A month in Provence Throughnal (7 Viewers)

[suavecarve]

Just stopped at Forcalquier and it had dropped to 12.2 when we stole some water at some place called chateau something.
Took the sat nav and dashcam into battery bank and half hour later 12.5.

We ll be careful where we charge things tonight

 

[Lenny HB]

Schaudt block. No lithium choice

That only charges on mains.

 

[Lenny HB]

Just stopped at Forcalquier and it had dropped to 12.2 when we stole some water at some place called chateau something.
Took the sat nav and dashcam into battery bank and half hour later 12.5.

We ll be careful where we charge things tonight

Sounds like it could be the alternator or a poor connect or poor earth.
Check the connections on the alternator are tight and check the earth straps also the battery terminal connections. The Fiat negative battery terminal is a quick release they are prone to problems

 

[DBK]

My immediate fix is to prevent the lithium battery charging from the alternator and sending all the juice to the engine battery.

A lot of the 12 volt like lights and USB original sockets seem to come from the engine battery but we didn't know. So if the lithium was taking all the charge we aren't replenishing the dashcam or sat nav.

Engine running and she is now showing 13.5 volts and will check when we stop and charge everything off the inverter. We still have 240 ah left even after the air fryer which is thirsty.

Something doesn't sound right. If the LiFePo4 battery was being charged while driving the voltage from the alternator would be more than enough to charge the vehicle battery at the same time. But as I read your description neither of the batteries are being properly charged.

Have you got anything to measure the voltage at the terminals of the batteries with the engine running?

 

[suavecarve]

That only charges on mains.

I got 5ah out of it today !

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[suavecarve]

Sounds like it could be the alternator or a poor connect or poor earth.
Check the connections on the alternator are tight and check the earth straps also the battery terminal connections. The Fiat negative battery terminal is a quick release they are prone to problems

Lenny, you give me too much credit ! I ve heard of an alternator, if I could locate it I reckon I could identify earth straps. I can find negative terminal battery and check that though. Job for the morning. Beer is calling, to be fair it has already called a couple of times

 

[suavecarve]

Something doesn't sound right. If the LiFePo4 battery was being charged while driving the voltage from the alternator would be more than enough to charge the vehicle battery at the same time. But as I read your description neither of the batteries are being properly charged.

Have you got anything to measure the voltage at the terminals of the batteries with the engine running?

No, and to be honest, if I had a meter I wouldn't know or understand how it works.
I understand the meter readings as to what that would mean but need someone to put the pointy things in the right place for me

Big edit. We have a meter so the wife tells me. What we don't have is any knowledge. What we do have is a FiL electrician !

 

[DBK]

No, and to be honest, if I had a meter I wouldn't know or understand how it works.
I understand the meter readings as to what that would mean but need someone to put the pointy things in the right place for me

Big edit. We have a meter so the wife tells me. What we don't have is any knowledge. What we do have is a FiL electrician !

There are YouTube videos on using a multimeter to check battery voltage but it isn't difficult. You just need to find the battery terminals turn the meter on and select voltage. It might have two options, one for AC and one for DC. The latter is what you want. It probably just has a symbol of one solid line and a dotted one parallel to it. The AC setting could have a wavy line.

Don't worry about putting the red lead on the positive terminal, the reading will be fine if you put it on the negative terminal. The figure will just have a minus sign on it.

Post a photo of the meter if you want.

 

[MichaelT]

You're correct.

But the usbs in the lounge and bedroom are off the engine. Lights off of hab

Are you sure ours were off hab.

 

[suavecarve]

Are you sure ours were off hab.

Positive.
Checked this morning using the fogstar app.
USB charging phones with battery set not to discharge. Phones were charging direct from somewhere and we have no solar and weren't hooked up so can only be off the engine battery.

FiL states no B2B which isn't what I was told upon purchase. Made presumption it was the schaudt thing. Got it wrong. I can work round this though so as long as there is cold beer from gas fridge and plastic reusable ice cubes, life is good

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[Wanders from Glos]

Cold beer fixes most things I find

 

[suavecarve]

I have an added extra for any journal link in any thread that I do for France.

It's the WESTY66 photo du jour

Each day there will be an entry and a photo exhibiting a different aspect of France that will entice this Germanic lover to cross the rhine and give it a go.

Lac de vouglans. Plenty free parking and overnight stays with top notch via ferrata with 600 foot drop. Numerous swimming points and remote beaches.

And today's journal entry to entice further. A place in provence that it appears not many funsters have been to yet it's a corker

Journal entry 'Forcalquier' https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/journals/forcalquier.562/

 

[DBK]

Positive.
Checked this morning using the fogstar app.
USB charging phones with battery set not to discharge. Phones were charging direct from somewhere and we have no solar and weren't hooked up so can only be off the engine battery.

