Basic advice needed for a new motorhomer

[suze]

We went away on our first trip in our 1995 Hylo Romahome at the weekend and it was brilliant. Stopped overnight in a very scenic layby in the Yorkshire Dales with views of snowy hills. I just have a few questions that hopefully someone will be able to answer for me.

1. The dealer who sold it to us said the switch on the control panel should be in the middle position when travelling to allow the battery to charge - I'm not convinced as this say's 'off'. In the manual it says it needs to be in the car position - just wanted to check this is correct.
2. Read something on the forum about the the 12V socket in the living area running off the car battery not leisure battery - is this true for this model?
3. The battery was on low very quickly so either it wasn't charged or we need a new one. What is the best way to charge it at home? Buy a battery charger (will one for a car work?) or just get an adapter so we can plug the mains cable into a plug at home?

Thanks in advance for any help. I'm sure I'll have more questions after a few more trips.

[Graham]

Hi Suze

Welcome to the forum, we put our control panel switch to car when travelling and caravan when camping.

For some unknown reason our 12v socket in the rear runs off the car battery but ours is a Dimension not sure about your model.

When our battery went flat recently we just charged it up with an ordinary car battery charger in situ on the van.

Hope that helps, I am sure Ant will be along soon and will be able to answer in more detail for your model.

Graham

[ant]

Hi Suze.
The switch on the panel needed to be in the car position on the early Romahomes, I think yours should be late enough not to matter. If you switch it to the Caravan position and start the engine you should see the meter move up into the middle of the green bit. If it doesn't then your battery may not be charging. Time to check fuses and relays or in your case take it back to the dealer and ask them to sort it.
The 12v socket on the C15 was always wired from the 2nd battery.
The battery can be charged either in or out of the vehicle, if you charge it in the vehicle keep the lid on the battery box to prevent the acid gas from rotting the underside of the seat material.
Ant

[suze]

Thanks both of you for the rapid response. I don't think there is a meter that shows the battery status but I will double check! The way we knew it was low was because when we put the lights on an LED lit up red. So I guess after we've driven around in it next we'll see if it stays green when we put a light on.

[ant]

Hi Suze.
The LED light panel was the earier version to the meter panel, same exercise applies, switch to the caravan battery turn a light on to make the led go red and start the engine, the led should go green while the engine is running if the battery is charging with the switch in that position. If it doesn't then you may well have to leave it in the car position in order to charge the 2nd battery.
Ant

[paul]

Where is this control panel, please?

I have a 1995 Hylo too, and I've looked all over. There is nothing that looks anything like a control panel, or even just a plain switch. Nor is there any gap where a control panel might once have been.

The handbook which the previous owner gave me relates to a number of models over a range of years so I eventually assumed that the control panel references did not apply to mine.

[ant]

Hi Paul. The control panel was fitted by Romahome when they did the second battery in build, if you don't have one the battery was fitted after it was built by a dealer.
Ant

[paul]

Thanks Ant. I'd reached the conclusion that I did not have a standard installation but it is good to have it confirmed that I'm unlikely to have any hidden switchgear.

I've found no evidence that my wiring is actually unsafe but I'd like to think that no installer so inept might be a dealer. I have, for instance, a wire which goes from the Zig unit (which is next to the battery, in the van) all the way to the relay (under the bonnet) where it piggy-backs a connector to go all the way back to secondary battery, then doubles back to the fridge relay under the bonnet. As far as I can see, it's three wires where one would do, and the fridge relay shouldn't be fed by the secondary battery anyway.

Another job to do when the lighter evenings arrive.

[ant]

I agree paul, that sound like an interesting installation, probably not a dealer fit , but i have seen some pretty mind boggling dealer fits in the past, yours does sound as if someone had some wire but no wire cutters!
Ant