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Broadway Battery Issues

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Molly3
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Broadway Battery Issues  Empty Broadway Battery Issues

Post by Anthea R Thu Oct 10, 2024 11:40 am

Hi,

We have a 2016 Auto Sleeper Broadway and was thinking of a new leisure battery anyone recommend the best one for this vehicle as I think ours is the original as we are looking to spend more time off grid? Also does anyone know how the battery charges via the solar panel as I'm not sure is this is working?
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Post by Roopert Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:03 pm

As far as I can tell, 2016 was a changeover year when a van could have had one of two diffierent power control systems - either an EC328 or an EC500. The two work slightly differently in terms of solar input - which do you have?

If you have the original Owner's Manual, have a read of the section which describes the Power Control System. There's a description of how solar charging works for each of the two Sargent models.
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Post by Anthea R Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:07 pm

Hi,

Many thanks for getting back we have the EC328
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Post by Peter Brown Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:30 pm

Roopert is very familiar with the EC328 and I'm sure will explain its workings.

I very strongly recommend that you replace your battery with a Lead Acid battery of as large a capacity that you can find space for, either a single large one or two smaller connected in parallel. In may last van I had an EC328 with 100Ah and 80Ah connected in parallel (although over time the batteries were replaced) this was the original AS build configuration. If you can get two 100Ah in parallel next to each other that would be best but, in a Broadway, that might be a tight squeeze.
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Post by Roopert Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:31 pm

In terms of power conservation, you're fortunate. The EC328 is very frugal and wastes very little power compared to the later units. Have a read of the Owner's Manual and you should be able to understand how it works - assuming that it's a standard installation using the EC328's built-in solar controller. If you can't locate a manual for the van, your specific model's manual is available for download from the A/S website.

If someone has added a separate external solar controller the behaviour may of course be different!
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Post by Anthea R Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:39 pm

Cheers have checked the owners manual for the vehicle but nothing there and don't have any info re the solar unit. I can't find another solar controller so will look for the solar manual on the net if I can  find what's been fitted.
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Post by Roopert Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:52 pm

It's possible that you have an older version of the manual - they may have released several versions during production. If you go to the A/S website, you can download the latest version for your model in the Owners section of the website. The Solar controller operation is described on page 7-17.
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Post by Anthea R Thu Oct 10, 2024 3:06 pm

I'll check it out can you recommend the best replacement leisure battery for this vehicle or should I just again refer to the manual?
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Post by The Bargee Thu Oct 10, 2024 3:41 pm

You don't need to read the manual. Just look for the largest capacity good quality deep cycle battery that will fit in the space available. The advice to stick to normal lead acid is IMO good.

However you do need to be rather wary of some so called "leisure" batteries, since some are not all they are cracked up to be. 

I use Trojan batteries, which have given me excellent service in various arduous commercial applications for >25 years. Whether or not they make a battery that will fit your location I don't know, but if they do and if it were me I wouldn't be looking anywhere else.
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Post by Anthea R Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:46 pm

Many thnx for all your help. Anyone know how the outside light above the entrance door works doesn't seems to come on when the inside door light is activated?
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Post by PLOUGHLIN Thu Oct 10, 2024 7:22 pm

Switch on control panel next to fresh water pump, in group of 4 on left hand side.

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Post by Molly3 Thu Oct 10, 2024 7:39 pm

Check out explorer plus lead carbon , alpha  battery's  boasts  1500  charge cycles  5 year warrenty
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Post by Anthea R Thu Oct 10, 2024 7:51 pm

Thnx Peter L it works woop! Woop! Feel a bit thick now lol ypu don't know what the red switch under the offside seat is for as this isn't in any of the books. Still learning at the mo???
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Post by PLOUGHLIN Thu Oct 10, 2024 11:51 pm

Anthea R wrote:Thnx Peter L it works woop! Woop! Feel a bit thick now lol ypu don't know what the red switch under the offside seat is for as this isn't in any of the books. Still learning at the mo???

Tank heater?

