Motormover help

[Gor_tour]

Hi everyone, first post here.

So bought my first every caravan end of June, a Lunar 586. Caravan itself has been great but the motormover has started to play up. So I tried to move the caravan onto a levelling ramp as we were parked on a hill using the motormover but it didn’t like it and stopped working, since then it’s not worked probably. When I engage the mover it works for a couple of seconds then stops, this happens when engaged and disengaged . When I check inside the control panel was flickering as if it was low battery so I bought a new battery but it still has the same symptoms. There was clicking coming from mover module but not sure what this means??
Any help is greatly appreciated 👍

 

[woodsieboy]

What make of mover do you have?
Have you checked the handset battery
Can you operate the hand set when the mover is not engaged with the wheels, do the movers rollers move.
Do you have a lead that fits the hand set and the mover control box
Have you checked the caravan battery terminal connections
How old is the mover
Is the handbrake off

 

[Mel]

Welcome to the forum. Good suggestions already given. We had a similar problem that was down to one of the battery terminals being a tiny bit loose. Make sure that you have a firm connection on both. If it is a very old mover, then maybe the motor has died 🙁. Someone on here may well be able to tell you how to fault find.
mel

 

[Dustydog]

Double check the connections on the motors in addition to all advised above. I assume the controller batteries are ok?

 

[Gor_tour]

What make of mover do you have?
Have you checked the handset battery
Can you operate the hand set when the mover is not engaged with the wheels, do the movers rollers move.
Do you have a lead that fits the hand set and the mover control box
Have you checked the caravan battery terminal connections
How old is the mover
Is the handbrake of

What make of mover do you have?
Have you checked the handset battery
Can you operate the hand set when the mover is not engaged with the wheels, do the movers rollers move.
Do you have a lead that fits the hand set and the mover control box
Have you checked the caravan battery terminal connections
How old is the mover
Is the handbrake off

Hi!
It is a powertouch freedom, I believe it is only 3 years old, unless when fitted it was 2nd hand.
I have changed the handset battery and still same symptoms.
The mover works exactly the same when engaged/disengaged, moves a tad then stops.
No lead for handset as wireless??
The battery terminals look ok when I changed the battery from wat I can see.
Yes handbrake definitely off 👍

Good ideas and thanks for feedback

 

[Gor_tour]

Welcome to the forum. Good suggestions already given. We had a similar problem that was down to one of the battery terminals being a tiny bit loose. Make sure that you have a firm connection on both. If it is a very old mover, then maybe the motor has died 🙁. Someone on here may well be able to tell you how to fault find.
mel

I’ll double check the terminals tomorrow, the thing is it done the same with previous battery so probably not the terminals but will check 👍

 

[Gor_tour]

Double check the connections on the motors in addition to all advised above. I assume the controller batteries are ok?

I’ve never checked those 👍

 

[Gor_tour]

The strange thing is when I try to use the mover it almost seems like the battery is drained but it can’t be as it’s the same symptoms with the old battery and new battery, and the new battery was fully charged. There definitely was clicking coming from the movers control box.

 

[otherclive]

I’ll double check the terminals tomorrow, the thing is it done the same with previous battery so probably not the terminals but will check 👍

It could be the cabling within the terminals has slackened not the clamping to the battery terminals.

 

[Hutch]

Welcome to the forum, check the motor mover Fuse connectors. Normally a small 80 amp torpedo shaped black thing.

 

[woodsieboy]

if you have eliminated previous suggestions,you could try replacing the brushes on the motors,fairly simple job, best to order direct from Powertouch

 

[Gor_tour]

Thanks all I’ll check all the above first, I phoned truma as it should still be under warranty if new when fitted before I change anything.

Appreciate the help 👍

 

[ProfJohnL]

Whilst you tell us in your first post you got a new the battery, have you fully charged the battery as they dont always come fully charged?

 

[Gor_tour]

Yes, I charged it to full before I switched them over as I was aware it could have been sitting on a shelf for months.

 

[Buckman]

You state that you bought the caravan in June and if bought from a dealer, it is the responsibility of the dealer to sort out the motor mover. If bought privately, you are on your own, but why not phone Powertouch and speak with them as they are very help. There should be a serial number for the motor mover and the balance of the 5 year warranty can be transferred across to yourself.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I'm not familiar with the internal workings of power touch movers, so I don't know what the indicator inside the control box is supposed to signify. It may have several functions. But you describe it as flickering, which I assume you mean it has no discernable pattern.

