# Sargent EC325 Power control system



## grandadbaza (Jan 3, 2008)

I have the EC325 Power supply Unit with the control panel above hab door , when the battery select button is pressed to select vehicle battery , and the mains are connected and it has a solar panel ,should the leisure battery receive any charge. 
I returned home on sunday lunch time and plugged van into mains , this morning I was walking past the M/H and I heard a buzzing noise , I went in the van and found that I had inadvertently left my 350w inverter on and it was buzzing ,indicating low voltage (there was nothing plugged into the inverter),the control panel indicated 8.4 v , I pressed the button to leisure batt and the voltage began to climb back up ,is this normal :?: :?


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Yes, I think what happened is normal i.e. no charge was going to the leisure battery. The manual for the EC325 says:
"BATTERY SELECT -
Use to select the Leisure or Vehicle battery. Press the button to toggle between the leisure and vehicle batteries. When a battery is selected this battery will be used as the power source and will also be charged by the charger. The adjacent LED is illuminated when the VEHICLE battery is selected; by default when the power is initially turned on the Leisure battery is selected and is indicated by the battery select LED off."


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## sixtybrx (Nov 23, 2011)

I to have a EC325 PSU with the control panel above the habitation door and a 35Watt solar panel connected.
With the vehicle standing on the drive, the reading on the control panel for both the habitation and vehicle batteries both read 12.4V. rising to 12.8V. later in the day with a recording of 'Good'.
With an EHU attached and the EC325 switched on there is no increase in voltage to either battery which one would expext.Is this normal for the EC325 unit? 
Menu Functions-Readings for the control panel instructions indicate a vehicle battery voltage of 13.3V. 
My previous motorhome also had a solar panel and recorded a voltage of 13,5V. on a sunny day, and on EHU the reading was soon up to 13.9-14.0V. 
:idea: sixtybrx


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Welcome to the forum sixtybrx.

Hope you are planning to subscribe as I want to send you a PM. 

If I ask the question here we shall go seriously off topic . . . and I shall be in the mire! 8O :lol: :lol: 

Dave


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## sixtybrx (Nov 23, 2011)

Thanks Peribro,
I have been studying the instructions for the EC325 and whether I select leisure battery or the vehicle battery, both show approx. 12.4V. in the morning and when the PSU is switched on there has been no significant change in voltage to either battery.
That state was recorded whilst away in the van on a EHU for a long week-end.
However, this morning, with the hook-up connected and performing the same switching on procedure with the PSU, the leisure battery shows 14.1V on the Control Panel and the vehicle battery 13.7V. :? Will monitor the situation and report on the outcome. sixtybrx :!:


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

My charger EC325 I feel has had an issue from day one.

I do have a solar panel but if on EHU th e voltage often goes to 14.6 or 14.7 but has been known to go much higher!

When charging the vehicle battery will often show 13V+ on the control panel.

My charging unit had to be returned to Sargents (via Chelston) last Tues a the unit was emiting an alarm when plugged into the electric.

It is only 4 yrs old and I've not had charging units go on previous motorhomes!

What is a real pain also is now having to wait for the unit to be returned as we can't use the motorhome without it. No 12v as charger controls the control panel etc.

It is now over a week and I haven't heard anything.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

I don't have the same unit fitted to my van ( we have the EC400) but before fitting a solar panel to our van I have read all I can from Sargent and spoken with various owners of vans fitted with Sargent charger/control units I have found that it does appear that some have solar panels that have been fitted as an after manufacture add on without making use of the "built in" control circuit that is within the Sargent unit. In reading this thread I am wondering whether those with problems and asking about them have the solar panel wired into the Sargent unit and controlled by it or were they fitted as a separate add on with separate regulator /charge controller.

The EC325 users manual says:

_The EC325PSU incorporates a built-in dual channel Solar Regulator that allows the direct connection
of a 20 to 100W solar panel without the need for additional components. The dual regulator charges
both the vehicle and leisure batteries simultaneously and connects to the PSU via a dedicated
connector on the base of the unit (see section 5.7 for details).
A connection harness is available from your dealer, the part number is 59065-07._

But only if the solar panel has been connected via the Sargent controller.

