Pilote 626D EHU not charging the Leisure battery

[BobRivers]

Hi

We cut our trip short this weekend due to the EHU not charging the leisure battery. We usually just park up on site until ready to go home but I wanted to visit a distillery that was not within walking distance. We unplugged and I left my EHU cable on our pitch on return I plugged back in but no visual on the experience tablet to show that the leisure battery was charging and also no visual from the small solar panel. All working fine before we left. I have thought that there might have been some water ingress on the connections and that I might have shorted out plugging back in.

I have proven that the cable is good, the dB is receiving 240V and is also supplying the sockets in the van(tested). No MCB's have tripped all in the correct position.
All other electrical lights, water pump, gas ignitor are all operational apart from the leisure battery not charging as mentioned. Could this be the 50A Aux fuse that has blown?

Before trying to remove this do I need to disconnect from the leisure battery and power down everything?

Any other ideas or anybody with similar experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[NicM]

“No MCB's have tripped all in the correct position.”
It is worth actually turning the MCB’s on and off they can trip but not move the lever.

 

[Tombola]

Could well be the fuse near the leisure battery, worthwhile shuttng down first

 

[BobRivers]

“No MCB's have tripped all in the correct position.”
It is worth actually turning the MCB’s on and off they can trip but not move the lever.

Hi NicM Thanks, I have tried resetting these yesterday manually but made no difference. there is a supply to and from the consumer unit.

 

[BobRivers]

Could well be the fuse near the leisure battery, worthwhile shuttng down first

Hi Tombola, is there a separate fuse out with the main LMP1218 -PWM Master Power Unit?

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[Tombola]

Hi Tombola, is there a separate fuse out with the main LMP1218 -PWM Master Power Unit?

Sorry cant help there, but doe it not have a master shut off on the LMP

 

[autorouter]

All other electrical lights, water pump, gas ignitor are all operational apart from the leisure battery not charging as mentioned. Could this be the 50A Aux fuse that has blown?

Do all these lights etc work when the EHU is unplugged? If so, it's unlikely to be the 50A Aux fuse, because that carries the supply for all those lights etc. Maybe there is a fuse just for the charger.

 

[BobRivers]

Do all these lights etc work when the EHU is unplugged? If so, it's unlikely to be the 50A Aux fuse, because that carries the supply for all those lights etc. Maybe there is a fuse just for the charger.

Hi autorouter, yip agreed all the lights and other appliances work from the leisure battery very unlikely to be this main fuse. I'm going to see if there is a charger fuse as it is looking like that could very well be the issue.

Thanks

 

[autorouter]

I have had a look through the manual, and can't find anything like a fuse for the mains charger. I'm surprised at this, there usually is a fuse. Maybe it's one of those self-resetting polyfuses, that resets after being unpowered for a few minutes.

The distribution box is an IDM LMP1218-PWM. If it's any help, the manual is here, in French unfortunately, but many of the diagrams/tables are in English.

https://www.idmtech.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/idSWITCH-by-TBB-LMP1218-PWM-Master-Power-Unit-User-Manual-A1.1-FR.pdf

 

[BobRivers]

I have had a look through the manual, and can't find anything like a fuse for the mains charger. I'm surprised at this, there usually is a fuse. Maybe it's one of those self-resetting polyfuses, that resets after being unpowered for a few minutes.

The distribution box is an IDM LMP1218-PWM. If it's any help, the manual is here, in French unfortunately, but many of the diagrams/tables are in English.

https://www.idmtech.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/idSWITCH-by-TBB-LMP1218-PWM-Master-Power-Unit-User-Manual-A1.1-FR.pdf

Hi autorouter been at it all afternoon with no joy I have that manual in English if you would like a copy will just have to find the link. Looks like I'm going to have to contact the dealer as I really can't think of anything else to try. Thanks for trying

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[BobRivers]

Hi all a quick update on the above post Pilote 626D. It has been confirmed that the LMP1218 -PWM Master Power Unit has failed and that the dealer will replace. Awaiting the part being shipped from France. It appears that an electronic fault has occurred within the charging component within this part. This is the first failure that the dealer has seen on these parts as they are new. Does make me wonder how a major part goes so quickly on a model 6 moths old and the standard of appliances that to be honest we are all paying top dollar for.

