Hi all, help appreciated. Sited on a seasonal pitch with hook up. No previous issues with power tripping. Recently the switch panel in the van with isolation for lights, awning, pump and master, normally displays power level of 12 volts has dropped off. All sockets work but no or little power when lights, water pump, water heater used. Have checked breakers and fuses with no obvious issue found. Confused.
Bailey pageant provence series 5
- Thread starter CaptJonny
- Start date
Battery not being charged?
Which might be due to the charger not getting mains or having failed. Is this a van with a "kettle plug" mains input to the charger, these sometimes come loose. Have you checked any fuse on the charger.
Or could be a really dead battery unable to take any charge and pull the charger down.
Which might be due to the charger not getting mains or having failed. Is this a van with a "kettle plug" mains input to the charger, these sometimes come loose. Have you checked any fuse on the charger.
Or could be a really dead battery unable to take any charge and pull the charger down.
Hi JTQ, thanks for advice. Bit the bullet and changed the battery. Did that on Sat. Woke this morning to find the voltage output from the battery down to zero again.
Hi all, bit the bullet and bought a new battery. Installed on Sat and everything working a treat......... Until this morning. Zero on the volt guage. Only had one light on last night for the kids and the occasional flush. Any ideas?
Hello Capt'
The symptoms certainly suggest you at least have a problem with the charger not apparently working. But something is confusing me from your report. You tell us the voltage from the battery is "down to zero" How are you measuring the voltage?
Are you assuming its zero because nothing is working?
Is there a digital read out in the caravan?
Or does the caravan have an analog needle gauge?
Or are you using a hand held multimeter?
Most caravans being used normally would not flatten a fully charged battery in less than 48H. Even a discharged battery will normally have a terminal voltage of at least 12V (when disconnected) Anything less than that means the battery has been seriously managed and may have been damaged.
So your report of Zero Volts needs to be clarified.
Its possible the 'new' battery was not fully charged which might explain its early discharge.
We are at a major disadvantage not being able to actually carry our tests ourselves, so we are reliant on you to do them - so May I suggest the following steps:
You will need to comfortable with dealing with batteries and multimeters. If you you are unsure then you would be better to seek help form some one who is. Whilst 12V systems are unlikely to cause a shock hazard, batteries even when apparently discharged can have enough residual energy to over heat poor wiring or short circuits causing a fire hazard.
Leave the battery connected to the caravans wiring, but make sure all 12V appliances, lights and the charger are turned off or disconnected. Measure the battery terminal voltage. I would expect the battery to have some voltage at its terminals. At 12V the battery is considered to be discharged, if its any less than 12V it seriously discharged, and if its actually zero V then its probably time to call an electrician to find out what has caused it..
If the battery has about 12V showing keep a note of the value and then turn on the charger . If the battery voltage ramps up fairly rapidly towards about 13.8V -14.4V. This would indicate the charger is working.
Sequentially go round the caravan turning 12V appliances and light on and off, any that cause teh battery voltage to fall below 12.5V must be considered to be suspect, and should be investigated.
If the charger seems to be the problem, replacements are usually still available, but you might also consider using a stand alone smart charger/power supply. There are various makes available but I do know of a 10A model CTEK MXS 10 that's an continuously rated automatic 10A smart charger. It might get yo out of a hole, and it can be used elsewhere if needed.
The symptoms certainly suggest you at least have a problem with the charger not apparently working. But something is confusing me from your report. You tell us the voltage from the battery is "down to zero" How are you measuring the voltage?
Are you assuming its zero because nothing is working?
Is there a digital read out in the caravan?
Or does the caravan have an analog needle gauge?
Or are you using a hand held multimeter?
Most caravans being used normally would not flatten a fully charged battery in less than 48H. Even a discharged battery will normally have a terminal voltage of at least 12V (when disconnected) Anything less than that means the battery has been seriously managed and may have been damaged.
So your report of Zero Volts needs to be clarified.
Its possible the 'new' battery was not fully charged which might explain its early discharge.
We are at a major disadvantage not being able to actually carry our tests ourselves, so we are reliant on you to do them - so May I suggest the following steps:
You will need to comfortable with dealing with batteries and multimeters. If you you are unsure then you would be better to seek help form some one who is. Whilst 12V systems are unlikely to cause a shock hazard, batteries even when apparently discharged can have enough residual energy to over heat poor wiring or short circuits causing a fire hazard.
Leave the battery connected to the caravans wiring, but make sure all 12V appliances, lights and the charger are turned off or disconnected. Measure the battery terminal voltage. I would expect the battery to have some voltage at its terminals. At 12V the battery is considered to be discharged, if its any less than 12V it seriously discharged, and if its actually zero V then its probably time to call an electrician to find out what has caused it..
If the battery has about 12V showing keep a note of the value and then turn on the charger . If the battery voltage ramps up fairly rapidly towards about 13.8V -14.4V. This would indicate the charger is working.
Sequentially go round the caravan turning 12V appliances and light on and off, any that cause teh battery voltage to fall below 12.5V must be considered to be suspect, and should be investigated.
If the charger seems to be the problem, replacements are usually still available, but you might also consider using a stand alone smart charger/power supply. There are various makes available but I do know of a 10A model CTEK MXS 10 that's an continuously rated automatic 10A smart charger. It might get yo out of a hole, and it can be used elsewhere if needed.
Parksy
Moderator
CaptJonny said:
I'm also confused.
On a different thread you tell us that you have a Bailey Pageant Imperial 1999 with a water heater problem.
On this thread you apparently have a Bailey Pageant Provence series 5 with an electrical fault.
Which is it?
Edit: A changed username on the other thread has resulted in a ban
Damian
Moderator
At 9 volts your battery is dead, and at that depletion it will be hard to get it back up without putting on a stand alone decent charger at home.
For any electrical problems you cannot rely on the on board voltmeter, they are not calibrated and most are rubbish.
You need to use a multimeter.
I suspect that your charger has failed as is the most common cause in Bailey vans as they use the BCA unit located within the PSU.
You need to measure the battery voltage at the terminals with mains power off, and on.
If as you say the battery reads 9v now, when mains power is switched on the charger , if it is working, will take the battery up to 13.8v or thereabouts.
If it is not working the battery will stay the same, 9v
For any electrical problems you cannot rely on the on board voltmeter, they are not calibrated and most are rubbish.
You need to use a multimeter.
I suspect that your charger has failed as is the most common cause in Bailey vans as they use the BCA unit located within the PSU.
You need to measure the battery voltage at the terminals with mains power off, and on.
If as you say the battery reads 9v now, when mains power is switched on the charger , if it is working, will take the battery up to 13.8v or thereabouts.
If it is not working the battery will stay the same, 9v
A bit late on this on Capt , but we had a similar problem on our Bailey's Orion on our first trip to France , i thought the site board was over loaded at the same time , kettle worked a few lights and that was it ! Went 2 days like this , this was nearly 7 years ago and just a learner though then 
!!
Turned out that the charger had burnt out after being investigated , its housed in a small fan assisted boxing nxt to the battery but was capoot !
After a few hours shopping about new one in and all was good .
!!Turned out that the charger had burnt out after being investigated , its housed in a small fan assisted boxing nxt to the battery but was capoot !
After a few hours shopping about new one in and all was good .
I had the same on a coachman, everything worked then nothing only 230 volt power. The BCA power unit had failed on the 12volt caravan supply and also the charging side to the battery. As Damian states its inside the Power Suppy Unit. Check the mains plug to the unit has not come loose, another problem with the BCA units.
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