240 volt question ? (1 Viewer)

mark e

Free Member
Sep 29, 2007
242
0
Rhondda Valleys, S Wales
Funster No
478
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Year 3 of ownership !
Electric hookup saturday night on site.

My question is : 240 volt supply goes in to socket on motorhome.
The 3 , ( 3 pin ) sockets worked, we had a dvd player working, the flush for the toilet working and the blown central heating on working. Had the lights on in the van, and 2 hours and then the lights died.

I had to start the engine to boost the leisure battery to have light again, but sparingly.

Checked my zig unit and no 220 v green led on :Angry: But like i said the 240 v sockets were working fine hence the 240v mains not charging my battery up !

Can anybody shed any light on the subject ? I hope i've explained this right
 
Aug 16, 2007
457
3
Funster No
111
Charger

:cry:
Electric hookup saturday night on site.

My question is : 240 volt supply goes in to socket on motorhome.
The 3 , ( 3 pin ) sockets worked, we had a dvd player working, the flush for the toilet working and the blown central heating on working. Had the lights on in the van, and 2 hours and then the lights died.

I had to start the engine to boost the leisure battery to have light again, but sparingly.

Checked my zig unit and no 220 v green led on :Angry: But like i said the 240 v sockets were working fine hence the 240v mains not charging my battery up !

Can anybody shed any light on the subject ? I hope i've explained this right
Hi Mark.
You most definitely have mains working otherwise the sockets would not work.
The flush and the interior lights are from the 12 v battery, and I suggest that then charger is not working or a fuse gone or a wire off:cry:
 
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American Dream

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Aug 20, 2007
0
156
Lincoln
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125
MH
?
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?
Electric hookup saturday night on site.

My question is : 240 volt supply goes in to socket on motorhome.
The 3 , ( 3 pin ) sockets worked, we had a dvd player working, the flush for the toilet working and the blown central heating on working. Had the lights on in the van, and 2 hours and then the lights died.

I had to start the engine to boost the leisure battery to have light again, but sparingly.

Checked my zig unit and no 220 v green led on :Angry: But like i said the 240 v sockets were working fine hence the 240v mains not charging my battery up !

Can anybody shed any light on the subject ? I hope i've explained this right

Have you got a 3 pin mains tester.

I know I go on about these but they are invaluable for checking mains site electrics.

I have found faulty earths before now that have played havoc with leisure battery charging.

Did you have another outlet nearby to "borrow" to check?

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mark e

mark e

Free Member
Sep 29, 2007
242
0
Rhondda Valleys, S Wales
Funster No
478
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Year 3 of ownership !
Have you got a 3 pin mains tester.

I know I go on about these but they are invaluable for checking mains site electrics.

I have found faulty earths before now that have played havoc with leisure battery charging.

Did you have another outlet nearby to "borrow" to check?
__________________
Steve.


Yes checked it and it came back with three thick lines, all OK

Also visally checked fuses, and all look ok but not tested with multimeter
 
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American Dream

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Aug 20, 2007
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Hmm Sounds like a faulty ZIG Unit.

Am i right that you have just bought the Motorhome?

I'd take it back to the seller if it was a dealer.

PS Is this your first time out in the Motorhome?

Multimeter test the fuses first.
 
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mark e

mark e

Free Member
Sep 29, 2007
242
0
Rhondda Valleys, S Wales
Funster No
478
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Year 3 of ownership !
Yes just bought it from a car dealership, part ex vehicle,
Good news i got a proper 12 months motorhome warrenty, £1000 limit per claim,
Yes first time away in it ::bigsmile:

One thing i've been thinking about is: when im travelling the engine battery charges up the leisure battery, is there a swith somwhere that sais Engine charge me up and 240 volt ( mauins ) charge me up !!

Please keep the ideas coming bit miffed myself...

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Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
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45 +years with breaks
On your control panel have you got pic of the cab of a m/Home and anther showing what might best be descibed as a caravan type rear, with a rocker switch between the two, if so the rearend pic is leisure battery charging, and the cab pic is engine battery charging
Geo
 
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Digger Driver

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Oct 4, 2007
578
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C Class
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1
Is there not a switch on the Zig unit that switches from car to caravan charging?

I have a switch on my 240v battery charger too!
 
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pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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dont know the make of my charger/power supply but it has a rockerswitch on the top cover to turn off the charger but leaves the PSU running.
if the switch on the control panel is central and i turn off the charger i lose all 12v
put the con panel switch to either van or cab position and the lights ect are running on battery until i switch on the charger/power supply unit switch which kicks in the charger and PSU.
john.

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wildcamper

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Jul 26, 2007
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Hi Mark,
I know this may be a stupid question but have you checked to make sure your van is fitted with a mains battery charger?
Not all are! some makers only add them as an added extra off the mains.
 
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mark e

mark e

Free Member
Sep 29, 2007
242
0
Rhondda Valleys, S Wales
Funster No
478
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Year 3 of ownership !
Hi Mark,
I know this may be a stupid question but have you checked to make sure your van is fitted with a mains battery charger?
Not all are! some makers only add them as an added extra off the mains.

That might be the case then. Its only a basic zig unit. it has a switch for "lights", "water pump" and a "test" button that tell you in LED's term how much water i got and how much leisure battery ive got.

No i havent got a switch for "car" "van" and "off" like caravans.
 