I do suspect it's suggesting a power availability problem such as a poor contact. Others have rightly suggested battery connections, but I'd add to that check all the wiring connections for tightness and corrosion, I'd suggest it's worth cleaning all the connections adding a little petroleum jelly or grease to provide water protection and retightening.

Someone has also suggested motor brushes, and contacting the manufacturer.

 

[Gor_tour]

You state that you bought the caravan in June and if bought from a dealer, it is the responsibility of the dealer to sort out the motor mover. If bought privately, you are on your own, but why not phone Powertouch and speak with them as they are very help. There should be a serial number for the motor mover and the balance of the 5 year warranty can be transferred across to yourself.

Hi, yeah I did phone them and they asked me to check if the mover was working or same symptoms when disengaged, which it is. I will most definitely phone them back tomorrow and give an update.
I have read they are very good with customer service, which is refreshing as find customer service has went down the tubes with most companies. 👍

 

[Challenger]

The symptoms you describe sound exactly like a problem I had. Turned out to be a failed control unit, Powertouch were most helpful in diagnosing the issue.

Contact - Powrtouch

www.powrtouch.com

 

[Gor_tour]

The symptoms you describe sound exactly like a problem I had. Turned out to be a failed control unit, Powertouch were most helpful in diagnosing the issue.

Contact - Powrtouch

www.powrtouch.com

In my mind that would make sense, hopefully it’s under warranty 👍

 

[trevormonty]

Does sound like power issue. Hook multimeter upto battery terminals and monitor voltage drop when you move it. Then do the same again at terminals on controller where battery voltage goes into it. If there is significant difference between the voltages then issue is in cabling between battery and controller. Assuming terminals on cables , both ends, fuse, ON switch are OK, maybe ON switch internal contacts. You can bypass it by moving In terminal to Out, NB controller will be permanently powered.

 

[Gagakev]

I had the same symptons a few years ago and although my power touch was probably a lot older than yours it had a re-set button.
Re-set and no probs after that episode.
it was a small hole on top of the controller and think I used a cocktail stick to reset it. might be worth a try as i dont know about newer models.
(PS someone on here back then mentioned you should never have to use the re-set button me being me ..I ignored them)

 

[Gor_tour]

UPDATE
So I phoned Truma yesterday and spoke to a person from technical support, I instantly could tell you had a bit of an “attitude” and couldn’t be bothered with me but I went away and done what he said, fast forward 24hrs the next guy I spoke to was great, very helpful, explained in good detail. The diagnosis is a loose connection somewhere, which I need to find.

The other thing I found pretty poor was they said my “5 year warranty” is now obsolete because it was the previous owner of the caravan who fitted it. 🤷‍♂️ no idea how that even makes sense or justifiable.

 

[Buckman]

At the time of purchase you should have transferred the warranty otherwise warranty stays with previous owner. There would have been a small charge.

 

[trevormonty]

For my motormover, warranty can only transferred if fitted professionally. If it bad connection not likely be covered by Truma warranty as its installation issue which you need to take up with installer.

If you have some electrical knowledge see my post above otherwise best take it to autoelectrical or caravan expert.

 

[ProfJohnL]

...
The other thing I found pretty poor was they said my “5 year warranty” is now obsolete because it was the previous owner of the caravan who fitted it. 🤷‍♂️ no idea how that even makes sense or justifiable.

I'm sorry your having some difficulties with your caravan mover. I hope you will get it sorted soon.

Whilst this will not help resolve the problem, It strikes me you might be labouring under a misconception about the manufacturer's warranty status of the product.

Whilst many Manufacturers do offer a Manufactures Warranty, they are not legally obliged to offer one. Consequently there are no formal standards or other minimum requirements set for the way they are worded or applied. Normal laws about discrimination or unfair contract terms would apply.

Not all manufacturers will agree to transfer any remaining warranty period to a new owner, the new owner has to ask, and not just assume it will be transferred.

Manufacturers have the last say about their own warranty processes and they may refuse to move the warranty for many reasons.

To keep any warranty valid you have to comply with the T&C's defined in the warranty documentation.

Even if you are unable to get the manufacturers warranty transferred, if you purchased the caravan from dealer (retailer) then you statutory right s as defined in the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) would most likely apply.

Id you purchased the good second hand from an ordinary person, the CRA is far less extensive .