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Subject Topic: 12v when hooked up Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonNanna1
21/4/2019 at 1:37pm
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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Hi all

We have just got back from our first trip away in our new to us, but 2001 caravan.

We were connected to the mains with a new leisure battery too.

The pump and lights started to stop working yesterday and we thought it a problem with the pump and another with the lights. We realised when we got home when the motor mover wouldn't work, that the battery was drained. Luckily we had a charged spare at home.

My question is, why didn't the battery charge? What is most likely to be the problem and how do we look for it and rectify it?

Thanks for any help


PersonRob and Tina
via mobile 21/4/2019 at 2:20pm
 Location: Royal Forest of Dean
 Outfit:  Swift Major 4SB View Rob and Tina's Profile View Profile   Reply to Rob and Tina Reply   Quote Rob and Tina Quote  
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Sounds like the battery charger isn't working, check the voltage at the battery changes when the charger is switched on. If there is no power from the charger check for blown fuses first then delve deeper as you may need a new charger unit.


Rob


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Persontango55
21/4/2019 at 2:36pm
 Location: Lichfield
 Outfit: Coachman Amara 450 View tango55's Profile View Profile   Reply to tango55 Reply   Quote tango55 Quote  
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The easy way to check to see if the onboard charger is functioning correctly is to connect up a voltmeter to the corresponding battery terminals (no battery connected), turn on the charger power and see what the voltmeter reading is. It should be between 13.8 to 14.0 volts so if it's anything less then it proves that the charger is defective. That's exactly how I found out my charger was defective on my previous caravan as the reading was less than 1 volt. I replaced the unit at a cost of around a hundred quid, checked the reading from the new charger which was 14.0 volts.


PersonG7ACU
21/4/2019 at 3:05pm
 Location: West Mids
 Outfit: Swift Ace Statesman & X-Trail 2.0 View G7ACU's Profile View Profile   Reply to G7ACU Reply   Quote G7ACU Quote  
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In addition to the useful suggestions above, might I suggest that you either update your profile to show what van you have, or perhaps post the info back as a reply; it's possible you'll then receive advice more specific to your caravan, eg there have been common faults with some vans in the past.

-------------
Paul

Every day's a school day!


PersonNanna1
via mobile 21/4/2019 at 3:27pm
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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Sorry, good idea. Will update my profile.


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Personericmark
22/4/2019 at 1:58am
 Location: North Wales
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With my caravan it was simply a ruptured fuse, there were 12 labels but 14 fuses so I simply checked wrong one.

Also my caravan had a master switch and an isolator again switched on isolator but not master switch so again no charging. Easy to make a mistake.


PersonNanna1
via mobile 22/4/2019 at 7:23am
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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Thanks everyone I will have a look and report back.


PersonNanna1
23/4/2019 at 6:15pm
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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I've had a quick look. I have a mains isolator that is switched on, where is the battery charger? Any idea on make to look for where? Is it the auxillary fuse on the fuse box?

Really appreciate your help.


PersonNanna1
23/4/2019 at 7:03pm
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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By the way we have a Compass Rallye 2001

I have looked where all the electrical connections are, there is nothing which looks like a seperate connection to anything. Could it be in the actual control panel on the wall?


Personnavver
23/4/2019 at 7:37pm
 Location: West country
 Outfit: Mondeo View navver's Profile View Profile   Reply to navver Reply   Quote navver Quote  
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You should have an external hatch giving access to the battery. In there will be the battery and probably the mains EHU hook-up socket. Also in there it's likely you have an isolator.

The isolator should serve the motor mover and if it is off should not isolate the 12 volt inside the caravan.

Inside the caravan, near this box will be a 230volt consumer unit with a series of trip switched. One will be bigger than the others and will be the incoming trip switch. It should have a push to test button on it which is the RCD. The other trip switches, Probably two, are MCBs and will feed the 230 volt circuits.

All trips should be up to be on.

Near this consumer unit or even as a part of it will be a box with lots of small fuses in. There could be 12 or so of these. They are the 12volt fuses and there will be one for each piece of equipment.

There may be a very small and difficult to see switch near this equipment. This may well be a master 12volt switch which will isolate the 12 volt in the van and very likely stop the battery being charged.

I don't know your van so aren't sure on this. There maty be a separate control panel in or on the wardrobe or by the door with a series of switches. Maybe one for lights, one for pump, one for master 12volt switch as I just described above.


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PersonNanna1
23/4/2019 at 8:19pm
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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Hi Navver

On our consumer unit there are as you say, 3 trip switches, several fuses, a 12v on/off switch (which we had "on" while connected to mains. There is a seperate mains isolator switch which has a test button on it.

I cannot see any other electrical units.

Am I missing something?


Personbobmel
24/4/2019 at 2:40pm
 Location: Aberdeen
 Outfit: Coachman Pastiche 460 VW Tiguan Moti View bobmel's Profile View Profile   Reply to bobmel Reply   Quote bobmel Quote  
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Found this link

-------------
Robert (BoB)


PersonNanna1
24/4/2019 at 7:51pm
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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Thanks Bob, I have already downloaded the manual, but it is more relevant to a modern caravan. I have also emailed Elddis.


Personnavver
24/4/2019 at 8:04pm
 Location: West country
 Outfit: Mondeo View navver's Profile View Profile   Reply to navver Reply   Quote navver Quote  
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Hi Nanna, looking at bob's link it looks as if my listing was right except you don't have a pump switch or separate control panel as in my last paragraph.

Bobs link says the charging should be completely automatic when you connect the EHU and switch on the trip switches and main isolator. (All switches up)

Therefore it sounds like the charger is faulty. It will most likely be located along with the electrical you have found inside the van.

Caravan systems did change over the years and yours from 2001 is now 18 years old. I had a 1999 Bailey Ranger which was much as you have described and the charger was a separate box connected by cables and to the electrical unit. The connection was via a plug.

One day the electricity board had a fault which wiped out our entire housing estate's electronic equipment including our caravan charger. We were able to get another from the dealer and simply unplug the old and plug in the new. The electricity board payed the £100 or so it cost.

I think you need to get someone to look at it or do the testing as others have suggested.


PersonNanna1
via mobile 24/4/2019 at 8:12pm
 Location: Devon
 Outfit: Compass Rallye 460 2 2001 View Nanna1's Profile View Profile   Reply to Nanna1 Reply   Quote Nanna1 Quote  
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Ok thanks for your help. I will let you all know how we get on.



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