wood235 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I wonder if anyone is kind enough to help me here, this is becoming a mystery, The problem i have is i switch the control panel on, the panel lights up with all the infomation as normal then there is a sharp click after about one second from the fusebox and all the infomation disapears leaving only a light in the panel and no infomation, control panel make is a C.B.E. water pump and habitation lights are all functioning ok. Thanks. Gary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forum, Gary. Presumably your Rapido's cbe-made control panel has a digital display (I've, hopefully, copied a picture of an example below) and was functioning OK until recently? These systems are relatively inexpensive, 'modular' and designed for easy installation. There's a central distribution-box that carries 12V fuses and various relays, and into this box are plugged cables leading to water-tank/waste-tank sensors, the battery charger, the batteries and the control panel. All of the 'processing' is essentially carried out within the distribution box and, if that develops a fault, as far as I'm aware the unit is not repairable. Similarly for the control panel - if it goes wrong it has to be replaced. My Hobby has a cbe-made system, though not the digital-dispay version. I note that there's a "Minimal Voltage Control" warning in the documentation that advises that all the !2V services will be shut off if the vehicle's leisure battery's charge-state drops to 10V, but I doubt that's relevant in your case. However, the 'click' from the distribution box sounds like there's a relay operating and, if that's so, then something must be triggering it. Have you checked your leisure battery's charge state? Have you also confirmed that the loss of information from the control panel always takes place even when the vehicle's motor is running, or when the vehicle is connected to a 230V hook-up? Clutching at straws really... You might try contacting Wokingham Motorhomes, just in case it's a known problem. http://www.rapidomotorhomes.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Gary, as Derek asks, does this happen when the van is connected to mains, when it is disconnected, when the engine is running, or all the time? It does sound a bit like the low voltage protection activating. If your van has a retractable step, does the step work OK? If it happens only when the van is disconnected from mains, and the engine not running, it seems probable it will be because the habitation battery is flat (most likely, I think), or the main 12V fuse at the + battery terminal has blown (unlikely, in view of the illuminated light on the panel), or possibly because the battery terminals are corroded giving high resistance (possible). If you have left the fridge door ajar on its catch, as recommended, is it possible the fridge switch is still in the 230V mains position? This brings on the interior light in the fridge and, over several weeks, that alone will flatten the battery if the van is not connected to mains. Worth checking? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I go along with theories above, but when low voltage is detected and it switches off then the habitation lights and pump would not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Just had a look at circuit diagrams. Does the fault occur when the engine is running. Also try disconnecting the leisure battery wait 20 seconds and reconnect and see if it clears the fault. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Brambles - 2012-02-17 3:45 PM I go along with theories above, but when low voltage is detected and it switches off then the habitation lights and pump would not work. True, afraid I missed that bit! New theory required, preferably after more information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-02-17 4:14 PM Brambles - 2012-02-17 3:45 PM I go along with theories above, but when low voltage is detected and it switches off then the habitation lights and pump would not work. True, afraid I missed that bit! New theory required, preferably after more information! ......if I remember correctly from my Rapido, one hab light (or possibly one circuit) would work under these conditions, but not the rest, including the water pump. Edit: In any case (unless the leisure battery is entirely flat) it should be possible to test if the low-voltage protection has kicked in: MINIMAL VOLTAGE CONTROL An electronic device switches all the 12V mains off, when the leisure battery reaches the minimal voltage level of 10V. It is possible to switch on again all the mains for 1 minute by switching off and then on again the main switch. They are also automatically switched on again when the voltage is > 12V. The fridge, the electrical step and the mains powered directly from B2 are excluded from this device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Theory is back on then. Just start the engine and asee if it clears the fault by putting some charge in battery. Then proceed to fully charge the battery and in future keep it topped up or disconnect when parked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Brambles - 2012-02-17 4:38 PM Theory is back on then. Just start the engine and asee if it clears the fault by putting some charge in battery. Then proceed to fully charge the battery and in future keep it topped up or disconnect when parked up. Or the Leisure battery maybe Kaput. / not holding charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Assuming that Gary's Rapido has a cbe PC-2000 control-panel as shown in the photo I attached to my first posting, then the cbe Instruction Manual for that unit can be found here: http://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/store/pdf/PC100_PC200_DS300_ENcircuits.pdf I'm not familiar with the PC-200, but it would seem from the Instructions Manual that you begin by switching on the panel by pressing the main switch (Button 5). The clock readout and various icons are then displayed and a range of test-functions can be carried out. After each test-function the panel's display reverts to the basic clock + icons readout. As Robinhood said earlier, if Gary's leisure battery were sufficiently discharged to activate the Minimal Voltage Control (MVC) feature, then the logical consequence would be that 12V services like the water-pump and habitation lights would not function. It's also worth noting that the PC-200 display includes a symbol (15 on the diagram) to warn that the MVC device is operating. This implies that, even if low leisure-battery voltage has triggered the MVC device, there should still be a 'normal' readout on the control-panel's display that includes Symbol 15 to warn that the MVC device is operating. While the leisure-battery's charge-state is obviously worth confirming, I don't believe that's where the problem lies. In Gary's case, he turns on the control-panel; the readout is normal (ie. showing the time and all the icons); and then all the readout information disappears leaving the display lit but blank. When the readout blanks, there is a sharp click from the distribution-box. Gary's original wording "...I switch the control-panel on, the panel lights up with all the infomation as normal...", indicates that he is fully familiar wth how the panel should operate. As the PC-200 seems to have some limited programmability, it would certainly be worth trying out Brambles' suggestion to disconnect the leisure-battery for a while in the hope that reconnection of the battery clears the fault. It might also be worth removing the top of the distribution-box and detaching/reattaching Connector 17 to see if that helps. If the problem refuses to go away, then it will need to be decided whether the fault lies with the distribution-box or the control-panel. If Gary knows for sure that the distribution-box never used to click when the control-panel was switched on, then it's probably a distribution-box fault. Otherwise it could be the control-panel itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wood235 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Hi, firstly i would like to say sorry for the delay in replying to everyone and thanks for all your help with trying to sort out my problem with the camper. I have tried all the various tests and ideas you have given me and still have not drawn to any conclusions. I have decided, after a phone call to wokingham motorhomes, to drop it round to them to see if they can diagnose it for me. There seams to always be mention and praise of them online so i am hoping they will be able to help me. Thanks again for all your help and ideas, i will post on here their findings so it may be of help to others in the future with a similar fault Thanks again, Gary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wood235 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Hi again, went to wokingham this morning and was giagnosed as the display panel. Damp had got into the electronics and caused the malfunction. They kindly diagnosed it for me and fitted a new panel. The bill came to just over £200. The job is now done and i can rest at ease and start making my plans for the year. Once again, thank you all for your kind help in solving this. Thanks again. Gary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 What about the damp, Gary? Where had that come from, and what, if anything, was/is to be, done about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I echo Brians query ! Our Rapido has a external habitation / awning light mounted outside and the electrics control panel is behind it inside. On reflection, maybe not the best place to mount it. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wood235 Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Sorry for late reply again. There is no damp problem as such but its probably not the best position for this control panel to be in. They reassured me that there was not a problem within the van. I may put some anti damp packs within this area to absorb any moisture in the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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