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How to read control panel


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The photo is not clear , but if it is a ZIG control panel , switching a rocker switch on the panel to AUX Battery should connect the leisure battery to operate lights  , water pump etc. when parked up . The other setting on the same switch are , car battery,to use the starter battery for 12v leisure power supply when parked up (use if the leisure battery is low, but not for to long ) and the central position on the switch is 12v habitation power supply OFF)

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The control panel is definitely a ZIG product.

These control panels came in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and can be intended for 'caravan' or 'motorhome' installation. 'Caravan' panels have the 3-position switch Labby mentions, whereas 'motorhome' versions just have a 2-position switch that selects the leisure-battery or OFF.

It was commonplace in the 1990s for UK motorhome manufacturers (particularly those that were also building caravans) to fit 'caravan' ZIG control panels to motorhomes and this has regularly caused confusion when older UK-built motorhomes find new owners in later years.

I can't find online a ZIG panel that exactly matches Deirdre's photo (there's should be the ZIG name on it and probably its ZIG reference (SP7, CF2000 etc.), but if it has the 3-position switch Labby refers to, that switch's purpose will be as he has explained. 

There is a generalised ZIG control-panel handbook here that may be helpful

https://www.widney-leisure.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ZRM-0495-issue-C-Control-panels-general.pdf

This advert is for a 1993 Compass Drifter Merit 404

https://www.dvleisure.com/?id=831342

An image of the motorhome's ZIG control panel is provided

image.png.80122b3955d9cb5b083cecf4d650fee6.png

but this is a "Marque IV" panel and differs in design and layout from the panel in Deirdre's photo.

(It's perhaps worth adding that an over-30-years-old motorhome can be expected to have had quite a few owners by now and original equipment may well have failed and been replaced. I think the ZIG Marque IV control panel in the photo immediately above is likely to be the version originally fitted by Compass to Drifters in 1993, so the panel in Deirdre's motorhome may be a replacement (or vice versa of course!!!)

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23 hours ago, Derek Uzzell said:

The control panel is definitely a ZIG product.

These control panels came in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and can be intended for 'caravan' or 'motorhome' installation. 'Caravan' panels have the 3-position switch Labby mentions, whereas 'motorhome' versions just have a 2-position switch that selects the leisure-battery or OFF.

It was commonplace in the 1990s for UK motorhome manufacturers (particularly those that were also building caravans) to fit 'caravan' ZIG control panels to motorhomes and this has regularly caused confusion when older UK-built motorhomes find new owners in later years.

I can't find online a ZIG panel that exactly matches Deirdre's photo (there's should be the ZIG name on it and probably its ZIG reference (SP7, CF2000 etc.), but if it has the 3-position switch Labby refers to, that switch's purpose will be as he has explained. 

There is a generalised ZIG control-panel handbook here that may be helpful

https://www.widney-leisure.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ZRM-0495-issue-C-Control-panels-general.pdf

This advert is for a 1993 Compass Drifter Merit 404

https://www.dvleisure.com/?id=831342

An image of the motorhome's ZIG control panel is provided

image.png.80122b3955d9cb5b083cecf4d650fee6.png

but this is a "Marque IV" panel and differs in design and layout from the panel in Deirdre's photo.

(It's perhaps worth adding that an over-30-years-old motorhome can be expected to have had quite a few owners by now and original equipment may well have failed and been replaced. I think the ZIG Marque IV control panel in the photo immediately above is likely to be the version originally fitted by Compass to Drifters in 1993, so the panel in Deirdre's motorhome may be a replacement (or vice versa of course!!!)

Thanks so much for your knowledge very helpful 😀🚐😀

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On 28/09/2024 at 15:12, Deirdre hughes said:

Have just got 1993 fiat compass drifter petrol model trying to figure out which setting for leisure battery thanks anyone help 🥴

17275326723877572055516193550762.jpg

Hi

If your panel is the MC 2000 C and fitted to your motorhome, you can read the Aux Battery (if fitted and wired) as follows 

Press the water guage (Read) and hold. The indicator lights will illumanate and may be interpreted as follows

Green. Fully charged

Red .    Low.  Requires charging 

NOTE:-

The battery indicator light should only illuminate Green/Red when the button is pressed to read the water meter.
The Red LED  will illuminate when the fridge is on 12v .(which should ONLY occur when the engine is running)

Regards

Edited by onecal
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I think a ZIG MC-2000C control unit does not have a "fridge is on 12V" red LED light.

The ZIG MC-2000-related diagrams on this link

https://vwt25.blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/zig-mc-2000-full-wiring1.pdf

indicate that the MC-2000 panel DOES have a fridge-on-12V red LED (to the LEFT of the two battery state-of-charge LEDs) but there's no sign of the 3rd LED on the photo I provided of the MC-2000C panel.

It's evident from online adverts/photos/comments that Compass fitted a wide variety of ZIG panels to their Drifter models in the early-1990s, but the information on the MC-2000C panel is sparse.. Presumably (hopefully!) the Compass owner handbook that would have been provided with each new Drifter would have explained the panel's functionality and usage, but 1993 was pre-internet and, unless a Drifter owner has scanned the handbook (or ZIG's MC-2000C instructions) in the past and posted the information online, it won't be available nowadays. Anyway, I couldn't find EXACT usage instructions for the MC-2000C panel despite using my CASSANDRA AI-enhanced search software.

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On 28/09/2024 at 15:12, Deirdre hughes said:

Have just got 1993 fiat compass drifter petrol model trying to figure out which setting for leisure battery thanks anyone help 🥴

17275326723877572055516193550762.jpg

Hi 

Please find attached extract. I think a lot of these old owners manuals refer to more than one model and may not have all the bells and whistles as others But the main operations are applicable. Lets see id Deirdre gets back to us with her exact model and a clear photo of her panel?

Regards

Zig MC 2000 C panel instructions extract .JPG

Edited by onecal
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On 29/09/2024 at 18:27, Derek Uzzell said:

Deirdre's ZIG control panel probably is a MC-2000C (with the final "C" presumably standing for "Compass").

image.png.85020055748fd4ef4c48a0c954720360.png

Impossible to tell for certain from her photo, but her panel should have the ZIG identification reference on it to say which it is.

Yes that's my panel thanks for your help 🚐😀🚐

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Hi 

I hoped we helped to resolve your issue with reading in (figuring out which setting for leisure battery) on your control panel But as mentioned one can never tell how many changes may have been made to the panel over the years . The information I have provided hopefully is applicable to your panel as per owners manual 

Regards

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