# Help! Batteries not charging. Ruined holiday!!!



## 1943

have spent all weekend loading van for our holiday in Cornwall (leaving on friday) yesterday morning I checked state of batteries. Vehicle battery was a bit low (12.0V) so, as we're on EHU, pressed the button to charge the v. battery. Red light came on so I left it charging and went back indoors.

Last night, after it had been charging for about 10 hours, I went back to take it off charge and noticed that the v. battery was now down to 11.9V. This was the point I noticed the symbol to tell you the mains was connected wasn't on. 

I checked EHU lead and have got mains power to where it reaches the van. Ran the engine this morning for 1/2 hour and both batteries appear to be charging ok so I thought "no mains" then I plugged a 240V hair dryer in to a socket and it worked, fridge also works on mains.

So, a long winded way to sat the mains indicator doesn't work and the batteries don't charge on EHU.

Anyone got any ideas? Would be a bank holiday so I can't ring someone like JC (no, i meant John's Cross - I'm not THAT important).

Bob


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## Zebedee

Hi Bob

I've moved you to the Bessacar forum where you are more likely to get replies from members who know your van, and I've beefed up your title to attract attention. :wink: 

I presume you have checked all the trip switches you can find, and have searched for hidden in-line fuses and other such traps for the unwary! :roll: 8O 

Unless your charger is stuffed it almost has to be something simple like that.

Dave


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## 1943

Thanks Dave, 

yes I've checked it all as far as I can.


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## joedenise

have you checked if you have power getting to the charger

joe


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## wakk44

With the info you have provided it sounds very much like a faulty charger.

It looks like your batteries are still being charged by the engine so does it really mean that your holiday is ruined.If you are touring around from site to site you may find that the batteries will last.

If you are stopping on one site for the entire holiday then they may have some battery charging facilities-try giving them a ring,if the site can't charge your leisure battery they should know somewhere locally,perhaps a garage,that can.


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## emmbeedee

This sounds exactly like the problem I've had, twice now, with the "Nordelettronica" charger fitted to our van. Is your charger the same make? I know Swift did use them for some time. See my other post here:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-112665-.html
The symptoms are the same, mains indicator not on but all mains sockets are "live". After investigating, I discovered that the mains indicator is fed from the battery charger, so when this fails the indicator doesn't come on, even though all the van sockets are working properly.
I've been waiting for several weeks for a replacement charger & with one poster suggesting Nordelettronica have gone bust I'm wondering when, if ever,that will arrive.
We are also planning to get away next week, so if the replacement charger hasn't arrived before we leave I shall take my own charger with me & use that when we are on hook-up.
Do you have a battery charger that you could use as a temporary fix whilst waiting for the failed one to be replaced? If not could you buy one? Mine came from Lidl & wasn't too expensive. Not as powerful as the regular charger but should do as a "fix". As you say, when driving your batteries are being charged so as long as you are careful with what load you put on your leisure battery when on hook-up you should be able to manage.
It would be a shame to lose your holiday for want of a battery charger.


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## Fatalhud

I'm with the previous poster
Get yourself a decent 3 stage charger, they always come in handy as a standby

Alan H


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## Antonia

Pick up a cheap battery charger at a local garage or auto shop. Keep it as a spare just in case.

Antonia


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## airstream

*Nord?*

Hi, 
Common fault with Nordelettronica equipped Swift products - chargers/control panels/fuse boxes all seem to fail at regular intervals 
I have had 3 chargers, 5 fuse boxes and I think 5 control panels 
Swift put me in direct contact with Nordelettronica who had a base near the Swift factory and they gave me a pick up repair and return service under warranty to save constant trips to my dealer 
When Swift kicked them (Nordelettronica) out they closed the UK operation so I lost the repair service which only took about 5 days to collect and return 
My last fuse box repair via dealer and Swift took 6 weeks!!!! 
The fuse box controls all 12v operation so you are out of action without it 
The fuse box in my van has failed again but only on the battery charge indicator (I am advised that its the "shunts" that fail) so have decided that I can live with this as I do not want the van off the road 
There is a company offering a repair service for Nord equipment and also the sale of chargers etc -Google "Nordelettronica" they are based in Kent I think called caravan and leisure technology 
Good Luck 
Ray


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## TerryL

Currently investigating hab. battery problem on my Bolero (Elecsol battery seems to have expired suddenly after only 11 months, but that's another story).

The mains distribution box on the Bolero has a separate switch for the battery charger. It stands a little proud in its cupboard (under the wardrobe). This might sound daft but you haven't, by stuffing something in the cupboard, inadvertantly switched it off have you......:?


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## 1943

TerryL said:


> Currently investigating hab. battery problem on my Bolero (Elecsol battery seems to have expired suddenly after only 11 months, but that's another story).
> 
> The mains distribution box on the Bolero has a separate switch for the battery charger. It stands a little proud in its cupboard (under the wardrobe). This might sound daft but you haven't, by stuffing something in the cupboard, inadvertantly switched it off have you......:?


first thing I checked but thanks anyway

Bob


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## PhilK

*Batteries*

Take a meter and two cheap chargers with you. Enough tools to make an electric extension to run the chargers or get one larger one run it in day and draw at night. You will overcome this.

Phil


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## emmbeedee

Finally got my charger back - or more likely a new one. Returned to Davan on July 16th, so over two months wait for replacement. Installed it over the weekend & tried charging on hook-up over last night. All seems OK so far, just wondering how long this one will last.
Assuming the worst & it fails again, has anyone tried stripping one of the failed units to see exactly what is failing? As the 3 year warranty is due to expire shortly I might have to go down the repair route next time, if there is a next time that is.
According to the warranty claim authorisation form from MB&G, via Davan, the claim total is £261.60, including VAT. I don't know if that includes an amount from Davan for labour involved in fitting. It shouldn't as I removed the old one & fitted this one myself, so it's a flippin' expensive charger! 8O 
Reckon I could buy an all singing, all dancing charger for a lot less than that!
Good news is that the lack of a charger didn't spoil our break on the East coast, although the lamps did go out one night when I forgot to plug our Lidl charger back in after using the socket for something else.  
All OK after plugging the charger back in though.


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