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Post by Caraman Fri Oct 11, 2024 8:00 am

I don't have a recommendation for a battery brand but when I replace my LB it will be one that has an appropriate NCC classification:

https://www.thencc.org.uk/consumer-advice/verified-battery-list/
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Post by Plymouthwelshboy Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:14 pm

Ours is a 2019 Broadway. Vanbitz fitted two 115 Duracell leisure batteries side by side whilst upgrading our solar panel system. The batteries have been excellent this far and we have spent considerable time off grid. We e just returned today from a six week trip in Italy. We have 255 watts of solar panels  above and victron MPPT controller. All is wired to bypass the EC 700. With a B2B charger as well it's been brilliant. Just remember an extra battery eats into the payload.
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Post by Aethelric Fri Oct 11, 2024 8:11 pm

You want to spend more time off grid.
It really all depends how long, when,  and how much electric power you use. 

A few days between charges, or travelling (when the battery get recharged from the engine) OR three weeks staionary on a site.

In the summer with lots of solar power, and no heating load, OR in the winter with minimal solar power and heater fans running almost continually.

Cooking with gas, and spending time outside or in the local hostelry OR using an electric kettle ,air fryer, toaster, and watching a 50" TV 12 hours a day.

Your eight year old battery will be well past it's best so a replacement is probably needed.

We find our 100Ah battery can easily cope for a week in winter, longer in summer,  but we don't use much power. Some folk would flatten a 100Ah battery in a day.
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Post by Anthea R Sat Oct 12, 2024 11:13 am

Many thnx for all your help it's really appreciated.  We also keep getting error W255H on the Truma display I believe this is to do with either comms or 12v supply  I can't check the cables as they seem to be hidden at the bottom of the wardrobe. Would a dodgy leisure battery caise this as the error clears when the engine is running to charge. The main display shows leisure battery good 12v vehicle battery shows 0v poor but is is fine as the vehicle starts with no issies even after being left for 2 weeks??? If the main unit button to switch batteries the error clears an confused 😕
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Post by Roopert Sat Oct 12, 2024 11:24 am

Does the vehicle battery display on the EC328's control panel ever show anything other than 0V - i.e. does it sometimes show a "normal" voltage of around 12.6-12.8V with the engine not running?
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Post by Anthea R Sat Oct 12, 2024 11:32 am

Yes it does show after the vehicle has been run but then seems to always go back to 0v on display although we have no issues starting etc
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Post by Roopert Sat Oct 12, 2024 11:54 am

That's odd - I would check low-voltage fuse 2 in the front of the EC328 if you haven't already, though I don't think the vehicle voltage display will ever show as anything other than 0V if that is blown.

Another possibility is that the Broadway has a second fuse for the vehicle battery somewhere. Those fitted with an EC500 do - it's in the EM40 interface module, supposedly behind the driver's seat. But if you have an EC328 you won't have an EM40. It may be worth checking adjacent to the vehicle battery anyway - there should be a smaller wire connected to battery positive which ~might~ have an inline fuse close to the battery. But the A/S documentation doesn't make any reference to one.
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Post by Anthea R Sat Oct 12, 2024 11:59 am

Cheers I've already checked fuse 2 all ok  will check for another fuse in line with the main vehicle battery. Any ideas re the error message on the Truma could this be dow  to the leisure battery going below 12v. On the recent habitation check the guy said it may need replacing but didn't confirm.  Thought he might have said this due to its age?
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Post by PLOUGHLIN Sat Oct 12, 2024 11:59 am

With a EC328 there should be a EM50 unit usually on floor behind the driver's seat. There is a fuse there. (fuse 9 RHS of bottom 4 fuses)


Last edited by PLOUGHLIN on Sat Oct 12, 2024 2:24 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Post by Peter Brown Sat Oct 12, 2024 12:32 pm

Mine is a 2016 Broadway EB with an EC500 and in that the EM40 is recessed into a panel to the front of the offside bench seat.

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Post by Roopert Sat Oct 12, 2024 1:21 pm

PLOUGHLIN wrote:With a EC329 there should be a EM50 unit usually on floor behind the driver's seat. There is a fuse there. (fuse 9 RHS of bottom 4 fuses)

I confess that the A/S documentation is confusing in this area. If you read the Owner's Manual for a 2016 Broadway EK, it specifically mentions an EM40, but only if you have an EC500 power control system. The section on the EC328 (which the OP says they definitely have) makes no reference to any interface module at all! I wish their documentation writers were a bit more consistent...
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