martin h Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Hi, I need to replace my 10 year old starter battery and was wondering the safest/easiest way as I have a solar panel fitted? Is it just a case of removing the fuse from the regulator or is it more complicated? Thanks in advance. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Do it when the sun has gone down...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artheytrate Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Cover the solar panel with old piece of carpet or similar. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 If you disconnect a battery from a Solar regulator there is a risk that the Solar Regulator may suffer damage. This is because the Solar Panel is applying current to the regulator but when you disconnect the battery the power has no where to go, builds up inside the regulator and burns it out. This does not apply to all Solar regulators, depends on the design. We would suggest you isolate the Solar Panel from the Regulator before starting any work. There should be a safety fuse fitted soon after the point where the Solar panel cables enter through the Roof. Remove this fuse before starting work. Do not remove the fuse between the Solar regulator and the battery as this has the same effect as disconnecting the batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Does this mean that disconnecting batteries using the battery switch on a Schaudt Electroblok, with a Schaudt Solar Regulator controlling the panels, could cause damage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Depends on the EBL model, but generally the switch on the front, of say an EBL 100, only isolates the 'consumer devices' from the battery. It does not disconnect the EBL 99 from the battery, like from the 240v charger or the Solar charger port. These will charge even with the EBL 99 Off/Aus. Removing the Solar Power fuse in the front of the EBL may cause damage, hence the Schaudt LR1218 documentation saying, "1. Do not operate the solar charge regulator without a battery connected. 2. Disconnect connector ”Plus Solar module(s)” on the solar charge regulator before changing or removing the battery. 3. The solar charge regulator may only be used in buffer mode with lead acid or lead gel batteries with a minimum rating of 55 Ah". The switch on the front of the EBL99, 100, etc generally performs a similar function to the Control panel Power Off switch. We suggest the switch on the front of the EBL is not used as they have a habit of not powering the unit back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 I have an EBL101 with a solar panel and a Schaudt regulator. I need to change the leisure batteries. Last time I took them out the MH was in a garage (so no solar output) and I took the EHU out, then threw the "battery" switch on the EBL and removed the batteries safely, because everything was dead. But I lost all the Control Panel settings and so this time I was planning to leave an EHU connected, to preserve Control Panel settings, and then throw the "battery" switch - but the MH is now outside so there may well be some solar output. The engine battery will be undisturbed but I was hoping that doing this would allow me to remove and replace the leisure batteries safely. Is there nevertheless a potentially damaging risk of a voltage surge in the solar regulator as I throw the EBL battery switch? Ane are you saying that I should leave the EBL battery switch alone anyway, because using it risks switch failure on reconnection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 The two solar regulators that I have used, a Steca and an Epsolar, have both had the capability of running on either 12, or 24 volt systems. To set the regulator up properly, the battery must be connected first. If the solar panel were to be connected first, the quite high (circa 21 - 22 volt) output from the panel would confuse the regulator into thinking it was part of a 24 volt setup. The effect of this would be to overcharge the battery, as the solar regulator would be constantly trying to get the battery up to 24 volts. The advice that came with both regulators was to disconnect the panel first, followed by the battery and to reconnect the battery first, followed by the regulator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 So is it not easier and simpler to do what John said earlier on, just cover the solar panel so it is inactive prior to disconnecting the batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 The switch on the front is not a true 'battery isolation' switch. The batteries remain connected to the EBL all the time, regardless of the switch position. The switch function is to isolate the Lights, water Pump, Frost protection valve, etc from the battery. It does not isolate the battery from the EBL I know the instructions refer to it as a battery isolation switch, but it is a German to English translation issue. I have posted a wiring diagram of a Schaudt EBL 119, the 'just released' AGM version of the EBL 99, at the bottom of the 'Schaudt' page on our website : http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/schaudt-elektroblock.php. You will see that the battery is not isolated from the EBL charging circuits at any time. If you look you will see the Habitation battery is connected to the current Shunt and on the other side of the shunt is the main 12v Highway. Cabling goes off to the Mains charger and Solar charger. There is no switch anywhere between the EBL 12v 'backbone' and the Habitation battery where isolation might take place. You can still charge the EBL via mains or Solar, regardless of the front switch position. If you put the EBL on EHU when you disconnect the batteries, you run exactly the same risk of power building up in the mains Charger and then suddenly no where for it to go when you disconnect the battery. Some of the PCB's inside sme of the EBL units might cope with a sudden loss of output for the power, as they are designed to run without a battery for limited time (some of the Early EBL109 PCB's for example). But I would suggest most would pop. Even so,if the charger doesn't pop, you risk shorting it out and damaging it if the Battery leads accidentally touch or earth out during the battery change. safest to disconnect all 12v and 240v. Yes throwing the rocker 'battery' switch sometimes leaves the EBL dead and it won't restart. Unless you need to cut power to the Frost protection valve, which is this switches main function over just powering off at the IT/LT/DT control Display, then best not touch it. If you need to isolate the habitation battery, remove the 50A and 2A fuses near the habitation battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Cliffy - 2016-02-18 8:02 PM So is it not easier and simpler to do what John said earlier on, just cover the solar panel so it is inactive prior to disconnecting the batteries. To avoid the possibility of any output (even just a few milliwatts) affecting the regulator, I think it is better to disconnect first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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