Urgent help required

[Mervyn kennedy]

Hi all in Disney. Paris and roof top led lights have stopped if I keep pressing on button they will give a flicker . The batteries I think are giving problems .could it be that there is a dead battery . We had Cali t6 ocean plugged in for 4 days turned on fridge and battery went down to 80% then plugged back in with fridge on for another day before we left and. Back to 80% an hour before we left .we have an inverter to run our kettle and toasted and microwave one at a time with engine running .only ever used it once and was all good but now it won't even work micro wave for 30 seconds on panel it is showing 13.2 volt now and 5.0 amps which is going up and down is this normal something is not right I know Could a fuse on one battery be gone or what
Can anyone help thanks

 

[WelshGas]

Hi all in Disney. Paris and roof top led lights have stopped if I keep pressing on button they will give a flicker . The batteries I think are giving problems .could it be that there is a dead battery . We had Cali t6 ocean plugged in for 4 days turned on fridge and battery went down to 80% then plugged back in with fridge on for another day before we left and. Back to 80% an hour before we left .we have an inverter to run our kettle and toasted and microwave one at a time with engine running .only ever used it once and was all good but now it won't even work micro wave for 30 seconds on panel it is showing 13.2 volt now and 5.0 amps which is going up and down is this normal something is not right I know Could a fuse on one battery be gone or what
Can anyone help thanks

It would seem you have some major problems. The 13.7 v , is that with the engine off and Not on Mains? If so that is definitely not right.
I presume your Inverter is an add on and a 1000w or more. That pulls a lot of current and I query if using it with the engine running is capable of maintaining the Leisure Battery charge.
There is an 80amp fuse between the 2 Leisure Batteries.
I think this is going to be a Warranty Repair. Sorry, no quick fix I'm afraid.

I wouldn't mention the additional Inverter.

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

It would seem you have some major problems. The 13.7 v , is that with the engine off and Not on Mains? If so that is definitely not right.
I presume your Inverter is an add on and a 1000w or more. That pulls a lot of current and I query if using it with the engine running is capable of maintaining the Leisure Battery charge.
There is an 80amp fuse between the 2 Leisure Batteries.
I think this is going to be a Warranty Repair. Sorry, no quick fix I'm afraid.

I wouldn't mention the additional Inverter.

Hi Welsh gas we don't have mains plug in and the readings is with engine on .the strange thing is that th pop top lights worked last night and not today keep pressing button and after about 10 or so presses the light for a split second .

 

[WelshGas]

Hi Welsh gas we don't have mains plug in and the readings is with engine on .the strange thing is that th pop top lights worked last night and not today keep pressing button and after about 10 or so presses the light for a split second .

Without the engine running the Control Panel should give a reading of 12.7v with the Leisure Batteries fully charged. With the engine running then the Maximum voltage reached should be 14.4v when the Leisure batteries are fully charged.
The readings you are giving would seem to indicate that the batteries are significantly discharged. The Fridge and Diesel Parking Heater have voltage cut-offs to stop them running the batteries below about 11.5v. Your Inverter and the habitation lights or anything plugged into the habitation 12v sockets do not have this capability and can run the batteries down below the level that they will function properly.
It's very difficult diagnosing from a distance but I think a good run or an extended period on the mains charger is required, and a full check when you get home. Batteries can have manufacturing faults and as I said there is an 80amp fuse , under the passenger seat that connects the 2 Leisure Batteries , not something your local french garage will stock.
Sorry I cannot be of any further help.

 

[Loz]

Agree with WG that is big job for the batteries to cope with, inverters are not very efficient and the draw on the batteries will be significant and you need to run the engine for a couple of hours yo make up for the discharge.

The cheapest solution would be to pop into your nearest Bricomarche and by a Euro extension lead and adapter and use it as a hookup with your mains gear plugged in directly and forget the inverter.

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

Without the engine running the Control Panel should give a reading of 12.7v with the Leisure Batteries fully charged. With the engine running then the Maximum voltage reached should be 14.4v when the Leisure batteries are fully charged.
The readings you are giving would seem to indicate that the batteries are significantly discharged. The Fridge and Diesel Parking Heater have voltage cut-offs to stop them running the batteries below about 11.5v. Your Inverter and the habitation lights or anything plugged into the habitation 12v sockets do not have this capability and can run the batteries down below the level that they will function properly.
It's very difficult diagnosing from a distance but I think a good run or an extended period on the mains charger is required, and a full check when you get home. Batteries can have manufacturing faults and as I said there is an 80amp fuse , under the passenger seat that connects the 2 Leisure Batteries , not something your local french garage will stock.
Sorry I cannot be of any further help.

