Help .. mechanical (1 Viewer)

[movan]

Please bear with me and keep it simple if you can.

Right. 1. Your altenator affects uour engine's battery being able to function.

2. Your solar panel gives power to your 12v batteries which through Batterymaster when fully charged send excess charge to the main engine battery .

Question: does it send this excess via the altenator, or touch it in any way ... insomuchas if there is a fault with the altenator or how it has been fitted, it can deflect back to the leisure batteries and stop them working ... ?

 

[mitzimad]

when current goes back to the leisure batteries it will show at the alternater connections but i cant see how it would stop the leisure batteries working as once the charge dropped a little the battery master would disconnect might be easier if you told us the problem

 

[Glandwr]

Your alternator only functions when it is spinning (courtesy of a fan belt driven by the engine) when not spinning it is just a lump of metal. Hope that helps.

Dick

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[TheBig1]

in simple terms, the alternator generates electricity when the engine is running. this electricity charges the engine battery and the leisure battery (through an electric switch called a relay, that turns off when the engine stops)

the solar panel charges the leisure battery and when full tops up the engine battery using the battery master if fitted. if the leisure battery voltage drops and isn't being charged by solar, the battery master stops the engine battery taking charge

the alternator can only effect the leisure battery if the relay mentioned above has failed and left them connected. that way the engine may take current from the leisure battery to start the engine (and power the alarm). you would hope that the solar would recharge both batteries, however in winter and especially if covered in snow you get no charge or virtually no charge

 

[movan]

in simple terms, the alternator generates electricity when the engine is running. this electricity charges the engine battery and the leisure battery (through an electric switch called a relay, that turns off when the engine stops)

the solar panel charges the leisure battery and when full tops up the engine battery using the battery master if fitted. if the leisure battery voltage drops and isn't being charged by solar, the battery master stops the engine battery taking charge

the alternator can only effect the leisure battery if the relay mentioned above has failed and left them connected. that way the engine may take current from the leisure battery to start the engine (and power the alarm). you would hope that the solar would recharge both batteries, however in winter and especially if covered in snow you get no charge or virtually no charge

So .. re first paragraph ... if I run my vehicle around it should charge my leisure batteries as well as my engine batteries?

Re third paragraph .. how do I know relay has failed on alternator please?

See my next post as to why I ask. Thank you.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Just bear in mind that the colder the weather both the leisure and engine battery will lose some efficiency and if there is any snow on the solar this will stop it working.

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[movan]

Problem...

Information ... I had a new alternator fitted about five weeks ago and not had cause to see if it failed
... had the mh on hook up for while at friend's and everything appeared to work perfectly.
This may or may not be relevant to current situation.

PROBLEM: Doesn't seem to make sense.

Drove my mh for about 5hours. Bffore I set off the van engine reading was 12.5 as was the leisure battery.

Stopped.. made cuppa (gas). Realised I had not switched fridge on. (Gas) ... but the lights on outer fridge not lit when I moved connector. I had one small mh interior light on and put the heating on VERY low (gas). As I tried to turn fridge on (may have no relevance at all) the 12v leisure stopped working. Lights wouldn't come on inside mh .. Read the panel .. both batteries still 12.5. I turned ignition on ..both batteries up to 14 point something. For about 15 minutes then I started pushing the buttons which cut out the 12v batteries ...there is one like a fuse switch in cupboard(it was on seemed ok) and the other is a blue button on the panel .. it seemed ok as could be as it didn't have any effect. Stood wondering what to do when lights came on!!! It was still light outside.

This happened again later . Exact same scenario . . I pushed same buttons .. lights came in.

Then the red warning light cane on on the Trumatic heater .. it was red instead of green. The heater was on low and on gas ... but when it drops below thermostat, a fan comes on. Is this fan controlled by 12v or by gas? When the lights went off again the panel started beeping a warning and the engine battery was12.5 and leisure 11.5.

At this point I also turned the heating off completely in case the red warning light on that was because the fan kicking in was trying to use electric.

My friend got taxi back to her house but I had to stay for security in van .. no heating and no lights. Bloomin freezing.

Just woken up and waited half hour to see if morning light affects solar reading .. although as stated above the snow on panel probably not helping much. The readings are engine engine12.6 and leisure 12.8 !!!!!!!!!
The lights work .. but I am too scared to put heating on in case it is that fan that taking the power .. or is THAT powered by gas?

Why do lights keep going off?

Really don't understand this mechanical stuff.

 

[movan]

I have just switched the gas heater on to its lowest setting as fingers so numb .. hoping the fan doesn't switch on.

