obviously capable of wiring in the AVS30 unit all I can say is good for you, well done that man (or woman as the case may be :D ) but the majority are not capable of doing so and by the time you've added in the cost of paying a sparky to do it for you the OVP actually works out cheaper. Plus, as Jon points out if a subsequent fault wrecks the EBL unit you stand much more chance of getting it sorted under a warrnaty if you have Schaudt's own protection unit installed than if you have a third party item installed.

 

I thank you for bringing the Sollatek unit to our attention, I for one had not found it and the specs do look good, but only if you can install it yourself.

 

D.