Battery Connection

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r4penn · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:38 pm Post subject: Battery Connection

Hi Folks

Still working my way round our new toy and can't seem to get any power when just on battery. With mains cable connection everything on the van works fine, sockets, lights etc but if I disconnect the mains I get nothing except the alarm which continues to work.

So, I am presuming I have not got the 'switches' set right but have read the handbook several times and tried several combinations without success. My Abbey van is fitted with an ESM 2000 switch & fuse module with combined transformer/charger.

Is anyone out there familar with this bit of kit and can suggest what I might be doing wrong?

carabiker · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 7:39 pm Post subject:

Hi r4penn

I am not well up on the abbey range but

Do you have a selector switch usually near the door if this has to be set to suit
label will be some thing like battery / car /. caravan

Is the 12 volt fuse Ok that protects the battery and is the battery getting charged via the 240 volt transformer

The other problem may be one of the habitation relays has stuck in the closed position

If you have the hand book with the electrical drawing can you scan it and sent to my direct e-mail address (see my profile ) I will see if I can ID the possible problem

If you state the tear of your van I may be able to down load the wiring diagram

Dave

roboughton · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject:

Just want to double check that the lights that are working fine on mains power are actually 12v?? The alarm may well have its own power supply

Does the battery have any power in it when you unplug the mains?

Can you try all 12v items when on mains power
then when on battery power
and also check that the 12v charger is in the charging position (not sure what sort they have on Swift vans) it may be that its set to provide 12v and not charge the battery.

r4penn · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:27 pm Post subject: Battery Connection

Hi guys

I think Dumbo of Hassocks may have solved this problem and power from battery now OK. Not being very knowledgeable on electronics I am intrigued as to why in order to isolate the mains power the toggle switch (car/centre/van) has to be in the centre position and the battery charger switch 'on'.

In any event I seem to have worked out in conjunction with another of the handbook that this is the case. It was certainly confusing me and I ask the question "is this the case with other manufacturers?"

What this experience has shown me is the willingness of the caravan community to help each other as demonstrated by the way you guys have given such a prompt response. It certainly has given me the confidence to seek advice in the future and shows the value of this site.

Thanks guys - Dumbo (Robin) Very Happy

KatsukoAkitas · Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject: Power to the van

We have just picked up our first caravan from a private sale, the couple we bought it from never used it. So we have not been shown how to use anything.

The battery was flat so we plugged in the electric hook up through the window into the house and moved the charger switch over to charge. The battery did not charge so we brought it into the house and charged it with the car charger on slow charge.

We still cannot get the electrics to work unless it is hooked up to the house. I rang a local caravan dealer who told me to put the battery in the van, hook the van up to the house and then put the water pump on. He told me if the water pump worked (12v) that there is nothing wrong with the battery and that the fault is with the charger. I did as I was told and the water came through the taps.

I am so confused, please help!

jimw · Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:42 pm Post subject: Re: Power to the van

Dragger · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:40 am Post subject:

and own and worn the t shirts on on each caravan.

When we bought our caravan, we were told the alarm didn't work and that as it wasn't factory fitted, no-one knew anything about it. (this was at Swindon caravans)
After trying the key goodness knows how many times, I gave up, took it to the Carlight factory to have a mover put on and also picked thier brains about the alarm.
It won't work they said, so what was new??? we never fitted it, so we can't really help, but we could fit a new one!

I searched that caravan inside and out and finally found the control box. opened it up only to find the battery inside was FLAT! when I say flat I mean extinct! The caravan was built in 1994, the battery must have been fitted into the alarm box around that time as well. This was no 2006! I removed the battery and replaced it was a new one and Hey Presto! it worked first time, now all that was left was to find out what kind of security system it had.
I now know ALL about my alarm system, I have checked all the wiring throughout and through trial and error (thankfully the neighbours where I live are forgiving) I tried all the alarm systems out.

The question which I expect you will be asking is... how long have I been caravanning?? the answer is 27 years, yet even today I still find new things to play with!!

jimw · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject:

Dragger · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:41 am Post subject:

Mine is slightly diffrent in the fact it is screwed together but I have been told to tell you to remove the box and drill out the rivets then the sides then come off. It is wise to replace the battery at this stage.
If it still will not work, before fixing box back together, it is possible to press the re-set button in the box.

I hope this is of help?

mintymurray · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject: caravan battery

went away with the van last weekend,for our first time,
the battery was flat but i thought that it would start to charge when i plugged it into the car, when the van is in car mode all the lights etc work, so i assume the 12v system is fine, when i plugged the van into the mains everything worked fine, but the battery is failing to charge, i checked the voltage going to it at the battery and this is 0. the rcd switch is on as it is on the same system as the fridge. mmm,
any ideas, not sure if i have a zig fitted the van is 8 years old,i have no manual for the van, it is a fleetwood countryside.
also when i turned on the carver water heater it blew the mains rcd for the van, so i suspect the element needs replacing, is this an easy job?
if anybody has an electrical drwg of a typical layout then i can have a go, the water heater works on gas.
the fridge did not also work when plugged in via the car, is this becuase the leisur ebattery is flat..

email me if you can
thanks again.

Langy01 · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 4:00 pm Post subject:

As posted before if some of your 12V electrics are working when plugged in to the mains then the charger should be workign fine. If after switching off the mains the 12V no longer work even with changing over the switches for Car / Caravan / Aux etc then it may point to a flat battery.

Regarding your water heater I would have a word with a mechanic at your local Caravn dealer. They should be able to advise you of the best option and not bother if they get the work or not. If the switch is throwing on the water heater it sounds more like a short. It could be the element or something else.

Paul

eileeng2 · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 5:10 pm Post subject: charger problem

Hi everyone,

We have a swift challenger and the battery charger unit has stopped working. have spoken to local dealer who says we need new one. Hubby is quite good at things like that anh thouhght he would try it himself. Problem is unit is riveted. dealer says best plan to site new one elsewhere. any advice gratefully recived.

eileen

ps sorry if this is posted twice. I'm new and dont' know if Im doing it right!

Langy01 · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 10:59 pm Post subject:

I personally would see if I could fit a replacement in the same place. If its riveted you can drill out the xisting rivets and then bolt in the new one.

As he sounds quite handy at doing these sorts of jobs then he could easily fit the new one in with bolts etc with a few mods to make it fit properly.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Paul