12 v system problem

[Rainman]

Hi, looking for help. My caravan 12 v lights , pump etc will not work. When I turn the charger on they work for about 1 second then go off. Battery is fully charged, the control panel is showing 12v from car even though the car is not connected. Can anyone help please,

 

[Rainman]

Forgot to say all the 230 v system work perfectly, but only when I turn on the battery charger

 

[ProfJohnL]

At no time should the setting of the charger affect the 230V circuits. If this is genuinely happening there is something very wrong, and may well be beyond our capability to help.

I suspect you have not discribed the symptoms with enough accuracy for us to be able to diagnose the issues you are having. It might also be helpful to know Make model and year of the caravan when discussi

 

[Rainman]

Thank you for your reply, you are correct I never gave enough information. My caravan is a 2009 sterling onyx elite . Everything was fine until 2 weeks ago when all the things that work of 12v stopped working. I got told it was the charger , so purchased a new one. Still the same problem. Nothing will work if I don't switch the charger on. It's the only way the 230v sockets, lights and fridge will work. If I turn the mains off and turn it back on again, the 12v lights come on for 1 second and go back off again. I have tested all fuses , tested the output of the charger, which is reading 14.7 . The control panel above the door is showing that the battery connected is from the car, but nothing works. When I turn the mains power on I hear clicking noises for a couple of seconds, but that's it. I am a campsite warden at the moment and finding it hard to get a mobile guy to come and have a look. I am in Lydd in Kent.

 

[Dustydog]

Do you know the name of the manufacturer on the old and new charger, plus who made the control panel.
Does the name Nordelectronica show anywhere?

 

[Rainman]

Do you know the name of the manufacturer on the old and new charger, plus who made the control panel.
Does the name Nordelectronica show anywhere?

Hi there, yes nordelectonica is the make of the original charger. And the new one is a Sargent px310

 

[Dustydog]

Hi there, yes nordelectonica is the make of the original charger. And the new one is a Sargent px310

How about the control panel
Sargent have an excellent help line . Its worth ringing them. Nordelectronica kit was notoriously poor. Thats why I wondered about the control panel.

 

[JTQ]

Nordelectronica kit was notoriously poor.

Ouch, they did have issues with a substandard batch of a component, not an unknown issue for other highly regarded brands, as well as some less regarded.
The OP's charger, IMO if having achieved its 16 years is highly unlikely to have been one of that batch fitted with the poor component?

Their kit ought not to be described as "notoriously poor", it was for its day back then technically advanced reflecting in better battery care than most others at that time.

Nor, as the replacement charger having not cured the issue should we assume that the original Nordelectronica one had failed?

If it proves finally to be so, there is an excellent repair service through Apuljack Electronics LINK.
They also would be a good company to speak to re the OP's problem, a highly experienced company in this field.