EP Levelling system cuts power to engine!

Brassed Off

Brassed Off

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Hi there! I have an EP levelling system which seems to be imobilising the engine to my fiat ducato 2.8jtd motorhome!
I have had to remove the fuse from the Ep system then disconnect and reconnect battery earth to get the motorhome running!
The fault started this morning! When I released the levelling Jacks with the engine running, the engine faltered and almost stalled. I drove 50 yards and filled with fuel! I then re started the engine and drove away from the pumps. When I stopped at the first junction I put the handbrake on .. as I released the handbrake the engine cut out and although it turned over easily would no longer start!
On parking up this afternoon I tried the levelling system again with the same result!
I've just got the engine restarted!
Has any one ideas what I can do to sort the problem out from here! We're in Portugal till February!
Thanks in advance!
 
Try ringing SAP at Doncaster even if they didn't install it they are known to be very helpful.

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Lenny HB said:
Try ringing SAP at Doncaster even if they didn't install it they are known to be very helpful.

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Thanks Lenny, they were installed by SAP but no answer today! I'll try again tomorrow!
 
Are all the jack right up? If yes it might be worth pulling the fuse for the E&P to reset the system.

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funflair said:
Are all the jack right up? If yes it might be worth pulling the fuse for the E&P to reset the system.
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Thanks, yes I've tried that twice but with no success... luckily Jack's are up because the EP cuts all electric to the vehicle as soon as I try to operate it!
It did show a message to say the battery was flat, which it isn't! 🤔
 
As l understand it pulling the fuse will not suffice, there are two sets of wires on connectors going into the control box you disconnect the rear connector for a couple of minutes and this resets the system. The control box l had to reset was in a locker and it worked. Hope this helps.
 
Brassed Off said:
When I released the levelling Jacks with the engine running
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You shouldn’t be able to operate the leveling jacks with the engine running. As soon as you turn the ignition on they should retract to prevent damage if you tried driving off with them down.

I’m surprised you said SAP fitted the system as Mick’s team are IMO the best at what they do

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dpsuk999 said:
You shouldn’t be able to operate the leveling jacks with the engine running. As soon as you turn the ignition on they should retract to prevent damage if you tried driving off with them down.

I’m surprised you said SAP fitted the system as Mick’s team are IMO the best at what they do
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I can use my jacks with the engine running but the handbrake needs to be on, SAP fitted ours and thought this is how all E&P were fitted.
 
Littlewheels said:
As l understand it pulling the fuse will not suffice, there are two sets of wires on connectors going into the control box you disconnect the rear connector for a couple of minutes and this resets the system. The control box l had to reset was in a locker and it worked. Hope this helps.
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Thanks... that's something I haven't tried yet! I can give it a go! 👍
 
dpsuk999 said:
You shouldn’t be able to operate the leveling jacks with the engine running. As soon as you turn the ignition on they should retract to prevent damage if you tried driving off with them down.

I’m surprised you said SAP fitted the system as Mick’s team are IMO the best at what they do
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I don't think it’s anything tho do with SAP its electronics that operates it and can be a glitch in the system, in my case the engine ran and the levellers stayed down and wouldn’t retract , l reset it #10 and it never happened again.
 
Badknee said:
I had to reset my screen by pulling the fuse and the buggers just behind the rear axle. Good job I have a racing snake physique and could easily slide under. :pinocchio:
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I haven't tried this yet either! I may struggle though as I cant match your physique :giggler::giggler::imoutahere:

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Littlewheels said:
Correct operation but as soon as you release the handbrake the levellers retract.
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It depends on who fits them as to how they work, Mick at SAP usually has them working with the engine running but handbrake on, Morelo and Concorde fit them running off the habitation batteries and the engine must be off.

Morelo have an instruction video of how to reboot the system but you will need to know where your control box is situated.

https://www.morelo-reisemobile.de/e...restart-the-ep-hydraulics-lift-support-system
 
dpsuk999 said:
You shouldn’t be able to operate the leveling jacks with the engine running. As soon as you turn the ignition on they should retract to prevent damage if you tried driving off with them down.

