Does anyone have a S700 Hymer 1994 ? We need some advise!!!

jelzz

Guest
We have recently purchased our lovely Hymer and had our first weekend away.. Bed was comfy, Gas fire and cooker worked well but after one night the leisure battery had drained down and we had no power to the lights, boiler, step, fan.. What we can't understand is we were plugged into the mains and had the tv and fridge working fine.. We travelled home and within a few miles the battery was charging and the lights had come back on..
We have had several smaller Motorhomes before and have always had to switch over to the mains when we have plugged in.. But we don't seem to be able to find a switch.. Are we being extremely dense.. Any advise would be greatly appreciated :help:
 
I think you will find that the mains powered charger (that should be topping up your leisure battery) is switched off, disconnected or malfunctioning ...

I would hope that it's just switched off :)
 
We have a Hymer S700 1992.

The internal electrics are isolated by a red key switch that is above the fuses on the left below the dash on the drivers side. This key needs to point down to have the leisure battery supply the van. This switch does not have any effect on the vehicle electrics. Charging of batteries is automatic when the vehicle is running or from a charger located behind the shower next to the water heater. There is a trip here that controls the mains input and beside this is a plug for the charger.

There is a switch above the cooker and battery 1 is the vehicle battery and battery 2 is the leisure battery voltage. The Amp meter shows charge and discharge of the leisure battery.

Your interior lights, boiler, step, fan etc. can be isolated using the red switch.

Your problem to me would seem to be a dead or dying leisure battery, if the items recovered after you had run the engine. You only have a 55 amp Alternator so if you run the fridge and lights while traveling this will reduce the charge available to your batteries. The vehicle battery takes precedence and then power goes to the leisure battery Ftting a Stirling Battery to Battery charger will give more charge to the leisure battery. However if the battery is dead replace it. Both batteries are together inder the floor by the drivers door

We fitted an LPG tank (85 litre) under the floor below the drivers seat and used the gas locker to fit 2 x110ah batteries and inverter in the locker.

You say you were on hookup, so I would check that the battery charger, blue box is working (vibrating) on hookup. If it is check that the wires are not broken. On hookup you should be charging the leisure battery. There is a switch on the box, has this been turned off?

John
 
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Fab, a fellow Hymer owner.. Like the photo !!!!
Thanks for the advice John. Mark will go and check the blue box tomorrow.. The red switch was in the right position as we had lights etc for the first night and then slowly they and everything else dimmed and died the following morning.. We're assuming it wouldn't be the leisure battery as it is fairly new and is still under a five yr warranty.. And just to slightly confuse us we also have solar panels on the roof to charge the leisure battery.
Cheers Julie
 
Have a check of the chassis extensions and corner steadies that Hymer fitted from the rear springs to the rear of the vehicle. We have just had an MOT failure as there was corrorion within 30mm of the tow bar mountings. Hymer covered these chassis with a waxoil equivelent, but this should be cleaned off and recoated inside and outside of the chassis every 5 years. Ours had not been treated after being sold and it had rotted inside the extended chassis members. The Mercedes chassis was still sound. The vehicle was checked in May and was OK. The tester noticed a blister on the extended chassis and we found a few places on each leg that had rotted from the inside out. We have had our S700 since 2006.

John
 
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jelzz said:
Fab, a fellow Hymer owner.. Like the photo !!!!
Thanks for the advice John. Mark will go and check the blue box tomorrow.. The red switch was in the right position as we had lights etc for the first night and then slowly they and everything else dimmed and died the following morning.. We're assuming it wouldn't be the leisure battery as it is fairly new and is still under a five yr warranty.. And just to slightly confuse us we also have solar panels on the roof to charge the leisure battery.
Cheers Julie
Click to expand...


Hi Julie
John & Joan at this end.

Solar in the UK in winter does not supply much power to your battery. I have just seen reports of less than half an amp being reported this last week from a 130w panel.

We are going to fit solar but have also fitted a Gasparini Energy 20 LPG generator under the van behind the rear axel. This autosenses your batteries and auto starts when the battery drops below 12v and switches off when it gets to just under 14v. One reason we fitted the large gas tank. We are full timing so the more sources of power we have the better. We prefere to overwinter in Spain but have had to stay in the UK until after Christmas as Joan has had to renew her C1+E at 70.

John
 
Thanks John and John & Joan

We also have a small built in generator which among other things powers the microwave.. but couldnpt get that to go when our battery died.. we also have a 100 litre LPG tank fitted so we're all set up to wild camp.. that is once we get used to everything. Very different to our last Motorhome... And always played safe and never wild camped either.. :confused::eek:
 
jelzz said:
Thanks John and John & Joan

We also have a small built in generator which among other things powers the microwave.. but couldnpt get that to go when our battery died.. we also have a 100 litre LPG tank fitted so we're all set up to wild camp.. that is once we get used to everything. Very different to our last Motorhome... And always played safe and never wild camped either.. :confused::eek:
Click to expand...

It sounds like a dead leisure battery. I carry a single jump lead and just connect positive to positive if either battery should go flat.

I also made up a lead that is now fitted permanently with a fuse between the two batteries, This allow us to trickle charge the vehicle battery from the leisure battery while on hookup. Just pull the fuse before starting the vehicle.

John
 
Mark has charged the battery to its max.. After doing that he plugged the mains in to the Hymer.. After 20 mins the leisure battery had started to drain down quite a bit.. Nothing is actually turned on in the Hymer. So after reading your advises he has found the blue box and switched that over.. It seems to be buzzing slightly now ?? Lets see what happens...
 
jelzz said:
Mark has charged the battery to its max.. After doing that he plugged the mains in to the Hymer.. After 20 mins the leisure battery had started to drain down quite a bit.. Nothing is actually turned on in the Hymer. So after reading your advises he has found the blue box and switched that over.. It seems to be buzzing slightly now ?? Lets see what happens...
Click to expand...

Your Amp meter should now be in the green section. When you remove the charge it should centre if there is nothing connected and drawing power. If not check circuits by pulling fuses to see which one is drawing the power. The red section is draw from your batteries.

You solar should have a diode to stop power flowing the wrong way. If you cannot find another draw, try that circuit.

John
 
Well looks like its all sorted now.. Battery charged up, Boiler now works and space heater and lights without drawing on the battery.. It was indeed the electroblok :) Thanks for help !!!!
 
Glad you got the answers you needed.

Just a small cost of £15 would make you full members and get all the advantages of POI for wild camping.

I guess the help you have received is valued at much more than the cost of membership.
 
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