# Flat batteries.



## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

Just been to my 2011 Autotrail and the engine and leisure battery were flat. It has been parked up for about 3 weeks. It has a factory fitted 80W solar panel and this appears to charging when I looked at the control panel. The shutdown button was left in the on position ( as recommended by Sargent's to enable the system to work intelligently )

Is this a normal discharge rate for this time of year? 
Nothing else was left turned on and we do not have a alarm fitted although we do have a Tracker fitted, but I believe this is powered from the leisure battery.

The Motorhome is in a storage compound so it is not possible to trickle charge the batteries.

And thoughts would be appreciated.

Nidge


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I only have 60watt solar panels installed but that is sufficient to keep both my batteries topped up when my motorhome is not in use.


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## DJP (May 9, 2005)

The problem is that all Auto Trail models from 2011 onwards had the new Sargent smart box/panel/charger fitted and in a move to improve the set up it was decided that the main function of the solar panels is to keep the leisure batteries charged, which is fine when the vehicle is used frequently. What the new set up does not do and where the pre 2011 models did do is switch the charge from the leisure battery/s to the vehicle battery when the leisure battery/s is/are fully charged, hence the problem of a flat vehicle battery. This charge or lack of occurs when the Sargent system is in shut down mode. If the Sargent system is left in standby mode the solar panel will charge both the leisure and vehicle batteries, BUT, there is a downside to that also. To leave the system in standby mode will use some power and at this time of year and over the winter months the system could be using more power than the panels are generating, resulting in........yes, a flat battery. I am told by Sargent that it is possible to fit a switch (2 wires) to the Sargent box to divert the charge from the leisure battery/s to the vehicle battery whilst in storage. The leisure battery/s should not go down if everything is switched off.
How this would affect your warranty I have no idea. It may be worth a call to both Sargent and Auto Trail expressing your concerns about this change to the set up as described as "product improvement"
If any battery is left flat for a period of time it will need replacing and may not be covered by your warranty.


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

Thanks for that DJP. 
I'm a little confused though by your reply. According to Sargent's manual 
the solar charge management will supply whichever battery requires a charge so what would the 2 wire switch do that the panel doesn't do now? or is it just the fact there is not enough light going to the solar panel ? 
However I will give Sargent's a ring to discuss the problem. Not sure it's worth speaking to Autotrail as my experiences with their warranties is non existent!!

Nidge


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

nidge1 said:


> Thanks for that DJP.
> I'm a little confused though by your reply. According to Sargent's manual
> the solar charge management will supply whichever battery requires a charge so what would the 2 wire switch do that the panel doesn't do now? or is it just the fact there is not enough light going to the solar panel ?
> However I will give Sargent's a ring to discuss the problem. Not sure it's worth speaking to Autotrail as my experiences with their warranties is non existent!!
> ...


You will find Ian Sargent most helpful indeed.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

My last motorhome was a 2010 Autotrail Cherokee with the Sargeant charging unit and an 80W solar panel. Even with a vehicle alarm I was able to leave the motorhome parked up in my drive for weeks on end in the winter with no other forms of charging other than the solar panel and with absolutely no loss of charge in the batteries. I made sure that I isolated the radio and Autotrail entertainment system using the isolator switch as these are a drain. Other than that nothing else. For all your batteries to drain in 3 weeks I think that you must have something drawing current and / or your solar panel is not charging properly.


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Have you a "Smart to Vehicle" setting on your Sargent Unit? As your vehicle is 2011 you may be lucky and have the pre -2011 unit.

To check I believe you hold down the yellow button to access an advanced menu and use the red button to scroll. It's been some tme since I've done this so others might be of more help.


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

Mike48 said:


> Have you a "Smart to Vehicle" setting on your Sargent Unit? As your vehicle is 2011 you may be lucky and have the pre -2011 unit.
> 
> To check I believe you hold down the yellow button to access an advanced menu and use the red button to scroll. It's been some tme since I've done this so others might be of more help.


Hi, I believe I have the 2011 unit and not the one you mentioned. Thanks for the info. I aim to speak to Sargent's in the very near future and see what advice they can give me. I will keep you all posted.

Nidge


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## readyforoff (Dec 28, 2013)

Hi nidge1, my AT apache has no solars and if I switch off the black button on the Sargent PSU it doesn't go flat if I leave it 3 months let alone weeks. I earn a living fixing things like this and have read a lot of threads through on here prior to subscribing. Contrary to general belief the Fiat base as supplied to converters is exactly the same as a Fiat van / car. It will not go flat when left parked if left in it's as built state. If it does it's because the converter (unlikely) or an after market installer has connected non factory circuitry to the starter battery.......if you are going to recharge the batteries recharge starter and leisure rather than just starter otherwise when you start up excess current to the flat leisure may blow fuses (2) on your PSU and one behind the driver seat in the EM40 fusebox........hope it helps..John.p.s. in winter sun probably best to turn off black button in storage as you would with an unsolared van.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

It could be something as simple as a light left on in a locker, or (like me) you forgot to switch the Fridge from 12 volt to 'off', left the door ajar and the fridge light is on.


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

readyforoff said:


> Hi nidge1, my AT apache has no solars and if I switch off the black button on the Sargent PSU it doesn't go flat if I leave it 3 months let alone weeks. I earn a living fixing things like this and have read a lot of threads through on here prior to subscribing. Contrary to general belief the Fiat base as supplied to converters is exactly the same as a Fiat van / car. It will not go flat when left parked if left in it's as built state. If it does it's because the converter (unlikely) or an after market installer has connected non factory circuitry to the starter battery.......if you are going to recharge the batteries recharge starter and leisure rather than just starter otherwise when you start up excess current to the flat leisure may blow fuses (2) on your PSU and one behind the driver seat in the EM40 fusebox........hope it helps..John.p.s. in winter sun probably best to turn off black button in storage as you would with an unsolared van.


Thanks for the advice. I had the same problem last winter and I thought I did turn the panel off. I will try it though and see how it goes.

Nidge


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

747 said:


> It could be something as simple as a light left on in a locker, or (like me) you forgot to switch the Fridge from 12 volt to 'off', left the door ajar and the fridge light is on.


Did check everything was off. However at my age I could have forgot something. Did have the same problem last winter so I do now double check to see if everything is off.

" Now then did I remember to turn my computer on" !!!!!!!

Nidge


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

Turn off the 12 volt side when not in use, I presume you have a switch on your management panel that will do this, the charging side from your solar panel will still charge your batteries.

On the engine side maybe take off the front of your radio, if you have a reversing camera make sure you have a kill switch that turns all the system off, the cameras remain live even if the monitor is turned off.. the flashing light on the dash will drain your battery but only over a long time and your solar will keep on top of that.

Your batteries should last ages before they go flat if nothing is taking power out of them, when you buy a new battery they are generally quite charged even though they may have been in storage waiting while they are sold.

ray.


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

rayrecrok said:


> Hi.
> 
> Turn off the 12 volt side when not in use, I presume you have a switch on your management panel that will do this, the charging side from your solar panel will still charge your batteries.
> 
> ...


Hi Ray and thanks for your input.

The Sargent power unit does have a switch that turns off the 12v power, however according to the manual if the switch is left to the on position the unit will charge both leisure and engine battery via the solar panel. If the switch is off then only the leisure battery will be charged via the solar panel.
The radio has no front to take off as it all integrated with the television/reversing camera screen, so no kill switch for the camera etc. 
No flashing lights on the dash either. As in my posting ......no alarm just a tracker which I believe is fed from the leisure battery. Hopefully when I speak to Sargent's they can throw some light on the problem.

Nidge


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