Caroline Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 My van Dakota 08 is having a problem, it started with the engine battery flattening overnight even over a long drive. I have had the van checked out and a broken fuse was found in the sergeant box, the 20A one marked for the engine/fridge. A drop test has been done on the battery and it was fine, and the draw of the battery with nothing on was .2 things (volts/amps) not sure which but again this seems ok, before the fuse was fixed it was drawing 2.4 things. I have fitted a SunSaverDuo and Remote Meter, now I am under the impression that this should charge both my van and leisure batteries. Now this is flashing intermittent red lights at me, which according to the error panel means over charging batteries but the van Battery is poor. My problem now seems to have intensified I went in to the van and the van cab was ticking at me, the indicators on the dash were flickering to the ticking the van battery was poor 5.2 things. I turned on the charger to charge the van battery by the unit over the door, and this seemed to work boosting the van battery. Now I cannot lock the van with the remote locking and the step will not retract it is stuck half way. I have double checked everything that I can to make sure everything is off. The other thing, to charge the van battery whilst on electric I turn on the sergeant unit, go to the readout panel over the Habitation door turn it on and push the double battery button and this normally does the trick, but when I do that now I get a dull click and the panel blue indicator lights go out. I have contacted my local usual guys who look after my van, but as usual they are very busy. I am happy to use these guys as I have been for a few years now so confident in them. But if you have any ideas that might assist me I would be grateful. Also if they cannot fix it I am going to need a good local garage and I would prefer recommendation, to avoid leaving my precious van in numpty rip of hands. Location Fareham, Hampshire. That is everything that I can think of that might lead to a cure, please reply in simple terms and replace “things” with the correct terminology. Thanks (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Earth strap OK? ( just going on another thread) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I think I would suspect the installation of the SunSaver Duo has something to do with the problem. The sergent systems have their own solar charging circuitry and so may mean you have a conflict somewhere. Has this problem just started since fitting the Sunsaver? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 .... or did you fit the Sunsaver after the fault manifested? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 The SunSaver has been inplace since purchase, so I am inclined to think it is not the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Have you tried removing the Fridge/Engine fuse plus any fuse feeding the habitation battery if there is another one then get the battery fully charged then if it holds it's charge you will have isolated the fault to habitation electrics. If it still looses it's charge it must be the chassis electrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Umm not thought of that, i had been previously removing the fuse to stop the van battery from going flat, but got the chap in to fix the problem and it seemed ok. will try the idea this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Something initially blew that 20A fuse. That requires quite a high load, exceeding 240W. That suggests to me that something may be shorting. My guess is that the 20A fuse was caused to blow by whatever is the underlying fault. When the fuse was replaced, it seems it reinstated the connections to whatever is causing the problem but, maybe in the absence of the alternator's output, the curent is insufficient to blow the fuse again. Whoever replaced that fuse should, really, have invesitgated the cause at that time. Fuses should not just blow, and the cause should be checked before one is replaced. But, you are where you are, so I think I'd be inclined to disconnect the 230V connection, then switch off everything in the van, isolate the (presumably) solar charger circuit, and then disconnect and remove the leisure battery and get it fully re-charged. That should protect the leisure battery from damage due to excess discharge. I'd then make sure I'd insulated the leisure battery + cable connector, so that it could not touch anything metallic - especially the - cable connector. Then, I think I'd pull all of the 12V fuses on the leisure side, and turn the fridge completely off. I think I'd then re-connect the mains and set the on-board charger to charge only the starter battery (assuming, as seems the case, it has this capability). If all seems OK, I'd leave it at least overnight to re-charge, monitoring it from time to time for signs of trouble. If that seems to have worked, I'd try starting the van to see if it runs OK, and if everything else then seems OK. In that state it should be possible to drive it which, at present, it seems it isn't. Then, it should at least be possible to take it to whoever, rather than paying them to come to you. What I am trying to propose is a way to isolate what seems to me to be a habitation fault, while getting the van into a driveable state to be able to take it to a specialist for investigation and repair. Others, I am sure, will be able to correct any of the above if it is overkill, or