CBE PC180 control panel wiring?

[gassygassy]

Does anyone know where I can see a schematic of the 16 pin wiring loom from the PC180 control panel to the main board? Although the engine battery is fine the control panel shows it to be dead. I am competent with electronics, I have measured voltages at all the pins, and I have put +12v on all the pins with 0v to attempt to find a break in the wiring. All attempts have failed. I reckon if I knew where the engine battery voltage connects to the control panel I could fix it.

[Brian Kirby]

There is a vary basic schematic in the PC180 based kit in the user's manual.  If you don't have the manual you can download a copy here; https://tinyurl.com/26zm8s8g .  

However, be aware that CBE produce brand specific variations for their controls kits for various manufacturers, usually indicated by a two letter suffix to the product designation.  So, whereas the download is designated CBE PC180-ST, if yours is a "special" the ST will be replaced by other letters indication whose variant you have.

The main connecting looms all terminate in the DS 300 Distribution Box (again with other letters substituted for "ST" to indicating a variant).  The DS300 multi-pin connections and fusing are shown in the manual.

The kits are supplied complete and pre-wired with all connecting cables and multi-pin connectors, so all motorhome manufacturers have to do is route the various looms, fix the individual components, plug in the multi-pin connectors, power up, and test.

The starter battery connects to the DS 300 Distribution Box at terminal +B1.  

CBE are at 

CBE S.r.l.

Via Vienna 4 z.i. Spini (settore D), 

38121 Trento

Italy

Tel. +39 0461 991598

Fax +39 0461 960009

cbe@cbe.it

www.cbe.it

I have contacted them for advice in the past, but they were not particularly forthcoming where the kit in my van was brand specific.  However, worth a try.

[Derek Uzzell]

Much the same question asked by gassygassy on another forum thread. My reply was

You could try Apuljack Electronics Ltd, as they offer repairs on certain CBE products.

https://www.apuljackelectronics.co.uk/Search.aspx?strSearchText=cbe+

[Alanb]

On 12/08/2023 at 18:35, gassygassy said:

Does anyone know where I can see a schematic of the 16 pin wiring loom from the PC180 control panel to the main board? Although the engine battery is fine the control panel shows it to be dead. I am competent with electronics, I have measured voltages at all the pins, and I have put +12v on all the pins with 0v to attempt to find a break in the wiring. All attempts have failed. I reckon if I knew where the engine battery voltage connects to the control panel I could fix it.

I cannot help directly, but some years ago I tried to match the sum of indications and controls passing between the PC200, and DS520 panels on my PVC, with the cores in the cable

When I allowed for power supply, two optional extra controls, and for B2 current indication, the total 18, exceeded the 16 cores in the ribbon cable. 

I had therefore to assume that some form of multiplexing was involved.

There is a fair amount of electronics on the DSxxx board, including a dual operational amplifier (opamp), and several discrete transistors.

I have assumed that the dual opamp would be used as voltage detectors for the low voltage limit (10.6V), and the 13.2V simulated D+ functions.  This leaves the discrete transistors. Perhaps some are relay drivers.  My current thinking is that there may be some simple multiplexing of the selection for the various controls, but this may have to include digital display selection. 

Originally I dismissed my idea as not being possible, but when I discovered that some base vehicles use simple resistance coding for the vehicle road lighting, I thought that perhaps it may be possible.