Powrtouch evolution-Anyone got one -Damien fitted any?

[Robtel]

I'm going to be changing van sometime soon and going to buy a new mover to go with it. My existing mover has already been on two vans and due to the onwards march of time this will probably be my last major purchase in caravanning (although I do seem to remember saying similar last time). Anyway going for a new mover and going to stick with Powrtouch.
Any one had the new model fitted,if so, what are your opinions, is it better, if so in what way?
Damien, I'm sure I've read before that you fit movers as part of your work. Have you came across the new model and if so I would be very interested to hear your opinions and any comparisons with the older version. Also have you came across any change in their customer service since they changed the location of their business.
Thanks for any input.

Robert

 

[Damian]

Herllo Rob,
I have fitted several of the Evolution movers and I have to say they are a very nice, compact unit which seem to be very well engineered.
I think there is more than a bit of German design and finish , which looks much neater than the original Powrtouch units.
So far I have not had any reports of the units I have fitted giving any trouble, but a seemingly common user problem is the relatively short amount of "non use" whilst using the mover causes the unit to shut down , which then requires the isolation key to used to reset the unit.

Customer service is still good, in as much as relative ease of contacting them but I have issues with the way they send out spares.
It always used to the spare was dispatched on the day the fault was reported, now spares are dispatched once a week, which is absolutely no use to me for a customer on holiday with a problem as by the time the spare has arrived, they have gone home.

 

[Robtel]

Thanks Damien.
Take your point about the dispatch of spares. Not so good that, powrtouch website still makes mention of fixing problems anywhere in the U.K. if you are on holiday, but not easy to do if the fitters don't get the spares to work with.

Rob

 

[NigelHutson]

Hi Rob,
I had an Evolution model fitted to our caravan last December. Apparently it was one of the first. So far, so good. It does seem a quality product. My observations so far are:-

• Compared to the Carver mover that I used before, it is very slow to do anything. From the electrical engagement to actually starting to move does take a while. When you press a button on the Carver, it reacted instantly.
• The Carver didn't have an isolation switch, and at first i found the Powrtouch a pain (as much to do with where it had been located as anything). This was rectified by making it remote control by way of a relay and fob.
• That's the negatives out of the way. What I have been impressed with is the power of the motors. For intance, if I stopped the Carver unit on a levelling ramp, I had to be very quick with a chock, otherwise the caravan would creep. The Powrtouch will actually hold it on the steps between levels.

 

[Robtel]

Hi Nigel,
Thanks for the feedback. Regards the power of the motors I see your caravan is a Hobby which I'm assuming will be be a pretty solid van, what is the weight of the van?

Rob

 

[NigelHutson]

Hi Rob,
No, I don't tow a Hobby with a Morris Minor. The van we tow has a M.T.P.L.M. of 1495kg. Not the heaviest I admit, but the way it's held with ease, I imagine the mover would hold a much heavier van too.
Nigel.

 

[Robtel]

Hi Rob,
No, I don't tow a Hobby with a Morris Minor. The van we tow has a M.T.P.L.M. of 1495kg. Not the heaviest I admit, but the way it's held with ease, I imagine the mover would hold a much heavier van too.
Nigel.

LOL

I never noticed what your "towcar" was, zeroed in on the Hobby. Might be an interesting combinatination though!
Rob

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Having trouble with my 3-month old Evolution today. We were putting the van back into storage today after last weekend's Woosie Meet. It worked OK getting the van up our sloping drive to the road. At the storage site I usually back the van in using the car, but the sun this morning was low and directly in my eyes and I couldn't see to reverse, so thought I might as well use the mover. It worked OK to start with but stopped when the van was a few feet short of its final resting place. The handset was flashing its lights OK but the van wasn't moving. Tried resetting the isolation switch but no joy. Rollers still against wheels.

As we were running out of time because had to get the OH to work I thought I would use the emergency T-bar to manually disengage the rollers and push the van back. Found the instructions and removed cover plate and bung, but the T-bar wouldn't engage with the release nut on the near side. Thought I was doing something wrong so tried the off-side, which worked OK and I was able to release the roller on that side.

The wheel is in the wrong position to take the AlKo wheel lock so will have to go back this afternoon with the spare wheel clamp and also see if the mover electronics are working again. I am charging the van battery again at home in case that dropped its volts. On a previous occasion the isolation switch seemed to have bad connections, so I will investigate. If I can't release the roller I will have to call out support as I don't want it pressing on the tyre all winter.

 

[Sproket]

Sir WC
When you take your battery back & connect, it take your multimeter & check the voltage drop if / when it works

Is the battery a new one ?

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Just got back again from storage with job done. I went armed with recharged van battery (fairly new), multimeter, screw drivers, spare wheel locks, and a better frame of mind. I fitted the battery, went inside to clear the bed so I could see the mover controller, opened the window so when outside I could look in. Went outside to switch on the isolator in the battery box, caught my face on the open window so frame of mind not quite as good

. (Do I get a Bar to my Woosie title??). Switched on the handset to disengage the stuck roller and it withdrew OK. Re-engaged both rollers and moved the van back to desired position. Disengaged both rollers successfully again and switched off. Then left it well alone (if it ain't broke, don't fix it

). Still think it might be a faulty isolator switch, which is not accessible without removing some of the bed structure. Quess what - the spare wheel locks won't fit because of the position of the mud flaps (see other thread on this subject). Good job I could move the van to fit the AlKo wheel lock.
Now at home nursing a sore eye.
Boys and their toys - who'd have them?

 

[Robtel]

Having trouble with my 3-month old Evolution today.

Glad to hear tha you sorted the problem. Could I be cheeky and ask what you paid for your mover?
I emailed powrtouch sales and was quoted £1190 including fitting. I have had a look around via google and came across prices of around £1075. I would prefer to deal direct with powrtouch and plan on phoning them to see if they still price match. Just wondering if there were any "deals" on the go?

Thanks
Rob

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Rob
I ordered the mover at the same time as the van from the main dealer and it was fitted by the dealer before delivery of the new van to me. The price worked out slightly under your £1075 figure.

 

[Robtel]

Rob
I ordered the mover at the same time as the van from the main dealer and it was fitted by the dealer before delivery of the new van to me. The price worked out slightly under your £1075 figure.

Thanks, I'll give powrtouch a call this week.

 

[HenryB1]

I have had a Powertouch on my 3 previous vans and decided in March to have the Powertouch on my Pegasus replaced with the new automatic Evolution. I have been very pleased with the way it has performed so far. One point worth bearing in mind it that it has a safety cut out that is operated by pressing either of the green buttons that are used to turn on the hand set. If you touch either of these whilst operating the handset it immediately stops the mover and disconnects the hand set. The only way I have found to reset the system is to turn off the power using the main isolating switch leave it for at least 30 seconds, turn on the isolating switch and then power up the handset using the 2 green buttons. This means you have to be careful not to operate the safety system while the isolating switch is close to a wall etc as you need access to it to reset. It happened to me the first time I used it but I now know I have to keep fingures away from the green buttons when in use.
HenryB