12v trouble

[DaveJB]

Hi this is my first post, we have a swift escape 686 2013, im having trouble with my 12v, the electric tripped on site last night since then ive had no 12v, i have a solar panel which is showing that it is charging the leisure battery, ive checked all the fuses which seem to be OK, my step will not retract even when I have the engine running, any help would be appreciated

DaveJB

 

[Stealaway]

I doubt if you have had much solar charging at this time of year. We haven't seen the sun for 3 or 4 days in Yorkshire

 

[DaveJB]

Also my control panel is constantly flashing is this because the 12v is low & why dose my step not retract when the engine is running

 

[meanders]

We had a 2012 Swift group model where the electrics were in the dark at the back of the wardrobe. There were three small black rocker switches surface mounted on the aluminium case that were not protected by the clear plastic cover and therefore were easy to knock OFF. None were labelled. One I think controlled the step. Just check yours isn't the same. From memory, up was ON.

 

[Lenny HB]

Sounds like the leisure battery is completely flat, this time of year you will be using around 50ah from the battery, you don't say how much solar you have if you have 200 watts only going to about 10 ah that back into the batteries on a nice sunny day.
If the leisure battery has gone that flat it will need replacing.
The sep is not working because the leisure battery is flat and the 12 habitation electrics have shut down.

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[DaveJB]

I've got my engine running to try & top the battery up, if that doesn't work I'll have to remove the step before traveling home

 

[Lenny HB]

Steps don't stick out that far, just don't go too near high kerbs. Seems worse than it is, I've driven with a step stuck out.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I've got my engine running to try & top the battery up, if that doesn't work I'll have to remove the step before traveling home

Best to reset the site trip at the ehu post and turn off all your internal electrics and allow the battery to charge up from the ehu enough to withdraw the step.sounds as though you have tripped out the site post breaker with overuse,( charging a duff battery and other electrics on at night) then when it's tripped the duff battery has probably fully discharged.
It does sound like you may need a new battery.

 

[Lofty1]

If the control panel lamps are not flashing when you first start the it may be the charge relay, also you have fuses at the bottom of the o/s rear cab pillar under a screwed flap (o/s rear of drivers door) that may be causing a problem

 

[DaveJB]

The electric was reset last night, I have 230v, will have a look for the fuses

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[The Old Man]

Different van, make and model.

I have major 12v issues at the moment that has required the removing/isolating of all 12v components.

I have discovered;

Without a 12v supply available, the boiler safety dump is triggered so it seems that needs 12v to keep it open.

The step will not work, in my case opening.

I can't easily explain but my battery if working and charged, however somewhere between the battery, through the electrobox, through the control panel to 12v items, fridge, water pump, lighting and boiler is a failure and none of the above work, I can't even switch on the 12v switch on the control panel. So nothing in the habitation section worked. However the step did.

In an attempt to find the fault the electrobox and control panel were removed and sent away for refurbishment. Obviously with those items missing there was no 12v BUT additionally the step stopped working and the water safety valve dumped.

 

[DaveJB]

Had no joy with fuses/step/12v, going out for the day, going to drive to drive home tomorrow slowly & carefully with step down, thanks for the help

 

[GeoffnDee]

DaveJB Check that the black shutdown button on the PSU is on , it may need to be pressed to reset it (if it is off the step will not retract even when the engine is started)

 

[autorouter]

Have you checked the big fuse near the leisure battery? That's the main supply to the distribution box. If that blows you have no 12V power at all, and the engine won't charge the leisure battery either. Probably a 30A to 50A fuse.

 

[pappajohn]

If you're still reading have a look around the leisure battery for a master fuse.....maybe a 50amp fuse.
If that's blown it's the equivelent of removing the battery

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[deleted79651]

Different van, make and model.

I have major 12v issues at the moment that has required the removing/isolating of all 12v components.

I have discovered;

Without a 12v supply available, the boiler safety dump is triggered so it seems that needs 12v to keep it open.

The step will not work, in my case opening.

I can't easily explain but my battery if working and charged, however somewhere between the battery, through the electrobox, through the control panel to 12v items, fridge, water pump, lighting and boiler is a failure and none of the above work, I can't even switch on the 12v switch on the control panel. So nothing in the habitation section worked. However the step did.

In an attempt to find the fault the electrobox and control panel were removed and sent away for refurbishment. Obviously with those items missing there was no 12v BUT additionally the step stopped working and the water safety valve dumped.

We had the airbag/ECU failure some 3 weeks ago. Auto electrician spent 5 hours tracing circuits back to track down a backfeed at the Elektroblok EBL99 from Starter Battery to Leisure Battery. The backfeed was routed through the 25 amp Step and Internal Footwell light circuit BUT the fault came from a wrongly wired radio and rear camera where the leads had been cross wired back in 2016 when the Van was 'accessorised' by the supplying Dealer!

Wiring corrected and the parasitic 100+ma drain reduced to 15ma.

Steve

 

[autorouter]

I can't easily explain but my battery if working and charged, however somewhere between the battery, through the electrobox, through the control panel to 12v items, fridge, water pump, lighting and boiler is a failure and none of the above work, I can't even switch on the 12v switch on the control panel. So nothing in the habitation section worked. However the step did.

In an attempt to find the fault the electrobox and control panel were removed and sent away for refurbishment. Obviously with those items missing there was no 12v BUT additionally the step stopped working and the water safety valve dumped.

Is it a Schaudt Electroblock? If so, it has two big relays inside. One supplies the items that switch off when the display panel habitaion switch is off - the lights, pump etc. The other supplies the permanently powered items like the step, frost protection valve and fridge/heater control boards. It sounds like one of the relays wasn't switching on.

Just next to the big 50A fuse by the leisure battery is a small 2A fuse, for the battery sense/measurement voltage reading. If that blows, the EBL won't switch on.

 

[The Old Man]

Is it a Schaudt Electroblock? If so, it has two big relays inside. One supplies the items that switch off when the display panel habitaion switch is off - the lights, pump etc. The other supplies the permanently powered items like the step, frost protection valve and fridge/heater control boards. It sounds like one of the relays wasn't switching on.

Just next to the big 50A fuse by the leisure battery is a small 2A fuse, for the battery sense/measurement voltage reading. If that blows, the EBL won't switch on.

Thank you.

It is in the hands of a motohome garage with the Elecktro block sent to Apuljack for refurbishment.

After refurbishment it was all tested on their workbenches but with their wiring loom.

So investigations continue.

As your suggestions suggest items outside the block and panel, I will pass them on to the engineer.

Thanks again.