controle panel

[bazooka]

having just changed my van i am not sure which setting to set when travelling.There are 3 positons AUX-OFF and VEH.The panel is a ps something or other.

Baz

[Derek Uzzell]

I note from your earlier postings that you acquired a Dreamfinder Galaxy (year of manufacturer not stated) earlier this year.

 

I don't know what electrical equipment Dreamfinder fitted to their motorhomes (it might depend on when the vehicle was converted), but "ps" MIGHT relate to PLUG-IN SYSTEMS.

 

The 3-position switch on the control-panel very probably indicates which battery (AUX=Leisure battery - VEH=Starter battery) the motorhome's 12V habitation services can receive power from. Or it might indicate which battery gets charged when the motorhome is on 230V hook-up. In either case, when you are driving the motorhome, the position of the switch will not matter.

 

If you can be more precise about which control-panel your motorhome has, it would help to confirm which of the above suggestions is correct. I did polish up my crystal ball and put on my Mystic Meg underpants, but decoding "ps something or other" was beyond me.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Although not having the exact system my guess is it should be of. Then when parked up "aux" when using the leisure battery, then VEH if you want to use the engine battery if your really stuck with a low leisure battery( NOT recommended ) we have a similar set-up on our van, but I've always thought it barmy to run off the vehicle battery, so have never used that option,nor would we. ;-)

[flicka]

Just a thought.

Maybe the VEH setting is for use when traveling to supply the Fridge (?)

[bazooka]

Thanks for that derick and one foot in the grave,Yes it is a Dreamfinder Galaxy tomorrow i will see if i can find the model no. of the panel I Wonded that if i put the switch on vehecle when travelling wether it would overcharge the leisure batterise,or if it was on off my leisure batteries woudn't be receiving any charge?. After spending the night on the air at Ambleside 3 weeks ago the batterys were low as i expected,I t hen drove to keswick,the battery check on the panel revealed no change ,still in the red section.My last van would have shown fully charged allthough it only had one 85 amp leisure battery.My present van has 2 110amp batteries 12 months old.

Baz

[bazooka]

Thanks Flicka you are right i feel an idiot because i must have done that to get the fridge light to come on!!!

[Robinhood]

...regardless of the actual panel designation, much willl depend on how the converter has wired it up.

 

Given that you may not have access to a manual, then you may have to rely on the use of a meter to determine just what is going on.

 

However,

 

conventionally, when on site and running without hook-up (i.e. on battery alone), then the normal setting would be "Aux", which would take current from the leisure battery. "Off" would isolate both batteries from the circuit (no 12V power), and "Veh" would provide 12v power from the vehicle battery, and should be used only in an emergency, and sparingly at that.

 

When on the road, conventionally, the alternator would recharge the leisure battery regardless of switch position.

 

The main issue is the position of the switch when on hook-up if a mains transformer/charger is fitted, as wiring practice varies. It is common practice (but by no means guaranteed) that the mains charger will provide habitation power regardless of the switch setting. Often, the switch will need to be in the "aux" position to ensure the leisure battery is simultaneously charged. Sometimes, moving the switch to the "veh" postion will simultaneously charge the vehicle battery instead. Unfortunately without a manual or wiring diagram, a meter is really the best way of determining the actual provision.

[bazooka]

Thanks Robin hood, my post should have read what position on HOOKUP I TRIED TO EDIT but was out of time. it does have to be on veh. for the fridge to work when on the road.Sorry for any cofusion i've caused.This van is quite alot more complicated than my last van.

Baz

[Derek Uzzell]

The following link is to a Practical Motorhome 2004 multi-test report that includes a Dreamfinder Galaxy.

 

http://www.murvi.co.uk/linkservid/6143C3C0-C6C2-82C6-4A743BED9F8A5511/showMeta/0/

 

Photo 6 on Page 5 of the report shows the latter's control-panel which appears to be a Plug-In Systems product. A photo of a Plug-In Systems PMS-5-H (Horizontal) can be obtained here (click on the image)

 

http://expluginsteve.co.uk/page2.htm

 

and the resemblance should be apparent.