FiL states no B2B which isn't what I was told upon purchase. Made presumption it was the schaudt thing. Got it wrong. I can work round this though so as long as there is cold beer from gas fridge and plastic reusable ice cubes, life is good

The USB sockets will take so little power they might not show on an app. Additionally the app won't physically disconnect the battery so there would be a voltage at the terminals and enough to power the USBs.

 

[WESTY66]

I have an added extra for any journal link in any thread that I do for France.

It's the WESTY66 photo du jour

Each day there will be an entry and a photo exhibiting a different aspect of France that will entice this Germanic lover to cross the rhine and give it a go.

Lac de vouglans. Plenty free parking and overnight stays with top notch via ferrata with 600 foot drop. Numerous swimming points and remote beaches. View attachment 939832

And today's journal entry to entice further. A place in provence that it appears not many funsters have been to yet it's a corker

Journal entry 'Forcalquier' https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/journals/forcalquier.562/

Ooh you nearly had me in the Alsace bit, I’m drifting back to the fatherland a bit now

We was in obernai with my cousin and Jackd last year, loved the Alsace

 

[Lenny HB]

Ooh you nearly had me in the Alsace bit, I’m drifting back to the fatherland a bit now

Perhaps we should try a different tac, think of all that lovely French wine you are missing. Something the French do really well where as the krauts are rubbish at it.

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[suavecarve]

The USB sockets will take so little power they might not show on an app. Additionally the app won't physically disconnect the battery so there would be a voltage at the terminals and enough to power the USBs.

What we ll do from now is only charge things from the inverter. We have 4 sockets (plus 2 2pin European sockets) and 4 stand alone USB ports with ability to put plug in a socket which would have a USB port.

So we think we have plenty of charging capability even without any of the ones that came with the van.

We have 239 ah left. I am quite good at abstracting electricity for the bikes.

We will take 3-5 days to get to Cavaillon then we will have 2-3 nights in a CCP.

Then same process of seeing how long it lasts as we make our way across to sospel and another couple of days CCP.

We should then be going back across but in the coast from st Tropez to past Toulon. This may prove to be our stumbling block and we may have to acsi or CCP which wasn't anticipated. From there we think either ardeche or Ventoux before home.

I think we ll be fine. I ll sort everything out over winter as we had no time to put anything right. I have 350 watts solar at home and victron 100/30. I now need a b2b. I want to update so semi on the rear. Inverter will be moved to run all sockets. Still need to put a TV in as no Ariel so working out if we need or want one. Mifi options.

This holiday was planned but buying a van with nothing in it wasn't a thought process 3 weeks ago so whatever we get away with is a bonus.

Alarm and tracker were required and I got the lithium, inverter in then looked at the weather forecast and thought fridge fans were the next priority and blag everything else

 

[WESTY66]

Perhaps we should try a different tac, think of all that lovely French wine you are missing. Something the French do really well where as the krauts are rubbish at it.

Nope prefer German wine, can’t beat a good pieroth from the Bingen region

 

[suavecarve]

Perhaps we should try a different tac, think of all that lovely French wine you are missing. Something the French do really well where as the krauts are rubbish at it.

You're preaching to a man with no taste

 

[Lenny HB]

Nope prefer German wine, can’t beat a good pieroth from the Bingen region

Really is no hope for you son
Jon is right you have no taste.

 

[DBK]

What we ll do from now is only charge things from the inverter. We have 4 sockets (plus 2 2pin European sockets) and 4 stand alone USB ports with ability to put plug in a socket which would have a USB port.

So we think we have plenty of charging capability even without any of the ones that came with the van.

We have 239 ah left. I am quite good at abstracting electricity for the bikes.

We will take 3-5 days to get to Cavaillon then we will have 2-3 nights in a CCP.

Then same process of seeing how long it lasts as we make our way across to sospel and another couple of days CCP.

We should then be going back across but in the coast from st Tropez to past Toulon. This may prove to be our stumbling block and we may have to acsi or CCP which wasn't anticipated. From there we think either ardeche or Ventoux before home.

I think we ll be fine. I ll sort everything out over winter as we had no time to put anything right. I have 350 watts solar at home and victron 100/30. I now need a b2b. I want to update so semi on the rear. Inverter will be moved to run all sockets. Still need to put a TV in as no Ariel so working out if we need or want one. Mifi options.

This holiday was planned but buying a van with nothing in it wasn't a thought process 3 weeks ago so whatever we get away with is a bonus.

Alarm and tracker were required and I got the lithium, inverter in then looked at the weather forecast and thought fridge fans were the next priority and blag everything else

It's possible you have a smart alternator which is playing dumb. A B2B should bring it into line.

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[Lenny HB]

What we ll do from now is only charge things from the inverter. We have 4 sockets (plus 2 2pin European sockets) and 4 stand alone USB ports with ability to put plug in a socket which would have a USB port.

That is not. very efficient, a Dethleffs will have all the USB & 12v sockets wired to the hab battery via the EBL apart from any sockets on the Fiat dash.

Easy to check by pulling fuses on the EBL.

