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Subject Topic: Easy way to check battery charger? Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonRich73
14/7/2022 at 12:47pm
 Location: West yorkshire
 Outfit: BMW 520d Bailey Ranger 550 6 View Rich73's Profile View Profile   Reply to Rich73 Reply   Quote Rich73 Quote  
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Hi
If I connect my car to the caravan 12v(White socket) the voltage shows that it is higher approx 13v than when not connected.

Does this tell me that the battery charger is working?
Or am I being too simplistic?


PersonPickled Onion
14/7/2022 at 1:55pm
 Location: Near Alton Towers
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You're not far off, I'd say it was working. Depending whether you are measuring it at tick-over or better still slightly above that you should get a slightly higher voltage reading, nearer 14 vols.

Dave.

-------------
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.


Personnavver
14/7/2022 at 7:17pm
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Caravan connected to car without engine running - the caravan internal 12volts is running from the car battery.

Caravan connected to car with engine running - the caravan internal 12volts is isolated and the caravan battery is charged from the car alternator and the 12 volt element of fridge may run if selected.

The caravan battery charger only works from the electric hookup to your house or caravan site.


PersonRich73
14/7/2022 at 8:36pm
 Location: West yorkshire
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Quote: Originally posted by navver on 14/7/2022
Caravan connected to car without engine running - the caravan internal 12volts is running from the car battery.

Caravan connected to car with engine running - the caravan internal 12volts is isolated and the caravan battery is charged from the car alternator and the 12 volt element of fridge may run if selected.

The caravan battery charger only works from the electric hookup to your house or caravan site.

Are you trying to tell me that the battery isn't charging whilst the car is towing the caravan?


Personmarg6
14/7/2022 at 9:27pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Rich73 on 14/7/2022
Quote: Originally posted by navver on 14/7/2022
Caravan connected to car without engine running - the caravan internal 12volts is running from the car battery.

Caravan connected to car with engine running - the caravan internal 12volts is isolated and the caravan battery is charged from the car alternator and the 12 volt element of fridge may run if selected.

The caravan battery charger only works from the electric hookup to your house or caravan site.

Are you trying to tell me that the battery isn't charging whilst the car is towing the caravan?




what he is saying is that when towing, your charger has nothing to do with it, its your alternator on the car that is doing the charging of the caravan battery once the engine is over approx 1500 revs, it also provides a maintainance current for your fridge which would keep an already cold fridge happy while on the move, but it wont chill a fridge down as it doesnt have the umph to do that


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Personbilly
via mobile 15/7/2022 at 8:03am
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To check your caravan charger is working plug caravan into mains. Check battery with volt meter should show over 13v. If you hitch caravan to car & plugged into towbar socket with engine running fast tickover battery showing over 13v will mean caravan battery is being charged from car alternator.

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Every day should be a holiday!


PersonRich73
15/7/2022 at 9:44am
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Thank you all for the information...I have a grip of it now.


PersonSteve Batch
12/8/2022 at 12:17pm
 Location: Leiston Suffolk
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Hi my Bailey indiana series 5 is tripping on the lights, water and battery charger, I think it is the battery charger that has gone and I cannot find the 25 amp fuse

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Steve Batch


Personsaxo1
12/8/2022 at 12:38pm
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" it also provides a maintainance current for your fridge which would keep an already cold fridge happy while on the move, but it wont chill a fridge down as it doesnt have the umph to do that"

A modern Dometic fridge cooling on 12V is equally as good as on mains or gas.
saxo1


Persontango55
12/8/2022 at 12:41pm
 Location: Lichfield
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Quote: Originally posted by Steve Batch on 12/8/2022
Hi my Bailey indiana series 5 is tripping on the lights, water and battery charger, I think it is the battery charger that has gone and I cannot find the 25 amp fuse


I had exactly the same problem about 4 years ago with the same 3 appliances tripping out and couldn't find a logical reason for it as the fuse was okay. Instantly I thought that it could be the MCB itself so to check it I switched the MCB off and back on again and felt the resistance on the MCB switch in comparison to the adjacent one. It was much weaker in comparison so I decided to replace it and problem sorted and has been okay ever since. It's one of those items that you think would never malfunction but it has a life time limit just like everything else has.



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Personcliffbrown
13/8/2022 at 7:17am
 Location: chesterfield
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Chargers are well known for failing I had to replace ours last year on a 2013 Lunar


Persontrog100
13/8/2022 at 8:41am
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my pretty old avondale van has a built in volt meter on its control panel.. a quick glance at that tells me if the battery is being charged.. all caravans should have one..

i now have lithium batteries and a more fancy aftermarket meter which tell me the actual battery capacity plus whats going in or whats going out..

simple volt meters are cheap if peoples vans dont have one the owners should at least fit one..

trog


Personalsparker
13/8/2022 at 11:04am
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Quote: Originally posted by Steve Batch on 12/8/2022
Hi my Bailey indiana series 5 is tripping on the lights, water and battery charger, I think it is the battery charger that has gone and I cannot find the 25 amp fuse


I had the same his weekend when we were away, i found that the battery charger, ( a ZIG X-70) had blown due to the heat. the problem with them is they do not have a cooling fan built in and they live in an area of very little air flow, you can check the unit by locating the on-off switch on the unit and turn it off, if it is the unit the rest of the electrics will work ok I am now about to order a new one.

Post last edited on 13/08/2022 11:08:10



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