 

The capability to run habitation 12V services from other than the leisure (auxiliary) battery was (is?) common caravan practice, but a recipe for potential flat-starter-battery disasters where motorhomes are concerned.

 

I'm a bit surprised that selecting the "VEH" setting would be required to run a fridge on 12V when travelling, though I could (just about) understand that doing so might be necessary when the motorhome was stopped and the fridge's gas-burner needed to be lit.

 

As Robin hood advises, how converters wire up motorhomes varies and (based on PM's report) Dreamfinder included some unusual features (eg. an electrically-pumped waste-water system). As Dreamfinder are no longer trading and production was small, getting build details nowadays may prove very difficult.

 

Some earlier forum discussion here:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Dreamfinder/4592/#M43155

[bazooka]

thanks Derickfor taking the time to help those linkswill sort me out.

Baz

[Derek Uzzell]

Baz

 

I think your Dreamfinder's electrical system may be based around a variant of a Plug-In Systems PMS5 unit (I would have thought it should say on the control panel exactly which PMS model it is).

 

I can't find any operating instructions on-line for a PMS5 (though Autocruise also seemed to have used it, so an Autocruise-owning forum member may have some), but there are on-line 2006 instructions for the PMS3V/H unit here:

 

http://www.tonhauser.com/rubbersoul//images/PMS3%20User%20Manual.pdf

 

The PMS3 was marketed in 'vertical' and 'horizontal' format (hence the "H/V" in the model reference) and the horizontal version looks somewhat similar to the Dreamfinder Galaxy image in the PM report.

 

The PMS3 unit has a Battery Selector Switch and its usage is described in the above link. The AUX/OFF/VEH positions on your control panel will equate respectively to the VAN/OFF/CAR positions of a PMS3 and it would be logical that the explanations provided in the PMS3 instructions for what happens when each of the 3 positions is selected should also apply to your motorhome.

 

If your control panel does carry a model-number, you might be able to obtain documentation from the manufacturer. The company is apparently known now as "BONUS Plug-In Systems" and based at Kingswood Hull. Contact details here:

 

http://www.bonus-group.co.uk/ContactUs.aspx

[bazooka]

Derick,many thanks again,that link was spot on.My charger is a pms3cd series and is exactly as ddescribed in your link.But one thing is strange i started my van up today and the fridge operates on AUX AND VAN but not in the OFF position,yet the instrutions state when moving the vehicle from place to place the switch should be in the OFF position!. Obviously i can not do this or the fridge will defrost on reute may be it's a misprint,the rest seems to be straight forward thanks to you and others on the forum. :-D

[Derek Uzzell]

I can't find any on-line reference to a PMS3C/D but, as your control-panel roughly tallies with the PMS3V/H, that may not much matter. There's a (wrongly labelled) picture of a PMS3H at the foot of this webpage:

 

http://www.jaccampers.co.uk/electrical_control_units.htm#1

 

A tidier set of PMS3V/H instructions are here:

 

http://www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk/ekmps/shops/olearys/resources/Other/pms3-instructions.pdf

 

As far as the Battery Selector Switch (BSS) is concerned, the BSS should be expected to function as follows:

 

AUX position: When in this position 12V DC power will be provided by the motorhome's leisure-battery to power all habitation 12 volt electric circuits. If the on-board battery-charger is switched on, the leisure-battery will be charged up via the charger/transformer unit.

 

OFF position: With the charger/power supply switched off, all DC power in the motor-home will be inoperable.

 

VEH position : The switch can be placed in this position in the event that the motor-home's leisure-battery becomes discharged and no mains power is available. 12V DC power will then be drawn from the motorhome's starter-battery to power all habitation 12 volt electric circuits. (NOTE: This could flatten your motorhome's starter-battery.)

 

When a motothome is being driven, Plug-In Systems provides the following advice:

 

"POWER WHILST ON THE MOVE

 

If your motor-home has been wired correctly using relays, 12V power should be available to charge the leisure battery and power the fridge whilst on the move (fridge 12 volt power is via a fuse on the PMS front panel). When the ignition is turned off, both of the relays will open and disconnect the 12V supply. The reason for these relays is to avoid any discharge between starter and leisure batteries or vice versa whilst the motor-home is parked with ignition turned off.

