RFC7 Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Where is the consumer unit in a 2015 Hymer exsis i588, and is there an automatic change over power switch when plugging in the 240v shore supply. RFC7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 I am guessing that the question on automatic changeover is being asked because plugging in EHU isn't providing 12v power around the vehicle as you might expect? If I am right in my guess, you are hoping to be able to restore 12v by plugging into EHU? Again a pure guess, but judging by the year and age of the vehicle, it is about the right time for the AGM batteries to have expired and take out the charger, without which your vehicle is not 'switching over' and you are searching for a resolution? There is no 'changeover' on a Hymer, you are always running from the 12v batteries and when EHU is connected the charger starts putting power into the batteries at the same time as helping with the 12v load If you have a device, like phone charger, can you plug into a 13a socket to check 230v is getting into the vehicle. If it isn't, the mains RCD style device might have tripped off. It is usually very close to the EHU point which you will see on the outside of vehicle. It is good practise to keep this cable to the RCD short, so the mini version of a house 230v RCD will be in a locker/wardrobe very near the EHU point. To be 'On' the 'levers' should be in the 'UP' position. Press the test button and the levers should flick down and off. If that tests ok, is the 'mains connected' LED/symbol lit? If not then the charger has failed, most likely from duff batteries. If so suggest you get someone to check out the batteries condition? If I am completely wrong then suggest you post a bit more about your problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeti Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 The Electroblok is installed under the passenger seat if RHD and driver's if LHD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC7 Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 Many thanks for your prompt reply, I have located the the RCD unit and both switches are up and the smaller one does trip out correctly when the test button is activated, the main control unit above the habitation door is showing the mains cable as being connected. My doubts about whether mains power is active in the Motorhome was prompted when I was trying to get the fridge and freezer to switch on. When I bought the motorhome 3 weeks ago it was out of gas and still is, so I expected the fridge to go live as soon as I plugged in the outside mains lead, this has not happened. Another question you may be able to answer is, do you know if the hot water system is gas operated only, or does it have a small mains immersion style heater element installed? Note: Before you start thinking why doesn't this guy read the manual, the Hymer was imported by the previous owner so everything is in German, which means all the mains sockets are two pin, I am still trying to locate an English version manual. I am an ex, long time, boating man, so rightly or wrongly I am expecting the utility systems to operate in a similar manner to marine systems. Thank you for your input to date. Regards RFC7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 What Fridge and Water heaters are installed and what behaviour are you seeing, i.e. what lights/ warnings are illuminated. Can you tell as more about the vehicle and electrics? While that information is being absorbed by the forum readers, try populating the Komp AES Fridge fuse 20amp slot, second from left on an EBL 99, to see if the Fridge then runs on 12v? Not sure which Fridge you have or how the vehicle is wired, but most more recent Elektroblocks will run the Fridge off the habitation battery for a short time. If you are on EHU, this power will be replaced by the charger, effectively giving you the ability to run the Fridge on 12v, but really off the mains 230v. If you don't have a 20a fuse the yellow 20a 5th from right is usually unused. Photo below of an EBL 99, it's cousins like EBL 119, EBL 29, etc look similar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 RFC7 - 2017-05-13 7:02 PM Many thanks for your prompt reply, I have located the the RCD unit and both switches are up and the smaller one does trip out correctly when the test button is activated, the main control unit above the habitation door is showing the mains cable as being connected. My doubts about whether mains power is active in the Motorhome was prompted when I was trying to get the fridge and freezer to switch on. OK, so you have mains power into the van, and the RCBO and the RCD on the consumer unit are both "on". Have you plugged anything into any of the mains sockets to see if they are live? I appreciate you say they are German type, but a simple 13A UK to continental two pin travel adapter will allow you to test that you have power at the sockets. In the configuration you describe, they should all be live when on EHU. You should also then have mains power to the fridge. When I bought the motorhome 3 weeks ago it was out of gas and still is, so I expected the fridge to go live as soon as I plugged in the outside mains lead, this has not happened. This is a fridge freezer? Is it by Dometic or Thetford? There were options on fridges, so it could be either. Ours is Thetford and is automatic energy selecting for cooling, selected in the following priorities. First priority is 12V DC, second is 230V AC, third is gas. The 12V DC power is only available with the engine running. This is intentional, as running the fridge from 12V power with the engine off would draw power from the starter battery which, given the fridge load, would fairly quickly flatten the starter battery. 