 

[autorouter]

Hi autorouter been at it all afternoon with no joy I have that manual in English if you would like a copy will just have to find the link. Looks like I'm going to have to contact the dealer as I really can't think of anything else to try. Thanks for trying

I'm OK with the French, but for other users it would be useful to have a link to the English version. Someone is already asking for this in another thread

P696D English instructions for IdsWITCH LMP1218-PWM Electronic Distribution Box & fitting a Van Bitz Battery Master

My new 2021 Pilote P696D has come with a IdsWITCH LMP1218-PWM Electronic Power Distribution Box but the instruction booklet is written in French. I want to install a Van Bitz ‘Battery Master’ as the vehicle Battery is continually losing charge? I just want to identify the correct connections...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[BobRivers]

Hi
I don't have a direct link for download but have the document in PDF forum which I have attached.

Hope this helps.

 

[claude77]

Hi Bobrivers,
Could you tell us if the replacement of the unit solved you problem ? I own a brand new vehicle equipped with this product and I have no charge coming from the solar panel too. All the other functions are ok.
Many thanks for answering
Claude (from France)

 

[BobRivers]

Hi Bobrivers,
Could you tell us if the replacement of the unit solved you problem ? I own a brand new vehicle equipped with this product and I have no charge coming from the solar panel too. All the other functions are ok.
Many thanks for answering
Claude (from France)

Hi Claude

Do you have a supply from your EHU?

The LMP1218 -PWM Master Power Unit had failed. Once replaced all worked as normal.
Do you have a red LED light (DISCHG Display)below the green CHG light. This showed me that the unit appeared to be discharging but couldn't find any more information at the time.

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[claude77]

Hi BobRivers,

What I can see :

When I am connected to the mains 230V I have both orange + green led ON (when the house batt is fully charged) but I can't read any change on the voltage of it ! I mean
When I disconnect the mains, even if it's very sunny, the green led turns OFF and the orange stays lighted ON (discharge), and the battery isn't charging at all, but clearly being discharged with a quite strong current (now this batt is a Lifepo4 150Ah) and after 4 hours of solar exposition at 12H (with the panel very well exposed) I can read 13.1V instead of 13.6V at the beginning ... and knowing there is no charge powered, except this blue module LMP1218 -PWM Master Power Unit...
When I start the motor, I can read on the Xperience tablet that the voltage of the house batt increases, but I never see the blue arrows on the display showing the supplying source.

At this time, the better solution I found is to connect the solar panel directly to an other MPPT regulator, and doing like that, all is ok I can read 13.6V after one day.

Here the picture showing how I connected the solar panel to my MMPT regulator (without modification of the genuine connector) At this time the batt in place was an AGM 95Ah

After using the genuine equipment see below what I could read after a couple of days using the motorhome...
Fortunately I had with me my previous equipment (from my boat) and I could recharge correctly the batt.

And now, As I am still waiting for a solution from the dealer, I use my regulator with its dedicated display

 

[BobRivers]

Hi Claude
I'm sure when the main unit failed the green LED was still visible but also the orange light below was constantly flashing which I assumed was in discharge. On the experience tablet there was no indication of charge from the solar panel or when connected to EHU and no charge when the main engine was running. I hope you get this sorted. Let us know the final outcome.

Best of luck.

 

[DestinyMH]

The PSU fitted to the Pilote is regulating the 100w solar panel via a pwm controller, which is useless in my opinion. I spoke with Pilote and asked if I could convert the solar array (upgraded to a 150w mono panel) via an independant MPPT and then connect that to the PV input.... They replied the amps would be too great for the in-built PWM to handle!!!
Total rubbish, the PWM can handle 20a, but the panel only produces 8 amp max before the MPPT!
MPPT connected directly as above is a great get-around for the pathetic 100w panel controlled by an even worse PWM contoller

 

[unclestinky]

The PSU fitted to the Pilote is regulating the 100w solar panel via a pwm controller, which is useless in my opinion. I spoke with Pilote and asked if I could convert the solar array (upgraded to a 150w mono panel) via an independant MPPT and then connect that to the PV input.... They replied the amps would be too great for the in-built PWM to handle!!!
Total rubbish, the PWM can handle 20a, but the panel only produces 8 amp max before the MPPT!
MPPT connected directly as above is a great get-around for the pathetic 100w panel controlled by an even worse PWM contoller

Hi
I feel your pain.
I purchased my new Pilote in 2021.
I have fixed the spongy floor, replaced an over tightened filter on the water pump, replaced an over tightened sink waste, replaced a leaking bend on the waste pipe, fitted a battery master as the van battery would loose charge whilst sat,I’m now in the process of fitting a b2b and lithium as the leisure battery would not charge off the alternator.
After reading the story’s of the dealers poor service and seeing photos of the repairs, I decided I had more faith in my own ability to resolve the problems.