T6.1 Mains Hook Up Not Charging Battery

[CharlieA]

Hi All,

I'm new to campervans and have had a T6.1 for about a year. I used it a lot last summer with no issues. However I have noticed that the leisure battery is no longer charging from the mains hook up. I have checked the cable and also used another but no change. I also checked the fuses on the leisure battery cables and ok. I was advised that it might be the charger unit which I removed and had tested and it works ok. I have charged the leisure battery separately and refitted and internal electrics all work. However when I plug in the mains hook up the display on the control panel does not show the connection and the battery does not charge.

It is a Denby conversion with a Sterling BBS1230 charger and a Seattle Control Panel. (Big thanks to Ben & Owen at Sterling for checking the charger and helping out, fantastic service)

Does anyone have any thoughts on what the issue may be please?

Many thanks Charlie

 

[Dellmassive]

The Stirling will charge when the engine running.

Question is do you have a seperate charger for when connected to EHU?

Is it part of your camper build?

If not, you will need to get one fitted.

 

[CharlieA]

The Stirling will charge when the engine running.

Question is do you have a seperate charger for when connected to EHU?

Is it part of your camper build?

If not, you will need to get one fitted.

Hi,

Thanks for that, as well as the charger there is an electrical control / fuse box. Does the EHU connect through that? The hook up seemed to work ok during the summer season.

Unfortunately the leisure battery then discharged as the van was not run or hooked up for about a month and that seems to be when the issue started.

Thanks Charlie

 

[Dellmassive]

not normally,

that control box is a 12v power supply and not a charger,

but post some pics of your setup, batterys and kit and well have a look for you.

 

[CharlieA]

Hi Dellmassive,

Many thanks I've attached some photos of the Sterling charger, fuse box, leisure battery and Seattle control panel.

The control panel photo has the icon for Leisure Battery Draining (as well as Low Water) even though the EHU is connected. It should show a plug symbol.

Any help much appreciated

Cheers Charlie

 

[Pauly]

I don’t see a mains voltage charger in those pictures (I’m not familiar with the black powerpart box though), the Sterling device is a DC/DC charger which will charge your leisure battery when the engine is running

So the question is do you have a mains charger installed for when your on hookup ?

 

[Dellmassive]

as @Pauly says,

no separate mains charger there.

just the POWERPART box

 

[Dellmassive]

looks like its a rebrand / cloan.


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Powerparts BCA Converter PDU EC155 Power Distribution and Harness Kit Campervan


The converter PDU harness kit is the ideal solution for converting your van into a camper.

With a complete plug and play system, compact yet powerful PDU unit,

Sleek Control panel and Water probe (for onboard water tanks), carrying out a conversion couldn’t be easier.

Included in Kit:

PDU, Wiring Harness,

Vegas Control Panel (With Water level indicator),

The PDU has a 230V input to a 25amp RCD that provides 4 230V outputs for sockets and appliances through a 16-amp MCB.

It also has a 6amp MCB for the 10amp power supply which converters 230V to 12V.

There are 12 separate fuse protected outputs for: Auxiliary, Lights, Hob/Oven, Heater, Pump/toilet, Control Panel Ignition, Control Panel Perm, Fridge, Fridge 3S, Permanent, Leisure Battery, Vehicle Battery.

PDU Dimensions – Width: 307mm Depth: 93mm Height: 262mm

The Wiring Harness has 300mm Ignition, permanent and water probe options from the PDU and a 1m length from the PDU breaking out into separate 1m lengths to feeds for: x2 lights, x2 Auxiliary, 12V fridge, Heater, Hob/Oven, Toilet, Pump and a 2M length to the Control Panel.

Vegas control Panel is a x2 C-Line in size.

The Button Panel has a master switch, Lights switch and Awning light switch, 2amp rated (Connection to awning light from Control Panel) and the meter Panel has a voltmeter and water level indicator.



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[Dellmassive]

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Compact PDU

with


Seatle display panel

 

[Dellmassive]

look at getting a EHU mains charger added.


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POWER:

• [Guide] Victronenergy.com - Wiring-Unlimited PDF
• Diagrams, Schematics & Wires -- How I Done It --
• EHU & Mobile Earthing - How We Done It -
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• Charging:
• Battery Chargers - How I Did It -
• Battery Charging - Main Battery Earth Point -
• Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It --
• [Guide] Battery Maintainer (for Starter battery) -- How I Done It --
• Which Jump Starter?
• Seat Base Electrics, EHU+Charger+solar+install - How We Done It -
• Noco Genius 10 not working correctly

 

[icb]

A few notes that may help:

1) There's definitely a charger in that PowerPart box (they refer to it as the 'power supply'), unclear what the spec of the charger is. (Powerpart PDU & Converters Wiring Harness Kit)

2) The control panel has options to enable/disable charging the leisure battery... check here: https://bcagroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Seattle-Manual.pdf

3) If control panel options are missing, this helpful person explains how to get into the manufacturer's menu, although there's no point enabling options if there's no hardware to support them, so be cautious:

Maybe something here that will help?

