ABI Jubilee Globetrotter - No 12v power?

[wednesday_rose]

Hi
This is probably a question that comes up often.
I didn't seem to be able to get any power from the battery.
I tried running my caravan off a 240 volt system at a caravan park and everything works fine. Unplugged it and nothing works?
The battery is fully charged and the people I got it from said it ran fine from the battery last year.
On the internet it said find the 20Amp fuse near to the battery and check it's not fused. There should also be a connecter, find that and check it.
I couldn't find either?
I followed the cable from the battery and it leads to the external lighting?
Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I followed the cable from the battery and it leads to the external lighting?

Do you mean the external road lights or the external awning light? If road lights - something has gone wrong.

 

[wednesday_rose]

Hi
Yes the road lights.
The cable goes to the off side light at the front of the caravan?
Remember, apparently everything ran off the battery last year.
Also, the person I got the caravan from is a work colleague. I have no reason to miss trust her.

 

[Gagakev]

Sorry but more info is required for the experts to solve this one,
How many wires are connected to the battery?
Does the positive and negative have a wire each connected to the terminals/post's?
What colour wire goes from the battery to the road lights?
Is this wire connected to the live or the positive?

If it is a single wire from the negative(earth) it may be some one has put a new wire in to combat a bad earth to the road lights.

 

[wednesday_rose]

Hi
Thanks for your answer.
There is one cable attached to the battery. 2 wires, black to neutral and red to positive.
I followed the cable from the back of the battery box, under the right side bench.
It goes about a meter and is joined to another cable for lenght. That's why I know the colours of the wires.
The cable runs to the front of the caravan and accross to the left and into a hole in the wall.
If I look in the front compartment/gas bottle compartment, I can see a flexi tube going up towards the outside white light at the front of the caravan.
There are no other cables attached to the battery or running off of that cable.
I find it very strange.
Could it be that the battery is connected to the external light system which then feeds the rest of the internal systems?
In the switch box for the carver systems their is a 12v switch and one for the water pump. Next up is the heating, which has it's own fuse and control system and a bove that is, I believe for the water heater and has it's own fuse and switch.
There are 3 symbols on that one. A line up and down, the light came on with 240v. Under that is a picture of a battery, the light did not come on with 240v. Under that is the picture of a flame with a line through it. That light also didn't come on.
All systems worked fine with 240v. Heater, water pump and heater, fridge and lights.
Some small lights appear to be 240v but I think that the small strip lights and wet cell lights are 12v.
I hope that helps.

 

[Damian]

Quote " Could it be that the battery is connected to the external light system which then feeds the rest of the internal systems?"

No, the battery is not connected to any of the road lighting circuits.

The very best advice is to get a mobile caravan engineer to come and explain how the various systems work.
It is impossible to give you an answer on the forum , it is only with actually looking at the setup that answers can be correct.

 

[Gagakev]

So you actually have thee cables connected to the battery, and I see Damien has beaten me to the next bit of advice, seek a engineer.

 

[wednesday_rose]

Thanks for your answers

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

You can click on the 'Thankyou' button under the relevant post and it will save you typing.

 

[paws]

If its any assistance I have the wiring diagrams for the whole caravan including road lights.

This is for the ABI Jubilee Globetrotter 2 berth 1996 model
Regards
paws

 

[wednesday_rose]

Hi
Thanks for your answer.
Yes it is the ABI Jubilee Globetrotter 2 berth 1996 model
The wiring diagrams are about the only thing I've been able to find on-line.
It would be interesting though to compare them to what I've found. I could also show them to someone who may have an idea on how to fix my problem.
Do you have other manuals. I couldn't find any.

 

[paws]

Hi, Yep I have the handbook, wiring diagrams, sizes weights, wheel torque settings etc etc.
If you ask Damian ( moderator) to release your email address to me I will email you all the documents...... I also have details of the charging unit....
Regards
paws

 

[wednesday_rose]

Yeah!
Finally! That sounds brilliant.
I'll see what I can do to get in touch with Damian.
Many thanks.

 

[wednesday_rose]

Hi Damian
Paws has offered me some info that could help some of my problems. Could you please free my email address for him to send me the manuals etc.
It would be appreciated
Thankyou

 

[Gafferbill]

Hi

On the internet it said find the 20Amp fuse near to the battery and check it's not fused. There should also be a connecter, find that and check it.
I couldn't find either?
Thanks

...........that is the best advice that it is possible to give over the internet.

Nearly all caravans will have an in line fuse in the red positive wire that leads from the +ve terminal of the 12 volt battery. This fuse will be very close to the battery .........physically trace this red wire to look for it.
If it is not present then you need someone who understands caravan electrics to carry out a visual check.
The battery should not be connected to the road lights ........so you may need to perfect your wire tracing skills!

