Motor Mover

0026442140
0026442140 Forum Participant Posts: 71
edited April 2022 in Parts & Accessories #1

Any help welcome,. On trip to Moffat last week motor Mover cut out almost immediately after starting, it ran ok when not engaged, as it worked ok last year I blamed battery and had fully charged it before journey but as it was 5 years old decided to buy replacement high power leisure battery, result exactly the same cutting out as soon as movement started, anyone any ideas ?

 

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  • Freddy55
    Freddy55 Club Member Posts: 1,809 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #2

    Hiya. You don’t say which mover you have, but I had a similar problem with mine, a Powrtouch Evolution Auto. This might be of some use...

    Link

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #3

    Does this problem happen everywhere? We have problems with ours but only at our storage facility, it cuts out and won't work unless you stand close to actual unit and at first the we thought it might be the battery but it happens after a trip as well when it's fully charged and it's fairly new at under two years. No such problems on a site. 

    We were puzzled but we have since found out this occurs with some others, there is mobile phone mast very close and one possible theory is that it is interfering with the remote signal in some way? 

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Forum Participant Posts: 2,401
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    edited April 2022 #4

     Hoping that my issue may have been experienced by others. We too had an intermittent fault occur last year when arriving at site.

    Our Powrtouch mover would engage but after moving a few feet stopped. This could be remedied by turning the control handset off and on but again after a few feet stopped.

    I contacted Portouch and the engineer I spoke to felt it was most likely a fault with the battery. But the only way to check was to use the mover whilst watching the battery meter to check the readings-not too easy as I need to do it when the battery is fully charged which wont be till we have been on site long enough for this to be the case.

    Did consider getting a new battery, changed the control battery, but an expensive way to do trial an error.

    Seeing Corners comment just wondering if anyone has experienced the same?

     

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited April 2022 #5

    There is a possibility that the main feed to the control box might have a bad/loose connection at the battery,the master switch or the control box.Check first that the heavy leads are firmly fitted to the terminals at the battery end.

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Forum Participant Posts: 2,401
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    edited April 2022 #6

    After contacting Powrtouch I followed their suggested remedy, checking terminals and greasing etc, but still got the same fault.

    Its made harder to diagnose as the van is in storage so battery is not fully charged.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,300 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #7

    We certainly had that problem with our power touch motor mover at our storage compound. There was clearly some sort of radio interference, particularly under certain atmospheric ( high pressure ) conditions. Like you it did it when the battery was fully charged and started working again if you stood close. We get a linked issue now with the tracker in the MH. Again particularly when high atmospheric pressure, as lately, I get a warning that potential jamming has been detected.

    Power touch do seem to be susceptible to interference even between units. A couple of times on sites when someone close has been using theirs at the same time, ours has cut out or theirs. As soon as one party stopped using it, the problem went away.

  • 0026442140
    0026442140 Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited April 2022 #8

    Thanks very much for all replies, I will be going to storage yard to check out all connections and will post results.

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #9

    That's where my money is, since I had exactly the same situation with the Powrtouch mover on our last van. After a very helpful conversation with Powrtouch, they were looking towards a faulty battery but when I pointed out it was almost brand new, they agreed to send an engineer out to check. He eventually found that the post connecting the negative leads between the two control boxes hadn't been tightened up enough (a common problem according to him) and as soon as it was tightened up again, it was fine. Because of the high current draw, it doesn't take much for resistance to build up and prevent the system working.

  • 0026442140
    0026442140 Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited April 2022 #10

    Thanks richardandros can you explain where the post connecting the negative leads is, I only have one control box and a hand controller, is this something I could get at to tighten myself.😕

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #11

    I don't really think I can be as specific as that, since how the wiring is configured will depend on who did the installation. In my case, there was a threaded stud with a flange that allowed it to be screwed into the floor and the negative leads from each control box were connected there - and thence to the negative supply from the battery. The leads were secured with a nut - and it was that, that was loose. It was an AWD motor mover - hence two control boxes - in your case, you will have just one pair of motors and therefore one control box. (By 'control box', I mean the blue rectangular box of tricks with the flashing lights on top that will be secured to the van floor somewhere - not the remote control!)

    All I can suggest is that you work your way methodically - from the battery to the control box, to the motors and check that all connections are really tight - using a spanner / socket as necessary.  Don't just assume that if it seems hand-tight - it's OK - because that was the problem with mine.

    Hope this helps.

     

  • 0026442140
    0026442140 Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited April 2022 #12

    Many thanks again for your help, going to van in a few days and here's hoping I find a loose connection.

  • GTrimmer
    GTrimmer Club Member Posts: 169
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    edited April 2022 #13

    I too have exactly this problem with a Powertouch classic on my Swift Challenger 480. It was OK when put away last year, now it runs for 30 or so seconds and then stops, restaring for another 30 secs. or so when switched on or off.  All terminals are secure and clean , the battery is new and fully charged reading 13.2v on my both my  multi meter and the caravan control panel. I have also replaced the 9v cell in the hand set !

    I shall be very interested to hear what solutions others have come up with .

  • Cartledge
    Cartledge Forum Participant Posts: 267
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    edited April 2022 #14

    Had a problem a few years ago with a Powr Touch with the red key used to turn the unit on. I bought a cheap spare key and it worked for a while then stopped. It turned out that the metal pin in it was too short and would not grip the rotary on/off switch properly so only partially turning it on. Movement under power caused the switch to disengage enough to stop the power supply. Replacement original key solved the problem. 

  • 0026442140
    0026442140 Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited April 2022 #15

    Richardrandross.  Just to let you know I found that connections to isolator switch needed tightening and connections to blue box but the worse was in line fuse nuts one of which was just over finger tight, now working perfectly so once again many thanks for help 😀

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2022 #16

    That's great news - pleased I was able to help (and that you've managed to fix it without it costing you anything!).  The engineer did tell me that after dud batteries, it was the most common problem with motor movers that he was called out to.

  • 0026442140
    0026442140 Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited April 2022 #17

    Richardrandross worked way through connections and found nuts that needed tightening working ok now , many thanks for all help.