no power (1 Viewer)

hdvrod

Free Member
Dec 27, 2011
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Last time I used our motorhome we hooked up to the site mains but had no 12v power to anything,interior lights etc.Checked the leisure battery and it was discharged.Dont know if the problem is the zig x7 charger (it looks like the original so is about 15 years old) or the battery has just given up the ghost.Am tempted to a buy new charger (believe the X7 has been superceded by x70) But dont really want to pay £100 plus for a charger only to find it was the battery,any suggestions welcome.
 
Oct 12, 2011
398
484
West Sussex
Funster No
18,461
MH
Lowline
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Since 2011 therefore I'm not a newbie anymore
Look at the hook up lead, it may not be putting through the power to charge the battereies.

Happened to us an a brand new caravan and lead. borrow someones spare lead for a few days then got the dealer to replace the lead.

If not lead then check charger.

hope this helps in some way

bob
 

scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
2,076
8,975
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
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Timberland
Well, the battery will be knackered.. so irrespective it will need replaced.

Replace it then check the output from the charger on the battery terminals.. should show more than 13vdc ..

If you only read the battery voltage around 12.6 then it may be a fuse in the charger.. or the 230v trip supplying the charger..

Don't buy a new charger until all avenues have been checked .. if unsure about checking voltages etc .. take to a dealer or auto electrician who can check and verify ..

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hdvrod

hdvrod

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Dec 27, 2011
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Thanks Bob,dont think it was the lead as the 240v stuff was working.
Jim,cheers will follow your advice.:Smile:
By the way what amp battery should I go for?
 

scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
2,076
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Suffolk Coastal District, UK
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Thanks Bob,dont think it was the lead as the 240v stuff was working.
Jim,cheers will follow your advice.:Smile:
By the way what amp battery should I go for?

85ah - 110ah ... check the one you have..

I would fit as big as will physically fit .. bearing in mind the height and post orientation .. also, if located inside the van that it has a vent tube ... if outside in a vented locker not really needed.
 
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hdvrod

hdvrod

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85ah - 110ah ... check the one you have..

I would fit as big as will physically fit .. bearing in mind the height and post orientation .. also, if located inside the van that it has a vent tube ... if outside in a vented locker not really needed.
Thanks,yes will check the dimensions the one in there is too big for the outside locker can hardly get the leads on and off.

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chatter

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Aug 3, 2009
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cheshire
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also check you havent knocked a switch to the off position which is stopping the charge to the battery, I know on my daughters caravan that on their zig unit there was such a switch it turned off the 12v supply or something similar, it was a 3 way rocker switch and they didnt realise it was in the off position. Check any boxes in bottoms of wardrobes etc as well
 

philw111

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Mar 22, 2009
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Bessacarr 484
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We had a similar problem not long after we got the current MH - it turned out to be a fuse in the charger (as diagnosed by Jim :thumb:). No problems in the four or five years since :Smile:

Phil
 
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hdvrod

hdvrod

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will check also,thanks

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pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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I agree with the others regarding the charger not outputing.

dead battery and charger not working = no 12v circuits
dead battery and charger working = power to 12v circuits on hookup

could be the 230v MCB if it has a seperate one feeding the charger.
could be the 12v fuse in the charger or 12v fuse in the control panel.
could be the charger has gone t^ts up.

process of elimination :thumb:
 
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hdvrod

hdvrod

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Forgot to mention, on the control panel there is a rocker switch which is marked with symbols car and caravan,assume when in the caravan position it takes power from the leisure battery,and from the vehicle battery in the other position,but I get no power to the 12v fixtures in either position,I have disconnected the zig charger but could not any connections from there to car battery(dont know if that is correct or not) does the car battery power go straight to the control panel? if so why could I get no power? sorry if I seem a bit naive about all this but this is my first motorhome and am on a steep learning curve.Not having much luck with it so far,in addition to the above problem it failed its mot before christmas,the abs pump was malfunctioning,was sent away for testing but was unrepairable,I have spent 6 weeks trying to source a reconditioned or second hand one,unsuccessfully,have had to bite the bullet and buy a new one, cost around £1400.But am hanging on in there and looking forward to enjoying it in the coming year.
 