Don't by any chance have a Pioneer head unit?

 

[Lenny HB]

It's possible you have a smart alternator which is playing dumb. A B2B should bring it into line.

A smart alternator will keep the starter battery at 12.4v max to allow for regenative charging. So Jon's reading of 12.2v could be normal.

 

[suavecarve]

That is not.very efficient, a Dethleffs will have all the USB d 22v sockets wired to the had battery via the EBL apart from a y sockets on the Fiat dash.

Easy to check by pulling fuses on the EBL.

Don't by a chance have a Pioneer head unit?

I just tried double checking by having a habitation USB charging my phone. Then I turned the battery off via the app.

What you need to know is did the phone keep charging.

The answer is no ........ Because it blew a fuse somewhere.
The lights by the door worked.
Pulled all the fuses nothing obvious.
Then we realized the fridge wasn't working and the ice cubes were in danger .
It was panic stations here for 10 minutes.
The inverter came back on after 30 seconds. But now no lights no pump no fridge and no nooky for me for months by the time of her voice.

About 10 minutes later the realization that the panel was off occurred.

You're working with an eejit in this job Lenny !

All is good and it ll get sorted over winter.

 

[suavecarve]

A smart alternator will keep the starter battery at 12.4v max to allow for regenative charging. So Jon's reading of 12.2v could be normal.

It's sat at 12.5 since stopping and us not using anything.

I ll try USB ports tomorrow. We could do with them working (off lithium) as they run the overnight fans in the bedroom and just hope that I am wrong about the USB ports

 

[Lenny HB]

It's sat at 12.5 since stopping and us not using anything.

I ll try USB ports tomorrow. We could do with them working (off lithium) as they run the overnight fans in the bedroom and just hope that I am wrong about the USB ports

Yep you are wrong.

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[suavecarve]

Yep you are wrong.

This morning the gremlins have been in and rewired the van and now the USB ports are off the hab. 0.7 ah being used as I type and nothing else in. 0.0 when I take it out.

I can only tell you what I tested couple of days ago and it was charging. Just rechecked again as I haven't had my morning coffee yet and as expected, I was wrong MichaelT DBK

That will help with the fans tonight as we hit 31 (likely to be higher) and turning charging off whilst driving appears to have rectified engine battery issue but will find out more on Tuesday.

In other news I thought I had better find some free electricity for the bikes. Hey ho the tourist office in Forcalquier participates in the Bosch charge your bike up for free system. There are 2 places in Apt to charge as well.

 

[Scotch mist]

I’m far from a electrical guy & don’t completely understand your problem so please be kind to me if I’m way off , but just a thought , a problem I’ve previously had , with a smart alternator & the fridge set to auto when driving the fridge automatically goes onto 12v & the alternator didn’t charge the leisure batteries so after 3hrs driving the hab batteries were flat

 

[MichaelT]

suavecarve easiest way to test is turn the 12v off on the panel, only thing that will work is the step and Fiat dashboard sockets nothing else such as lights or USB sockets will work. Turn 12v on then you should be good. Are you saying in post 86 that is the case after all.

I think from the above the smart alternator is the problem, on my deffy it wasn't smart so the lithium were drop in and charged OK. But dethleffs must have fitted some sort of B2B to charge the hab battery to get over the smart alternator, can you see a shaudt unit anywhere off the EBL under the seats or maybe even the engine. May be worth asking on the dethleffs FB pages and call reliance tomorrow to ask.

 

[suavecarve]

I’m far from a electrical guy & don’t completely understand your problem so please be kind to me if I’m way off , but just a thought , a problem I’ve previously had , with a smart alternator & the fridge set to auto when driving the fridge automatically goes onto 12v & the alternator didn’t charge the leisure batteries so after 3hrs driving the hab batteries were flat

This is exactly our thinking from a non electrical knowledge point of view.

When I turned the engine on having fitted the lithium, we were getting 18 ah to an uncharged lithium battery.
With the fridge, the sat nav, the dash cam, charging phones, running lights etc, and charging the nearly charged lithium we think we starved the engine battery and not a lot of benefit to the lithium.

Now we think we know we can adapt.

 

[suavecarve]

suavecarve easiest way to test is turn the 12v off on the panel, only thing that will work is the step and Fiat dashboard sockets nothing else such as lights or USB sockets will work. Turn 12v on then you should be good. Are you saying in post 86 that is the case after all.

I think from the above the smart alternator is the problem, on my deffy it wasn't smart so the lithium were drop in and charged OK. But dethleffs must have fitted some sort of B2B to charge the hab battery to get over the smart alternator, can you see a shaudt unit anywhere off the EBL under the seats or maybe even the engine. May be worth asking on the dethleffs FB pages and call reliance tomorrow to ask.

Schaudt unit is under seat and I became quite acquainted with it last night pulling all the fuses after I blew something. The good news is the torches had a charge !

We will live with what we have or think we have and resolve it (FiL is the brains of this operation !) when we get back.

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