Electric Confusion Part 2

dinglebin replied on 02/06/2016 22:11

dinglebin

Posted on 02/06/2016 22:11

I posted a thread a while back asking for some advice about the electrical set up on my caravan which is a swift charisma 2008. I've still got some questions about how it all works out so thought I'd start a new thread.

Having brought the van back this evening from being in storage I immediately hooked it up to the house mains. The elctrical switches allow me to select eithet Car, Van or have the switch inbetween both. When I hooked up to the mains the switch was in the Car position and the LED display indicated Zero. If I put the switch inbetween car and van the display also indicated Zero. In the Van poistion the LED then displayed 12.9. Next, whilst in the Van position I switched on the battery charger button and the LED changed to 13.9. Is this because the van is drawing electricity from both the house mains and leisure battery? If I then moved the switch to both the Car and inbetween setting the LED increased again to 14.9. Why does the AMP increase when I do this and why do I only get a LED reading in the Car and Inbetween setting when I turn the battery charger on? Thanks in advance

7 replies

Navigateur replied on 02/06/2016 22:28

Member

Navigateur

Caravanner

Posted on 02/06/2016 22:28

Your indicator is measuring volts not amperes.

dinglebin replied on 02/06/2016 22:56

Member

dinglebin

Caravanner

Posted on 02/06/2016 22:56

Thanks for your contribution to the discussion

EmilysDad replied on 03/06/2016 08:35

Member

EmilysDad

Caravanner

Posted on 03/06/2016 08:35

The car/off/caravan switch merely selects which battery the caravan is powered up from when car & caravan are still hitched up, it allows you to power your caravan from the car on a short stop at the services if the caravan battery is flat or not fitted. Obviously you can't over do it otherwise you'll end up with a flat car battery and not be able to start it.

SteveL replied on 03/06/2016 08:53

Member

SteveL

Motorhomer

Posted on 03/06/2016 08:53

Our current van does not have that set up but our previous one did. On that your initial 12.9 reading would have been for your caravan battery, not on charge. Once you switched the charger on you were still reading the battery, but as you were charging it the figure is higher at 13.9. When you moved the switch to the inbetween or car you were not charging the battery and just reading the charger output at 14.9. At least that is how ours worked.

EmilysDad replied on 03/06/2016 09:17

Member

EmilysDad

Caravanner

Posted on 03/06/2016 09:17

...... When you moved the switch to the inbetween or car you were not charging the battery and just reading the charger output at 14.9. At least that is how ours worked.

Our Lunar's battery charges irrespective of the car/off/caravan switch position

Tinwheeler replied on 03/06/2016 18:52

Tinwheeler

Campervanner

Posted on 03/06/2016 18:52

With a conventional panel, in the van position the van battery is used for the 12volt systems. In the car position with the car connected, the car battery is used for the 12volt systems. In the mid position neither battery is connected to the 12volt systems.

The battery charger will charge the connected battery, either van or car, depending on the switch position. The indicated figure shows the voltage being supplied by the charger to the connected battery. This will vary depending on the state of charge held in the connected battery.

You may well find this in the caravan handbook.