# control panel



## Tissy

i have a cbe control panel above the door in my Niesmann this is linked to a control panel under the seat which has a pcb with a number of relays etc
the panel keeps flickering then going off and i think its something to do with charging side of things what i know
1- Leisure batteries are reading 14.2 v
2 - Power point in the van reads 14.2 volts
3 - Control panel above door is constantly buzzing indicating low volts 
4 - running engine or connected to the mains makes no difference
5 -tried turning everything off ie water heater pump and lights panel stays on sometimes then the minute you touch the button to see volts reading starts and 12.5 v then in seconds drops to 7 and goes off again

the boards are mega money 
any help would be much appreciated
thanks


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## Pudsey_Bear

Hi Tissy,

I wonder if a cable is perhaps not quite properly connected, or a relay is not fully home, sometimes giving stuff a good waggle can help, re-seating fuses and relays also has been known to fix problems.


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## Tissy

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Hi Tissy,
> 
> I wonder if a cable is perhaps not quite properly connected, or a relay is not fully home, sometimes giving stuff a good waggle can help, re-seating fuses and relays also has been known to fix problems.


thanks Ive had a prod but no joy


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## Pudsey_Bear

Tissy said:


> thanks Ive had a prod but no joy


Did you re-seat the relays etc?


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## gaspode

First thing to do is remove the remote panel from the wall. It only has a couple of small screws once you unclip the surround and will just come away from the hole in the wall with several trailing cables attached.
Turn the panel off before you start obviously.
Then check that all of the ribbon cable connectors on the edges of the PCB are properly pushed home.

Are the voltage figures that you quote those displayed on the panel or measured separately using a voltmeter at the battery terminals?
If "true" readings they seem on the high side and indicate that the batteries are under charge conditions (possibly from a solar panel?)
Before taking any further voltage readings, remove your hook-up (or turn the charger off) and disconnect any solar inputs.

Come back and let us know the voltage reading after you've done the above.

PS: Those CBE units can display very inaccurate and misleading readings, especially if they haven't been calibrated for a long time or if solar panels have been connected (via a regulator) directly to the battery instead of using the solar terminal on the control unit.


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## Tissy

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Did you re-seat the relays etc?


 i looked but there seemed no resets on them and im still getting a clicking when or just before the panel shuts off


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## Tissy

thanks
i have removed the panel checked all the connections on the pcb boards.
yes you are correct the readings are when the electric hook up is connected and with a seperate tester at the battery and in the van which give the same readings. Today i will try what you say and come back on here with the readings
I have been in touch with CBE and awaiting there comments and also requested a wiring diagram of the boards as i may be able to get it repaired. there appears to be no obvious damaged to the board.
i have also been speaking to travel world 
its anoying because the van is unusable at the moment
thanks for all your help so far


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## Pudsey_Bear

Tissy said:


> i looked but there seemed no resets on them and im still getting a clicking when or just before the panel shuts off


Not reset, re seat, IE remove and replace.


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## Pudsey_Bear

Tissy said:


> thanks
> i have removed the panel checked all the connections on the pcb boards.
> yes you are correct the readings are when the electric hook up is connected and with a seperate tester at the battery and in the van which give the same readings. Today i will try what you say and come back on here with the readings
> I have been in touch with CBE and awaiting there comments and also requested a wiring diagram of the boards as i may be able to get it repaired. there appears to be no obvious damaged to the board.
> i have also been speaking to travel world
> its anoying because the van is unusable at the moment
> thanks for all your help so far


I doubt CBE will be much help, I also doubt they will give away their circuit diagram.

You'd have more luck Googling the model number of the control panel, if it shows one.


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## trek

gaspode said:


> PS: Those CBE units can display very inaccurate and misleading readings, especially if they haven't been calibrated for a long time or if solar panels have been connected (via a regulator) directly to the battery instead of using the solar terminal on the control unit.


Gaspode Can you provide further info on the correct connection of a solar panel via a regulator to a camper with a CBE system PLEASE

Harrison (see His thread "Carthago prewired for solar " ) and i are interested in making the solar connection on carthago's that have been factory prewired


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## WildThingsKev

Here are a couple of CBE schematics, may or may not help.

Sorry they won't upload as they are .xps files but if you pm me with your email address I'll send them to you.

Kev


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## gaspode

trek said:


> Gaspode Can you provide further info on the correct connection of a solar panel via a regulator to a camper with a CBE system PLEASE


Basically, because the CBE panel distributes any input charge between both batteries you don't want a solar charge ALSO fed independently to both batteries. This can mean that the solar and mains charge conflict with each other (if that makes sense?) unless you disconnect your solar panels every time you're hooked up. Therefore the output from the solar regulator should feed into the CBE panel on the same terminals as the mains battery charger thus allowing the CBE panel to decide on charge rate and distribution. This obviously works best with a very basic solar regulator. The negative feed from the regulator goes to the "masse" terminal and (on the linked diagram) the positive goes to plug 18, terminal 2. This can vary slightly depending on how old the control panel is, just trace the positive output from the mains charger and use the same terminal.

By using this method the CBE panel monitors the battery voltages and directs the solar (and/or mains) charge as required. It also means that the solar output is monitored and is visible at the remote panel so you can see how much current your solar is inputting without the need for a separate solar meter.

This link goes to the instruction book which contains panel layouts and circuit diagrams:

http://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/store/pdf/PC100_PC200_DS300_ENcircuits.pdf

Your own panel may differ slightly.

PS: I should add that this is a summary of advice given to me a few years ago by a CBE technical chap and related to the N&B Arto that we owned at the time and using a basic solar regulator with a single output.


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## trek

Great stuff thanks this is the sort of info i was looking for. 


Though looking at the diagram of the ds-300 i was surprised that you didnt suggest using plug 15 pin 1 +ve via 20Amp fuse 7 Which is marked as solar ?


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## gaspode

trek said:


> Great stuff thanks this is the sort of info i was looking for.
> 
> Though looking at the diagram of the ds-300 i was surprised that you didnt suggest using plug 15 pin 1 +ve via 20Amp fuse 7 Which is marked as solar ?


That may well be correct for the ds-300. The advice I received was for the ds-200 not the 300 which may have a slightly different layout. The one fitted to my current van has a slightly different layout from the one that was fitted to my Arto..
I think the basic advice still applies though, connect the solar via the input terminal on the CBE panel - not straight to the batteries.


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## Tissy

WildThingsKev said:


> Here are a couple of CBE schematics, may or may not help.
> 
> Sorry they won't upload as they are .xps files but if you pm me with your email address I'll send them to you.
> 
> Kev


thanks Kev pm sent 
right about cbe phoned them there technical help are on holiday till end of Aug then they are at dusseldolf then Palma so will be available end of sept.
what a service !!!!


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## WildThingsKev

I'm pretty certain that the CBE will only pass a trickle chargeo to the vehicle battery when the mains charger is connected. There is a signal wire from the mains charger to the CBE panel which must operate a relay to close the charging circuit to the VB. So, if the solar reg is simply connected to the same terminals as the mains charger everything will be fine except that the VB will not get trickle charged.

Kev


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