Flat battery

Lanerboy

Lanerboy

Free Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2016
Posts
1,363
Likes collected
2,207
Location
midlands
Funster No
44,408
MH
Carthago 4.9 superior
Just gone out to my carthago and I have left the music button on that is on the control panel that sends power to the tv's and the head unit when parked up

This has caused the engine battery to go flat and unable to start the vehicle

I have now plugged it in on the hook up cable

Will this charge the engine battery back up or will this only charge the leisure batteries
 
I would put a charger on the cab battery direct. There is only a trickle not a full charge via the hookup which is designed to recharge the hab batteries primarily.
 
RowleyBirkinQC said:
I’ve heard that’s a Carthago ‘thing’ on some models, but don’t know from experience.
Click to expand...
Correct it is the way Carthago wire the system, mainly due to the head unit being used as a DVD player; if they remember to connect the leads.......

Hook up will charge both habitation and vehicle battery. @Lanerboy do you know if your solar controller is connected to your vehicle battery as well as habitation? If not, the alternative to avoid such a situation is to fit a battery master(y)
 
I take it you have the Pioneer unit that Carthago supply, they draw 6 amps, it always happens with their stupid system.

I thought everyone knew that. :rofl:

Sorry couldn't resist.
 
And you slag of the Brit's and their turn off power to the habitation with the engine running, looks like the bloody German's come up with some batty idea's of their own. :LOL:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
Lenny HB said:
Don't think that will help with the amount of power the Pioneer units draw.
Click to expand...
I have a pioneer unit and a CBE CSB2 and never get any problems, although my TV isn't wired through the head unit.
 
My Carthago is the same if you leave the media centre switched on the engine battery goes flat , if you have hookup it will charge both batteries .Also be careful how much TV you watch if not on hook up.

Ive given up trying to get carthago to fix it , we are getting a toggle switch fitted so the power for the media centre comes off the leisure battery ( all new models leaving the factory will also have a toggle switch fitted so Ive been told ).

Forgot to say if you have the removable buttons on the side of the head unit , if you removed the small panel / buttons it will switch the head unit off while watching TV .
 
Last edited:
Thanks all I have checked this morning after leaving on hook up all night and engine battery is now fully charged and starts ok leason learnt

I will be investigating into getting tvs to run of the leisure batteries instead what a stupid idea by carthago nothing should run off the engine battery in my opinion
 
Lanerboy said:
Thanks all I have checked this morning after leaving on hook up all night and engine battery is now fully charged and starts ok leason learnt

I will be investigating into getting tvs to run of the leisure batteries instead what a stupid idea by carthago nothing should run off the engine battery in my opinion
Click to expand...
They must have the same technical bloke as auto trail as they are the same
 
Lenny HB said:
I take it you have the Pioneer unit that Carthago supply, they draw 6 amps, it always happens with their stupid system.

I thought everyone knew that. :rofl:

Sorry couldn't resist.
Click to expand...
I’ll have to re wire the head unit when it arrives then :rollingeyes:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sorry to hijack the thread but I shall be collecting my new to Me 6 month old Carthago in 2 weeks time from CamperUK.

Is this media drain on the engine batt a problem I should take up with them ?

Many ta's
Antique
 
Rob Turner said:
I’ll have to re wire the head unit when it arrives then :rollingeyes:
Click to expand...
Not that simple they wire it through the media unit and the problem occurs when you don't turn off the media centre via the control panel, even if you have turned off the head unit.

Latest Hymer's wire their head units to a media unit but they have a switch on the dash that allows you select batteries.
 
Antique said:
Sorry to hijack the thread but I shall be collecting my new to Me 6 month old Carthago in 2 weeks time from CamperUK.

Is this media drain on the engine batt a problem I should take up with them ?

Many ta's
Antique
Click to expand...
Yes.
 