incorrect - I am only setting out what I think I would do as a non-expert to try get to that position. Please, therefore, don't do as I suggest before it gets the all-clear from someone who does know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Thanks Brian, I had hoped you would reply with some helpful ideas. I did not mean to say the fuse had blown it was broken, when it was replaced the van battery stopped drawing a heavy load of 2.4 and went down to .2. The leisure batteries are both fully charged. The fridge has been off as it has been on the drive and not in use. I do have the van plugged in but that is all not using any electric, in my innocent way I think the van looks more secure if the cable is attached to the van. My chap is now coming out next week, but your ideas would help me understand the problem more. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 They probably won't Caroline, because when you said the fuse was broken, I'm afraid I assumed you meant blown. That suggested to me a fairly serious problem on the circuits the fuse feeds, which I thought should be isolated from causing further mischief. If it hadn't blown, my assumption was wrong, and there seem no point going to the lengths I was suggesting! Clearly "summat's oop", but I have no idea what: sorry! Let's hope it's only a minor problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggadave Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Hello Caroline I have recently purchased a 2011 Dakota two weeks ago I have had very much the same type of problem. First a noise from the dash area I had know idea I left it, the next day I returned and the noise was still there I decided to run the engine to see if that would stop, it the battery was absolute flat I put the battery on charge for 24 hours but it did not pick up I then had a new battery fitted 36 hours later flat battery I spoke to a friend who has a 2011 Savanah from new and had the same problem Chelston who supplied the van said there was a problem with the wiring to the fridge the 12v should only work when the engine is running on mine it working all the time the fridge is on 12v So have a look if your fridge is on 12v it could be your problem as well Regards Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 biggadave - 2013-08-30 3:39 PM Hello Caroline I have recently purchased a 2011 Dakota two weeks ago I have had very much the same type of problem. First a noise from the dash area I had know idea I left it, the next day I returned and the noise was still there I decided to run the engine to see if that would stop, it the battery was absolute flat I put the battery on charge for 24 hours but it did not pick up I then had a new battery fitted 36 hours later flat battery I spoke to a friend who has a 2011 Savanah from new and had the same problem Chelston who supplied the van said there was a problem with the wiring to the fridge the 12v should only work when the engine is running on mine it working all the time the fridge is on 12v So have a look if your fridge is on 12v it could be your problem as well Regards Dave I have a 2012 Savannah, the 12v supply to the fridge should ONLY be present when the Engine is running, (alternator turning, ignition red light OFF,) this activates a relay which then sends 12v DC to the fridge 12v element, IF the relay fails with contacts closed (fused together ?) then 12v will flow ALL the time, and a Flat battery will occur very quickly. Thats how things USED to be, not sure whether with AES fridges and ECU's in the vehicle electric's if things have changed ?? perhaps a more (up to date) technically competant person would like to comment. Why is it ? that 'technically advanced' often means more 'technically obscure' AND not always more reliable ? will keep an eye on this thread, as 'but for the grace of .....go I'. (?) Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 Rayjsj - 2013-08-31 10:51 AM I have a 2012 Savannah, the 12v supply to the fridge should ONLY be present when the Engine is running, (alternator turning, ignition red light OFF,) this activates a relay which then sends 12v DC to the fridge 12v element, IF the relay fails with contacts closed (fused together ?) then 12v will flow ALL the time, and a Flat battery will occur very quickly. Thats how things USED to be, not sure whether with AES fridges and ECU's in the vehicle electric's if things have changed ?? perhaps a more (up to date) technically competant person would like to comment. Why is it ? that 'technically advanced' often means more 'technically obscure' AND not always more reliable ? will keep an eye on this thread, as 'but for the grace of .....go I'. (?) Ray Nothing's really changed regarding relay failure - if the fridge-relay fails 'closed', then (if 12V cooling has been selected on the fridge) the battery supplying power to the fridge's 12V cooling-element will rapidly be flattened once the vehicle's motor has been stopped. Modern 'electronic' fridges, unless switched off completely, will produce a small but continuous current-drain. Historically, a fridge's 12V power would have come from the motorhome's starter-battery. (This goes back to the time when motorhome's did not have a leisure-battery.) To avoid the possibility of the starter-battery being flattened inadvertently, 'electronic' fridges should take their 12V power from the leisure-battery. To quote Arthur C Clarke "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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