 

[Badknee]

Your heating is gas which heats an plate element, then a 12v fan blows the heat around the van.
Fridge on 12v only works when ignition is on except the light inside which is 12v works while on gas.
Depending on moho, uk built ones usually kill all 12v to habitation area. Ours is a Hobby and everything works in the hab, lights, heating, 12v sockets.
I would suggest it could be either fuses or relays that are the problem and you will need a good auto electrition who knows his way around Moho's.
Other suggestion is to put a shout out to other owners of your make and model who understand their control panels.
HTH.

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[jockaneezer]

I wonder if your leisure battery is on the way out Joy, do you know how long you've had it ?

 

[funflair]

Hi Joy

I have to ask how old are the habitation batteries, if I read it right you had been on hook up for a a while so that should have topped your habitation batteries right up but they seem to have gone to 11.5 volts without a lot of use, if all batteries show 14. something volts when the engine is running you know that the charger side from the alternator is working OK.

The 12.8 on the habitation batteries will be from the solar panel so again its encouraging that that is doing something, stick some heat on and see what the panel says, don't go thinking that 12.8 is a full habitation battery though as it's just the volts off the solar panel and the battery will need a lot more charge before it is full.

I still think it could be your batteries, are they ones that the lids come off and need topping up now and again.

Martin

 

[andy63]

Morning joy.... sorry you are having problems...
Im struggling a bit to know what your exact problem is...
In real simple terms please...
What is happening... is it that when you run anything electrical you are loosing 12v to the habitation side of your van ?

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[movan]

Just read panel. The gas heater MUST use some electric as it says Current minus 1.0A.

How long does that mean 12.5 V should last .. or rather can I leave heating on til it drops to 12? Although heating soooo minimal it not making any effect .. can still see my breath. If I call Green Flag out they didn't have a clue about motorhomes last time. Made me buy new battery when it was only a fuse.

 

[movan]

Going to try and drive van back ... Thanks for messages above will use them when altenator garage start saying I must have done something.

Batteries not that old .. 3 years.

Yes, as soon as I switch anything on 12v drops to 11.5 and cut out happens.

Don't worry .. I think next thing is read up where all my fuses are .. they seem scattered about and how to check if they blown.

Thanks again. Sorry to be a pain.

Xx

 

[Speve]

I wonder if your leisure battery is on the way out Joy, do you know how long you've had it ?

That was exactly my thoughts sounds as if leisure battery on its way out.

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[funflair]

Hi Joy

Yes the gas heating will use a little of your 12volts especially with the fan on, 1 amp out should last 50 hours even on a single battery so it's not a lot in the grand scheme of things, quick lesson Joy even though you are most likely not in the mood 110ah (amp hour) battery you can only use half without damaging so you have 55ah so that's your one amp for 55 hours or in theory all 55 amps in one hour, or 2 amps will last just over 25 hours see how it works.


Martin

 

[Lenny HB]

Sounds like the batteries to me, often when batteries are failing the off load voltage looks OK but when you apply a load the voltage drops right off. Red light on the Truma can be no gas or low voltage, When you turn the combi on until the van gets warm the fan will run at full plet drawing 5 to 6 amps. Also check your fridge setting as with a lot of German vans selecting 12v they will run of the habitation batteries.
I would expect your batteries to last more than 3 years, I assume the originals were Gel, have they been replaced with standard flooded batteries if so has the charger setting been changed as if not that would shorten there life.

 

[movan]

Bearing in mind I cannot do it myself is ordering two new leisure batteries and having them put them in from Halfords ok? I am always wary after the Green Flag man didn't have a clue about the connector re the solar panel and battery master when I called him out for dead engine battery.

Thank you again. Feel a right pest.

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[movan]

Thank you. Red light is constant so fits with low battery.

No I wouldn't know how to disconnect a battery .. but I did leave mh in garage overnight recently to have new altenator fitted.

Thank you will take to garage to check batteries straight after make cup of tea to get warm.

 

[tacr2man]

Whereabouts in country are you ? not exact nearest big town will do

 

[movan]

See pm

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[movan]

YOU FUNSTER MEN ARE AMAZING.

 

[funflair]

See pm

I guess thats nowhere near Guisborough

Martin

 

[TerryL]

Just a thought - did garage disconnect the leisure batteries when changing the alternator. Shouldn't have needed to, it's the engine battery that should be disconnected, but maybe an inexperienced fitter thought he should. And then didn't reconnect properly - the point I'm getting to is a loose or insecure connection on the leisure batteries. Ask them to check when you have battery tested.

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[funflair]

YOU FUNSTER MEN ARE AMAZING.

Not just the men Joy FUNSTERS ARE AMAZING use and abuse

Martin

 

[pappajohn]

If I call Green Flag out they didn't have a clue about motorhomes last time.

In defence of green flag Joy, they are auto mechanics not electricians.
If you had a plumbing fault would you call a joiner.

 

[Puddleduck]

Just hoping you are okay Joy - and get the problem sorted asap.

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