ATC red light
Just lately when I plug the caravan 13 pin into the car the ATC shows a permanent red light but a few miles down the road I stop to check and the light is green and stays green until my destination but now when I plug it in the light is permanently red even to my destination,gave ALKO a ring and was told the memory was full and a reset was needed,to do this I was told to leave it plugged into the car or a 12volt supply for 12 hours to clear the memory.
Away at the moment so plugged it into the car for a reset red light comes on but automatically shuts down the 12volt supply to the van no lights water pump etc,am I right in thinking that there is a relay that shuts this down,thought it only happened when the engine was running?
Any way around this now or wait till I get home?
Comments
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From the Al-Ko web site, you need to be aware that driving off with the red LED on means the system is not working.
It is going to be difficult to sort this problem on site but you need to connect a 12V supply to pins 9 +ve & 13 -ve. only.
Worth making up a lead to do this but it depends on availability of parts (car spares & caravan accessory shops) & tools.
If you car has a permanently live 12V socket you could plug into that or buy some clips & go straight to the battery.
You will need to find a 13 pin socket and a cigarette lighter type plug and a length of cable.
Apparently this does not take much current so should not drain your battery.
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A red LED can be related to a low voltage issue.We had the same fault after stopping for a rest in France last year after starting the journey on a green LED.I carry a can of water displacement fluid and this was sprayed onto both plugs and since then no reoccurenecs.
When this happens an unplug of the 13 pin plug is recommended for 30 odd seconds, to clear any minor errors within system.
As for your second part of your opening post,I have never heard of that before,or read it in any Alko information giving me a impression you have another fault some where pulling down the electrical supply when you connect up
An ATC can draw quite high amps around 20amps for its supply hence my theory.
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Plugged the caravan into the car for a 12 hour reset overnight no problem with 12volt supply to van this time but after 30 minutes or so the green light came on and the ATC set itself.
Poured down with rain on the journey down so opened the 13pin plug on the caravan and found it wet inside,not a great fan of putting this plug in it's storage socket when not in use water always finds a way of seeping inside,new caravan on old one always put plug under hitch cover think you were right about the water theory many thanks for help.
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Our ATC has displayed a red light a couple of times this holiday. The first was on a terrible towing day in France with very heavy spray and lots of surface water. I noticed it red when we stopped, unplugged it for 15 mins or so and it reset. I put it down to damp in the connection. However, the same thing happened on the next trip on a bright sunny day. Now I am wondering if the fault is caused by excess inputs causing an overflow error, which requires clearing. In both cases where we have had problems, the tows have been mainly on dual carriageway type roads. The lanes seem narrower here in France and the speed differential greater. Certainly I notice a lot more buffet as things come past than in the U.K. So as on the days when we have towed more on single carriageways have been problem free, my theory for what it's worth is:- The constant buffeting is causing the system to overload and display a red light.
If it still happens when we return to the UK this will blow my theory. I will just have to wait and see what happens.
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Had solid red light which did not reset after overnight plugged to car. Tried again with 14 hours connected to car and still red even after disconnecting and reconnecting as per instructions. Took it for 30 minute drive, still red on return but reset when power disconnected and reconnected. Now solid green. I don't know if it was overnight charge, the drive or a combination of both that reset it, but something did!
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Away at the moment so plugged it into the car for a reset red light comes on but automatically shuts down the 12volt supply to the van no lights water pump etc,am I right in thinking that there is a relay that shuts this down,thought it only happened when the engine was running?
When I connect to the car the ATC light comes on even when the engine is not running.
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