Help! 12v not working. Leisure batts dead? Advice pls!

[Rusty Pumper]

Howdy folks,

I've just picked up my Swift Kon Tiki 2002 640L from the garage having spent a small fortune on getting the dodgy gears sorted, only to find I have no 12v supply.

I have 250 solar, and assumed that whilst outside (where it has been at the garage for 5 days), that the sun would charge the leisure batteries. I turned the 12v supply off when I left it last Wednesday, all was good; but today the indicator on the battery condition indicator is in the red and the solar power unit (FOX - D1) is flashing on and off reading -102.2: indicating battery totally discharged.

I have 2x 110ah leisure batteries under passenger and driver seat respectively. Garage not caravan specialist. Up until last Wednesday batteries fully charged.

I'll get some ladders and check the cables on the solar units are all connected.

I'm now back at a campsite, and on EHU, but still no joy. I joined fun for minor crisis like this. Please folks, advise this newbie what to do. I'm hoping it's straightforward....

Many thanks,

Funky.

 

[airwave]

It's only later did I realise I had no 12v power at all.

Oh wow , i followed a hunch , and found your not the only one this has happened to , actually i found 3 other funster's have had the same thing , and a whole host of other electrical issue's . I think the first thing is for you to find the Swift forum , that's were i found the info . At the very bottom of this page on the left , you will see your location on the forum . Bit of a short cut click on forum under tweet bottom left hand corner , that will take you back to main page . Now search down forum list till you find British motorhome's , if you look across that line you will see "sub forums" click on it , and a list of british motorhomes will come up , scroll down to Swift and click on it , that's will bring up the Swift forum menu , where all thing's Swift are discussed . Now you know how to find it , just to make life easy for ya , another short cut ,

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/forums/swift-motorhomes.56/

Okay , so now you know where it is , when thing's settle down have a read . Right job in hand . There seem's to be a common fault in which the main fuse blow's . @pappajohn has mentioned it before along with a relay , but no one was sure where it was , well i found a post that refer's to it's location on a 55 plate ;

" I think you will find the relay and fuses for this under the Black slopping cover in the centre of the engine compartment, directly facing you when you lift the bonnet, its held on with 2 small nuts and there is/could be a small rubber hose running across the front of the cover help up in 2 clips. "

It seem there are 3 fuses and a relay under the cover . Now i can't find the dam post but @scotjimland , refer's to a common problem with the main fuse blowing . Check them all , and while your under there , gently tap the relay , this may unstick the contact . Again pop's refer's to it welding , well what he meant was arcing , all electrical contact's are prone to it , they jam . But be prepared to fit a new one , they normally only cost a couple of quid from any motor factor's , but check if it's a 4 or 5 pin . Better yet take the old one with ya .
Oh and keep your finger's crossed , eh .

 

[airwave]

I don't know if anyone has made this point,

Hi Brian , i certainly haven't , because i didn't know that . Thank's for pointing that one out , mate .

I did however say it was confusing the issue though , does that count .

 

[Rusty Pumper]

Hello Funsters,

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. I'm pleased to announce that this darn problem is (very embarrassingly) solved. A friend of mine took 10 seconds to solve it: it was simply the fuse attached to one of the Leisure batteries that was carefully hidden in the casing, which had blown and which I hadn't spotted. I checked every other darn fuse on the vehicle, but missed the blooming obvious! If there a book entitled 'Motorhomes For Dummies' exists, please tell me where I can purchase a copy, pronto. Thank you one and all.

Ciao,

Funky

 

[hilldweller]

Thank you one and all.
Ciao,

Funky

Keep your fingers crossed, that fuse should never blow......

He says stating the obvious. But particularly the main battery fuse which will take some popping.

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[obanvanman]

Hello Funsters,

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. I'm pleased to announce that this darn problem is (very embarrassingly) solved. A friend of mine took 10 seconds to solve it: it was simply the fuse attached to one of the Leisure batteries that was carefully hidden in the casing, which had blown and which I hadn't spotted. I checked every other darn fuse on the vehicle, but missed the blooming obvious! If there a book entitled 'Motorhomes For Dummies' exists, please tell me where I can purchase a copy, pronto. Thank you one and all.

Ciao,

Funky

Nothing to be embarrassed about. I had 3 auto electricians/installers try to sort an electrical problem with my satellite system. After several hours we found an in-line fuse, hidden behind one of the fuse panels, had blown.

Kev

 

[airwave]

solved.

Excellent , now i can stop looking for that dammed thread , found scotjimland post though . grrrr

Now sit back and relax , mate

 

[Rusty Pumper]

Howdy,

Thanks to one and all. The relief is immense. I'll know where to go next time! I had it booked in at the auto electricians on Tuesday. All cancelled now. Thanks for your patience and advice. Is there a book folks can recommend for novice motorhomers, or is it a matter of learning as you go? So Endeth this thread.... until next time folks. It really is good to know you're all there, it really is. Have a good week end.

 

[mjltigger]

Nothing to be embarrassed about. I had 3 auto electricians/installers try to sort an electrical problem with my satellite system. After several hours we found an in-line fuse, hidden behind one of the fuse panels, had blown.

Kev

My bet is that blew when the garage disconnected or connected the engine battery.

 

[Rusty Pumper]

Hi,
@mjltigger You're probably right, but I can't prove it. Anyway, all sorted now - until the next crisis. Loving the van, though....end of thread.