Pete-B Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Hi, Anyone got an idea what could be wrong here? I keep my van, an AS Warwick XL which is only a few months old in secure storage. Sargents advised me to get the leisure battery up to full charge then shut the system down and all the charge from the solar panel goes to the vehicle battery! I went over this morning and checked and the leisure battery was 12.9 and the engine battery 13.1 so both pretty much up to charge. I decided I would take it out for a good run. I know it's a bit naughty but my reasoning is, I won't stop or speak to anyone, just belt up the A1 and then straight back into the compound. Anyhow before I shut everything down I re-checked the battery levels on panel over the door, it told me the leisure battery was at 13.2 and the engine battery was 11.4 ??? how can that be. The system is, the Sargent EC700 PSU and AS Harmony management system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Rather sounds like the vehicle battery is not being charged by the alternator. Can you measure the vehicle battery voltage with and without the engine running? Keith. PS Did you turn the Sargent unit back on before going for your little drive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 If MH has a intelligent alternator it can for some strange reason lower the vehicle battery voltage. Our Ford Torneos are a pain at the moment. Stop start will not work if the battery requires charge. I used my intelligent charger and disconnected and then drove 220 Miles The stop start worked once. Voltage was lower on my return. Our other Torneo has been rebooted by Ford and I’m not sure if this one is ok yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-B Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 Keithl - 2021-02-24 5:09 PM Rather sounds like the vehicle battery is not being charged by the alternator. Can you measure the vehicle battery voltage with and without the engine running? Keith. PS Did you turn the Sargent unit back on before going for your little drive? Yes I did switch it back on before I went in order to use the rear view camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-B Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 Keithl - 2021-02-24 5:09 PM Rather sounds like the vehicle battery is not being charged by the alternator. Can you measure the vehicle battery voltage with and without the engine running? Keith. PS Did you turn the Sargent unit back on before going for your little drive? I'll try that tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 It may not be relevent but several yeras ago we had a car on which the stop start almost never worked. The dealer said that the 'intelligent' alternator only maintained the battery charge level by enough to start the car in order to save fuel by not generating battery reserves thatt were not neededl and that the stop start would only work when the battery was fully charged. It was, so they claimed. an 'environmental' issue to reduce fuel use by not charging when it is not needed and that I should not be concened and that a long run would remedy it. I suggested that more fuel is wated by not using the stop start facility in traffic than would be saved by a lower charging rate, but the makers 'experts' disagreed. It all sounded like bullsh#t to me in defence of poor design, sounds familiar, and long runs didn't make any difference, We have not bought a German car since 2008 and the Japanese cars that we have bought since have never had this (or any other) issue! My point being - is insufficient charging a design 'feature' which would be fine for a high mileage delivery van but not so fine for a low mileage motorhome? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-B Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 Tracker - 2021-02-24 7:52 PM It may not be relevent but several yeras ago we had a car on which the stop start almost never worked. The dealer said that the 'intelligent' alternator only maintained the battery charge level by enough to start the car in order to save fuel by not generating battery reserves thatt were not neededl and that the stop start would only work when the battery was fully charged. It was, so they claimed. an 'environmental' issue to reduce fuel use by not charging when it is not needed and that I should not be concened and that a long run would remedy it. I suggested that more fuel is wated by not using the stop start facility in traffic than would be saved by a lower charging rate, but the makers 'experts' disagreed. It all sounded like bullsh#t to me in defence of poor design, sounds familiar, and long runs didn't make any difference, We have not bought a German car since 2008 and the Japanese cars that we have bought since have never had this (or any other) issue! My point being - is insufficient charging a design 'feature' which would be fine for a high mileage delivery van but not so fine for a low mileage motorhome? I appreciate your idea but why has this not happened before? We managed to visit a couple of sites before lock down and I've run the van out 2 or 3 times and this hasn't happened before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Pete-B - 2021-02-24 8:07 PM I appreciate your idea but why has this not happened before? We managed to visit a couple of sites before lock down and I've run the van out 2 or 3 times and this hasn't happened before! Sorry, I have no idea, I'm just a simple country boy who does not understand either the need for or the techy bits about all this overly complex alleged progress! Our BMW worked OK for a year before the stop start failed to work for no apparent reason but according to the dealer it could only be due to 'the way you drive it, sir' . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Hi Pete, If I check the starter battery voltage on my CBE PC200 / DS520 system with the starter battery disconnected, I still get an acceptable, but obviously false reading. (As part of my B2B insallation, the starter battery input to the CBE DS520 is diverted externally to the fridge, when the engine is running.) Is it possible, that you have a faulty fuse, or connection, between your starter battery, and your EC700 unit?. Checking the starter battery voltage with a multimeter across the battery terminals, may reveal something. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 Pete has said that his Warwick XL has the “Harmony Utility Management System”. The Harmony UMS is a joint venture between Sargent and Truma and the User Instructional Handbook can be viewed here https://orbit.brightbox.com/v1/acc-jqzwj/Auto-Sleepers/asset_management/assets/assets/000/000/273/original/HArmony_UMS_Handbook_-_web.pdf?1561548376 Given the complexity of the UMS (and the electrical system of current Peugeot Boxers) I would have thought that advice on this issue would best be sought from Auto-Sleepers and/or Sargent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 A possible thought? From the OPs figures I am not sure there is any "madness", probably simply a case of both the batteries being in need of charging? The solar system might have been attending to each battery's needs and be in the "bulk" charging state, where even 13.1 Volts, let alone 12.9 are way off the value a battery nearing fully charged would be. Taking a voltage reading whilst the solar could be attempting to charge the batteries is of no value in assessing their state of charge. Sensibly, there should be no charge and have been no charge for several hours, for a voltage reading to reflect the SoC. That constant current charging phase is going to peak at over 13.9 volts, and with modern kit I would expect far nearer 14.4 volts, but the point I am making 13.1 is way off the needs of a fully charged battery. That might be down to modest sunlight, but the post run out suggests both batteries were in need of further charging. IMO, it is best to ensure the batteries first get a proper charge before concluding anything. Thought the engine battery post a run at 11.4 V is suggesting it at least really needs more charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-B Posted February 25, 2021 Author Share Posted February 25, 2021 An update on my battery problem! I went over to the storage site this morning, lifted the mats etc on the passenger side and checked the engine battery with my multimeter and pleased to read it was 12.7 V. It's still showed 11.4 V on the Harmony display but I did notice it was moving about with varied input from the solar panel so it's still active but not reading the correct values. I rang Sargents and explained the situation to them and they suggested it was worth trying a re-calibration of the system. They showed me how to go into advanced settings and do this but alas, it didn't work, so they said it would need a replacement PSU. So, it looks like a trip back to the dealer for this to be done under warranty at some time. Thanks for all your suggestion and possible solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.