Swift Bolero control panel (1 Viewer)

Minto

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Aug 12, 2012
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Has any one experienced the problem I have with the control panel on a 2008 Bolero 680FB.

This week end my leisure battery (only 10 months old) died completely and suddenly with no prior indication of a problem. The control panel automatically shut down and the voltage in the leisure battery gradually decayed to 8 volts. I therefore had to switch to cab battery.

With a new leisure battery now fitted I can only switch the control panel on by selecting cab battery. If I deselect the cab battery the control panel shuts down. I therefore cannot use the leisure battery. The voltage in the leisure battery measured directly on the battery terminals is 14.2 volts, however the voltage indicated on the control panel varies randomly from 7 volts to 13 volts.

I am guessing the control panel is not measuring the leisure battery voltage correctly and believes it is lower than it actually is and will therefore not switch on.

It was working perfectly until the leisure battery expired.

Is there a fix short of a new control panel?
 

hilldweller

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The usual first try with the Sargent panels is remove it from the wall, unplug the multi-plug to power it down and reset it, plug in with fingers crossed.
 
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Minto

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Aug 12, 2012
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Thanks for reply but I have already tried that with no success.

However things have moved on. I have plugged into mains and all is OK, disconnect mains and back to same problem.

Following readings on panel;

Mains on (240V) and Panel on
Leisure battery 14.5 volts Cab battery 12.6 volts
0.05 amps to leisure battery

Mains off, cannot switch panel on unless cab is selected
Leisure battery display reads anything from zero to 12.1 volts Cab Battery 14 volts
15.2 amps to cab battery

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hilldweller

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From Aug 2007
Mains on (240V) and Panel on
Leisure battery 14.5 volts Cab battery 12.6 volts
0.05 amps to leisure battery

Mains off, cannot switch panel on unless cab is selected
Leisure battery display reads anything from zero to 12.1 volts Cab Battery 14 volts
15.2 amps to cab battery

I'd take a guess you've the main fuse or connection to the leisure battery open circuit.

1. You go on mains and you're actually measuring the charger.
2. Your previous battery had died - did not get charged ?
3. 0..12V is a classic sign of measuring a length of wire, an aerial.
 
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Minto

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Bolero control panel

Original battery was being charged with a solar panel via a regulator connected to the Swift pre installed solar panel connection plug at the time of the battery failure.

Replacement battery was also connected to the solar panel and was registering a constant 14 volts using a multimeter.

I have checked all fuses including the 40amp main battery fuse and all are OK.

Actual voltage on leisure battery is 13.6 with charger both on or off which would indicate the charger is not charging the battery. Control voltage indication for the leisure battery is 14.5 volts which as you suggest is probably indicating the charger output not the actual battery voltage.
 
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Minto

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Hopefully problem is now sorted. Following advice from West Country Motorhomes (grateful thanks) I removed the fuse box located behind the drivers seat. During the removal everything started working. Removed and replaced plugs to make sure they were secure and tightened some of the cable connections and, fingers crossed, all is now OK.

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Popeye

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There is always something unnerving about fixing a problem and not knowing what you've done to fix it. It will play on your mind now until several trips have elapsed and nothing has gone wrong.

.....Well done anyway, keep your fingers crossed until you've driven over a black cat or under the window cleaners bucket or something........:thumb:
 
Dec 28, 2011
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I have just had a similar problem with our leisure battery dieing suddenly on our Autotrail.
It was only ten months or so old as well.
Fitted new battery and it showed 13.7 volts but no amps.
Left it on charge in the MH over the weekend and it is now showing 85% amps. Hopefully it will rise to 100% amps.
Seems that the voltage is ok on new batteries, but the amps need to be fed in.
Anyway, fingers crossed. :thumb:

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Wildman

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Fitted new battery and it showed 13.7 volts but no amps.
Left it on charge in the MH over the weekend and it is now showing 85% amps. Hopefully it will rise to 100% amps.
Seems that the voltage is ok on new batteries, but the amps need to be fed in.
Anyway, fingers crossed. :thumb:


I think maybe you would benefit from attending the 12V seminar. As most of that written above is inaccurate. A battery reading 13.7V is either being charged or is fully charged. You say no amps, well the ammeter reading tells you how much charge is going in, or in some cases coming out of a battery. If fully charged and no load the amps will be zero. The amp/hours in a battery is something different altogether. So many perceived problem are just a matter of not understanding what you see.
 
Dec 28, 2011
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I think maybe you would benefit from attending the 12V seminar. As most of that written above is inaccurate. A battery reading 13.7V is either being charged or is fully charged. You say no amps, well the ammeter reading tells you how much charge is going in, or in some cases coming out of a battery. If fully charged and no load the amps will be zero. The amp/hours in a battery is something different altogether. So many perceived problem are just a matter of not understanding what you see.

I could attend all the 12 volt seminars in the world and would still be an electrical moron :Eeek:

I seem to be mixing up amps with amp hours (but I could be wrong).
The display on the control panel shows (for leisure battery) volts and amp hours. The amp hours are given in a percentage so I am assuming that is the amount of available amp hours in the battery. With the original battery on it was initially showing 45% and the colour shown on the display was yellow (warning). After leaving the MH on hook-up for over a week it had reached 100% and the colour was green (all ok). After a week away, partly on hook-up, it was back on hook-up at home. The following morning it was reading 4% and the colour was red (fault/problem). The dealer has exchanged the battery for a new one, which was showing 0% amp hours at first fitting, and after 3 days on hook-up it is now showing 89%. It is a 110 a/h battery.

Does that sound ok or am I doing things all wrong, as usual ?
 

hilldweller

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Does that sound ok or am I doing things all wrong, as usual ?

On hook up a battery should charge in hours not days.

Ours pumps in 16A, 110Ah / 16A = 7 hours.

Since you should discharge only to 50% you are talking 4 hours for an normal "full" charge.

So "days" and something is not well.

I don't know your panel and charger so can't do more than take a guess.

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Dec 28, 2011
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On hook up a battery should charge in hours not days.

Ours pumps in 16A, 110Ah / 16A = 7 hours.

Since you should discharge only to 50% you are talking 4 hours for an normal "full" charge.

So "days" and something is not well.

I don't know your panel and charger so can't do more than take a guess.

Thanks for the info Hilldweller.

I thought that it seemed like an eternity to reach full amp hours.
Perhaps a call to Autotrail might clear up the problem
 
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Minto

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Battery

According to Sargent Electrical Services website (suppliers of the electrical equipment for most motor homes) even a brand new battery will only give 80% of its rated capacity. eg A 100amp battery will only deliver 80 amps.
 
Dec 28, 2011
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Just spoken to Autotrail at Grimsby and they think the control panel needs recalibrating. They are e-mailing me the instructions. :thumb:

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Dec 28, 2011
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Autotrail e-mailed me the instructions for the EC480 control panel and the EC500 Power Supply Unit (PSU)

There is a an AH Start Point setting which is used to set the Amp Hour start point for the Ah meter in the control panel.
If the battery is known to be fully charged the setting is 100%.
If it is estimated at half charge then set to 50%.
The default setting for new systems is 50%.

Mine was set at 350%.
The mind boggles !!!
No wonder I ended up with a duff battery and the readout struggled to give a 100% reading.
It would never have stopped trying to top the battery up.
Hope it hasn't damaged the new battery.
 

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