baden87 Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Anyone know where to fiat Ducato /autotrail 2008 with ec 225 with battery master Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 baden87 - 2017-05-31 11:59 AM Anyone know where to fiat Ducato /autotrail 2008 with ec 225 with battery master Paul, I think a key part of your question has gone astray :-( Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 auto trail 2008 i want to fit a battery master or the like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Ahhh, I understand your original post now. Probably the best person to answer would be Allan of aandncaravan, why not drop him a PM or contact him via his website... http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/ Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 ok i will contact him thanks for the advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 The Autotrail has 2 leisure batteries , any one know how they are wired and where to ? They have 2 separate cables 1 for each battery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Depends if the 2 batteries are adjacent or separated. This link my help by Clive Mott a MMM electrical expert: http://www.motts.org/second%20leisiure%20battery.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 It's the standard auto trail wiring for 2 batteries , they are next to each other , but not connected to each other at the battery end of the wiring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Paul, I believe they are both connected back to the PSU to share the load. The best wiring diagram I can find is this one for 2007 Cheyenne and Frontier's which clearly shows 2 leisure batteries on the forth page... https://sargentltd.co.uk/tech-support/article/26/download/300 If you want further clarification it may be best to get in touch with Sargent. https://sargentltd.co.uk/contact Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 Thanks I gues I'm wondering if I need to connect batteries pos to pos and neg to neg actually at the battery end or the autotrail wiring sorts this, re charging from solar panel ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 I think you need to connect your solar directly to the PSU but this is where Allan may be better placed to answer, or try looking at the Solar pages on his website. Alternatively ask Sargent for advice, they designed the system after all :-) Keith. PS I personally would not be inclined to connect the 2 batteries directly together as this could have implications on wire size and fuse capacity if ever there was a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 I thought that was the standard way to connect 2 batteries ,obviously taking into account the amp rating for the cables and fuses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Looking at the wiring diagram, they are already connected, so you will be short circuiting the existing set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Sorry for being a bit thick but where are they connected in the psu I can't seem to get my head round this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Keith, thank you for the vote, but Battery Masters are not our favourite device. They cause us quite a few issues with short circuiting functionality, etc. They do work and were a valid option 10 years ago, but are inefficient. Much better ways of doing things these days without upsetting the more sophisticated electronics installed in modern Motorhomes. The best way to wire a Solar regulator for an EC 225 is to use the Sargent cable set (£21), see here : https://sargentltd.co.uk/shop/product/solar_connecting_lead_ec2252007/127 You can see from the picture it has all the connectors and fuses already built in. Connect the 'bare wires' to the Solar regulator and then plug in to the EC 225. Really simple to wire up so pretty much idiot proof. The wiring in total takes about 10 minutes. If only more professional Installers fitted them it would result in not only a better Installation, but would cut down the install time by a big margin, making the Solar install cheaper for the customer and more reliable. It can take a long time to manually run cables around the Motorhome from habitation and Starter batteries with multiple connections that are then hard to find when they break or corrode. For an Autoelectrician a non standard Solar Install can be a real money earner as it can takes hours to work out what was done, find the fault and then fix it. If it is done as Sargent and the Motorhome builder recommend all you need do in the event of a problem, worst case, is replace a £21 cable. If you are contemplating Solar, insist it is done as the Motorhome manufacturer and the Electronics supplier recommend. Don't assume that because the Dealer is doing it, it will be the correct way as few do it right. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Ok thank you , will it charge 2 leisure batts AND cab battery then ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 And where on the ec225 does it plug in then ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Allan, Thanks, that is exactly the info I had hoped you would reply with as you have first hand experience of these things :-) Paul, I believe your control panel can be set up to prioritise charge of starter battery over leisure battery or vise versa. You may need to change settings between in storage or in use but once you master the settings it should be easy to change. And both leisure batteries should receive equal charge from the PSU. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Keithl be gentle with me lol I had a stroke last year and my brains not as good as it was , could you please explain the procedure regards the control panel set up you talked about Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Where does it connect to the ec 225 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 OK Paul, thanks for explaining your situation. Unfortunately our AT is older so does not have this feature but hopefully it's detailed in your manual or another AT owner may be able to explain. And I think Allan would be best placed to explain where the lead plugs in, drop him a PM or wait until he reads this thread again. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 The instructions with the Sargent Cable set explain where and how to connect it up. Sorry I don't have details of the EC225 instructions, only the EC500 which may be similar and states, "3.4 Smart Charging The EC500 system incorporates a smart charge feature, which monitors both leisure and vehicle batteries and automatically adjusts and directs the charger power (and solar power if a solar panel is installed) to maintain the leisure and vehicle batteries at an optimal level. 3.6 Solar Charge Management The EC500 PSU incorporates a built-in solar charge management feature, which will control the input from a solar panel. Depending on the charge state of the batteries, the solar power will be directed to the required battery, and continuously monitored to ensure optimum operation. For this system to operate intelligently, the shutdown button should be left switched on. If the shutdown button is turned off then the solar panel will charge the leisure battery only". The 'SMART' feature that controls the above is the default setting on the EC500/EC480, so just plugging in the new cable should work, if the EC225 is similar in operation. The EC480 manual states : "SMART – This turns on the smart charging feature. The energy from the intelligent charger is automatically directed to the vehicle or leisure battery according charge state of each battery. SMART is the default setting. NORMAL – This setting will cause the energy from the intelligent battery charger to be directed to the battery selected manually on the control panel by the battery select button". A copy of the EC500 manual can be found at the bottom of our Sargent page : http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/sargent.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Thank you keithl for being understanding ,and aandncaravans , but as far as I'm aware there is no spare "holes" to plug the moles type connectors into on the ec225 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 "Molex " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Not fitted one on an EC225, so I think that is one you need to put to Sargent, but the method often employed by the manufacturers is to make up a cable set with a Socket and Plug arrangement that sits between an existing 'connection'. For example, you remove a plug (6 way Molex?) from the EC225 and insert the new cables plug into the now vacant socket. The Molex plug you removed from the EC225 now goes into a premade socket on the new Solar Cable. It is a efficient/reliable way of getting into the cable without cutting it. Looking at the photo of the Solar cable it does seem to have a Socket and Plug arrangement? Try and mount the Solar Regulator as close as you can to the EC225, trim the cable so it is as short as practical for maximum efficiency. The ones we have fitted are the cables for the EC325/EC328. That uses a dedicated socket on those EC units allowing you to take advantage of the Solar Regulator already inside the EC325/EC328 units, and at £13 for the complete cable that runs from the Solar Panel to the Sargent box, it just makes it so cheap and easy to install Solar, see : https://sargentltd.co.uk/shop/product/EC328solarlead/126 Does the above help explain why we are not big fans of Battery Master style devices? If you are fitting one or have one, there may be a much better way of doing things? Cheaper, more reliable (fewer connections and components) and more efficient. In some cases, you just need a bit of wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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