Motor movers! Help maybe needed

[tentmonster]

My partner announced she's bought a caravan the other day when I was away. It is a 2005 Sterling Windward 5 berth - we didn't pay a huge amount for it. I had a quick look at it before towing away and it all looked in really nice condition.

I went up to the storage place last night to have another look and had a fiddle with things. I could n't get the movers working. They are powertouch and an older model (don't ask, I'm at work - they are white). I got the controller working, there is power to the control box but I could not get the rollers to spin. I was too pressed for time to wind up the legs and engage them - but surely the motors would work un-engaged?

I haven't checked volts on the battery with my meter. There is a clicking coming from the control box when buttons are pressed on the hand control.

My guess is the van has been stood for some time unused. Do movers seize up with lack of use? Am I missing something?

Sean

 

[Damian]

Yes the mover should work when disconnected from the wheels.
I expect that the leisure battery is discharged which is why the mover is not working. Remove the battery and fully charge, probably take a couple of days if really down, if it is of any use at all.
I have never known a mover seize due to non use.

 

[Raywood]

If the battery is not the problem I would ring Powertouch who are very helpful. You will need to establish the model which should be shown on the side and the serial number if you can find it.

 

[Dustydog]

Sean

I too suspect your Leisure battery is not fully charged if charged at all.
Once the battery is sorted and the mover still doesn't work please tell us.
You may also find this link useful. http://caravantimes.co.uk/video/parts/video-troubleshooting-common-motor-mover-problems-$21383310.htm

 

[tentmonster]

Will take battery off this week and put it on charge. I don't think we will get a chance to use the van until we go on holiday in Devon at end of month. On the battery meter in the van the needle was in the green - but how reliable that is I don't know. Will let you know what happens.

 

[Dustydog]

On board meters are notoriously inaccurate. Test the battery with a multi meter. If that's ok then check each motor power feed to see if the current is getting through when you use the hand set.
You may have a fly lead which connects between the handset and the control box . Try it. However as a matter of course put a new battery in the hand set.
I assume to master isolation has been switched on? Some cut out after a while and have to be switched off and on again. If yours uses the 12s plug method check the male and female pins are clean.

 

[otherclive]

Hi
I know this thread is about the mover but before leaving on your first trip make sure that the car is legally suitable to tow the caravan? Does your licence cover you for towing the gross weight of the outfit? How old are the tyres? If they are over 5 years I would change them as you don't know how long they have been stood idle, with sun on them and possibly under pressure. Weigh your kit going into car and van to try and stay within the legal limits includes passengers in car too. Is car kerb weight around 85% or less of car and max weight. Which is a recommendation for inexperienced tow car drivers.
Apologies if you have experience and are familiar with the above. But I've seen some horror stories when people have just gone out and bought a caravan without doing the research. Good luck with the mover.

 

[tentmonster]

I swapped my car earlier this year in anticipation of a new purchase..... been driving for so long that I can't remember doing my test!

 

[ProfJohnL]

I swapped my car earlier this year in anticipation of a new purchase..... been driving for so long that I can't remember doing my test!

The critical date is 1st January 1997, if you passed your test after this date you will be limited to driving an out (Combined MAM) of up to 3500kg. Add your caravan MTPLM to the cars Gross Vehicle Weight if its over 3500, yo need cat Be or B+E on your licence.

 

[tentmonster]

Passed my test 15 years before that! In fact this van, although heavier (1400 kg mtplm, rather than 1100) seems to tow better.

 

[tentmonster]

Changed my 'signature' to reflect new outfit.

 

[geordiebrecon]

hello all , new to this . so i need a bit of advice, i would like to fit a motor mover on to my new freedom microlight flare . can any one tell me which one and how do you attach them , i have help available to fit them

 

[tentmonster]

Do you need a motor mover on one of those?

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

MTPLM 750 kg, without upgrade plate. hmy:

 

[Martin24]

Websites selling them will probably have instructions on how it's done.

As far as which one to go for they all have pro's and con's. The most widely used is powrwheel that doesn't mean it's the best. They do have a good reputation where customer service is concerned.

If you are fit enough to fit it though then I would question the benefits of having one against the extra weight being taken up from your payload. You may find you want a larger leisure battery fitted to run the mover so that will also add to weight and you would also need to measure the battery box dimensions to ensure a bigger battery would fit.

With a van that light most people would just manhandle it unless you have a very steep slope to navigate.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I would question the benefits of having one against the extra weight being taken up from your payload.

The payload on those vans is only a measly 50 kg, so yes, the mover would take most of that up.

 

[tentmonster]

What about one of those powered jockey wheels? Then that can be stored in the car.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Useless on anything other than flat ground and would take up a lot of boot space.

 

[tentmonster]

Block and tackle! Thought about doing that with old van only 1100 kg

 

[ProfJohnL]

Useless on anything other than flat ground and would take up a lot of boot space.

I'd go a little further, not just useless, but potentially quite dangerous, as its not so much about moving a van but being able to stop it, and frankly even a 750kg caravan can do a lot of damage to preperty, yet alone to frail humans.

Because the amount of grip a jockewheel mover can have is controlled by the weight pushing down on it, it has very similar push, brake and hold characteristics of a human, so if you would have trouble on a slope,or in a muddy patch the jockey wheel mover will have similar issues.

 

[geordiebrecon]

yes i would like a new on.

 

[geordiebrecon]

yes i would like a new one

 

[tentmonster]

Why would you need a mover for such a light caravan? They are heavy things and need a big battery.

 

[Martin24]

So, let's get this right, the van has a 50kg payload and a motormover is going to be what weight? 30kg? all in all that leaves a payload of roughly 20kg? Hope you're planning on packing very very lightly because you will need to.

 

[tentmonster]

To draw a line under this thread I wanted to let you all know I charged up the battery in the van, put it back on and low and behold the movers worked. My only problem was I could not get them to lock in the engaged position at first. I don't think the van has been used much in the last few years so I gave them a squirt of mechanical panacea for anything sticky and used a bit more brute force on the lever and the eventually locked and it all worked. No more putting my shoulder to the van to 'jiggle' it the last little bit, no more argument with herself about lining it up; not until the break however!