Electrical assistance please. Control Panel died and in Spain

[daveclare]

Hi All,

I have the following set up Nordelettronica ne 196

NeE319 control panel

The problem is my panel has just died. It is connected to the main unit with a four core wire as circled in blue. I'm getting 13v+ at the brown wire on the main unit and also where the wire connects to the control panel. So I'm assuming there is a power supply going to it. But to turn on you're supposed to touch the panel for more than a second to switch it on. However it appears to be dead.

This means we have no 12v power to anywhere in the van. As is typical these things happen at the weekend, just, so nothing is now open until Monday.

Query is, is there a way I can con the main board that the control unit is on and working. My guess is that as only four wires go between the two. One of these must be a return signal from the control panel. At least then I could have everything.

I have wire and connectors but no resister etc. Obviously I don't want to blow anything or start a fire. But it would be nice to at least have the fridge and lights on.

Any advice much appreciated. If a can't con the main board can I at least run a wire to the fridge so it can work on gas until Monday?
Fridge is dometic 3 way....

 

[daveclare]

Forgot to add I'm competent enough to run a fused supply from my busbar to the fridge. I suppose I just need someone to confirm it's possible. You start to think differently when it's going dark and in a different country.

 

[GeoffnDee]

I cannot see why you could not run a fused 12v supply to the low current connection (electronic) on the fridge as it is only needed for the fridge controls and would normally arrive via the PSU fuse with the high current already at the fridge for the heater element

 

[daveclare]

Yes that's my thinking. I just need the control panel on the fridge powering up so I can run it on gas.

 

[GeoffnDee]

daveclare Have you confirmed that there is a constant supply at the fridge heater 12v supply and it is not through a relay ,junction JP4 on the PSU may be being used for this (hopefully not being used)

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[daveclare]

At the moment there's no 12v supply from the hab batteries in the van as the control panel switches everything on.

 

[daveclare]

I'll check the fridge tomorrow when there is light. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Lenny HB]

Have you tried disconnecting the hab battery and leaving a few minutes before reconnecting, it may force a software reset.

 

[Landy Andy]

I assume you have no 12v at any of the fuses on the board ?

If not then could you get a length of wire with a male spade connector on one end and an inline fuse holder in it. Pull the fuse for the circuit you wish to power. Put that fuse into the inline fuse holder, push the male spade connector into the out going side of the on board fuse holder and then supply the other end of the wire with 12v. Thus giving you a 12v, fused supply to circuit?

 

[daveclare]

Have you tried disconnecting the hab battery and leaving a few minutes before reconnecting, it may force a software reset.

Thanks. Did that straight away. I've got power going into the main control unit from my busbar. Then there's power to all distribution fuses. So that appears to be working.

There's a bit more so apologies for the length.

However, I think I've found the cause. My set up is two roamer 230 lithium, three victron mmpt's, smart shunt and 3000w inverter.

I stopped yesterday and everything was as normal. I checked the victron smart network main screen and batteries were showing 97% charge. Then I looked at my van control screen and it's started to flash the display. There was then a sound light a hiss and what I thought was smoke. So I quickly closed the battery isolator and solar isolator switches.

Anyway I've discovered that one of my mppts settings had been changed from what I originally set as 12v lithium to 24v lithium. This was on my 300w panels.

All mppts were as configured as per Roamers guidelines when the lithium was installed. The other 2 mppts were fine just this one.

So either it's magically changed its own setting from 12 to 24 or somebody else has mischievously done it, as my pins were all factory default. They're not now.

Anyway that's academic as I need to make sure I've got at least fridge power. Which I'll sort today after a trip to get some wire/cable.

I've decided to create three fused connections from my busbar for fridge, lighting and truma heater if I can. I'll just disconnect the connector plugs for them from the main board and connect them to the fused outputs. I'll also check whether any need/rely on relays.

I've got an ac/DC clamp meter and circuit tester.

Apologies for rambling.

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[Lenny HB]

Sounds like a faulty controller as normally once they have been first set up they retain there settings.

If it was giving out 24v it would cause the battery BMS's to shut down charging or could even shut the batteries down.

Even more worrying the rest of the system would be seeing 24v so has probably blown the electronics in the distribution unit.