Ivory55 said:
They must have the same technical bloke as auto trail as they are the same
Click to expand...
What model and what sort of electrics are fitted to yours ?
Ours ( media centre etc ) runs off the leisure batteries via the Sargent unit, as do all the others I have worked on
 
Well thats another lesson learned today.
I also assumed that the purpose of the media button was to supply a 12 volt feed to the radio head unit & the TV from the leisure batts, other wise apart from not having a 12 volt feed to run them when the engine is switched off what is the point?
So I will wire in a 12 volt DPST relay or two with feeds from the leisure and the cab batteries, with the 12V switched media button feed to the radio head to only power the coil on the relay.
This way I will be sure that the feed to the radio,remote amps, & TV are being fed from the appropriate battery when parked up.
Yes I agree a battery master is also the way to go, to try and ensure all batteries are balanced when not on hook up.
Thanks for pointing this out, glad @Lanerboy has managed to get his cab battery charged and is on the road again.
Les

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jaws said:
What model and what sort of electrics are fitted to yours ?
Ours ( media centre etc ) runs off the leisure batteries via the Sargent unit, as do all the others I have worked on
Click to expand...
We have the Comanche, the vehicle battery drops on the gauge when watching tv. It’s the drop down screen that’s worked with the radio buttons on the dashboard
 
Lenny HB said:
Not that simple they wire it through the media unit and the problem occurs when you don't turn off the media centre via the control panel, even if you have turned off the head unit.

Latest Hymer's wire their head units to a media unit but they have a switch on the dash that allows you select batteries.
Click to expand...
That’s what I’ve got on my Dethleffs now Lenny.
Just a small two way switch by the steering wheel.
 
Ivory55 said:
We have the Comanche, the vehicle battery drops on the gauge when watching tv. It’s the drop down screen that’s worked with the radio buttons on the dashboard
Click to expand...
Ahhh right.. I have never used the fitted drop down.. in fact I am thinking of taking it out completely as the only thing we use it for is somewhere to bang our head !
 
Jaws said:
Ahhh right.. I have never used the fitted drop down.. in fact I am thinking of taking it out completely as the only thing we use it for is somewhere to bang our head !
Click to expand...
We are looking at doing something different but need to get tv point. It’s a handy position where it is as we tend to lay down watching the tv.
 
Ivory55 said:
We are looking at doing something different but need to get tv point. It’s a handy position where it is as we tend to lay down watching the tv.
Click to expand...
Ours is in the cab roof.. about 25ft from the bed !
Now have a 32" or the back of the wall between the cab and hab area

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jaws said:
Ours is in the cab roof.. about 25ft from the bed !
Now have a 32" or the back of the wall between the cab and hab area
Click to expand...
Am not even allowed a 32in indoors let alone the van . 19in is max for the van.
 
Zepp said:
My Carthago is the same if you leave the media centre switched on the engine battery goes flat , if you have hookup it will charge both batteries .Also be careful how much TV you watch if not on hook up.

Ive given up trying to get carthago to fix it , we are getting a toggle switch fitted so the power for the media centre comes off the leisure battery ( all new models leaving the factory will also have a toggle switch fitted so Ive been told ).

Forgot to say if you have the removable buttons on the side of the head unit , if you removed the small panel / buttons it will switch the head unit off while watching TV .
Click to expand...
a toggle switch on a luxury van sounds a bit naf surely the could wire a relay so it's automatic
 
mitzimad said:
a toggle switch on a luxury van sounds a bit naf surely the could wire a relay so it's automatic
Click to expand...
You would think so , I can’t even get Carthago to admit there is a fault.
 
A32622E5-AAF0-434E-9F06-EEF7A13E51BA.jpeg
This switch is for the radio. 1 for engine and 2 for hab.
Down the side of the gearstick, you can’t even see it.
Simple and effective!!
If I spent 250k on a van and that was the same switch then I wouldn’t have a problem!
 
Last edited:
Rob Turner said:
This switch is for the radio. 1 for engine and 2 for hab.
Down the side of the gearstick, you can’t even see it.
Simple and effective!!
If I spent 250k on a van and that was the same switch then I wouldn’t have a problem!
Click to expand...
Why is there a need to switch between batteries? I've always wired mine to hab battery only. I can't think of any circumstances where I need to connect it to the starter battery.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top