Hi all - question about our converted T5 2009 that we have had for almost a month - specifically the electrics/charging/ECU/Leisure/solar system
Camped the other week (on ECU) and on Saturday afternoon messed about with the hand-set control panel of the 2kw heater passenger seat. It's blue tooth connected and was so complex that I pressed most of the buttons and then gave up, as I doubted I'd need to use it for a months yet
Fast forward to 3am Sunday morning and woke to the 2kw heater on full. (yes, I must have pressed some kind of preset to turn on when below a certain temp or time?)
Anyway, couldn't figure out how to turn it off so just took batteries out of the hand set, as I couldn't reach the 3 pin plug of the heater under driver seat.
So far , so simple and explicable. But when looking for the heater hand-set I turned on the in-built cab light over the sliding door (not the 12V led's) - it stayed on for 30 seconds and then cut out. Back door one wasn't working either. I couldn't try to see if the van would start (it was 3.10am with other campers nearby) but I suspected it probably wouldn't have started. Turned key to position 1 and no lights on dash, then took it out and went to position 1 again and a click and then lights came on again.
So - all I want to understand is how my electrics are set up and have more knowledge of what is going on - because the experience I outline above confused me no end.
I mailed people who did the conversion and asked about the set up (and was also interested in how the solar was set up)
The reply is below For info my leisure is 70ah AGM.
"The electric system has a simple, non-intelligent 12 v starter battery which is located under the bonnet, the leisure battery is located under the front driver's seat. Connecting the two batteries is a VSR which stands for Voltage Sensing Relay, this detects when the voltage goes up and opens to connect both batteries, when the voltage drops, it closes to isolate both the batteries.
The mains charger connected under the bonnet kicks in to charge the 12v system.
You also have a 95w solar panel on the roof, this should trickle charge the leisure battery when the sun is out. We are surprised that your solar panel is still working, typically they don't usually last more than 3 years."
Considering this was done on 2017, if I was going to upgrade or make the system a bit more robust for longer time in the van and not hooked up to ECH, what set up would people suggest - and is there anyone to take it to that you'd recommend in the Midlands? Thanks
Camped the other week (on ECU) and on Saturday afternoon messed about with the hand-set control panel of the 2kw heater passenger seat. It's blue tooth connected and was so complex that I pressed most of the buttons and then gave up, as I doubted I'd need to use it for a months yet
Fast forward to 3am Sunday morning and woke to the 2kw heater on full. (yes, I must have pressed some kind of preset to turn on when below a certain temp or time?)
Anyway, couldn't figure out how to turn it off so just took batteries out of the hand set, as I couldn't reach the 3 pin plug of the heater under driver seat.
So far , so simple and explicable. But when looking for the heater hand-set I turned on the in-built cab light over the sliding door (not the 12V led's) - it stayed on for 30 seconds and then cut out. Back door one wasn't working either. I couldn't try to see if the van would start (it was 3.10am with other campers nearby) but I suspected it probably wouldn't have started. Turned key to position 1 and no lights on dash, then took it out and went to position 1 again and a click and then lights came on again.
So - all I want to understand is how my electrics are set up and have more knowledge of what is going on - because the experience I outline above confused me no end.
I mailed people who did the conversion and asked about the set up (and was also interested in how the solar was set up)
The reply is below For info my leisure is 70ah AGM.
"The electric system has a simple, non-intelligent 12 v starter battery which is located under the bonnet, the leisure battery is located under the front driver's seat. Connecting the two batteries is a VSR which stands for Voltage Sensing Relay, this detects when the voltage goes up and opens to connect both batteries, when the voltage drops, it closes to isolate both the batteries.
The mains charger connected under the bonnet kicks in to charge the 12v system.
You also have a 95w solar panel on the roof, this should trickle charge the leisure battery when the sun is out. We are surprised that your solar panel is still working, typically they don't usually last more than 3 years."
Considering this was done on 2017, if I was going to upgrade or make the system a bit more robust for longer time in the van and not hooked up to ECH, what set up would people suggest - and is there anyone to take it to that you'd recommend in the Midlands? Thanks
