Electrical power to the caravan

[kathryn_5122141]

Hiya - we have been on our first run with our new Senator Indiana and have had a couple of teething problems. We would appreciate any help or advice for the following:

When the caravan has no 240 volt hook up should the leisure battery power the 12v appliances anyway? Ours doesn't seem to be working - is it an automatic switchover to the leisure battery via the 12 volt control panel?

When we are not hooked up to 240 volts nothing seems to work in the caravan - however when we do hook up the battery power is shown as 13.8 volts and it powers everything it should do.

What are we doing wrong? Any suggestions please?

Thanks in advance Kathryn

 

[sparkes]

Simple things first

Is there a battery? if you have not put one it then they don't come with one

Is it connected?

Have you checked the 12v master switch on the control panel?

Steve

 

[kathryn_5122141]

Simple things first

Is there a battery? if you have not put one it then they don't come with one

Is it connected?

Have you checked the 12v master switch on the control panel?

Steve

Hiya

Yes there is a leisure battery there - we bought the van second hand (2005) off a couple who had used it a couple of times and they didn't say anything about there being a problem with it.

 

[cris_408518]

Once disconnected from the car the only thing that runs on 12 volts are the 12 volt lights and the water pumps. The fridge runs on mains or gas when you park up.

On your control pnel you should have a switch to change priority to the vans battery and a volt meter showing the health of the battery charge is the norm. If the vans battery had been left to discharge by the previous owner the 12 volt systems could have been running via the mains when you inspected the van and not the battery.

So you need to check that the battery is chatrged and connected and that should be indicated on the control panel.

You need to make sure the switch is in the position to run from the 12 volt battery, if you hear the water pumps whirring when you open a tap but have no lights you should find there is a 12 volt lighting switch somewhere near the Senators door. That way you can turn off any 12 volt interior lights that are on as you leave the van and turn them on when you enter from that master switch.

When we got our Senator we lost the 12 volt lights on about the second day as my wife thought the switch was for the outside Awning light. I checked all the fuses and cussed the failure before finding that the master switch was in the off

position

 

[gary]

You do find with 'Car/Caravan' switches that the middle position is for running off battery power only!

 

[cris_408518]

Sorry gary, on out last van the centred position was the off position!

 

[Robtel]

Check the electric trip switches under the front nearside seats. I have same van and notice at times that connecting or disconnecting from mains is enough to trip one or more switches.

Robert

 

[gary]

Sorry gary, on out last van the centred position was the off position!

So it was on my old van but on the new one the centre position is battery power,some are some not...don't ask me why!!

 

[kathryn_5122141]

Hiya

Well we are stuck really we have checked everything everyone has kindly suggested and we just don't seem to be getting power from the battery. FiL came round with a voltage checker and the battery is fully powered but it doesn't seem to be getting through to the 12volt fuse box for some reason.

Even though we bought it second hand would a Bailey dealer have a look at it for us? Would we be better to leave it until we need the van servicing anyway and mention it then rather than doing two seperate journeys? It is due a service in June to keep it within the warranty period. We always go to sites which have electric hookups anyway.

 

[sparkes]

kathryn

Where in the country are you? If you are in the midlands I may be able to help. If not, some other bailey owner local may be able to pop around and have a look

Steve

 

[kathryn_5122141]

Thanks for the offer we are in Greater Manchester so not near enough I'm afraid

 

[rayc]

Kathryn, are you sure there isn't an inline fuse fitted where the lead exits the battery box normally inside a bed locker?

 

[WatsonJohnG]

There is a van battery fuse in the main fuse panel under the bed locker flap I would check that if not already done