Hello Everyone who has replied so far. I haven't replied until now as I've been waiting to borrow a multimeter from a friend. I now have the multimeter and have checked the leisure battery and it's reading at 13.8 volts after running the engine for a while and 12.6 when the motorhome is stationary it's been a couple of days since I charged it and it hasn't lost any charge and with the starter battery reading 12.52 volts it seems like the batteries are OK? Now I'm not an electrician, i'm happy to change plugs, wall sockets etc as long as it's like for like but that's about the limit of my knowledge so I have to confess I'm not sure what some of you mean by the charger and also switching from the leisure battery to the starter battery as I can't see an obvious way to do that, I've looked under the bonnet and can't seem to indentify any switches to do this. Inside the motorhome I have a control board on the side of a wardrobe (is this the zig unit/power supply charger?) it has various switches which include the truma vent fan control, a fresh water and waste water level indicator, battery charge information dial for both batteries, which reads 12.5 for the starter battery and dead for the leisure battery? there is also a switch that is marked 12 v and as this is a French built Hymer it says Marche and Arrete which I think means go and stop? Is this the switch to swap to just 12 v? It has never stayed on Marche or Arrete but just sits halfway between the 2 so it would be an intermittent control unless it's always been broken? but we've never had a problem with the 12v supply before. I put the ehu on and tried everything, the fridge light came on for the 220v switch and the fridge igniter switch flashed and one florescent light came on but everything else is still dead. It seems to me that the 12v system isn't receiving the power from the leisure battery somehow but I think I may be at the point where I need to get an electrician in. I've cleaned all the terminals on my batteries to make sure they have good connections. Is there anything obvious to anyone from what I've just mentioned that could help or should I admit defeat and call an electrician? Thanks for all the advice so far.
I think this is the main 12v on/off switch I mentioned and if I recall correctly there is also a 12v switch on the Electrobloc unit itself - have you looked for that one ? I can't remember if the panel switch is a momentary action or a definite two position item, I think it should be momentary, have you pressed it towards the marche position and released it ?
It seems to me that this is your problem - all the 12v is routed through the EB and it has been switched off.
Most of the advice you have received about a switch between vehicle and leisure batteries is for a Zig panel which is mainly used in British vans and not in Hymers.
Thanks for the info Hymer634. I've tried the 12v marche/arrete switch pressing it to marche but it hasn't improved the situation unfortunately. You mentioned the electrobloc? is this part of the control panel I've talked about or is this something else? Could you tell me what this would look like please? Jean mentioned this was under the seat in their Hymer, should I look under there for ours? We have a HymerCamp 49 and it's a LHD 1995 if that is any help? Thanks again
Think it might be under the seat. Ours was under the driver's seat. From what you say and the little I know it sounds like when our fuse went in Electrobloc.
------------- Jean
Sometimes a little rain must fall before you reach a rainbow.
The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you finish the work.
Thanks Jean I'll have a look this morning. I found some images of the electrobloc on google last night so at least I know what I'm looking for now. fingers crossed.
The other thing to check is that 12v is actually getting in to the EB via the terminals on the rear, you may have not checked the main battery fuse, usually a 50amp one near the battery or the EB.
I think I'm getting nearer! I've had a good look in the motorhome there was nothing under the front seats so I unscrewed the wooden panel where my 12 v fuse box and 220v on/off switch are(in dining area on a board behind drivers seat) and I could see a blue metal box with lots of ventilation slots in it and what looked like electrical components but it appears to be the back of the box so I can't see any fuses or switches. I looked under the dining seat and there is a wooden box that is covering the other side of the blue box but it looks difficult to remove without taking the dining area apart which doesn't seem very practical for a fuse/switch box? so I've left that for the moment. Meanwhile I had another look under the bonnet and followed the wires from the leisure battery to a small panel with 3 fuses 2 x 15 amp and 1 x 30 amp. I checked these, all OK and I wiggled the wire connectors a little to make sure they were all on properly. I then tried switching all the 12 volt appliances on individually and they all came on!! Hurrah! but sadly they then went off again. So I'm thinking from all the info I've had so far there is probably a poor connection at this fuse panel or it is faulty in some way? I went back and wiggled the wires a bit more and again the lights came on but then died again. At the moment I have 2 spot lights working in the dining area but no water pump or lights elsewhere. Thanks again for the advice I think I'm not far from working this one out now but if anybosy has any other suggestions I'm always happy to hear.
Hi Jean
I checked the blue box in a bit more detail and thought I should add this on the forum for anyone in the future. I found my Hymercamp 49's version of the electroblock in the panel behind the driving seat in the same area as the 12v fuse box and the 22ov switch. I found an Electromatic LA 110 it seems less complicated than the electrobloc there are no fuses on the outside but you can remove it from the same side as the removable panel it is just screwed to the floor of the cupboard. I'm now trying to find a stockist of the Schrack relay switch that I think is faulty but I'm not actually sure what it's precise name would be and I can't attach a photo, if anyone can advise it would make my day as I can't seem to find anything similar online or even on the shrack website. It sits between the 2 batteries and it has 3 fuses 2 x 15 amp and 1 x 30 which my manual says protect the 2 batteries and the fridge. There are 2 orange flat blocks on it too which I'm thinking might be some kind of 'transister/transformers'? It's all based on a white plastic panel that screws into the back of the engine area. I hope someone knows what that is? Thanks Sam
Thanks Basa I've found out the relays I need are Schrack zd 312012's and apparently they were made obselete 10 years ago so I'm searching for someone with old stock. There's a company in France that has some called Hdi electronics and they cost 51 Euros each and 40 euros delivery. (Again just writing this down for future reference). Can anyone tell me if that price is about average for a relay or should I keep looking or does anybody know what a compatible alternative might be?
Quote: Originally posted by Samantha P on 31/10/2017
Thanks Basa I've found out the relays I need are Schrack zd 312012's and apparently they were made obselete 10 years ago so I'm searching for someone with old stock. There's a company in France that has some called Hdi electronics and they cost 51 Euros each and 40 euros delivery. (Again just writing this down for future reference). Can anyone tell me if that price is about average for a relay or should I keep looking or does anybody know what a compatible alternative might be?
That seems incredibly expensive for relays. I would have thought that someone would have an equivalent in this country at a much lower price, although without seeing them I can't really tell. Companies such as Maplins, Farnells, or RS supplies(used to be called Radio Spares) come to mind. For an ordinary relay I would have thought that £5 to £15 would be the range of prices, but I don't know how "special" these relays are without seeing them.
I would contact Apuljack engineering and see if they have any experience with this unit or the relays, they may be able to offer an alternative relay, they are really good in trying to help people
Quote: Originally posted by barry915 on 31/10/2017
I would contact Apuljack engineering and see if they have any experience with this unit or the relays, they may be able to offer an alternative relay, they are really good in trying to help people
Interesting! That's a company I hadn't heard of. Well worth a try, I would think. I have added them to my contacts.