# Electrical help needed please



## archie58 (Sep 17, 2008)

We are currently on hook-up at a CC& C site but have lost 12v power. Our control panel is not showing that we have mains power, but our 240v sockets are all working, as is the fridge, microwave and electric ring on the cooker. We had been managing to use lights etc by switching to cab battery power, but now that has reached the lowest allowed by the system and we are now without heat, light, TV.
The post and cable have been checked by the Site Manager, nothing has tripped out.

Any ideas as to what the problem is or how to fix it?

Please keep it simple!


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

Sounds like a fuse on the leisure battery blown


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## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

It sounds like you have lost the connection between the leisure battery and the panel.
Check the voltage on the Leisure battery. If it is still good, then I suspect you are looking for a fuse in the leisure battery positive lead and probably quite close to the battery. It will probably be a 75amp type thing and may well look like a couple of bolts through a rectangular block about 18mm x 12mm roughly.
All guesswork, of course but may help.
Patrick


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## Mick757 (Nov 16, 2009)

Would there not be a regular 'spade' fuse for the battery on the main fuse panel?


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

archie58 said:


> We are currently on hook-up at a CC& C site but have lost 12v power. Our control panel is not showing that we have mains power, but our 240v sockets are all working, as is the fridge, microwave and electric ring on the cooker. We had been managing to use lights etc by switching to cab battery power, but now that has reached the lowest allowed by the system and we are now without heat, light, TV.
> The post and cable have been checked by the Site Manager, nothing has tripped out.
> 
> Any ideas as to what the problem is or how to fix it?
> ...


Hi,

You say that the control panel is not showing that you have mains power (to it?). Check that the mains circuit breaker ( where the mains comes in to the van, usually) it may have tripped, try resetting it if it has. The rest of the vans 240v circuit will be on a seperate trip so would remain uneffected.

If not it is likely to be a fuse in your power management panel.

Let us know how you get on.

Regards

Antonia


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## ovalball (Sep 10, 2008)

Do you have a battery condition meter(Red.Yellow,Green)If its showing in the red i'm wondering if perhaps your charger/transformer is either not turned on or perhaps has gone on the blink.It may have been like this for a while and your battery has now discharged.Check you haven't accidently turned it off .Some models have a black rocker switch on the side.The unit itself sometimes looks like a silver oblong metal thing(technical term!)and is often sited adjacent to the battery.


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## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

Mick757 said:


> Would there not be a regular 'spade' fuse for the battery on the main fuse panel?


Yes but that has a different job to do so there will usually be a heavy fuse near the battery as well. The idea being that if that heavy wire were to short to the chassis between the battery and the control panel. it can take a whole lot of power to burn it out and set fire to the van. So they usually fit a heavy duty fuse near the battery to protect the cable. I would expect it to be within 12" of the leisure battery terminal.
Patrick


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## archie58 (Sep 17, 2008)

Thanks for all your really helpful suggestions. We have changed the fuse to the leisure battery, checked that the mains circuit breaker has not tripped, the battery charger is on BUT our leisure battery is showing that it is in a discharged state. Could it be that it is beyond charging?

If we were to disconnect the leisure battery altogether, would that improve things or make them worse? 

Thanks again to you all for your help.


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## DustyR (Jan 26, 2009)

Had much the same problem on my Swift Sundance 2 weeks ago on the first day of hols. Thought we were going to have to spend a week without 12v. 

I checked all fuses and they were ok, checked 12v to the 12v fuse board ok then I suspected the relay which disconnects the 12v when engine running. I gently tapped all the relays and checked the connectors to the board.

Had just given up when suddenly the control panel 'peeped' and everything worked ! 

Fortunately it has worked since and the holiday went along with all 12v working.

Hope you resolve your problem.


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

Do you have a voltmeter to check what voltage of the batteries

Alan H


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

Hi Archie,

You don't mention the age of your Kon-tiki, but from your Avatar, it looks like a 2008/2009.

The first thing to check, on the Nord control panel, is that there is a "lightning" symbol present when you are connected to the mains.

If there is not, it does sound like the charger is not functioning, which would explain the drain on your leisure batteries.

This can be confirmed, by removing the leisure battery fuses, and seeing if there is any 12V in the MH, as the charger should be able to supply all the 12V in the MH.

Please let me know if this is the case.

Thanks,

Ash


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## archie58 (Sep 17, 2008)

Thanks Ash. Can you confirm that the fuse to remove would be the 7.5amp situated just above and to the front of the battery (you are right, our Kontiki is 08)


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## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

Now you have Ash on the job, I am wary about making more suggestions but then I see he is offline...
If the charger has gone off and there is no quick way to get it back, you might be able to get a small car battery charger and link it directly to your leisure battery as a temporary fix.
The other thought, which Ash will know the answer to, is there a reset function on the control panel?
Patrick


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

Hi Archie,

The leisure battery fuse is located next to the batteries, in the "through" locker. However, they should be 20A fuses, not 7.5A, and there should be one for each battery?

Patrick : There is a very simple reset for the Nord system, and that is to remove all power to the vehicle, including the cab battery, leisure batteries, solar panels, etc. and waiting a few minutes. This causes the "system" to reset.

However, should the charger have failed, your suggestion of using an external charger is a good idea.

Thanks,

Ash


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

As Ash from Swift has said it sounds very much like your charger has gone. It is a known fault with these chargers lots of Swift owners have experienced this issue. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do to get you over the problem is to run your engine to recharge the battery, or buy a cheap battery charger and charge the battery from your mains socket.

I'm sure Swift will look after you.

Good luck,

Stewart


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## archie58 (Sep 17, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your help. Thanks also to Spinney Motorhomes at Knutsford, who fitted us in yesterday and confirmed that our battery charger has failed. We've bought a CTEK charger, connected it to the leisure batter and are now enjoying the rest of our holiday with full heating and lights! Happy days! Just got to get the charger replaced when we get home.....don't know how long that will take but at least we have a temporary fix if we need it.


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