# More Auto-Sleeper Berkshire problems. Help please.



## Medallionman

Hi,
More problems I'm afraid. Every time I go away in this van we have a problem. 
Drove for 6 days down to Zafra in Spain. Everything fine. Parked up for the night at Zafra. Switched off the the lights to go to sleep, woke later and switched on a light...... nothing. I tried a couple more lights, again nothing. Strange, battery was fully charged when we stopped and we only used a couple of LED lights before turning in for an early night.
When I checked in the morning nothing 12V worked. No pump,no lights, no ignition on the stove, no toilet flush etc. The display on the control panel was on but it was showing 'low fresh water' which it wasn't as we had filled up the day before. 
Eventually after playing around with the control panel it said 'fuses blown' (various numbers). I looked this up in the manual and under faults it indicated that I need to "check the comms cable and the external temperature sensor".
I removed the control panel and pulled the 2 small plugs on the back that are connected to the circuit board. On reconnecting there was a beep and the 'enter pin' screen. On entering my pin (why the hell do you need a pin to use a control panel???) it has come up with a message that because the leisure battery is flat it has shut down. It won't let me do anything now. I know the battery is fully charged, I have a battery condition meter and we are on hook up and the solar panel is working. 
So the next thing is to check the other end of the comms lead. This, I think, will go to the distribution box which is under the drivers seat?? Problem is that the seat is bolted in with Torx head bolts and I don't carry Torx sockets in my toolbox, Oh silly me, what an oversight! (Why use Torx headed bolts when normal heads would do the same job?)
If I do manage to get them undone what do I do next? Anybody had this problem?
Also how do I check the 'external temp. sensor'? Where is it?

We are here (La Rosaleda, Conil) for 2 months and it is going to be pretty difficult without lights, water, etc. 

I now hate this van, which I bought new. EVERY time we have been away in it we have experienced a major problem. Last time the water tank dropped out of the bottom, spoiling that holiday. A month with a water container on the draining board and having to use the stove for hot water sort of spoils things. 

This holiday looks like it is going the same way.

Any helpful ideas appreciated.
Cheers,
Brian


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## Zebedee

I presume you have thought of ringing Mark at AutoSleepers Service Centre. 01386 853 511.

He's very knowledgeable and will no doubt help with the A/S part of the problem.

The Torx bolts are more likely to be a base vehicle issue. Can you buy a little set of torx "spanner" tips to fit in a small socket drive? That's what I use, and they work surprisingly well.

Dave 


Edit - clarification


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## erneboy

You could ask at reception if they can recommend a repairer or you could try going here: http://www.caravanaspuerto.es/localizacion.htm
I think they aren't too far away. Sorry to read about your problem. It might also be worthwhile ringing the converter or dealer and asking what they suggest, Alan.


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## Medallionman

Zebedee said:


> I presume you have thought of ringing Mark at AutoSleepers Service Centre. 01386 853 511.
> 
> Edit - clarification


Hi Dave,
Thanks for the advice. 
Would you believe it! I rang Auto-Sleepers and was telling them about my problem when I went to the control panel screen to tell them what it was showing and it had reverted to the 'Start Screen', whilst I was on the phone! I entered the PIN and it came back up fine. Obviously the threat of AS frightened it into life!
4 days without power and then it comes back on, no obvious reason.
Auto-Sleepers were very helpful but could think of no obvious reason. All I can think of is that when it went off we had been in torrential rain for a couple of hours. If it is water getting in then that is worrying.
I will have to see how things go from now on, fingers crossed!
Cheers,
Brian


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## Zebedee

Glad I could help Brian, and thanks for the feedback. Fingers crossed as you say.

All this high tech wizardry is great . . . until it goes wrong. :evil: Not so long ago if a switch broke you pulled it apart and wound the wires together.

No hope of fixing anything these days - it's called "progress"! :roll: 

Dave


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## GROUNDHOG

Glad you are up and running again, how right you are these electronics are just too clever for their own good these days..... good luck and enjoy the rest of the trip :wink:


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## emmbeedee

At the risk of "stating the bleedin obvious", have you checked the battery terminals? Both ends of both cables? This sounds suspiciously 
like a battery connection issue to me. Otherwise it _may_  be the battery itself at fault, (faulty internal connection) as well as possibly the cable you are trying to get at to check.


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## Medallionman

emmbeedee said:


> At the risk of "stating the bleedin obvious", have you checked the battery terminals? Both ends of both cables? This sounds suspiciously
> like a battery connection issue to me.


Unfortunately the habitation battery is under the passenger seat and I do not have a Torx socket needed to remove the seat. I have an attached battery condition monitor (hard wired in) and that is showing between 12.5-13.5V which suggests the battery and its connections are OK. Anyway it is working fine now (I don't know why!) so fingers crossed. If it goes off again I will have to source a suitable Torx socket here and check as you suggest. 
Cheers,
Brian


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## rogerblack

Zebedee said:


> Glad I could help Brian, and thanks for the feedback. Fingers crossed as you say.
> All this high tech wizardry is great . . . until it goes wrong. :evil: Not so long ago if a switch broke you pulled it apart and wound the wires together.
> No hope of fixing anything these days - it's called "progress"! :roll:
> Dave


Spot on the button there, Dave! One of the reasons why we're not rushing to update our 2002 Autosleeper Pollensa - even I can understand and repair most simple faults. Friends have just bought a 2 yr old Bessacar and are still struggling to come to terms with the complex electronic control panel and functions.


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