 

[daveclare]

Thanks, yes it looks likely that's happened. I'm going to have a deep delve and check the circuit board. But I'm going to try and order a new main unit and control screen unit.

Everything else is working as it should. We have perfect 240v system from the inverter and solar is now working as it should. The reconfigured mppt is also working as it should too. I've been constantly monitoring it for the last three hours. Every fused supply on the main board is working fine. There's just nothing from the control unit.

There's a place not far from here who can check both, so we'll go there tomorrow. In the meantime I'll see if I can restore/create power for the fridge and lights, independent from the main distribution unit.

 

[autorouter]

Anyway I've discovered that one of my mppts settings had been changed from what I originally set as 12v lithium to 24v lithium. This was on my 300w panels.

A bit worrying... What make/model of MPPT is it?

 

[Lenny HB]

A bit worrying... What make/model of MPPT is it?

Victron.

 

[daveclare]

As Lenny said Victron. It appears to be working perfectly now. Batteries were 80% last night. Both mppts for roof solar working fine. This is the one that was on 24v

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[Basa]

Hi All,

I have the following set up Nordelettronica ne 196
View attachment 1004249
View attachment 1004251

NeE319 control panel
View attachment 1004250
The problem is my panel has just died. It is connected to the main unit with a four core wire as circled in blue. I'm getting 13v+ at the brown wire on the main unit and also where the wire connects to the control panel. So I'm assuming there is a power supply going to it. But to turn on you're supposed to touch the panel for more than a second to switch it on. However it appears to be dead.

This means we have no 12v power to anywhere in the van. As is typical these things happen at the weekend, just, so nothing is now open until Monday.

Query is, is there a way I can con the main board that the control unit is on and working. My guess is that as only four wires go between the two. One of these must be a return signal from the control panel. At least then I could have everything.

I have wire and connectors but no resister etc. Obviously I don't want to blow anything or start a fire. But it would be nice to at least have the fridge and lights on.

Any advice much appreciated. If a can't con the main board can I at least run a wire to the fridge so it can work on gas until Monday?
Fridge is dometic 3 way....
View attachment 1004284

Best people for Nordelectric units is Apuljack engineering, really helpful

 

[Lenny HB]

As Lenny said Victron. It appears to be working perfectly now. Batteries were 80% last night. Both mppts for roof solar working fine. This is the one that was on 24v

View attachment 1004603

If it was defiantly working at 24v at some point I would disconnect it not worth the risk of leaving it connected.

Talk to Victron and get them to replace it, they have a 5 year warranty.

 

[daveclare]

Best people for Nordelectric units is Apuljack engineering, really helpful

We're currently about 5km away from Hispavan, who seem to have good reviews. We'll head there tomorrow when they open and get them to check the control panel and main board.

Looks like Nordelettronica have updated the board from the 196 to 356/366.

I've been quite successful creating new power to the lights and fridge. Today is getting the pump and truma connected if I can.

I'll post the Heath Robinson solutions later.

 

[daveclare]

Obviously this is a very, very temporary solution until we can get the main unit and control panel checked/ replaced. I've managed to put together the following from a combo of Spanish hardware and Chinese stores. So very wary and will monitor them.

I've got all interior lights, pump and fridge working (gas). Next will be truma to get some hot water. Thankfully I've packed some spare relays before leaving.

I always have spare cable, connectors and various crimpers. With experience gained from here on how many different makes of vans break. Basically is all of them from Morelo to Eldis.

However this is the first time I've had to use them in three years.

 

[Peavy]

Obviously this is a very, very temporary solution until we can get the main unit and control panel checked/ replaced. I've managed to put together the following from a combo of Spanish hardware and Chinese stores. So very wary and will monitor them.

I've got all interior lights, pump and fridge working (gas). Next will be truma to get some hot water. Thankfully I've packed some spare relays before leaving.

I always have spare cable, connectors and various crimpers. With experience gained from here on how many different makes of vans break. Basically is all of them from Morelo to Eldis.

However this is the first time I've had to use them in three years.

View attachment 1004914
View attachment 1004916

That's an efficient emergency solution. Well done. I hope they can help you in Hispavan somehow.

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