Flummoxed by my electrics (Bailey Approach SE)

[The Hootster]

Ever since a fuse blew and was replaced from my 2 solar panels, my leisure batteries have stopped charging. I know there is power coming from my panels and my battery charger is working and feeding 13.7V into the back of my PDU. All fuses in PDU are intact, but no charge to batteries from EHU, solar or when engine running. I would be very grateful of some expert advice

 

[Tombola]

disconnect the panels and battery then connect the battery first, so your contoller knows what it is supposed to be doing.

 

[The Hootster]

Many Thanks for this advice. I’ll try it out

 

[Pausim]

As the fault seems to affect all charging sources ehu, solar and engine I suspect the main battery fuse has blown. There should be a fuse very close to the battery. On my current and previous motorhome it has been 50A but I have heard that UK builds like Bailey often use smaller wiring and fuses.

 

[The Hootster]

thanks for your reply. The mystery is that all the fuses are intact on PDU and the 20A battery fuse is as well. Checked with multimeter and there is 13.7 V coming out of battery charger and into the back of the PDU.
Have disconnected solar and battery and reconnected just battery but still no joy.
My aftermarket battery monitor says there is 0% in my batteries but there is currently 12.7 reading in each.
Something awry inside PDU maybe?

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[GeoffnDee]

What reading do you get on your multimeter across the battery terminals with the engine running and without EHU ?

 

[The Hootster]

12.63 on both batteries with EHU off; and stayed exactly the same when turned EHU back on again.
All 240v appliances and sockets working with EHU on.

I much appreciate everyone’s input. I’m a real novice at all of this even though I’ve been living in my MH for over a year now

 

[GeoffnDee]

When you say 12.63 v on both batteries do you mean the starter battery and also the habitation battery are both reading 12.63 on the multi-meter with the engine running. (or do you have 2 x habitation batteries that are both reading 12.63 with the engine running)

 

[The Hootster]

2x habitation batteries reading 12.63 engine on Ehu off. Same with engine off and Exactly the same with engine off and ehu back on.
Ive also disconnected the solar panels

 

[Pausim]

You may have run out of free posts and be unable to reply.

The 12.63V suggests that something has been charging the batteries because this is a good voltage for resting lead acid batteries. I suggest checking the fuses again, they sometimes look intact but are no longer making a good connection. Check them with your meter to make sure there is a good connection between the terminals.

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[GeoffnDee]

If , as Pausim has suggested , you check the fuses again , but find them ok ,It may be worth contacting www.apuljackelectronics.co.uk who repair your type of PDU and may have an idea what could be causing your problem.
The PDU is marked Bailey but is a BCA leisure supplied item.

 

[autorouter]

2x habitation batteries reading 12.63 engine on Ehu off. Same with engine off and Exactly the same with engine off and ehu back on.

Even though that's a good voltage for a 'resting' battery, the voltage should go up to at least 13.5V when either EHU is connected or the engine is running. And probably more like 14.5V for a short while too.

Are the two habitation batteries located next to each other, with wire links connecting them, or are they widely separated for example one under a seat and one in a locker?

There should be a big fuse near the leisure battery, that sends all the leisure battery power to the PDU. Are you 100% sure the fuse is OK? I ask that because if the EHU charger is pushing out 13.7V but the battery is reading 12.7V then there is a bad connection somewhere.

 

[GeoffnDee]

As you have duel habitation batteries is there an extra fuse in the link between them as well as the 20 amp battery fuse you have already checked,