Motor Mover works only on one wheel

EverySecondCounts
EverySecondCounts Forum Participant Posts: 20
edited April 2022 in Caravans #1

Hi all

The motor mover.  Fantastic invention, as long as the caravan doesn't just spin on the axel - one of the motors isn't firing.  i have checked fuses, taken the 'spades off' the motor, cleanned and reinserted them.  Still dead.  THere is no life in the motor, it is not turning at all, no hum of electricity - zilch. It's a Powrtouch Motor Mover, the original manual is with the caravan, though the phone number is no longer active.  Any tips as to what could be wrong?  I could try my hand at disassembling it (I'm a software engineer, so making a bad situation worse is in my DNA)?  I think it is at least a deacde old, no idea how much it would be to get it serviced.

I'm not totally awful at reversing anymore, so can probably live without it.  Attempting to move the carvan by a rope attached at one end to the towbar and the other on the grab handles isn't the most inspired idea I've come up with.  Well, you live and learn.....

Any thoughts / recommendatioins for the mover?  I'm in central Scotland if that makes a difference.

Comments

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited April 2022 #2

    Could be the motor brushes or the circuit (control)board.Check with a multi meter that you have power coming from the board to the motor when you operate the remote (Mover does not need to be engaged to the wheel)If the board is ok check the wiring under the caravan (wee timerous beasties have an appetitite for plastic covered cables!).If all this checks out to be ok then it is likely to be the motor brushes dirty or stuck in their holders.Another quick check would be to swap left and right mover cables at the box!All obviously guesswork on my behalf and open to the opinion of others!

  • ColinHale
    ColinHale Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited April 2022 #3

    Agree with fluffy one above.

    Current contact details for powrtouch

    www.powrtouch.com/shop-by-category/previous-generation-spares/powrtouch-classic/

    Email: info@powrwheel.com

    Phone 01283 587 900

    They are now based near Derby and are part of the Truma group

  • easyonthegas
    easyonthegas Forum Participant Posts: 53
    edited April 2022 #4

    I have had a similar problem with previous van. I swapped the power leads over in the control box and found that it was the electronics that had failed and not the motor at fault. A multimeter check at the motor terminals would also confirm.

    There is a repair company which I needed to use, and they fixed the problem within a week

    https://www.arelectronics.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d18_Caravan-Mover-Repairs.html

    Good luck worth your fix, the days of pushing vans around should be relegated to the past.

  • jennyc
    jennyc Forum Participant Posts: 957
    500 Comments
    edited April 2022 #5

    Step 1, is the motor or the controller that’s faulty.

    Trace the two motor power lead +vs back to the controller, then swap them over. Is your motor working now? If yes, the controller has failed, stand by for a big bill. If no, then it’s the motor which has failed, stand by for a big bill.

    If you’ve confirmed a motor fault, then it’s time to follow advice as given above. There are a few people who will repair controller circuitry. In the unlikely event that your motor has jammed solid, you can switch a caravan light on, preferably an old style tungsten one (or make one up for testing) then try to activate the failed motor. Significant dimming of your test bulb will occur if the mover has jammed, because the battery will effectively be close to a short circuit load.

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