Sargent power unit in Swift caravans Sterling caravans and sprite caravans

[@rubytuesday1345]

Really helpful. I wish the dealer we bought our camper from had been that thorough! Thanks.

[@thecaravanplace]

Glad to help 👍

[@edithmulcahy6637]

I have just bought a compact caravan and I found your video most helpful.

[@thecaravanplace]

Great 👍

[@simonthefire]

Glad you did this little video Mark, just bought a swift challenger and wasn’t sure if I should turn the electric off completely as I have a solar panel. Know I now cheers!

[@thecaravanplace]

Great, glad it helps. On some of the newer units the power will still go to the battery from the solar even with the black button off, to check you can use a volt meter onto the battery. By turning the black switch on and off and see if any voltage difference. 👍

[@freedomofabird]

Excellent and thank you. Very helpful

[@waynecompton7612]

Good evening Mark, thank you for the video, take care and stay safe 👍😎🇬🇧.

[@MrDoohdaah]

Hi there, another enjoyable and very informative video. Keep it up.

[@thecaravanplace]

Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@andyfewings2959]

I have a 2017 Challenger, do you know if this one needs the power switch on to keep the solar panel alive when stored?

[@thecaravanplace]

2017 is OK in off position, you can use a volt meter on the batter connections to double check you have the extra voltage also.

[@martinclifton1446]

Lovely jubbley, good video 👍

[@richardsaunders5547]

Do you know if you can run the heating without electric hookup? So if you wanted to run it off gas for instance? Would that work, what exactly does the 12 volt cover and where does 12 end and the 240 take over?

[@thecaravanplace]

So pretty much everything will work on 12v and gas, apart from plugs and 2 lights to the front on most. Heating, hot water and fridge will all work with gas.

[@mpaws]

According to the Swift manual even if the system shutdown button is switched off the solar panel will still trickle charge the battery and keep it topped up (dependant on weather of course). This is recommended when in storage. The alarm/tracker will also work.

[@thecaravanplace]

Yes on the newer one the power is still live even with the button off, we need to to a new video really 👍

[@rubytuesday1345]

I’ve just bought a brand new 2023 swift camper and the manual still says the button has to be on for the solar panel to charge.

[@andyrad]

I was just gonna say we've just bought a 2016 Sterling elite and our dealer said to turn the 12v off but the solar panel and app would still work

[@terrycolcombe487]

Hi Mark. Do you know where the backup battery is located for the Sargent comms ?

[@thecaravanplace]

It's only feeding from The leisure battery or the charger, the only back up battery is the alarm battery which is in the black alarm box. The main control unit won't work unless you have 12v power from the leisure battery or the mains via the charger. You can get a slight feed from the solar panel put it won't continuesly power the panel. Hope this helps?

[@Swiftadventures2019]

Hi Mark Our solar panel is fed directly to the battery via a controller and not connected to the swift command so I can switch the consumer unit off when in storage and still have my leisure battery charged.

[@thecaravanplace]

I think all the newer ones were direct to the battery, I will try to find out what year it was from. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@tilomartin7200]

Hi Mark, great explanation. Thanks. The only thing I am still struggeling with is the configuration for having my battery charged by car during travelling. I assumed to have the shut down switch on and the charger? Best Tilo

[@thecaravanplace]

Hi Tilo, yes thats perfect, the system will automatically swith over to car then when it is connected and just turning your fridge onto battery if needed.

[@tilomartin7200]

@@thecaravanplace perfect. Thank you!

[@iancunnington6608]

hi Mark when in storage should I turn off 230v fuse master but leave 12v on for solar panel to work

[@thecaravanplace]

Hi Ian, depends on the year, some older vans needed the switch in for the solar panel to work. But most newer carvans will still work in both positions. You can check with a multi meter on the battery if you are unsure.

[@iancunnington6608]

@@thecaravanplace hi Mark thank you so much for your reply I have a bessacarr cameo 580 2016 and not very savvy on using a multimeter never used one before

[@martinoriordan1830]

Do you need to leave the leisure battery charging when you are connected to the mains on site?

[@thecaravanplace]

Hi Martin, yes leave it on charge so it will swap between battery and charger and the leisure battery won't go flat.

[@martinoriordan1830]

@@thecaravanplace There’s a bad egg odour smell coming from the battery so would it be ok to switch the battery off charge until I replace it. Currently on site and must source a battery tomorrow.

[@discoveryadventures2296]

Hi Mark I am sure I read that you can switch off the main power switch and still have solar to the battery.

[@thecaravanplace]

Yes the newer ones you can 👍

[@rickline8146]

I may be wrong but when i shut down all the power supply the solar panel still charges the battery as i noticed the battery fall slightly during the night and then charges to full in day that is with buttons in off position in the swift challenger 650

[@anthonypryor8934]

I also have a 2018 Swift Challenger 650 and mine is the same, the solar panel still charges when the power buttons in the off position.

[@thecaravanplace]

Have you checked the voltage at the battery? The little panel in the top cupboard may still be flashing but just check the voltage to the battery terminals in the off position. They were supposed to be wired through the sargent panel but may have been changed so just double check. 👍

[@stevechurchman1824]

@@thecaravanplace Certainly on the most recent Swift vans both the solar panel and the alarm work regardless of the position of the shut down button.

[@craigframe5751]

Awesome 😎

[@bizarremagick]

Hello Mark, thanks for the video, we have that very system and I didn't realise about testing if the main in coming in by using the test (yellow) button. However, I understand that you are supposed to switch off the main (black) button before connecting or disconnecting the EHU, which is what I always do. Am I correct in this?

[@thecaravanplace]

Hi Keith, thanks for watching, doesnt make any difference with the black button so you can leave it in the on position when hooking up or disconnecting the EHU.

[@bizarremagick]

Cheers, one less thing to think about!

[@martinmcaleese8286]

Hi Mark what does it mean when it says no connection on youd control panel. Thanks

[@hairywol]

The solar panel works independently of the system shutdown button to keep the battery charged. That's kinda the point.

[@thecaravanplace]

Yes I believe most of the newer models will work in this way, the older models didnt work with the button off, we will possibly do a new model video with this update, the years of change over were a bit all over the place so difficult to pin point exact year of the change. Thanks for commenting 👍

[@elaineleith3049]

Is there a video for troubleshooting when the control panel will not work?

[@thecaravanplace]

No sorry, if you check the Sargeant website and also the help line if they still have it was very good.

[@wayne7939]

Actually you are incorrect about the black button, if you turn it off it still maintains the battery via the solar panel and the alarm is still active . If you leave it switched on it will draw more standby current than the solar panel can supply and drain your battery.

[@johnbattams2258]

So far as I understand the system shutdown button makes no difference with solar charging. Solar works ALL the time.

[@Pjhumpy]

How daft is that. All the vans I’ve had (swift included) the switches and fuses are accessible by dropping down the flap. why are the switches and fuses on top? It’s so hard to get to them under the seat. Boo boo swift.😡

[@scotchegg6422]

Your information is wrong. The solar panel and alarm still work with the shutdown off.

[@thecaravanplace]

Yes on the new system it does.