Jul 28, 2010
1,710
617
The world
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12,902
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Small car
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1
Last time I used our motorhome we hooked up to the site mains but had no 12v power to anything,interior lights etc.Checked the leisure battery and it was discharged.Dont know if the problem is the zig x7 charger (it looks like the original so is about 15 years old) or the battery has just given up the ghost.Am tempted to a buy new charger (believe the X7 has been superceded by x70) But dont really want to pay £100 plus for a charger only to find it was the battery,any suggestions welcome.
just get the two items checked out and tested
any good garage should be able to test the battery and the charger unit in a few minuets not a big job at all

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lunarman

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Sep 23, 2008
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The fact that you had no 12v with the selector in either position would point me in the direction of the control panel itself or the fuses in the connections between the batteries and the panel.

My logic is that even if the charger is not working then 12v would still be supplied from either of the batteries. You say that the leisure one was flat so that would not supply any voltage. But the vehicle battery must be ok otherwise you could not start the van. So I would start by investigating why 12v was not getting from the vehicle battery to the habitation electrics.

Does the fridge work on 12v when the engine is running?

If you dont have them old zig manuals are available here http://www.freewebs.com/12voltsdc/Zig%20X7.pdf

lunarman
 
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hdvrod

hdvrod

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Dec 27, 2011
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Does the fridge work on 12v when the engine is running?
It does work when we are driving along think thats from the 12v supply,but has not been working since we have had this problem.
 
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hdvrod

hdvrod

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appreciate all the assistance but wont be able to access pc till tommorrow,so dont think I am being rude:Smile:

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hdvrod

hdvrod

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Dec 27, 2011
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Well got new Battery fitted,now have 12v power to lights etc,tested the output from the zig and am getting 12v reading so hopefully all is okay and it was just the battery.Thanks everyone for the advice
 

Scout

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Apr 4, 2009
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if the charger is switched on and working the voltage at the battery should be arround 13.6 volts.

if the charger is switched on and NOT working the voltage at the battery will be droping with use.

I think you may still have a problem.
 
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hdvrod

hdvrod

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Dec 27, 2011
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if the charger is switched on and working the voltage at the battery should be arround 13.6 volts.

if the charger is switched on and NOT working the voltage at the battery will be droping with use.

I think you may still have a problem.
Thanks for the response,but I think the problem may be me not using the multimeter correctly,Just got it off the internet and never used one before,At the setting I have it on I have tried it on 2 fully charged batteries and the readings I am getting is 12,the same as the out put on the zig,the instructions that came with the multimeter seem to expect some level of familiarity with it and are not easy for the layman(electricity to me is still white mans magic).do you think if maybe I experimented with the meter I could get readings of 13.6.
thanks for your assistance, Jim

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rainbow chasers

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Oct 30, 2009
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Where is Devon are you? I have a van going to Plymouth area over the weekend - I can arrange for your system to be checked for you by an auto electrician.

If you can meet the van, or you are very close to Plymouth there will be no charge at all. At least you will know for certain.

You are very welcome to bring it to us, but we are 'over the border' in Cornwall! Again, we will test free of charge.:thumb:
 
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hdvrod

hdvrod

Free Member
Dec 27, 2011
859
733
devon
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coachbuilt
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since jan 2011
Where is Devon are you? I have a van going to Plymouth area over the weekend - I can arrange for your system to be checked for you by an auto electrician.

If you can meet the van, or you are very close to Plymouth there will be no charge at all. At least you will know for certain.

You are very welcome to bring it to us, but we are 'over the border' in Cornwall! Again, we will test free of charge.:thumb:
Hi
Thanks for the kind offer,Afraid I am in Bideford north devon bit far from plymouth,but could bring it to you where are you in Cornwall?
Thanks Jim
 

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