I’m surprised you said SAP fitted the system as Mick’s team are IMO the best at what they do
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Sorry but that’s not correct. You can use the system with the engine running, what triggers the retraction with the engine running is releasing the handbrake.
 
Badknee said:
Sorry but that’s not correct. You can use the system with the engine running, what triggers the retraction with the engine running is releasing the handbrake.
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I don't think there is a right or wrong way as long as the safety features are there, ours triggers when you start the engine which with an automatic handbrake is better than having the trigger on the hand brake release as we would be moving before the jacks started to come up, indeed even with a manual handbrake and wired the UK/SAP way you could be rolling before the jacks were clear if you were a bit quick out of the blocks.
 
Our system was fitted at SAP and with the ignition on, engine running of not, releasing the handbrake will retract our jacks, but Mick said if you do this either deliberately or by mistake, then your very likely to corrupt the system and have to pull the fuse next to the pump to reset the system.

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funflair said:
I don't think there is a right or wrong way as long as the safety features are there, ours triggers when you start the engine which with an automatic handbrake is better than having the trigger on the hand brake release as we would be moving before the jacks started to come up, indeed even with a manual handbrake and wired the UK/SAP way you could be rolling before the jacks were clear if you were a bit quick out of the blocks.
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I didn’t say it was wrong Martin, I said it’s not the way Keith’s or my system is fitted. It the handbrake way and it shouldn’t turn the engine off.
 
Two on Tour said:
Our system was fitted at SAP and with the ignition on, engine running of not, releasing the handbrake will retract our jacks, but Mick said if you do this either deliberately or by mistake, then your very likely to corrupt the system and have to pull the fuse next to the pump to reset the system.
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Yes I used to use the handbrake to retract mine instead of the remote and SAP said not to do this for that same reason but me knowing better ignored this until I was stuck in aire at 5am rolling about underneath the van to open up the box to pull the fuse what a nugget 😂
 
funflair said:
I don't think there is a right or wrong way as long as the safety features are there, ours triggers when you start the engine which with an automatic handbrake is better than having the trigger on the hand brake release as we would be moving before the jacks started to come up, indeed even with a manual handbrake and wired the UK/SAP way you could be rolling before the jacks were clear if you were a bit quick out of the blocks.
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I always make sure the Jack's are fully up before releasing the handbrake! But I take your point that there is room for error with the handbrake release system!
I don't think this is part of the issue though! There is definitely an electrical fault somewhere, or the levelling system thinks there is!
 
Brassed Off said:
I always make sure the Jack's are fully up before releasing the handbrake! But I take your point that there is room for error with the handbrake release system!
I don't think this is part of the issue though! There is definitely an electrical fault somewhere, or the levelling system thinks there is!
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Agreed, but I didn't think that there was anything in the E&P that could actually inhibit the engine running?
 
What happened between the "although it turned over easily would no longer start!" and the "On parking up this afternoon"?

P.S. We had a Ducato 2.8 JTD PVC which developed a will not start and sometimes would just start problem, and it turned out to be that the earth strap between the gearbox and chassis leg was missing. fitted a new earth strap and it never hesitated to start from then on. (y)

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All done. Just spoke to Keith and with the help of a Dutch guy and his multimeter it was found to be the main battery to earth lead. Taken off, cleaned up and replaced, job sorted.
 
Two on Tour said:
What happened between the "although it turned over easily would no longer start!" and the "On parking up this afternoon"?

P.S. We had a Ducato 2.8 JTD PVC which developed a will not start and sometimes would just start problem, and it turned out to be that the earth strap between the gearbox and chassis leg was missing. fitted a new earth strap and it never hesitated to start from then on. (y)
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Between the no longer start an parking, I disconnected the earth on the battery and reconnected it this got the engine running, with the EP fuse removed!
The Dutch guy who came to help had a similar earth strap problem on his previously were the strap to the engine had broken half way along! It cost him €800 in investigation/ diagnosis the €3.00 for a new strap! 😳.... he recommended an extra earth strap from the battery tray to the engine as belt and braces.
Between us we cleaned all the earth connections and as my racing snake matey Badknee said all is now working as it should!
A big Thank you to all those who assisted on this thread! 👍👍👍
 

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