Mike


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

spykal said:


> Hi
> 
> I don't have the same unit fitted to my van ( we have the EC400) but before fitting a solar panel to our van I have read all I can from Sargent and spoken with various owners of vans fitted with Sargent charger/control units I have found that it does appear that some have solar panels that have been fitted as an after manufacture add on without making use of the "built in" control circuit that is within the Sargent unit. In reading this thread I am wondering whether those with problems and asking about them have the solar panel wired into the Sargent unit and controlled by it or were they fitted as a separate add on with separate regulator /charge controller.
> 
> ...


This is the way a solar panel should be fitted. However when I bought my new motorhome back in Nov 2007 the dealers did not fit the solar panel via the EC325 as they should have and did it via the battery! They are Autotrail dealers but didn't follow Sargents instructions.

That said if they had done I would not have anything keeping the batteries topped up now that I am without the charger!

So although a good system in one way it isn't any good if the charger goes wrong and the solar panel is wired in via the charger.

Don't know what the answer is. At least whilst we were in France although the charger was U/S the solar panel kept the batteries topped up.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

zulurita said:


> snip: They are Autotrail dealers but didn't follow Sargents instructions.


Hi Rita

It does look as though the error in fitting did prove to be a blessing in disguise ( as long as it did not affect the correct working of the Sargent charger, I wonder what caused it to fail :roll: )

If it were me who had your problem I think by now I would have contacted Sargent myself ...they are the most obliging company and are renowned for the most amazing customer service.

This is the sort of thing I mean:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-1145928.html#1145928

there are many more examples of the service that Sargent give ...that one was the first I found when I searched :wink:

Mike


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

zulurita said:


> This is the way a solar panel should be fitted. However when I bought my new motorhome back in Nov 2007 the dealers did not fit the solar panel via the EC325 as they should have and did it via the battery! They are Autotrail dealers but didn't follow Sargents instructions.


A well known and well respected on this board motorhome electrician fitted my solar panel, and recommended that I fit an independent solar controller rather than wire through the inbuilt Sargent controller, as he's had problems with them. Obviously I can't substantiate that either way, but I followed his advice...


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Rosbotham said:


> zulurita said:
> 
> 
> > This is the way a solar panel should be fitted. However when I bought my new motorhome back in Nov 2007 the dealers did not fit the solar panel via the EC325 as they should have and did it via the battery! They are Autotrail dealers but didn't follow Sargents instructions.
> ...


Thanks.

Yes I would be inclined to do the same in the future especially now the charging unit failed. I would have had problems in France if my solar panel had been wired/connected via the charging unit. And especially now with no charger insitu. At least I do have some charge via the solar panel topping up my batteries whilst waiting for the charger to be returned and fitted.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

spykal said:


> zulurita said:
> 
> 
> > snip: They are Autotrail dealers but didn't follow Sargents instructions.
> ...


Thanks Mike,

Yes Sargents seem to be very good at helping people on the forum.

If I knew it was easy to remove from the motorhome I would have done so and sent it direct to Sargents. I wasn't sure what the problem was or how easy the charger was to remove.

I had been told it was a missing temp sensor at the battery end which I fitted after it had been sent from the dealer. as the orange light went out I thought all was well until it came to me connecting the EHU and found the charger emitted an alarm sound some minutes later.

I just wished it had been sent for repair in Oct when I was there for the service. I thought as the orange light had gone out it was ok and so wasted a month. Just as well I found out now.

Just fed up that I am having to do two lots of 100 miles round trip on top of the service trip to get this sorted. Especially with the price of diesel these days.


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi Rita if I can help then please contact me directly and I will assist where I can.
[email protected]

If you can let me know which dealership has arranged the return of the unit I will track where this is at.

Best regards

Ian Sargent


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Thanks Ian.


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## sixtybrx (Nov 23, 2011)

This morning the reading on both batteries of approx 12.5V. so will try switching off the PSU a couple of times a day to establish if a fault within the PSU is present. The vehicle was new in Sept. complete with the solar panel fitted by the supplier, so will contact the dealer for their comments. 
:?: sixtybrx


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi sistybrx, I understand that you are carrying out some tests to establish if you have a problem or not, but if we can help then please send us a PM with a contact number on or call our technical people on Monday 010482 678981
I am sure that we should be able to help?

Best regards
Ian Sargent


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