Help needed please
We are new to the caravan world and are having a few problems with our battery. We have an Avondale dart 2000, we thought we had problems with our battery so went and brought a new one, but we still have the same problem, after plugging our electrics in
we still need the battery to feed the water pump and some of the lights, we brought a new battery but as soon as we hooked it up the battery drained so no water we have checked all the fuses including the battery fuse and they are all fine does anyone have
any other ideas please?
Comments
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Are you getting 240V. at the mains sockets?
Have you checked the mains CB and the MCBs ? If OK, is the charger switched on ? If it is, check the voltage with the EHU hooked up, it should be around 13.6 V.
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You should have an inbuilt battery charger in the van so that needs to be switched on and working while you are on the mains. Lights and pump work off 12v as standard. As was said a battery should last a few days/weekend without charge unless running a
TV all night! Good luck.0 -
Even if the battery is flat the pump should still work. If it is not working then it would sound like the fuse but you say this is not the problem. If the battery is going flat as well that would sound as though it is not working as I am not aware of any
switch for it other than the master switch. You do need to check if there is a current to the battery when on mains.I do wonder if the charger has failed but that would not explain the battery draining that quickly.
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Donna, I'm very familiar with dramatic posts from members who haven't read your original posting. As a retired research scientist/ engineer, let's KISS Keep It Simple ... A fully charged battery won't go flat quickly and without reason. Ignore your van battery
charger at this stage. We've been to music festivals for several days without auxiliary power, and still enjoyed lights and water pumping from our battery. First, charge your battery fully at home. Then reconnect it to your van after switching the supply master
switch off. It should last for weeks - OK? Assuming "yes", remove all of your 12v fuses and switch the master on. - OK? Now replace the fuses one at a time, leaving a day or so between. It's likely that one will cause a discharge, which, once you have deciphered
the cryptic wiring diagram in your handbook, will guide you to the area of electrics causing the problem. Fortunately our newish caravan describes which fuse powers what. I'm afraid that in the past we have found that not to be the case. In fact we used to
"map" fuses against services by removing them to find out which supplied what. Do, please post progress. Jen0 -
Sounds like a serious " short" somewhere on the 12v system
as previously advised - check and eliminate each circuit one by one or get an auto electrician to look at it - he can usually use a "clampmeter" to check serious drain.
Let us know result.
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Sounds like a serious " short" somewhere on the 12v system
as previously advised - check and eliminate each circuit one by one or get an auto electrician to look at it - he can usually use a "clampmeter" to check serious drain.
Let us know result.
Write your comments here...
Its more complex than a serious 'short' on the supply wire, which would give rise to a very high current loading, blowing any fuse instantly. Because caravans are constructed using wiring looms terminated in multi plugs, it's next to impossible to find anywhere
but the main feed where a clamp meter could be used. Once Donna has found the fuse which is causing the drain, she can replace the fuse with a series ameter to ascertain the drain. A basic digital multimeter can be bought at a market for around £10, whereas
clamp a meters cost over £30. All of which is too complex for the moment - lets still KIS0
