Can Someone Help With The Leccy Spec For My Camper Conversion Please?

[Teesix]

So the van gets converted in Feb and the package I've gone for includes these electrical things:

1. Exide es900 900wh gel battery
2. Durite 0-727-33 12 volt 140 amp charge relay
3. 20 amp circuit breaker
4. 15 amp wurth fuse holder
5. 12 volt relay
6. 18 metres black flexible conduit
7. 19 metres 6.0mm bs6231 red tri rated cable
8. 4 metres .75mm bs6231 red tri rated cable
9. 1 metre .75mm bs6231 green tri rated cable
10. Sargent ec155 power supply unit ec50 control panel 240 volt and 12 volt harness
11. 240 volt hook point
12. 2 x 3 pin slimline power points
13. 12 volt charge socket
14. 6 x flush round led lights
15. Flush round bed light
16. Lab craft nebula strip light
17. Waeco cr50 compressor fridge
18. Carbon monoxide alarm
19. Under seat battery bracket
20. Lots and lots of terminal connector and cable ties

In which areas would you advise me to upgrade? For example, the Exide gel battery is an 80 ah. I see a lot of members here are using 110 ah and so this seems a relatively sensible upgrade to start with. The rest I'm a bit more confused about.

I'd like to use the camper in off-grid/wild camping scenarios which would last around a week. A solar panel seems to be another sensible option for an upgrade but don't know if the Sargent ec155 deals with that side of things or if I need something better. I read somewhere on here that the Sargent units were no good for split charging the leasure battery. If that's the case what would you advise me to upgrade to? Do I even need an upgrade?

I'd really welcome members advice on what they'd do in my position. I obviously need to get this right at the beginning of the conversion rather than getting things upgraded later on.

.

 

[Pete C]

Are you doing the electrics and the physical conversion, or is someone doing it all for you ?

Pete

 

[Teesix]

No, I'm not doing it myself - way above my paygrade - 8Ball campers in Hull are doing it.

 

[Loz]

I would drop the relay(item 2.) for a DC-DC charger to start with.

 

[Teesix]

Thanks Loz.

I did see your thread on that subject. Very useful and has convinced me I should have one. Is there a particular brand or model to go for?

 

[Loz]

Ask Martyn @travelvolts he has the latest on this.. I'm very pleased with my Redarc.

 

[Dellmassive]

I would drop the relay(item 2.) for a DC-DC charger to start with.

I'd second that. +1 for a DC-DC charger.

We have the Redarc1240lv

 

[Teesix]

Thanks Dellmassive

Would that model be able to deal with trickle charging the leasure battery too?

 

[Davenjo]

80ah battery is probably due to physical space limitations under seat, eg. if heater outlet also installed under there.

If stuck with 80ah definitely look at solar.

 

[Dellmassive]

Thanks Dellmassive

Would that model be able to deal with trickle charging the leasure battery too?

Yes, but only when engine running... separate charger needed for charging on EHU.

 

[Teesix]

Yes, but only when engine running... separate charger needed for charging on EHU.

Ah, OK.

I was under the impressionn that the EHU would charge the batteries too.

How about the solar panel. Would the Redarc be able to manage a trickle charge from that to the battery when stationary, or would I need the seperate charger for that too?

 

[Teesix]

80ah battery is probably due to physical space limitations under seat, eg. if heater outlet also installed under there.

If stuck with 80ah definitely look at solar.

Thanks Davenjo

Never thought of that. The heater is certainly set to go under the seat so looks like I'm stuck with the smaller battery. I could put it somewhere else but that would no doubt compromise on the all importat storage space.

 

[travelvolts]

I doubt that the 80 ah battery is significantly small enough to make enough to make a difference to the available space for heater ducting. The fact that your convertor has speced a Durite relay sets alarm bells ringing for me. Are you sure that he knows what he is doing? There is no way that you will get a week off grid with this set up!!
The electric hook up will maintain a full battery but will not charge a depleted one. This is down to the EC155 not being equipped with a proper charger.

