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Internal 12v electric fault

10K views 48 replies 17 participants last post by  barryd 
#1 ·
Yes it's that time of year again. Away for Christmas and we have a problem already.

The 12v internal electrics in the van is tripping when on hook-up. There is a Power Management System in our wardrobe and on it are three MCB's (Miniature Circuit Breakers) and also a charger switch which I think is linked to a Motorhome type charger installed underneath the wardrobe and fitted by Leisuretech a few years ago.

I have attached a photo and you will see that the charger red switch on the top is not lit up and that the third MCB is now off. If you put it on the whole system trips. The other two MCB's seem to control the 240v supply so that's working fine. All the 12v stuff in the van is working but obviously it's not charging so would go dead in a few days. I have got around this (thanks to the Gnome helpline) by plugging in a standard 12v battery charger and connecting it onto the battery and plugging it into the 240v system.

Battery is charging right now so I guess I'll just plug it in when I'm in the van, leave it off for a day or two then plug it in again etc.

But why has this happened and can I rectify it on site? We are here for three weeks. Everything was working fine for the four and a half months we were away but last week I had some welding done on the van. Maybe this could have caused a short somewhere if it was electrical welding as I am guessing they won't have thought to disconnect the leisure battery.

Any thoughts for this year's Christmas motorhome problem? :D

Thanks

 
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#32 ·
Thanks. Its an Alphaline DC31 125AH and the thread about the original one failing and us getting it at the Battery Megastore in Caen is here. http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/182-electrical/122915-leisure-battery-woes-3.html

There is hardly anything running off the 12v circuit. TV is plugged into the mains but the lights, water pump and Satellite receiver are running off it. I might be inventing problems that are not there and its not a worry as I can just flip the charger plug and charge it for a while but I noticed even in the summer after a full charge on solar by morning it was showing much lower volts than the old one did before it broke last year. I think the old one was a Banner but I Cannot remember but literally it would start at 12.7 and only go down .1 amps per day in general usage, this one just doesnt seem as good.

Its sealed and requires no maintenance. If you read the thread it wasnt the one I wanted but I was kind of pushed into getting it but they supposedly are good batteries.

As said its not really an issue. Im just not that impressed with it. Maybe its worn out in a year of usage but the last one lasted 7 years.

Alan, I sent you an email by the way. :D
 
#34 ·
I'm surprised lord Jim hasn't responded to you Barfy, no sign on him for a month or so.
 
#37 ·
The Gnome has left the building so to speak. He just quietly flounced off into the sunset without a goodbye speech. :D

I might start a bring back 747 campaign over Christmas. Im sure thats what he is angling for. Guffaw! Nowt he can do as he cant reply so fill yer boots. :D

Peter and Alan already gave me some useful advice regarding testing the battery, Ill do it when I get home.

Thanks everyone.
 
#45 · (Edited)
How do folks!

I know its been 3 months since I reported this problem but I have finally got around to testing the van at home. :D Well Ive been busy you see and just getting the van out is a PIA (excuses etc).

Anyway Ive plugged it into the house today, flipped the third switch back up which was the problem one and put the fridge on the hookup setting which we think is what was tripping it. The Internal battery charger is working fine and I left the fridge on hookup for half an hour and nothings tripped. Plugged the telly in and played with that. Everything seems to be working. I only flicked the hot water tank on briefly as to make sure there was power as there is no water in it and it came on. The water tank was never in the equation though as it was a separate circuit to the one that was tripping. We thought it was either the fridge or the charger.

It doesnt make any sense to me though because back at the farm at Christmas we tried the EHU plugged into the socket outside the house and one just inside the kitchen but probably on the same circuit. It still tripped and at one point tripped the house supply.

Im glad its working but I am always wary of stuff that miraculously fixes itself. Could it have been a fault at the house? Doesnt seem likely to me. Could it have been a dodgy earth thats somehow sorted itself on the way home with a bit of driving?

I suppose the only way to properly find out is to take the van off somewhere for a night or two. Anyone fancy a mini meet somewhere oop norf? :D

Any opinions greatly appreciated.
 
#46 ·
Could it have been dampness in the ends of the EHU cable? Or in the socket into which you plugged it?

Tripping generally indicates a fault where the current has the opportunity to short circuit even a small amount (I think they used to be called Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers and picked up if any current was going to earth....) They also used to come in a variety of values in terms of the tripping current from 5 milliamps to 50 milliamps from memory - if a lightbulb blew in my m-i-l house the trip went - it was a 5ma one....... Apparently a blowing lightbulb can do that....

So it may not have needed much sogginess to cause the trip to operate....

Just a thought, but if the cables had been on the ground or it was VERY wet weather then dampness could have caused it and it might have dried out since.....

That's just my opinion and theory, probably way off, but it does show that I am still thinking and still awake....

Dave
 
#47 ·
Its possible I suppose. Cable end was probably dragged across wet grass. I never understand this. The plug that goes into the van has a sprung hinged cap on it but the other end is bare which is often the one that gets slung on the ground. Hmm. It was only one of the three switches on the control board in the van that kept tripping though.
 
#48 ·
If it was only one switch, then the fault must be in that circuit not the mains lead (yet another idea goes out of the window, now if I had been a professional I could have charged £90 call out fee for that non-advice), what does that circuit do in detail?

You mentioned the fridge, the water heater and the charger, are these on separate circuits? What about the mains sockets?

Lots of questions - now you will regret ever asking or reading my post....

NB I am not going to charge any more for the second consultation, the fee is the same - nuffink......

Dave
 
#49 ·
Thanks Dave. The circuit that was effected appeared to operate the Vans 12v charger and the Fridge. What I did in the end was leave it tripped and charge the battery of one off the 240v sockets with a battery charger and run the fridge off gas.

I was now wondering if it was my hookup cable as its getting on a bit and I racked my brain as to when it was last used and it was in Brittany where it was laid across a road with a fair few vehicles running over it. I remember checking it and it seemed ok but I wondered if It could be that. Then why would it not trip all three switches or the main switch like you say?
 
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