 

[Dellmassive]

Don't forget a power supply is just that.... A power supply.

It's not a smart charger. It doesn't have a charge profile, or temp compensation, or current limiting etc . It just puts out a fixed voltage... Normally about 12.6v or there abouts.

That won't properly charge a AGM battery as they need a higher voltage to be charged properly.

 

[icb]

Fair point regarding smart chargers. But the battery should charge, even if not fully - which is why I wonder if there's a control panel setting somewhere.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Don't forget a power supply is just that.... A power supply.

It's not a smart charger. It doesn't have a charge profile, or temp compensation, or current limiting etc . It just puts out a fixed voltage... Normally about 12.6v or there abouts.

That won't properly charge a AGM battery as they need a higher voltage to be charged properly.

One of the power supplies shown in the photos claims to be also a “Dual Stage Battery Charger” maybe there’s one inside the Power Part box.

 

[CharlieA]

Hi Folks,

Many thanks to Dellmassive, Pauly, icb & Salty Spuds for all your comments. I'm still a little confused about the leisure battery being charged when connected to EHU. When I connect via EHU the Seattle Control panel only shows the Leisure battery when it should show the 'Plug' symbol indicating EHU. The leisure battery is not charging from the EHU but is charging when driven.

However the blurb for the Power Parts PDU states:

Mains (230V) System - The PDU unit includes the consumer unit providing mains circuit protection via a double pole RCD and 16Amp MCB providing power for up to 4 x 13 Amp sockets. It also includes the transformer to provide power to the 12 volt system and charge the batteries when you're plugged in to mains electrics.

There is power from EHU getting to the Power Parts PDU as the RCD test button operates.

Should the battery be charged from EHU?

Apologies I'm not the most technical

Cheers Charlie

 

[Mick]

Hi Folks,

Many thanks to Dellmassive, Pauly, icb & Salty Spuds for all your comments. I'm still a little confused about the leisure battery being charged when connected to EHU. When I connect via EHU the Seattle Control panel only shows the Leisure battery when it should show the 'Plug' symbol indicating EHU. The leisure battery is not charging from the EHU but is charging when driven.

However the blurb for the Power Parts PDU states:

Mains (230V) System - The PDU unit includes the consumer unit providing mains circuit protection via a double pole RCD and 16Amp MCB providing power for up to 4 x 13 Amp sockets. It also includes the transformer to provide power to the 12 volt system and charge the batteries when you're plugged in to mains electrics.

There is power from EHU getting to the Power Parts PDU as the RCD test button operates.

Should the battery be charged from EHU?

Apologies I'm not the most technical

Cheers Charlie

Yes it should. I’m presuming that none of the MCB, RCDs have tripped or there isn’t a blown fuse somewhere and all the 13a sockets in the van work.

 

[CharlieA]

Afternoon,

Progress of a sort ... I rechecked all the fuses and found that a 25A fuse had blown on the connection small fuse box (2 x 25A) that appears to connect the positive and negative of the battery to a cable that runs underneath the van.

I disconnected the leisure battery and replaced the fuse (red LED when blown). As soon as I reconnected the leisure battery the fuse blew.

Van is not connected to EHU, RCD was off and ignition off.

Thanks again to all, really appreciate the advice, any thoughts on what might be causing the fuse to blow?

Thanks Charlie

 

[CharlieA]

Photos of blown fuse in box (red LED)

 

[Mick]

Afternoon,

Progress of a sort ... I rechecked all the fuses and found that a 25A fuse had blown on the connection small fuse box (2 x 25A) that appears to connect the positive and negative of the battery to a cable that runs underneath the van.

I disconnected the leisure battery and replaced the fuse (red LED when blown). As soon as I reconnected the leisure battery the fuse blew.

Van is not connected to EHU, RCD was off and ignition off.

Thanks again to all, really appreciate the advice, any thoughts on what might be causing the fuse to blow?

Thanks Charlie

Check the cable for chafing to the chassis along it entire route. that’ll short it and blow the fuses.

 

[CharlieA]

Yes it should. I’m presuming that none of the MCB, RCDs have tripped or there isn’t a blown fuse somewhere and all the 13a sockets in the van work.

Hi Mick,

Just identified a blown fuse but keeps on blowing.

Thanks Charlie