Auto-Trail • Excel • 2025

Locate the socket on the left side of the awning case and insert the winding handle, then turn clockwise - the fabric starts to unroll after a couple of turns. Once it's out to about a metre, stop and lower the support legs, adjusting their length until they reach the ground, then keep unrolling until the awning is fully extended.

Adjust the legs' height so the fabric sits taut and rain can run off, then pull the handle back out. It's worth pegging the legs down too. To put it away, reverse the process - wind anti-clockwise until it snaps back into the box, then keep turning slowly until the handle stops, which locks it shut.

Whether you can depends on which type of Sargent PSU system you have - manual-charging or CAN-bus based.

On systems that only charge manually - PSU2007 with EC200, EC328, EC325, EC225 with EC100, EC176 with EC361/2/3, and EC155 with EC50/51 - the leisure battery is charged by default: with the control panel switched off, the mains charger starts charging the leisure battery the moment it's plugged in, and with the panel on, it keeps the leisure battery topped up while also powering the leisure loads. To charge the vehicle battery instead, switch the control panel on and pick the vehicle battery - the charger then charges that battery along with any leisure loads left switched on. Note that EC100, EC200, EC325 and EC50/51 panels won't allow the vehicle battery to be selected below 10.9V, while EC328 panels (software V2.21) will allow it above 2V provided the mains charger is on. If mains power is lost while charging the vehicle battery, leisure loads will start drawing from it instead - switching back to the leisure battery once the vehicle battery either falls below the 10.9V cut-off or, if it started above that, once it recovers back up to 10.9V. The leisure battery itself has its own 9V cut-off that disconnects leisure loads to stop it discharging further.

CAN-bus systems (the EC800, EC700, EC600, EC500, EC450 and EC400) include a smart-charge feature instead, on by default but switchable off. With the mains charger on, it defaults to charging the leisure battery while keeping an eye on the vehicle battery - if that drops below 12.4V, charging switches to it for 4 hours, then returns to the leisure battery for another 4 hours, repeating the cycle for as long as the vehicle battery stays low. This runs regardless of whether the control panel is on, as long as the system's own shutdown button is switched in (unless you've disabled the feature) - and if the panel is on, you can manually pick whichever battery you want charged at any point in the cycle.

Start by switching the EC700 PSU off, then switch the shutdown button on again while continuously tapping the control panel screen. Once the system powers up you'll see a blue screen prompting you to touch 3 dots - do that, and the panel will show 'calibrated' on the blue screen, then go back to its usual display, completing the process.

Start by switching the EC800 PSU on and powering up the control panel via its power button. Then press and hold that power button - after 5 seconds the screen goes off, but keep holding for another 15 seconds until a blue screen comes up asking you to tap 3 dots. Do that, and the panel will show 'calibrated' on the blue screen, then go back to its usual display, completing the process.

Most Sargent systems use a PX300 or PF200 battery charger. If yours has a different charger fitted, check with that charger's own manufacturer for Lithium compatibility. The PX300's charging profile suits many leisure-industry Lithium batteries that have their own internal Battery Management System (BMS) - its charging profile and voltages are available as a downloadable attachment on the PX300's own product page, though you'll still need to confirm suitability directly with your chosen battery's manufacturer.

Systems that use a PX300 include the EC800, EC700, EC600, EC500, EC400 series, EC400+ and EC328. If your system doesn't have a PX300, its charger will run a fixed 13.8V, which generally isn't suitable for fully charging a Lithium battery - and switching to Lithium may also mean you need a DC-DC charger to keep the charging current within limits.

On an Auto-Trail, adding an extra leisure battery is normally simple - every current model and most older ones already have a dedicated connector, so the extra battery harness just plugs in.

Ideally pick a second battery of the same make, type and capacity as the one you have. If that's not possible, at least keep the capacity the same and never mix battery types (for example, don't pair a 'wet' battery with an AGM one).

Sargent sells the harness through its web shop (https://sargentltd.co.uk/shop/product/auto_trail_additional_battery_harness_2011-2016/229). It's the newer type, fitted to Auto-Trail vans from 2011, but it suits older vans too because the battery connector hasn't changed.

To fit it:

1. Connect the harness to the new battery, making sure both terminals are tight and their covers are back on.
2. Secure the battery in its box or compartment (this varies by year and model) without trapping the harness.
3. Take the protective cap off the vehicle's spare battery connector.
4. Plug the new battery in.

With an EC328 or EC700 system, that's it - the extra battery is ready to charge and use.

With an EC500 and the EC480 colour LCD panel, also set the battery size to the new total in the advanced settings (two 100Ah batteries means 200Ah), then recalibrate the current sensor.

To change the battery size:

1. On the home screen showing the brand logo, press both the up and down arrows at once and keep them pressed.
2. Let go once the screen changes.
3. Scroll to 'Battery Size' and use select to raise it to the new total.
4. Go back up to 'Exit Advanced', then press select to return to normal use.

Don't worry if the Ah reading drops afterwards - it takes a few charge and discharge cycles to line up with the real capacity, which is normal.

To recalibrate the current sensor:

1. Turn the charger off, and switch the control panel off at its power button.
2. Go to the active battery screen.
3. Hold select until 'calibrating please wait….' appears.
4. Let go - calibration is done.