Many thanks for your support .i found the problem fuse has gone under the +terminal on the battery under the wardrobe .found it this morning .our inverter lead sits under this and then the main lead to camper goes on top connected with a backalite covered nut .this fuse has been gone for some time I think as we were always plugged in and didn't require much power .phoned my dealer to order a fuse for when we get home .have no idea why it went and I know it wasent inverter as it is under the fuse .i am only armed with a screw driver and the will
To get going again .first over seas trip won't be getting caught out on next trip .plan a,b and c being done now .cheers and thanks mervyn

 

[GrannyJen]

Well done Mervin. Pleased that you can carry on and enjoy your trip.

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

Hi l

Agree with WG that is big job for the batteries to cope with, inverters are not very efficient and the draw on the batteries will be significant and you need to run the engine for a couple of hours yo make up for the discharge.

The cheapest solution would be to pop into your nearest Bricomarche and by a Euro extension lead and adapter and use it as a hookup with your mains gear plugged in directly and forget the inverter.

hi loz we are in car park in Disney no provision for hook up have leads to hook up but no hook up point .yes I do agree about inverter kettle 1000 watt grill 760 watt .all on at seperate time with engine running .we are not looking to run things all day .i know all will work so when we get home I am changing some things .many thanks for all your help .i am lost with out my workshop even my small tool kit would do

 

[2into1]

As a general point to newcomers reading this, there seems 'little sense' in trying to use an electric kettle when not hooked up to 240v supply. It's why Cali SEs and Oceans have plumbed in gas!

If you've only got room for one kettle, it has to be a stove top one for the gas. I'm a cheapskate but even when I'm camping with hook-ups rarely bother taking both just to save a few pence worth of gas for each brew-up

 

[Hotel California]

Is it the square fuse like the one almost on the bottom in this link that has gone broken?
https://ajwr.home.xs4all.nl/Tips voor VW California T5/Zekeringen.htm
@T4WFA , i never understood why people carry a oven in a Cali ...
A small electric ketlle i do carry , but a oven ? for heating up a croissant in the morning like in the other tread thats on here , pretty wierd to me.

But as i always say each theire way of camping​

 

[motacyclist]

Agree with T4WFA. Running a 1000w kettle through an inverter will draw about 90+ amps from a 12v battery. Assuming it will be on for at least 5 minutes things will get pretty hot and overloaded and the battery will drain rapidly!

 

[2into1]

And you can heat up croissants (and more importantly pain au choc) in a pan over a low heat on the hob. If they get crispy that's even better.

 

[Loz]

And you can heat up croissants (and more importantly pain au choc) in a pan over a low heat on the hob. If they get crispy that's even better.

with a ridgemonkey

 

[bigmac77]

Agree with T4WFA. Running a 1000w kettle through an inverter will draw about 90+ amps from a 12v battery. Assuming it will be on for at least 5 minutes things will get pretty hot and overloaded and the battery will drain rapidly!

Or the fuse will blow.

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

Is it the square fuse like the one almost on the bottom in this link that has gone broken?
https://ajwr.home.xs4all.nl/Tips voor VW California T5/Zekeringen.htm
@T4WFA , i never understood why people carry a oven in a Cali ...
A small electric ketlle i do carry , but a oven ? for heating up a croissant in the morning like in the other tread thats on here , pretty wierd to me.

But as i always say each theire way of camping​

Don't have an over its a microwave for heating 45 seconds of milk for our daughter morning and night we are not a mobile catering Cali .but my option b will solve all of our problems .if every one had all the same ideas and equipment what good or use would this forum be .ideas and trial and errors make us all what we are

 

[Hotel California]

Microwave , is that not a oven?
It is to me , could be diffrence in language as i am not from UK and my native language is not englisch
If it heats up food like lasgna ,....it's a oven.

So , was it the square fuse on top of the rear battery? Still no definitive answer.

 

[Stuart]

Don't have an over its a microwave for heating 45 seconds of milk for our daughter morning and night

I'm genuinely curious why you would take a microwave to heat milk when you could just use the gas hob?

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

I don't like gass and don't want tho be using hob .and yes sir it was the square fuse on top of rear. Battery.this is just the way it is .perhaps down the line things will change .

I'm genuinely curious why you would take a microwave to heat milk when you could just use the gas hob?

 

[Meoncoast]

If I did not want to use the gas I would have bought a Beach.
Using then van while away is for us is about the simple life and how we can manage in it without all the complex things of life we have at home for me that is what makes the trip.
(draw the line re not have loo paper)

 

[Loz]

I don't like gass and don't want tho be using hob .and yes sir it was the square fuse on top of rear. Battery.this is just the way it is .perhaps down the line things will change .

Have you tried using a Dualit milk frother it can also heat milk without frothing and is also good for hot chocolate, compact and doesn't draw too much power.

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

I

Have you tried using a Dualit milk frother it can also heat milk without frothing and is also good for hot chocolate, compact and doesn't draw too much power.[/QUOTE
I haven't tried it loz I bought a Honda eui20 to fix all our power problems .took out inverter all sorted .put in 12volt kettle just in case .we have a coast here at the moment and my is there some difference in the two machines .