 

[andys]

Be lucky to get more than 2 days without driving with that setup unless you're also adding a decent sized solar panel and booking decent weather

 

[Dellmassive]

Ah, OK.

I was under the impressionn that the EHU would charge the batteries too.

How about the solar panel. Would the Redarc be able to manage a trickle charge from that to the battery when stationary, or would I need the seperate charger for that too?

Yes you can integrate solar with A redarc dc-dc charger.


Have a word with @travelvolts and look at the site, to go over your spec before you comit.

https://www.travelvolts.net

Solar and dc-dc will help top up batteries when the sun is shining or driving.(parked up with the engine ticking over doesn't work anymore with smart alternators)

A proper smart 240vac dc charger would be needed to charge the batteries via EHU.

Additional batteries Will enable a longer run time off grid.

 

[Teesix]

I doubt that the 80 ah battery is significantly small enough to make enough to make a difference to the available space for heater ducting. The fact that your convertor has speced a Durite relay sets alarm bells ringing for me. Are you sure that he knows what he is doing? There is no way that you will get a week off grid with this set up!!
The electric hook up will maintain a full battery but will not charge a depleted one. This is down to the EC155 not being equipped with a proper charger.

Thanks for the advice, Travelvolts.

Actually, the above spec is the standard conversion from that company. I think it's probably good enough for the odd night away but, as you've said, not really up to a week away. That's why I'm using this opportunity to establish what I need for upgrades to that package before it goes in for the conversion.

The convertors are 8 Ball Campers and appear to come with some healthy recommendations from some members here. I'm hoping I haven't made a wrong decision to go with them! I'll see what they've got to say about the EC155 not being equipped with a proper charger but I'm sure they'll probably say that any upgrade from the original spec is possible, as most of the convertors seem to.

 

[Teesix]

Be lucky to get more than 2 days without driving with that setup unless you're also adding a decent sized solar panel and booking decent weather

Thanks Andy.

Yeah, the soloar panel I can order. Not so sure about the weather though lol.

 

[Teesix]

Yes you can integrate solar with A redarc dc-dc charger.


Have a word with @travelvolts and look at the site, to go over your spec before you comit.

https://www.travelvolts.net

Solar and dc-dc will help top up batteries when the sun is shining or driving.(parked up with the engine ticking over doesn't work anymore with smart alternators)

A proper smart 240vac dc charger would be needed to charge the batteries via EHU.

Additional batteries Will enable a longer run time off grid.

Thanks Dellmassive. Very useful to learn.

I'm just off to have a peruse of his site....

 

[travelvolts]

https://www.travelvolts.net

Solar and dc-dc will help top up batteries when the sun is shining or driving.(parked up with the engine ticking over doesn't work anymore with smart alternators)

It should do and be better than a relay system as the DC to DC takes power from the vehicle battery, not the alternator so is therefore not dependant on alternator speed.

 

[Dellmassive]

https://www.travelvolts.net

Solar and dc-dc will help top up batteries when the sun is shining or driving.(parked up with the engine ticking over doesn't work anymore with smart alternators)

It should do and be better than a relay system as the DC to DC takes power from the vehicle battery, not the alternator so is therefore not dependant on alternator speed.

Yep, typo on my side.

I was referring to the relay setup.

We was at Silverstone camping this year and run down the leisure battery. We had a T6 and a Mazda, both with smart alternators, we hooked up a set of jump leads to each motor and a leisure battery each.

After 45mins ticking over the leisure batteries had taken next to no charge and were fla6 again after running the beers fridges for a hour or so..... the moral of the story was that it takes more than 45min to charge a depleted battery, and Totaly agree that if we had a DC-DC charger instead of jump leads it would help..

Next time were taking the stealth Honda generator and the Noco 15amp charger to do some stealth Day time charting.

We now also have a couple of portble 100w Renogy Suitcase solor kits.