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Topic: battery and motor mover

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maggie51

16/5/2013 at 10:30pm
Location: manchester
Outfit: coachman festival

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hello we have got a motor mover for our van as my hubbys clutch went on the car and it was expensive.We have tried it 4 or 5 times a couplre were ok but now we have found out it stops trying to go up a slight incline on our drive .We have been told the battery must be running low travelling home.Can I ask if we want the battery to charge coming home do we leave the battery on or off as we are not sure thanks :)

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maggie

michael

16/5/2013 at 10:42pm
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: Caravan now Sold

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they only work on a full battery.a full battery will have 12.7 volts in it.when you use your mover the voltage drops.if it is full ie.12.7 volts then the drop will only go down to 10.5 volts.if battery is already at 11 volts then the drop will be down to about 9 volts.not enough to run your motors.to test run mover not on tyres.if it works and both rollers go round,the system is working fine.if you put the rollers on and it does not work.then it is a sure sign the battery is flat.

Post last edited on 16/05/2013 22:50:34

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the only silly question is the one you do not ask.

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G7ACU

16/5/2013 at 10:46pm
Location: West Mids
Outfit: Swift Ace Statesman & X-Trail 2.0

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Quote: Originally posted by maggie51 on 16/5/2013
... Can I ask if we want the battery to charge coming home do we leave the battery on or off as we are not sure thanks :)

The 12v battery switch in the van is to simply switch the 12v system on when on site, but you'd normally have this set to 'off' when towing.

The battery should charge automatically, assuming you have the connections fitted. It charges via the 12S (grey) plug if you have twin electrics on the van. I know some folk who don't actually have the 12S socket on their towcar, in which case their batteries won't charge.

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maggie51

16/5/2013 at 10:47pm
Location: manchester
Outfit: coachman festival

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we have a rocker switch in the caravan so when we travel home we turn this off but the guy who came out to the mover said you might have to leave it on whilst travelling each caravan is different read the handbook we did but couldn't see that in it.We have a Fleetwood Colchester are we supposed to have it switched to on to keep the battery charging whilst we wre travelling thanks

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michael

16/5/2013 at 10:52pm
Location: Lancashire
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yes sounds like it should be left on to charge the battery as he said.

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the only silly question is the one you do not ask.

DaveCoaches

17/5/2013 at 8:26am
Location: None Entered
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Shouldnt make a difference. The habitation relay bypasses the switch.

Jax365

17/5/2013 at 9:30am
Location: south cheshire
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I bought a second leisure battery just in case there wasn't enough charge in the one I used on holiday. My greatest fear is that I won't be able to get the van back on the drive, so second battery all charged up, just in case, stored in the shed.

My Dad's van has the 12s socket, however, the inbuilt charger doesn't work. So that is something to check. We got around this (as can't get a replacement) by just charging the leisure battery with a charger on site, before coming home.

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maggie51

17/5/2013 at 7:02pm
Location: manchester
Outfit: coachman festival

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We changed the plugd on van last year ourselves follow the diagams as the incator wouldnt work it seems ok now wold it be the car electrics or vans that would charge battery

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maggie

Barbie Girl

17/5/2013 at 7:11pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Eldiss Odyssey 534 & VW Touareg V10

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on ours the battery charges in the van whilst on ehu we make sure battery is fully charged at home so we can use movers to get off the drive, then charges whilst on site so movers work when we get home

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G7ACU

17/5/2013 at 7:25pm
Location: West Mids
Outfit: Swift Ace Statesman & X-Trail 2.0

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Quote: Originally posted by maggie51 on 17/5/2013
... wold it be the car electrics or vans that would charge battery

The caravan battery is charged direct from the car while the car is running, providing you have a properly installed and functional 12S socket on the car. As mentioned, this is done automatically on connection to the car, providing there are no other faults anywhere.

Assuming you've been on site and used EHU, the battery should have been charged sufficiently while on site for the mover, plus as above, the car should be keeping it charged too. Even if the car electrics aren't functioning properly, having been on EHU should have given you a decent enough charge to get the mover going when back home.
So if you've found the mover is weak following on-site EHU use and a tow home, I'd have to consider the chance the battery is duff.

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navver

17/5/2013 at 9:15pm
Location: West country
Outfit: Mondeo

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To be honest the battery won't charge much whilst towing. The car battrery is under the bonnet with very large and short cables connecting it to the alternator. The caravan battery is at the end of a long thin cable so will have a considerable amount of volt drop. The lions share of the charge will go to the car battery and when that is charged the system will start reducing the voltage so as not to over charge the car battery.

I've left mine in storage for several months without charging and it has always worked on our sloping drive. Can you check the battery voltage with a volt meter.

maggie51

17/5/2013 at 11:38pm
Location: manchester
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Hi its a 90 amp battery we got last aug and have a c tek meter showing fully charged
Wq

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maggie

old chap

18/5/2013 at 12:23am
Location: Sitingbourne
Outfit: baily champaign

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Hi Maggie, If you simply left the battery on the van over the winter & did not maintain it, it is possibly that it is now faulty. even if it shows as fully charged 12.7 v if an internal plate is damaged as soon as a load is put on the battery,ie the mover the voltage will fall

I suggest you connect the van to the EHU & using a volt meter check the voltage at the battery . you should have a reading of 13.8 v if not then the van charger is not working

if it is showing 13.8 then it is most likely the battery at fault

maggie51

18/5/2013 at 1:50pm
Location: manchester
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hi my hubby said it was reading that when it was checked by he power touch guy and we took it off the van as a battery went duff last year this was a new battery bought last year we got the c tek charger and charged it once every month for a couple of days it worked fine when the engineer came as we had it on charge in the house its just when we are on site and then come home after a week it wont take the van back up the drive so maybe it is the onboard charger not working can you fix this yourself if it is or do you have to get an enginner ot

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maggie

G7ACU

18/5/2013 at 6:14pm
Location: West Mids
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It does sound like the on-board charger to be honest, as obviously the batteries is being used while on site and if not being charged, you're finding the things too weak to power the mover.
The charger can be replaced by yourself but beforehand, just check over it for a possible blown fuse or loose cable.

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Every day's a school day!

wizzo

18/5/2013 at 7:28pm
Location: Formby Merseyside
Outfit: Adria 542DT 2010 - Galaxy Powershift

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Quote: Originally posted by maggie51 on 18/5/2013hi my hubby said it was reading that when it was checked by he power touch guy and we took it off the van as a battery went duff last year this was a new battery bought last year we got the c tek charger and charged it once every month for a couple of days it worked fine when the engineer came as we had it on charge in the house its just when we are on site and then come home after a week it wont take the van back up the drive so maybe it is the onboard charger not working can you fix this yourself if it is or do you have to get an enginner ot

If the charger has had it then you may as well use your Ctek. It won't harm being used while it is fitted in the caravan. I actualy sometimes use the Ctek instead of the inbuilt charger when in the van to condition the battery. The current draw at night may be more than the Ctek will pump out but the battery will be replenished overnight and during the day. This will also kepp the battery in the best possible condition

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