# Could it be the Calira ?



## mike800966 (May 1, 2005)

Recently my starter battery failed in the wilds of Portugal. At the time the van was not on EHU but the solar panel was functioning and I suspect at the moment I tried to crank over the engine,,, the two batts were connected together. Found the 40A fuse at the batt end ws blown 
Replaced starter batt, thats another story, but ever since am showing a continuous discharge from the Leisure batt of 0.6A although this does vary but never ceases. Nothing switched on, all Calira functions seem to be normal.

Am now wondering if I damaged the solar controller, which sits permanently acoross the leisure batt. The discharge is unaffected by the removal of any fuse on the Calira or the Solar controller.


Any suggestions please ?

Mike G8JXS


----------



## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Is the constant current drain being measured on your control panel (Calira?) or have you measured it independently by using an accurate ammeter in series with the leisure battery? It may well be that your control module has a fault or needs calibration but you won't know unless you compare the reading on your panel with an in-line ammeter. This can be done using a cheap multimeter on the "10 amp" range. You should expect to see a current drain of some sort (milliamps) whenever your panel is turned on due to system useage.

My own panel (CBE) shows a discharge of 1.0 amp when the lighting circuits are switched on (but lights switched off) but when checked using a series ammeter there is less that 250ma being drawn from the leisure battery. 8O 

I'm waiting for advice from CBE. :?


----------



## kenny (Jun 4, 2005)

*flat battery*

Hi mike had same problem with my hobby 700 this week found my alternator had gone faulty having a discharge of 1.5 amps this discharged the battery causing the fuse to blow in turn looks has if my control panel has gone, in garage at time having new alternator fitted swine of a job has it is behind the engine then going to stellings at Beverly for the control panel sorting out kenny


----------



## mike800966 (May 1, 2005)

*Leisure batt discharge*

Gaspode, thanks for response. At first I oped it was a false fault as well! I dropped off one side of the Leisue batt and it showed a similar discharge albeit on a cheap chinese digi meter.Incidentally I have a NASA battery master which shows me whats happening via a shunt in the batt lead. Also when the solar panel is off, the L batt goes down slowly.

Trying very hard to isolate the fault logically before I rush in with the soldering iron.Dont feel I want to get involved with mosfets and igfets etc. It took Calira a two weeks to tell me to send it to them and then a further week to say what it might cost plus carriage. The odd thing is the Calira sems to work in every other way so I'm trying to look as widely as I can. At the moment I'm supecting the solar controller. Removing the o/p fuse didnt stop it but I wonder if the fault is on the neg side to eth as the panel wouldnt know the difference?
Kenny thanks for your input but this is all regarding the leisue batt. The alt diodde should only discharge the starter batt as you say

Mike


----------



## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

*Re: Leisure batt discharge*



mike800966 said:


> It took Calira a two weeks to tell me to send it to them and then a further week to say what it might cost plus carriage. The odd thing is the Calira sems to work in every other way so I'm trying to look as widely as I can.Mike


Mike have a look at the Knaus Owners Web site as they have quite a lot of info on calira faults. There is UK person mentioned who will repair if it turns out to be the Calira.


----------



## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

If you disconected the solar from the batteries to get it working you need to disconnect the solar panel from the regulator with the batteries connected then connect the solar panel to the regulator

joe


----------



## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

joedenise said:


> If you disconected the solar from the batteries to get it working you need to disconnect the solar panel from the regulator with the batteries connected then connect the solar panel to the regulator
> 
> joe


Hi Joe

I've seen rules for the sequence of connecting/disconnecting panels/regulators/batteries quoted several times but I'm too busy (lazy :wink: ) to start searching for explanations ATM. So can you tell me exactly why the panel should be disconnected first and whether the batteries should be connected before the panel is re-connected?

I was looking at the installation instructions for my regulator the other day and it says that the last link in the system should be the fuses between regulator and batteries.


----------