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Rose,
Thank you for your very clear postings. You have described what you have done and discovered very well, I wish all posters were as diligent. Unfortunately assumptions about wire routes based on where a loom seems to point can be very misleading, so whilst the wires may appear to be going into the wall with the running light above it, it doesn't mean the wires end up there.

I get a feeling we are all missing something because unless there has been tampering wither electrics by a previous owner, it shouldn't be a complicated process. You tell us you got the caravan from a trusted work colleague, and he (she) claimed it was all working fine. It seems to me you should ask the colleague to perhaps come to the caravan and demonstrate how to get the 12 V system to work.

If there is evidence of tampering, then it might be wise to have it checked out, because whilst 12 V DC does not represent a shock hazard, the current capacity of a battery can certainly produce enough power to start a fire in faulty wiring.

 

[Damian]

Hi Damian
Paws has offered me some info that could help some of my problems. Could you please free my email address for him to send me the manuals etc.
It would be appreciated
Thankyou

As requested, I have sent your email address to Paws.
Hope you get sorted out OK and you enjoy the new to you van

 

[paws]

Thanks Damian
I have sent the first set of documents, wiring diagrams etc and the handbook and type pressure addendum follow.

@rose
Can you post back to confirm they have arrived safely
thanks
paws

 

[wednesday_rose]

Thanks for your message ProfJohnL.
My colleague and her husband have been around and are also stumped with the problem.
The member here called Paw is really helping me out with this problem, so, hopefully we will get some where.
You are very right that, although the wires seem to go to the light, it doesn't mean they do.
As a different member here mentioned, there should be an in-line fuse near the battery from the positive terminal. However, Paw has had a look at his own caravan and was also unable to find one?
Can you tell me, is it possible that damp got into the wiring and isn't working because of that?
We live in Shetland where it's always very damp!
Regards

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello again Rose,

As the basics have been checked and the previous owners are also stumped then I'm sorry but it's virtually impossible for us to diagnose problems like this through the forum.

It6s much easier if you are there with the caravans and able to try a a range of tests,

As fro damp affecting things, I am noted for being pedantic, and with that in mind, damp rarely affects cables, it almost always goes for the joints or connectors, But as I have already pointed out I am not in a position to drill down through the symptoms, and come up with a copper bottomed answer.

It may still be something relatively simple, but I think you have got to teh stage where it needs a hands on approach by a reliable caravan engineer.

 

[Gafferbill]

.........the way you are describing your problem fits a common caravan scenario and in 90% of the cases the solution will be that the main battery fuse has blown.
I know of no caravan manufacturer that does not fit such a fuse and it's position and how to service it is usually covered in the handbook.
Paws states he has a handbook for your model so perhaps the info is provided there.

 

[paws]

Just an update on this problem.
You have all been absolutely correct!

There is more to this than meets the eye... I have been trying to assist the OP by email and sent off the handbook, wiring diagrams etc to them, but fortunately the OP sent me some excellent photos of the back of the battery box and the wires that lead to the front of the caravan and immediately the light dawned!

There are two "Scotchlok" connectors that have been joined into the wires from the battery and one at least leads to the front of the caravan.(where the caravan road lights are connected.. )

These Scotchlok connectors (much beloved by amateur "electricians", but seldom by professional "sparks") were never part of the standard wiring looms produced for ABI and are most definitely non standard!

As per the previous advice provided here on the forum I am recommending as a matter of urgency that they consult an experienced and qualified mobile caravan technician/engineer as a "hands on" approach is needed to figure out what has gone on previously and if its safe!

My own feeling is that maybe a problem with the electrical system in the past was "Fixed" by an amateur "electrician" using the blue Scotchlok connectors and taking a direct live feed from the battery to the road lights! hmy: hmy: hmy:

Hopefully the OP will come back to the forum and tell us what has been found.
Regards to all and of course
Happy Caravanning
paws

 

[wednesday_rose]

So, the problem is sorted.
The guy said the rewiring had been done quite badly and changed the scotchlocks.
We traced where the cable from the bettery actually goes to.
Rather strangely done, but it was loose and had been rubbing against the brake cable.
The plastic had been rubbed away and the cable had corroded.
So, he replaced the cable and renewed the earths.
All sorted.
Many thanks for your help.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Rose,

That's good news, and you can now have confidence in the repair which gives peace of mind. Can I also thank you for actually telling us the final outcome. All too often we try to help and we don't find out what actually happens.

Do keep reading the forum, and don't be shy about making points or asking questions.

 

[DoggyBbear]

I have just read the original question about where is the main 20amp fuse from the battery. This is my question but it didn't seem to have been answered directly. I have no reason to think anything dodgy has happened with the electrics as it has worked fine for the last 5 years and I bought the van from my sister. There is no power coming into the van from the battery, which is working fine, so I just want to check the fuse but I can't find it.