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Digger Driver

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Oct 4, 2007
578
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MH
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Exp
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Hi Mark,
I know this may be a stupid question but have you checked to make sure your van is fitted with a mains battery charger?
Not all are! some makers only add them as an added extra off the mains.

Does this explain why i have a charger as well as the one in my zig unit?
I can turn them both on at the same time!

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wildcamper

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Jul 26, 2007
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Does this explain why i have a charger as well as the one in my zig unit?
I can turn them both on at the same time!

Yep maybe, I always thought the zig unit didn't charge the battery, some units have a mains switch to turn the seperate charger on, but not all have a seperate charger fitted.
In my motorhome the charger is fitted in the wardrobe away from the zig.

I would think the mains switch on your zig is to switch the mains power on to your charger. Hope this helps:thumb:
 
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American Dream

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That might be the case then. Its only a basic zig unit. it has a switch for "lights", "water pump" and a "test" button that tell you in LED's term how much water i got and how much leisure battery ive got.

No i havent got a switch for "car" "van" and "off" like caravans.

Ah yes.

There must be a separate charger.
 
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Digger Driver

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Oct 4, 2007
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Yep maybe, I always thought the zig unit didn't charge the battery, some units have a mains switch to turn the seperate charger on, but not all have a seperate charger fitted.
In my motorhome the charger is fitted in the wardrobe away from the zig.

I would think the mains switch on your zig is to switch the mains power on to your charger. Hope this helps:thumb:
Nope! The mains supply to my charger goes straight to the 240v Breaker box and when i tested them they both supply 13.6 volt!
I thought it was strange at the time!

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wildcamper

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Jul 26, 2007
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in that case if you can turn the power off thats going to the second charger and check to see if you are getting 13.6 still coming out of the zig ???

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Digger Driver

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Oct 4, 2007
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in that case if you can turn the power off thats going to the second charger and check to see if you are getting 13.6 still goming out of the zig ???
When i started fitting all my bits in i tested both units seperately because the charger looked like an extra and i was wondering why there was a charging switch on the zig! (I used to do auto electronics)
And both units are supplying a seperate charge!
I was testing it also because the battery was not charging from the engine and found a loose feed wire from the zig unit so i presume the other charger was fitted to repair a wrongly diagnosed fault with the zig unit!
looks like a bad sparky bodged it and did away with the engine charging side of it!
The zig also has its own 240v feed which can only be used for something like a charger!
I remember the guy i bought it from saying the battery was knackered but it works fine now!
 
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Digger Driver

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Oct 4, 2007
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I just did a search for it!
Its a Symphony 2S4V and it has got a charger fitted (And repaired by me):ROFLMAO:

I found this place too that looks like it might be good for the groups download section!

http://www.freewebs.com/12voltsdc/

It has a Zig manual PDF download section in its menu!

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mark e

mark e

Free Member
Sep 29, 2007
242
0
Rhondda Valleys, S Wales
Funster No
478
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Year 3 of ownership !
But as i said in my earlier post my " 220v " led is not lit ( green LED ) but my sockets still work :Doh:

My neighbour just come up with the idea of getting a 16 amp battery charger coming out of one of the " 3 " working 230 v sockets, and cliping the ' battery leads ', on to the leisure battery under the passaenger seat,
this recharging the leisure battery as im using it. Would this work short term ? But i still got to sort this out long term.

( i got to stop, this is giving me a headache LOL )
 
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Digger Driver

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Oct 4, 2007
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Firstly i would check all the Cicuit breakers in your 240 box!
One of those breakers supplies your charger!
I think its normally a 6 amp one!
Then you need to locate your charger and make sure its getting power!
Start with that and let me know how you get on!
 
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GeorgeTelford

Deleted User
Hi

The 240 Volt light was on some vans meant to tell you that 240v was connected and on others it was meant to tell you when the mains was reversed polarity, confusingly though when it was a reversed polarity light on some vans the light on meant reversed polarity and on thers the light off meant reversed polarity, which left many people scratching their heads.

George

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GeorgeTelford

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Mark e,

can you post a picture of your control panel? or even any model number? it may help in sorting out many of your queries.

Did the lights go out completely? as in total brown/ off or just a general dimming ie still pretty white? If they did go completely out, I would suggest that the battery is now completely fubar.

George
 
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mark e

mark e

Free Member
Sep 29, 2007
242
0
Rhondda Valleys, S Wales
Funster No
478
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Year 3 of ownership !
george, just dimming white. since travelling home 1 and a half hours my leisure battery is now full, showing 3/3 (parts full ).

Will be posting pictures tonight so can any interested partys keep an eye out for this thread, thanks mark

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mark e

mark e

Free Member
Sep 29, 2007
242
0
Rhondda Valleys, S Wales
Funster No
478
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Year 3 of ownership !
here are the pictures:

Link Removed

Link Removed

Link Removed

Hopfully this will help the ones in the know. Thanks in advance guys and girls :thumb:
 
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American Dream

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Looks like just a monitor panel to me.

Is the other unit a mains inlet/mcb or is there more to it?

You really need to trace the leads back from the leisure battery.Where is it mounted?Any Pics?

Obviously there is charge from the alternator when the unit is mobile from what you say.
 
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shortcircuit

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Sep 13, 2007
162
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Funster No
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I will agree with Steve, there has to be more. Trace the cable from the RCD. You should find onother fuseboard which will have MCBs for the sockets, charger etc. Check they are all switched on.

The fuses you have shown are all 12 volts
 
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