 

Whilst driving, it is recommended that the BATTERY SELECTOR switch be placed in the OFF position to isolate the output of the charging system from the vehicle alternator."

 

As has been warned earlier in this thread, how motorhome converters wire their vehicles' electrical systems is not standardised. For example, it has been the norm for UK converters to use a relay that isolates most of the motorhome's habitation services while it's being driven, but non-UK converters do not follow this practice.

 

Then there's the potential impact of progress. The control system of a modern 'smart' 3-way fridge needs to have a dedicated 12V power supply operating continuously when the fridge's cooling system is running on gas, 12V or 230V. This was not the case historically.

 

I don't know when your Dreamfinder was built, but there's a fair chance that its fridge is of the type I've just described. If that's so, if selecting the BSS's OFF-position isolates all DC power in the motor-home (as the PMS3 instructions advise) your fridge would not run with the BSS in the OFF-position - which is what you say happens. Instead, your fridge would need to be supplied with 12V power by selecting AUX or VEH on the BSS.

 

Plug-In Systems RECOMMENDS that the BSS be placed in the OFF-position whilst travelling, but it's obvious that, as doing this prevents your fridge from running, you cannot follow that recommendation.

 

You say that your fridge runs with the BSS in the AUX or VEH position, so I suggest that you use the AUX position when travelling. This is simply because (assuming that the BSS's AUX and VEH positions on your Dreamfinder's control panel match Plug-In Systems's advice) it's 'safest'. If you chose the BSS's VEH position and then forgot you'd done this, you could end up with a flat starter-battery.

[bazooka]

Hi Derek, my van is a 2004 model,the charger light comes on only on hook up,i shall use the aux setting on route and on hook up.The only time i will use the vehicle setting is if on hook up and the starter battery is low allthough i presume if i am on h-u this won't happen.

Baz

[Derek Uzzell]

bazooka - 2012-12-09 4:41 PM

 

Hi Derek, my van is a 2004 model,the charger light comes on only on hook up,i shall use the aux setting on route and on hook up.The only time i will use the vehicle setting is if on hook up and the starter battery is low allthough i presume if i am on h-u this won't happen.

Baz

 

Assuming that AUX and VEH on your Dreamfinder's control-panel equate respectively to VAN and CAR in the PMS3V/H instructions, then the only batteries that will get charged when your motorhome is on 230V hook-up are your 2 x 100Ah leisure-batteries.

 

The standard PMS3 system appears to have no capability to charge a starter-battery via the motorhome's on-board charger. If that is correct, then your motorhome being on 230V hook-up will have no effect on the state of charge of the starter-battery. Consequently, if the state of charge of the starter-battery is low, selecting the VEH switch-position (when habitation 12V sevices will be powered from the starter-battery not your leisure-batteries) will drag the starter-battery's state of charge even lower. In brief - NEVER select the VEH switch-position.

 

The best way to approach this would be to treat the PMS3V/H instructions with a degree of caution, as they may not apply fully to your particular motorhome.

 

By using a multimeter, it should be straightforward to confirm whatyour motorhome's Battery Selector Switch BSS) ACTUALLY does.

 

If the motorhome is NOT ON 230V hook-up and you take a voltage reading of your leisure-batteries, then select the BSS AUX position and turn on all the habitation lights, you should expect the leisure-batteries' voltage reading to go down.

 

If the motorhome is NOT ON 230V hook-up and you take a voltage reading of your starter-battery, then select the BSS VEH position and turn on all the habitation lights, you should expect the starter-battery's voltage reading to go down.

 

If the motorhome IS ON 230V hook-up and you take a voltage reading of your leisure-batteries, then turn on the on-board battery-charger and select the BSS AUX position, you should expect the leisure-batteries' voltage reading to rise as the leisure-batteries will now be being charged by the battery-charger.

 

If the motorhome IS ON 230V hook-up and you take a voltage reading of your starter-battery, then turn on the on-board battery-charger and select the BSS VEH position, you should expect the starter-battery's voltage reading to stay the same, as it will NOT be being charged by the battery-charger.

 

 

[bazooka]

Thanks again Derek,i shall print this page off as a reminder and and maybe get myself a multimeter.

Baz