rapido 986 battery problem

[marcusmasterson]

I have just fitted a new engine battery which works fine but the the monitor panel indicates that the battery needs charging. The battery voltage is 12.8v.

Can anyone help.

 

[Lenny HB]

12.7v and over is fully charged.

 

[autorouter]

Is that 12.8V a measurement of the battery terminal voltage with a meter, or is it the control panel reading? Have you reconnected all the wires that were disconnected to replace the battery? Maybe the wire that the control panel uses for sensing the battery voltage is not connected.

 

[marcusmasterson]

Is that 12.8V a measurement of the battery terminal voltage with a meter, or is it the control panel reading? Have you reconnected all the wires that were disconnected to replace the battery? Maybe the wire that the control panel uses for sensing the battery voltage is not connected.

I tested the voltage across the battery terminals. I think you may be right about the battery not being to the control panel as I get the same flashing image when I disconnect the battery. Also I can only get one battery reading on the control panel. Do you know how the engine battery is connected to the Control panel. Are there any fuses or cut outs.
I had to replace the battery because it was flat even though I had the Motorhome connected to an external.power source

 

[dunnah01]

I tested the voltage across the battery terminals. I think you may be right about the battery not being to the control panel as I get the same flashing image when I disconnect the battery. Also I can only get one battery reading on the control panel. Do you know how the engine battery is connected to the Control panel. Are there any fuses or cut outs.
I had to replace the battery because it was flat even though I had the Motorhome connected to an external.power source

It usually connects in Rapidos via the separator which is where the voltage feed is taken from for the panel. You can adjust the panel voltage displays by a about 1 volt by going into the panel settings by using the menu buttons.

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[marcusmasterson]

Thanks for your reply. what is a separator and where is it located?

 

[autorouter]

Do you know how the engine battery is connected to the Control panel. Are there any fuses or cut outs.

To start with, there should be one big fuse near the starter battery on the wire going to the distribution/fusebox. Is there a distribution/fusebox, separate from the control panel, and if so what make/model is it?

Motorhome manufacturers buy in the distribution/fusebox and control panel from specialist manufacturers, maybe Schaudt (EBL), Reich or CBE. I think the separator is the relay that connects the alternator/starter battery to the leisure battery when the engine is running, and disconnects them when the engine stops. It is usually located inside the distribution/fusebox.

 

[marcusmasterson]

Hi thanks for your iinformtion. It is a Rapido 986 and it has a CBE distribution block.
There are fuse boxes under the dashboard and near to the leisure battery. I suspect that the large fuse from the engine battery might have blown
Something strange happened when I left
the old engine battery on a battery charger. The battery went completely flat.Is the big fuse a separate In Line fuse or will it be located in either the cab fuse box or in the one located near the leisure battery

 

[autorouter]

The starter battery fuse on the wire to the distribution box is something added by the motorhome manufacturer (converter), so it won't be in the cab fuse box which is for the original vehicle electrics before conversion. Some vehicle manufacturers fit a 'converter's socket', in a door pillar or under the seat, which is for any connections to the base vehicle, and the fuse may be in there. Otherwise it should be on the wire from the starter battery to the distribution box, within about 500mm of the starter battery. It may be an inline fuse, or one of those flat fuses in a battery terminal fusebox.

Maybe someone familiar with a Rapido can give more specific information. CBE do a few different distribution boxes, does it have a number on it, like DS300, and PC200 on the control panel? What is the base vehicle? Fiat, Mercedes, Citroen etc? And what year is it? Newer vehicles have a smart alternator, and the simple 'separator' circuit doesn't work very well for charging leisure batteries, so there is a different arrangement.

 

[marcusmasterson]

Hi, thank you for your information. I need to find the battery fuse. I will have another look under the bonnet but the access is difficult and not helped by my age. I feel pretty sure that I must have blown the fuse when I tried to revive my old battery with an external battery charger for about a week.
Thanks for your help. I will let you know how I get on.
Barry

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