EC155 Power Supply Unit - good unit?

[VdubVirgin]

Hi all,

so my van has a pretty basic, messy set up which take a lot of room up.

240 hook up into consumer unit with breaks.
then a couple of sockets off that, charger plugged into 1 socket to power DC items and charge leisure battery. Other plug socket for 240 items. It all takes up a lot of room and all the fuses are behind the control panel switches.

my question is... is the EC155 power supply unit worth fitting? Seems an neat little box with everything in that I can hide away easily.
I have some remedial work to be done on kitchen so will be out anyway. So seems the right time to do it, if I am.

silly questions.
fridge with on dc circuit?
The control panel looks very basic. Switches for main on/off,light, and water pump.

guess the light, is the main switch and all the individual lights I can control individually?

The main on off is this for 12v supply to all items, usb sockets fridge. Etc..... would be nice if could wire do fridge on powers on while engine is running?

thanks in advance

 

[Nigel W]

Yup does all that and fitted by most companies doing conversions but you need the whole package not just the box, below is a link to the page all about it.
its a one box solution but others will recommend other ways of achieving what you need by using separates.
incidently perhaps you should consider the 328 unit, link below, which is better

EC155/51 with connector kit | Shop | Sargent Electrical

EC328 Kit | Shop | Sargent Electrical

 

[DXX]

I’ve got a EC155 with a EC51 panel. I’m running 90Ah leisure batteries, 150W solar, EHU, 240V, 12v, USB sockets, water tank pump / sensor, LED lights, Dometic CRX50 fridge freezer and a Wallas XC Duo.
The EC155 is a tiny bit of kit which IMO is important as it’s not taking up space.
So far after 3+ years I haven’t even opened the locker door to look at it since picking up the van.

 

[VdubVirgin]

Thanks for the info... Think It will be worth going for then.
One question:

The Fridge I assume is best to wire up via DC and will be powered when I use the main on/off button on the control panel. However, the manual says once the engine is stated the power is disconnected? I would like to obviously keep the fridge on while I'm driving. Or am I missing something?

 

[Nigel W]

Thanks for the info... Think It will be worth going for then.
One question:

The Fridge I assume is best to wire up via DC and will be powered when I use the main on/off button on the control panel. However, the manual says once the engine is stated the power is disconnected? I would like to obviously keep the fridge on while I'm driving. Or am I missing something?

Good news- yes you have misunderstood. There are two types of fridge. One is 3way as fitted in caravans and the other compressor as you will be fitting.
the red switch only turns on the internal charger and will only light up/work when on mains it is not the on/off switch for the whole unit that is on the separate control panel.
the wiring for the compressor fridge is not the same as the 3 way and, I think, not through the Sargent unit but direct to battery. (Or a differ socket on the Sargent)?
I am no expert so please do further research to confirm exactly how to wire correctly.

 

[DXX]

Thanks for the info... Think It will be worth going for then.
One question:

The Fridge I assume is best to wire up via DC and will be powered when I use the main on/off button on the control panel. However, the manual says once the engine is stated the power is disconnected? I would like to obviously keep the fridge on while I'm driving. Or am I missing something?

My fridge runs all the time if the thermostat demands it. Like I say I haven’t even looked at the Sargent, it works without intervention.

 

[prog99]

My fridge bypasses the Sargent unit. I didn’t do the electrics myself but a bit of tinkering with the fuses confirmed this.

 

[Sabre]

I also have a EC160 and it seems to work OK, however, without a dc-dc split charge the leisure battery has slowly died. HAve to admit the Sargent seems to run nicely, switching everything except the fridge off when the engine is running. NOow IM thinking of putting in a dc-dc and eventually an inverter too, am I going to have to bypass that safety switch off feature, which is a good thing.
Looking for ideas as to what I need to do next.

 

[Nigel W]

HiI also have a EC160 and it seems to work OK, however, without a dc-dc split charge the leisure battery has slowly died. HAve to admit the Sargent seems to run nicely, switching everything except the fridge off when the engine is running. NOow IM thinking of putting in a dc-dc and eventually an inverter too, am I going to have to bypass that safety switch off feature, which is a good thing.
Looking for ideas as to what I need to do next.

You don’t need to do anything with the Sargent box just install a DC to DC which will work alongside it. I have a Sterling unit in mine