Lights off 240v on!

[mickjaggers]

OK, returned from a trip to Isle of Wight yesterday where all was fine both on and off grid. got home, plugged in EHU, wife plugged in heater (that worked fine throughout holiday) and all lights went off! Unplugged heater but still no lights! (checked heater today at work and it works fine) All 4 green lights on the control panel (lights, aux, water, battery) all went off so, no fuses had blown. So 240v works fine (fridge on and 240v plug socket on) but lights on will trip fuse over and over again. I have a 2001 Pilote Atlantis on a Peugeot Boxer cab any help or guidance would be fantastic. thank you.

 

[xsparks]

Sounds like a faulty fitting. Are these fluorescent fittings? Can you isolate one circuit from another to determine which light? If they're fluorescent it may be a faulty ballast unit.

 

[ambulancekidd]

I'm not knowledgeable on your model motorhome, but I'd try disconnecting your ehu lead & your saloon battery to see if that'll reset it. I'm also wondering of your battery had given up the ghost.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Lights are usually 12v aren't they? But "trip" suggests 240v tripping

 

[xsparks]

I agree but I don't think a 12v circuit would trip the rcd which is what sounds to have happened.

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[mickjaggers]

appreciate all the advice.... I will 'tinker' when I get in from work. I have original Tubes (3) and bulbs (2) I have fitted 2 new LEDs on over-cab bed but all this has worked really well for at least a year....

 

[xsparks]

Keep us posted.

 

[mickjaggers]

OK, so I did 'tinker' when I got in from work...... the leisure battery fully charged throughout day. I looked at the fuse panel adjacent to leisure battery and notice a 20 amp fuse 'burnt out' Ahh I thought that is the problem. I removed the fuse and, not having a 20 amp put in a 5 amp and asked my wife to turn on the lights so I could see if that was the culprit...it was... the lights came on, although I did expect them to blow as I had just replaced a 20 amp with a 5 amp. They didn't, I took the fuse out and thought I will get a 20 amp fuse or 2 today. Here is where it goes odd. The lights STAYED ON. the control panel stayed on and everything was fine, the lights turned on and off but I did not replace the burnt fuse???? I riddle you that?? What has happened? Do I need to replace it as all now works? How would that burn out?
What would a 20 amp fuse be for?

Once again, any help or guidance is gratefully received.

 

[autorouter]

What is the make/model of the fuse/distribution box and the control panel? Was the MH still plugged into the hookup supply? Does it have solar panels?

If you disconnect the hookup, do the lights go off? Is the fridge a 3-way type or compressor?

 

[mickjaggers]

OK, don't know fuse box make it is a basic 'on the wire' small box that holds about 6 fuses, 4 of which are used. Lights worked with and without EHU. It does have one large Solar Panel which will hit about 2.5 today (battery at 13.7v)

Fridge is your common or garden 3 way. we used 12v on our recent trip to Isle of Wight and forgot to turn it off when we went for lunch but battery recharged fine when we had EHU. Don't often go to 12v for fridge as we got a load of freezer pack and that tends to keep things cold enough till EHU.

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[GeoffnDee]

The 20 amp fuse could be related to 12v fridge operation , the fridge should normally only be able work on 12v with the engine running to avoid it causing a flat battery with gas being used when parked up (if no EHU)

 

[mickjaggers]

I think that explains it!!! I will have another tinker tonight but that sounds like that is the case....

Thank you.