# Fed Up (Sargent EC200 / Truma) problem



## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Hi guys, wonder if anyone can give me a few pointers??

Supposed to be off to the South of France for 6 weeks after Xmas, but its looking although we may ave to delay departure...

Background is as follows...
2005 swift kontiki 650
EC 200 control unit
Truma heater...

Decided to run the heater today to give the van a good airing...

So gas on, hook up able in, battery charger switched on...
Turn heater control to heat only, set thermostat and wait for burner to ignite and heating to fire up...

System fires up just fine, set temp and go and have a cup of tea...
An hour later returned to the van, lovely and warm, heat flowing nicely from vents....

Go back for another cuppa and order all my new LED lights..

Go back to the van..... Now stone cold, no heat no blown air..

Mmmm.. Start checking the basics, and the 10amp fuse for the fans has blown..... I replaced the fuse and it blew again....

So this time I shut everything down, hook up removed heater control off control panel off..
Replace fuse... Fine

Now the problem..... As soon as I switch the EC200 panel button on, I hear a big crack, and fuse blows again.... Heating not even switched on.
Tried twice more and same result....

Everything else controlled by the EC200 is fine.... Front lights, rear lights, water pump, awning light battery charger etc etc all running fine..

My gut feeling is I have a dead short at the fans, but happy For some advice..
Any ideas??


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I think you may be out of gas, or very low.
Alan


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

No.... Plenty of gas.... Bottle is full...


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I think your gut feeling is correct,it sounds like a short circuit on the fan circuit,most likely problem would be near the fan imo,can you disconnect at the fan(and check the wiring there) and try replacing the fuse again.

That way you can locate the fault more accurately,if the fuse blows again it would prove the wiring from the psu to the fan is short circuiting,then you would have to disconnect the fan supply at the EC200 psu and try again.

ps-you say ''fans'',have you got more than one.?


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## DJP (May 9, 2005)

Sounds like the boiler overheated. My boiler used to shut down if it was on full blow form more than an hour or so, especially if some of the butterfly valves are closed to push the air to other parts of the van. Does it work again after it has had chance to cool right down?


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## tyreman1 (Apr 18, 2008)

Give Sargent a ring on their technical hotline number and they might be able to point you in the right direction,i found them really helpful regarding a charging querie that i had.


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Thanks for the tip Steve... I'll disconnect the fan....at the fan..
Pretty sure there is only 1, 
Sorry for the confusion, I was using the terminology from the Control unit lablel that says "fuse 4" 10 amp Fans... 


DJP.... Pretty sure it didn't overheat, I've run it for hours and hours in the past....
All butterfly's were open

Tyreman... Thanks for the tip... I'll see how I get on by disconnecting the fan first....


Looks like my trip to France might be on hold  

My first continental trip... Been planning and looking forward to it for weeks... And this happens...

I suppose I should be greatfull it's happened now and not while we're away


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Just got back in from checking the fan connector out....

Looks like that's the problem.... Disconnected the fan, checked all contacts.... And no shorts....

Contacts themselves looked a bit dull and furry, so I cleaned em up.. Put it back together and it seems to be working... Ran it for half an hour no problem..

I'll give it a good long run tomorrow, got a bottle that needs using up, so hopefully it was just a bad connection...


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Well done Enock.

Don't even consider postponing your trip to France.

If you have got it running again the problem area has been identified, and if necessary it will be quick and easy for a mobile engineer (or your dealer) to fix it permanently . . . now you can point them in the right direction.

Have fun in France - it won't be your last trip I am quite sure! :wink: :lol: :lol: 

Dave


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Cheers Zebedee... 8) 

We're planning on having Xmas dinner up at lligwy beach in Anglesey...
So we'll probably go up on Saturday, and really give the van a workout..

If she shapes up ok... Then France here we come..... I'm determined to celebrate my 50th at the Millau viaduct at the beginning of Feb...


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Enock said:


> Cheers Zebedee... 8)
> 
> We're planning on having Xmas dinner up at lligwy beach in Anglesey...
> So we'll probably go up on Saturday, and really give the van a workout..
> ...


Happy 50th when it comes around, are you going to use the Aire in the town at Millau?

If so, enjoy the 4am wake up from the dustbin men :lol:


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Yep planning on staying at the Aire.....


Whereabouts in west mids are you???

I'm near Oswestry... 8)


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## tyreman1 (Apr 18, 2008)

Well done Enock,have a fab holiday,we're off to France in May.......really looking forward to it.


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Enock said:


> Yep planning on staying at the Aire.....
> 
> Whereabouts in west mids are you???
> 
> I'm near Oswestry... 8)


West Brom, Boing Boing


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Well done Enock, it is a great feeling when you find a problem and fix it.
It is lovely in Millau in the summer but I guess it is fairly high up in the hills and could just be a tad cool in February. Will you need snow chains?
:? 
Alan


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Well it looks like our Truma, Sargent, issues are ongoing...  

Fuse still blowing, at random intervals, so took the van to the local repairers, where it has been for the last month... Trying to track down a very evasive electrical problem...

It seems, they think they've fixed it, then come in the next day, switch the heating on and it works fine....a few hours later they find the fuse has blown again...

They called today to say that the fault is definitely not in the Truma, but could be the the wiring between it and the EC200, or the EC 200 itself..

Both Truma and Sargent have been very helpful with the chaps at the repair place, but because so much of the control systems is integrated circuit boards, the only way to test is to substitute...

Getting pretty fed up within all to be honest....


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi Enock, how are you getting on? please drop me an email if you need me to try to assist.
[email protected]

Best regards
Ian Sargent


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Sargent said:


> Hi Enock, how are you getting on? please drop me an email if you need me to try to assist.
> [email protected]
> 
> Best regards
> Ian Sargent


Hi Ian.... Thanks for getting in touch..... The saga continues.... The PSU has been sent back to yourselves for repair.... (Broadway leisure Wrexham)..... And on refitting, the fuse still blew....

Shaun has been very patient, and he believes he's finally tracked the fault to the fridge fan.....it appears that when this is disconnected everything works ok....

So it looks as though there were a number of faults, (I'm not sure that the PSU was the main culprit) but it should be ok now.....
At least the fix on the PSU, and the EC200 means that my engine battery can charge now...... Something its never done since I've owned the van...(I didn't realise that it was an enabled feature) my loss I suppose, because if I'd have known I'd have taken the van back to Glossop whilst it was still under warranty...

One thing I am disappointed about though, is that I can't run my heating on the move.....
I'm aware of the EU rubbish, but my cousin can run his on his Burstner...so what's the difference...??
My van is 7 years old, isn't under any type of warranty, I should be able to modify it to suit my needs..... It's bloody freezing relying on the cab heating....
I suspect when I come to change I shan't be replacing with a UK van...

Thanks for taking the time to get in touch...


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi Enock, good to hear that you have got somewhere with the fault finding.
The main problem with having the heating operating when the vehicle is moving is that if you want the heating to run then you need a device to cut the gas off in the event of an accident? so if you are considering modifying the system to allow the heating to run please fit a device to perform this function. Another issue is that if during the ignition of the gas that if a spike effects the cab systems ie Anti-lock brakes, or control systems, then who is responsible?
If you would like to still allow the heating to run when the engine is running then please email me and I will try to assist.
[email protected]

Best regards
Ian S


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## tyreman1 (Apr 18, 2008)

Hi Enock,Burstner heating when driving doesnt use gas,its just like an extra heating vent in the habitation area that runs off the engines heating....Dave


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## Enock (Nov 11, 2011)

Well...... £750 quid later.... It appears the heating now works...

Expensive game this motorhoming... :roll:


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