# Noisy Sargent Charger Unit Interferes with Sleep and TV!



## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

Help please: 
I've just had the first habitation service on my 59 plate Autotrail Cherokee. I asked the dealer to look into a "buzzing/growling" noise coming from the Sargent charger unit that causes lines of interference on the inbuilt television! The noise is cyclic in as much as it starts every 15 seconds, lasts about 6 seconds followed by 9 seconds of quiet. The dealer spent 15 minutes trying, unsuccessfully, to convince me it was a noisy fan. He then said it had been oiled and would be okay! Needless to say the noise is still there. 
Has anyone encountered a problem like this and a subsequent solution? 
I’m reluctant to travel two hours to the dealer for them to try and “snow” me again. :twisted: 

Thanks in Advance and Kind Regards To All,


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

It shouldn't do that. Get your dealer to change the charger under warranty or speak to Sargent they often post on here also.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Ian Sargent is the man to help, you can PM him. I had the same think in a Mohican and the fan was so noisy I couldn't sleep with the charger turned on. I didn't get it fixed, the dealer said it was normal, Alan.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Yep.

My charger isn't noisy and appears to be working perfectly.

The noise I get comes from the telly, and follows almost exactly the sequence you have timed.

I shall be very interested to hear if Ian (Sargent) has any ideas - he usually manages to fix things very promptly. If it is actually a fault with the charger and not something in the telly or sat dish or a combination of the two.

Very puzzling - our dealer couldn't sort it out either but he didn't try to bamboozle me. He was absolutely open and honest about it . . . which is why he is our dealer! :wink: 

I may know more by the end of next week if Ian isn't able to help.

Dave


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## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

Zebedee, 
Thanks, my charger makes the same noise if the TV is switched off! So it's definately the charger.  

Cheers,


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Sounds like capacitor trouble inside the charger unit.

The manufacturer will be the best one to sort it out, as mentioned.


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi Knockluts, I am not sure about the "fan noise" but the fan speed is controlled by the microprocessor and when the charger is working at low speed this may ramp up and down but should not be audible.

We have investigated and even though both the PSU and TV Monitor pass their EMC testing some TV Monitors seem to be extra sensitive to noise. 

There is a possible solution specially for your unit by fitting extra filtering to the PSU itself; this would involve you removing the PSU from your van and returning the PSU to us for this special modification to be carried out.

I hope this is acceptable, and await your response.

Best regards

Ian Sargent


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

I'm not sure if returning it too Ian will help either. I had exactly the same problem, so I disconnected the PSU and returned it to Sargent. It got lost on the way with a box of shoes being delivered instead of the PSU. After a few weeks the courier payed for a replacement PSU. The new unit, which I was assured had the mod was returned to me. Unfortunately, the fault is actually worse. I gave up and switch the PSU off when watching TV

Stewart


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

Do you have a solar panel on your Cherokee? We've got 2X85 watt panels on our cheyenne 660, (same layout as yours, aren't they just the best?!) Anyway, since having them fitted in 2009 we've never had to have the PSU charger running when we've been in the van. Even when we've been living in the van in this country for several weeks while touring. In fact the only time we had to run it was when the panels were covered in snow in December.

It might be an expensive fix for the noise problem, but the benefits are worth it.


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## johnnybiker (Sep 29, 2009)

Hi, I also have a 59 cherokee which had exactly the same problem. the tv interference and noise is caused by the fan on the PSU charger which comes on when the charger gets hot. Switching the charger off stops the interference and noise. I went to Sargents who were extremely helpful and even swopped the PSU unit for one with the extra filtering. Unfortunately this did not cure the problem, I now switch the charger off when watching the tv which is the best cure. Opening the cupboard where the PSU is also helps as it keeps the charger cooler so that the fan does not come on.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Agree with Johnny. On mine the wiring from the freeview decoder to the head-unit/monitor runs under the PSU, and I found the fan kicking in caused interference on the screen. However, I also had a faulty PSU that seemed to arc when too much current was drawn, which was replaced under warranty. On the new one, the fan is just about audible, but the interference on the monitor has gone.

Paul


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## brens (Aug 11, 2009)

We also have a noisy charger in our auto-trail excel,we leave cupboard open which is annoying and we switch it off at night,will it do any harm switching it off. brens


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## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

Dear All, 
Thanks for your responses. I have PM'd Ian. 

Annsman, 
Yes we do have a solar panel on the roof and we are very pleased with it. 

Kind Regards,


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## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

johnnybiker said:


> Hi, I also have a 59 cherokee which had exactly the same problem. the tv interference and noise is caused by the fan on the PSU charger which comes on when the charger gets hot. Switching the charger off stops the interference and noise. I went to Sargents who were extremely helpful and even swopped the PSU unit for one with the extra filtering. Unfortunately this did not cure the problem, I now switch the charger off when watching the tv which is the best cure. Opening the cupboard where the PSU is also helps as it keeps the charger cooler so that the fan does not come on.


Hi, Johnnybiker, 
You say you had the same problem when the charger got hot. My problem is, it happens every 15 seconds, irrespective of the temperature. So in Spain last year at 35 degrees and in Chew Valley a fortnight ago at -5 degrees, the noise and interference cycles every 15 seconds! Logically, it is not as a result of overheating!

Thanks for your feedback,

Regards,


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## Locksmith (Aug 6, 2010)

*Autotrail Cheyenne 696G SE*

*I have problems similar in my 2006 Autotrail Cheyenne but the interference is on the radio. the unit itself is not to noisy and is very quiet if I close the cupboard it's in, I have always left the cupboard open when the unit is on as my thoughts are it may overheat although it stays quite cool. Somebody may be able to answer if it should be run with the cupboard door open.*


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

*Re: Autotrail Cheyenne 696G SE*



Locksmith said:


> *I have problems similar in my 2006 Autotrail Cheyenne but the interference is on the radio. the unit itself is not to noisy and is very quiet if I close the cupboard it's in, I have always left the cupboard open when the unit is on as my thoughts are it may overheat although it stays quite cool. Somebody may be able to answer if it should be run with the cupboard door open.*


Hello Locky,

We run our Tracker unit with the cupboard open during the day and closed at night during the winter.

It did overheat and trip out once with the cupboard closed, but we did have a lot of power on at the time.

(p.s. Totally "Off topic" but are you following Dougie's blog in Morocco?)


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## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

Update From Original Poster: 

Just fitted a replacement charger from Sargent and "Hey Presto!" no noise or interference. 
Many, many thanks to all at Sargent's for their patience, understanding and professionalism. 

Great Result. 

Cheers to all.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

Knockluts said:


> Update From Original Poster:
> 
> Just fitted a replacement charger from Sargent and "Hey Presto!" no noise or interference.
> Many, many thanks to all at Sargent's for their patience, understanding and professionalism.
> ...


Excellent,Sargent are one of the good guys on here,

Can you tell us how much the new charger cost ?

I have the same type and am the eternal pessimist


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## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

Hi Wakk44,

The charger was a warranty replacement.

Regards,


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