# Not Charging from Hook Up



## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

Hello everyone - assistance required please!

We are currently on the road in Italy in a Hymer B640 Starline and at our latest site, the hook up indicator light on the display panel didn't come on when I made the connection so I tried various other connection points and still no joy. The charging meter was also showing that no charge was coming into the batteries - at this point it seemed that there was a problem with our hook up - maybe the cable itself.

However, I did find that the 230v sockets were actually receiving power as I could plug things in to them and operate them successfully but after two nights on the site it became clear that everything else was working off the batteries as they became more and more depleted and were obviously not being recharged.

I checked the handbook and found a fuse on the Elektroblok for the charging unit - the fuse was intact but I changed it anyway - no improvement.

We have moved on today and travelled a fair distance and the batteries have recharged OK.

The conclusion is, therefore, that the only thing that is wrong is getting the mains power through to the charging unit and thence to the batteries and this is where I get stuck.

Can anyone tell me what happens in the system between the connection point and the charging unit? Is the charging unit actually in the "Elektroblok"? I can see a trip switch straight after the mains connection point and that is perfectly OK - the wiring appears to go straight off to the Elektroblok and the connection there is also OK.

All contributions gratefully received.

Regards

Brian


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## 104477 (May 13, 2007)

Hi babyrhino, sorry can't help but thought I could bump it up! There are a number of Hymer owners on this forum and no doubt one will be along to offer some advice.Changing the fuse has negated the obvious so they can work on from there. Hope you get it resolved.


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

I did consider buying a Rapido - obviously should have done as the owners are real gentlemen!

Brian


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## 104477 (May 13, 2007)

Thanks.(BUMP) most on here are ( both Ladies & Gentlemen) regardless of the make.(M/H that is!)


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Hi,
I have no experience of the Elektroblok system but there may be some common items to my old Hymer. 
This may seem a bit obvious but have you located your charger and checked if it has a switch on it?
Some chargers have a fan or just make a 'hum' so a previous owner may have switched off the charger if they were bothered by noise at night.
Check if you have separate circuit breakers on your incoming supply for your charging and socket circuits - the charging one may be off. You could also check if the charger has a built in fuse - don't necessarily go by the manual - a previous owner may have changed/upgraded the charger.

Good luck!


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

babyrhino said:


> Hello everyone - assistance required please!
> 
> We are currently on the road in Italy in a Hymer B640 Starline and at our latest site, the hook up indicator light on the display panel didn't come on when I made the connection so I tried various other connection points and still no joy. The charging meter was also showing that no charge was coming into the batteries - at this point it seemed that there was a problem with our hook up - maybe the cable itself.
> 
> ...


Hello Babyrhino (Brian),

I have had a very similiar problem on our Hymer. The dealers wanted to supply a new Elektroblok, but I wasn't too happy about forking out hundreds of pounds at that stage.
After checking all the fuses and any trip switches, I isolated the mains, removed the Elektrobloc and dismantled the casing. Inside I foound a little glass fuse near the incoming mains cable, which had blown. 
I can't remember the rating but it was a special fuse that became available from my local TV repair shop. As soon as they saw it , they knew what I needed. I bought three, one for the repair and two spares. :wink:

I hope that this maybe of help.

BTW, check that the mains plug hasn't worked loose from the back of the Elektoblok, and, if it hums, it's got power.

I hope that you can get it sorted and enjoy the rest of your break.

Jock.


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

do you have a fuse box with trip switchs and if so are they tripping out when you plug in the EHC if so you may have a bad earth also did you start the engine with the EHC plugged in and live this will blow the fuse in or to the the charger


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

We have just returned from France and on a few of the sites the indicator on my mains inlet unit indicated it was reverse polarity.Now I thought that it just automatically switched it over in the unit as everything else looked fine including the charge light but after a week on one site, the lights were dimming and the battery was really flat. I only got it to charge by reversing my wires in the plug so I shall be investing in a short lead reversed for any future sites that have this reversed polarity.
It may be the same in your case.


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

Thanks for the replies so far.

The previous owner scenario probably doesn't apply as we have had the van and been on the road for eight months without any problems.

