12 volt problem

Hughendon

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The 12 volt side has developed a problem. Pressing the 12V button on the panel does not light up the 12V green indicator LED so I’m not getting any lights or water pumps.

The panel still lights up the yellow EHU indicator when connected to EHU and I get 230v inside the van. Pressing down on the battery indicator shows the starter battery voltage but nothing lights when pressing up for the leisure battery voltage.

The panel is a Schaudt LT311 panel linked to a Schaudt Electrobloc EBL 208SE next to the leisure battery.
Bloc.jpgPanel.jpg

Checking the leisure battery gives a voltage of 14.12v. I’ve checked the fuses between the leisure battery and the Electrobloc and they are OK as are all the fuses on the Electrobloc.

I’ve also checked each of the 8 wires linking the Electrobloc to the panel and they all pass a continuity test.

Any ideas?
 
I’m thinking 12v RCD or Fuse Problem !.
I’ve got Annoying ‘Hidden’ Blade fusses in the run from the 230v Mains unit (on the Charger & 12v distribution Side) & the Pump !
 
I had a similar problem on my Hymer a few years ago, when I pressed the 12v switch it was not lighting up and switching on the 12v circuit, I traced the fault to a relay inside the EBL99,, they are not a relay you can buy but I managed to persuade Shaudt to send me two, they are soldered in.

You can try this company
Schaudt Elektroblock EBL 99 Repairs at PS130. EBL 100, EBL101, etc
 
Last edited:
Tezza33 said:
I had a similar problem on my Hymer a few years ago, when I pressed the 12v switch it was not lighting up and switching on the 12v circuit, I traced the fault to a relay inside the EBL99,, they are not a relay you can buy but I managed to persuade Shaudt to send me two, they are soldered in.

You can try this company
Schaudt Elektroblock EBL 99 Repairs at PS130. EBL 100, EBL101, etc
Click to expand...

I have had a few emails with Martin from this company and very helpful he was too. Well worth getting in touch, its nice when you find a company willing to offer advice when you aren't buying something from them although it will pay them back in the long run as its good advertising. I know I will use them if needed and they could fit me in :)
 
Tezza33 said:
I had a similar problem on my Hymer a few years ago, when I pressed the 12v switch it was not lighting up and switching on the 12v circuit, I traced the fault to a relay inside the EBL99,, they are not a relay you can buy but I managed to persuade Shaudt to send me two, they are soldered in.

You can try this company
Schaudt Elektroblock EBL 99 Repairs at PS130. EBL 100, EBL101, etc
Click to expand...

Thank you.
I have contacted Martin and will now try to arrange for the Schaudt unit to be fixed.
 
Did Martin say he thought it would be the EBL then or are you sending it to be checked out? Good luck anyway and as Tezza says let us know the outcome
 
Martin did think it was the EBL. But a fix will have wait until after Easter due to my holidays and other commitments.
 
I've got the same problem on my Adria Twin which appears to have exactly the same control panel and EBL as Hughendon's.

When the 12v on/off switch on the control panel fails to either turn on or off I have been able to get round the problem (on what I regard as a temporary basis) by turning the battery on/off switch on the EBL off and on a few times and tapping the EBL with my knuckles!! After that the 12v switch on the control panel works for a while.

The problem seems to be a "sticky" relay inside the EBL which is operated by both the on/off switches on the control panel and the EBL. I imagine if I took the problem to a MH dealer they would prescribe a new EBL. Probably all it needs is a new relay. I wish I was technical enough to source the relay and install it myself.
 
The main On/Off switch on an EBL unit should not be regularly used to power down the 12 volt system as it can give problems (by not switching the EBL back on usually).
 
maingate said:
The main On/Off switch on an EBL unit should not be regularly used to power down the 12 volt system as it can give problems (by not switching the EBL back on usually).
Click to expand...

Do you mean the battery on/off switch shown in Hughendon's photo of his EBL208S in the first post on this thread?
 
Roger Haworth said:
The problem seems to be a "sticky" relay inside the EBL which is operated by both the on/off switches on the control panel and the EBL. I imagine if I took the problem to a MH dealer they would prescribe a new EBL. Probably all it needs is a new relay. I wish I was technical enough to source the relay and install it myself.
Click to expand...
My elektroblok is a EBL99, the relay is a Gruner 17061 704M
IMG_20180317_081950.jpgIMG_20180317_082015.jpg
You can buy direct from Gruner but you would have to check the numbers on your relay if it is a different model elektroblok, it is easy to remove the EBL and take the cover off, the connections on mine are all multiplugs so easy to unplug and reattach because they are all different shapes and sizes,
EBL99.jpg
the photo of the EBL208SE would be more difficult so I would label and take a few photos, this is what you can see inside so you can easily check the part number
707213ElectoblocEBL991.jpg
 
The little green switch is for checking which way the relay is switched. It can also be used to manually change the relay as well.

Data Sheet
 
Further news on the 12V problem
The van has been stood for about 3 weeks whilst I was touring Spain by train.
But on my return I needed to move it to get into the garage, but I am aware that the starter battery gets drained – probably by the security system.
So I checked the leisure battery and starter battery voltages using the LT311 panel.
The leisure battery reading was OK – it gets charged from the rooftop solar panel.
However the starter battery reading was in the red zone.
So I connected the Electric Hook Up to the mains supply in the house as there must be some circuit in the electrics that will charge the starter battery on hook-up.

Out of curiosity I pressed the 12v switch on the LT311 panel and the green light came on.
So I checked the interior lights and all of them came on including the internal fridge light. The water pumps also worked.

I left the EHU hooked up overnight to recharge the starter battery.
The next morning I disconnected the EHU as the starter battery voltage is back in the green.

I’ve rechecked the 12v switch on the LT311 panel and again the green indicator light came on.
I’ve rechecked the interior lights and water pump. All are working.

I sent an email to Martin & Allan at AandNCaravanServices and they were happy to cancel my planned visit to North Wales.

Still a bit puzzled as I do not think that electrical things are in the habit of mending themselves.
 
How strange, still its a bonus if it has started working although I am always a bit wary if I can't find a reason. Fingers crossed thats it done though :)
 
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