We don't endorse any particular make or model, but the PX300 charger (fitted across the EC400/EC400+, EC500, EC600, EC700, EC800 and EC328 systems) suits the great majority of good-quality AGM batteries sold in the UK. Its charge profile is included in the instruction manual attached to its product page - if you're at all unsure whether a battery is compatible, check with that battery's own distributor or manufacturer first.

How much solar you can add through the PSU comes down to the fuse protecting that circuit, which varies by system - the maximum recommended wattage through the PSU is 120W for EC325/EC328/EC500/EC600, 80W for EC400, and 150W for EC700/EC800/EC400+. You can go beyond that by wiring extra panels straight onto the leisure battery via their own regulator and a correctly-sized fuse, though you'll lose the ability to see that extra solar's output on the control panel.

Any system without a PSU solar input at all needs its solar wired directly onto the leisure battery this way regardless - and there's no upper wattage limit when connecting straight to the battery like this.

Installation and wiring: wire the extra LB series battery into the vehicle's 12V system first, and connect its magnetic communication cable to the Sargent Control System's CAN bus. Before paralleling two batteries, make sure both are fully charged to the same voltage, to avoid a big rush of current between them the moment they're connected.

Changing the battery address: adding a second battery in parallel means changing its communication address from the default '1' to '2', so both can talk to the system at once - only have the battery you're changing connected via its comms cable while you do this (the steps are the same on the 4" EC940 and 7" EC970 screens).

Configuring single or dual batteries: the display needs the Sargent Lithium+ battery switched on in the ADVANCED SETUP menu first, or it won't communicate with it - choose Lithium+ for a single battery, or Lithium+ x2 for a dual setup.

Information displays: once configured, extra screens appear in the Control Panel's POWER menu. On the EC940's 4" display, a dual setup's two batteries are combined into one figure (two 70Ah batteries show as 140Ah total); on the EC970's 7" display, tapping the battery symbol switches between Battery 1 and Battery 2's individual readings.

Installation and wiring: mount each sensor on the tank's top surface, close to the middle, to avoid reflections off the tank wall and reduce variation when parked on a slope. Fit a side-mounted overflow too, so a sensor doesn't end up sitting underwater after filling and skewing its readings - and note the sensor isn't suitable for tanks with a sloped or irregular base, which will also throw off readings.

Configuring the sensors: enable the Sargent Ultrasonic Water Sensors in the ADVANCED SETUP menu first so the display can communicate with them, and enable the relevant tank too for its level to actually show - any tank not configured for ultrasonic sensing is assumed to have a traditional rod/stud sensor instead.

First-time calibration: the sensor automatically starts calibrating its tank depth the first time it gets 12V power, so make sure it's fitted and the tank is empty beforehand for an accurate result. Once calibrated, it sends regular readings (roughly every 5 seconds for fresh tanks, 10 for waste) - and since it can't read fluid closer than 30mm to its own face, the 100% level gets set 30mm below the measured tank depth. Re-calibration can be triggered any time from the Advanced Setup menu, either automatically (again, with the tank empty first) or manually if you'd rather enter the tank depth yourself.

Information displays: once set up, each sensor's data appears under the WATER menu, reading in 1% steps rather than the 25% steps a rod/stud sensor uses. The EC940's 4" display shows fresh and waste levels on separate screens (use '>' to switch), while the EC970's 7" display shows both together on one screen.

To link a Webasto Thermo Top EVO heater to the Sargent MC100 Control Unit (for control via the EC970 panel), you'll need two extra Sargent parts: the Fan Adaptor PCB (17464) and Fan PCB harness (89003-24). Wire it up following the diagram for the Webasto-to-Sargent connections - note that harness cable colours in the standard Modular System kit (K970A) may differ on OEM installations.

For setup help with the heater itself, contact Webasto directly or check their portal at https://my.webasto.net/en/. On the Sargent side, enable the Webasto Thermo Top from the ADVANCED SETUP menu first, which then adds a 'Heating' option to the home screen for controlling it - the Help button in the top-right corner explains each individual control.

If you're technically minded, yes - each Heat Air kit includes a detailed step-by-step installation guide. Otherwise, a local motorhome workshop should be able to fit it for you. Whoever fits it, a qualified gas engineer has to certify any gas work to BS EN 1949-2011.

The models differ in heat output and fuel type, with options for both campervans and panel-van conversions - broadly, the bigger the vehicle, the more output you'll want. Gas-only suits off-grid touring; if you mostly stay on sites with hook-up, the gas-and-electric version adds 3kW of electric heating.

Yes. Every Heat Air model can run on gas, and on its low gas setting it draws very little from the battery - as little as 0.6 A.

Take the waste-holding tank out through the service door, stand it up so the pour-out spout faces upward, then take the cap off. Add the recommended amount of Thetford waste-holding tank additive plus roughly 3 litres of water so the bottom is covered, refit the cap, and slot the tank back into place.

Open the fresh water tank's drain valve, then the wastewater tank's (into a suitable container), then leave every tap inside the vehicle open (mixer taps set to their central position). There's also an internal drain valve that clears the water heater and its own pipework - open that too, give the vehicle five minutes to finish draining, then briefly run the pump to clear any water left in it. Empty the cassette toilet too.

Yes, product code is WX1599.