Wil work my way through the others and let you know the outcome.

Thanks again.

Brian


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Melly's post is does seem to point to a problem with his system that might be dangerous. Reverse polarity by itself will not cause correctly installed working equipment to fail. Even if you have reverse polarity the battery should charge. The problem with reverse polarity is a safety issue with some types of equipment which would require a diagram to explain.
Your post seems to point to a more serious problem and I strongly recommend that you get it checked asap.


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## 107701 (Oct 16, 2007)

*not charging from hook up*


I would like to thank Jock for his advice to the original poser of this question.
We have recently purchased an Argos 747-2 privately and on our first trip out last weekend we found that although charging from the van battery when driving and electricity coming into the van for fridge,tv etc, the leisure battery was not being charged and therefore after a couple of nights found ourselves watching tv in the dark!
In a vain attempt to find out the problem I punched the facts onto google and lo and behold found this excellent site with exactly my problem.
Anyway hubby proceeded to do as Jock suggested and lo and behold the fuse was blown.
EUREKA we thought, so off i went to our local TV repair man for said fuses, who said if the fuse continued to blow, then bring the electroblok to him and he would test it.
So the new fuse was fitted and, you guessed it, BANG it blew.
So off i went back to Mr TV with blok in hand who found some dry joints in there which he corrected, but apart from this he couldn't find anything else wrong.
We fitted the blok back in expecting it to blow again and much to our surprise it worked!!! The light in the 230v switch came on for the first time and nothing blew. 
We have come to the conclusion that the blok must have dried out due to un use as the van is 3 years old and only done just over 2000 miles.
We cannot thank you,Jock, and this site enough. I'm sure a trip to a dealer would have resulted in a new blok and a hefty bill which after a big purchase would not have been good. As it is it cost us £35 and a few fuses.
Apart from this we are over the moon with the van. We have been umming and ahhing for a couple of years about changing from our beloved Swift Royale 630 which has a perfect family layout (we have 2 teenagers) for the 747 worried we would be on top of each other, but first impressions are that it will work well. 
We had a wonderful few days at the Weston-Super-Mare enduro beach race where my husband was riding. His motorbike went in easily and we even had room for the 16 yr olds moped. 
The heating is to die for and the kids couldn't believe it when the back heated up as we drove along. In the swift it was blankets all round in the back in the winter when driving!!
Anyway I'll stop rambling on now and just say thanks again.  
P.S Ours came with the elusive chopping board/sink cover. Another bonus!


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

*Re: not charging from hook up*



JackieB1965 said:


> I would like to thank Jock for his advice to the original poser of this question.
> We have recently purchased an Argos 747-2 privately and on our first trip out last weekend we found that although charging from the van battery when driving and electricity coming into the van for fridge,tv etc, the leisure battery was not being charged and therefore after a couple of nights found ourselves watching tv in the dark!
> In a vain attempt to find out the problem I punched the facts onto google and lo and behold found this excellent site with exactly my problem.
> Anyway hubby proceeded to do as Jock suggested and lo and behold the fuse was blown.
> ...


Hi Jackie,

You have just made my day.    Thanks.

I am just glad that I have been able to help someone, somewhere along the line.

Please be careful about your payload, when carrying hubby's motorbike, and the teenager's moped, along with all your living equipment and water, etc. 8O

TTFN,

Jock.


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

I've got a Hymer with the Elektroblok you describe.

Things i would check.

1 Is the incomer to the Elektroblok (EB) live. IE is power 240 V getting into the EB ? 
2 Is the fuse in the EB intact ? I cant help with locating this as I've never had mine in bits.
3 Are all the multi-plugs including the incomer entering the top of the EB secure ? 
4 Are all the fuses on the EB proven to be intact ?
5Are all of the battery connections secure & fuses in the battery locker intact ?

If you're charging from the alternator I would strongly suspect one of the above or possibly a fault in the EB. Dry soldered joints can be a pain & can become faulty after indeterminate periods. They're usually a dull matt grey colour as opposed to shiny & clean. Easily remedied with a soldering iron & some solder.

Please post here once you've eliminated the above.

Dave.


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