230V power should be available to the fridge as soon as the EHU is connected. Where neither electrical source is available the fridge will automatically select gas, and for that gas must be available and the gas tap (probably under the front edge of the kitchen block worktop, by the sink, co-located with those for the hob and heater, accessed by opening the top kitchen drawer). If the fridge has been turned off, it will not automatically turn on when it detects an energy source. Again, if it is the similar Thetford model to ours, the control panel should be between the fridge and freezer doors. At the left hand end of this panel is a square press button. Press and hold this, and you should see the panel come to life. You will also see a small green light illuminate in the centre of the button. In about 5 seconds the panel will go off, but the fridge will remain in operation. A further touch of the button will then bring the panel back on. You will see beside the button a double rectangle symbol and, if the fridge is in automatic mode a capital letter A alongside that, and beside that a symbol indicating whether the fridge is using 12V, 230V, or gas. If the mains supply to the fridge is healthy it will show the power plug symbol, indicating it is running on mains power. It may be that the previous owner disabled automatic mode, in which case it may be "looking" for an absent energy source. To check this press the on/off button briefly, and then, if no A is visible alongside the double rectangle, you will see either a mains plug symbol (230V), and battery symbol (12V) or a flame symbol (gas). If you press on the double rectangle symbol you can switch manually between these, and one further press will bring up the A (automatic) mode symbol. To turn the fridge off press and hold the power button until the control panel goes dead. Be aware that there are two 12V supplies to the fridge. One from the alternator which (as above) only functions when the engine is running, and the other from the habitation battery which is live whenever the fridge is turned on, which then powers the fridge controls. If this supply is missing (flat habitation battery, fuse blown, disconnected wire, etc) the fridge will not function at all. If, when you try to turn the fridge on at the on/off button, nothing happens at all, it is probable there is no 12V supply from the habitation battery. At that point, depending on your electrician's skills, you either need to start fault tracing, or take the van to a (I would suggest) Hymer dealership for them to investigate the fault. Another question you may be able to answer is, do you know if the hot water system is gas operated only, or does it have a small mains immersion style heater element installed? Note: Before you start thinking why doesn't this guy read the manual, the Hymer was imported by the previous owner so everything is in German, which means all the mains sockets are two pin, I am still trying to locate an English version manual. Either is possible, depending on the options specified by the first owner/original supplying dealer, when they ordered the van from Hymer. I am an ex, long time, boating man, so rightly or wrongly I am expecting the utility systems to operate in a similar manner to marine systems. Thank you for your input to date. Regards RFC7 Can't advise I'm afraid. Never had a boat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC7 Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Thankyou for all for your responses, I was unaware forums could produce such a varied wealth of information. In the light of information received I now realise my first priority must be to locate a Hymer Exsis i588 instruction manual in english, or learn German!, I believe the former would be quicker !! So if anyone can point me in the right direction to obtain such a thing, that would be very much appreciated. I guess the obvious place to start would be Hymer Germany, or the main Hymer UK Distributor. RFC7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 I can't help with the Hymer manual, but if you look at the bottom of the Schaudt page on our website there is a copy of the Schaudt Elektroblock EBL 119 manual, which I think is similar to the one in your vehicle and similar in operation to the EBL 29, EBL 30 and EBL 99. The wiring diagram at the end of the document shows the two relays that operate the Fridge from 12v, one does the traditional 'Alternator/Starter battery' power switching, with the second relay connecting the Fridge to the Habitation battery if the Komp AES fuse slot is populated. The one I wrote about above. But you are likely to have only about 6 hours running time on the habitation battery before it runs low, unless the charger is connected replacing that power. Brian is incorrect in his description, there are 3 Fridge 12v supplies, not two, the two mentioned above + a permanent live for the controls + a single 240v supply. The Komp AES fuse slot is designed for short term/emergency use when you can't use Gas, 240v or Engine/Alternator, like on a short Ferry crossing or during a stop at a services where there might be Petrol vapour and naked flames might be hazardous. If the 240v element in the Fridge has failed the Fridge won't run on 240v, but you can connect to mains EHU, then manually set the Fridge to 12v and populate the Komp AES fuse slot. This effectively uses the Fridge 12v element to cool the Fridge with the mains charger putting back the current taken out of the Habitation battery. However, some Motorhome builders/manufacturers don't take full advantage of the ability and fail to wire it correctly. At least this document also explains about the charger, batteries, Display/Control panel, etc. Good luck getting a manual. If you post of here what equipment you have, like the Fridge model, somebody might not have a Hymer but does have the same fridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 RFC7 - 2017-05-14 9:46 PM Thankyou for all for your responses, I was unaware forums could produce such a varied wealth of information. In the light of information received I now realise my first priority must be to locate a Hymer Exsis i588 instruction manual in english, or learn German!, I believe the former would be quicker !! So if anyone can point me in the right direction to obtain such a thing, that would be very much appreciated. I guess the obvious place to start would be Hymer Germany, or the main Hymer UK Distributor. RFC7 Hi If you email Udo Lang at Schaudt and explain your situation he will send you an English version manual and also possibly know the answer to your questions. He is very helpful. His email is Udo.lang@schaudt.gmbh David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Sorry forgot to include the link to our Schaudt Elektroblock webpage where you can find the Schaudt manual, bottom of this page : http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/schaudt-elektroblock.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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