Q&A – How do we get the electrics to work?
We’ve bought a 1991 Colchester 1500-2EB and are absolutely delighted with it. It is in extremely good condition - virtually as new. We bought a fitting so that we could try out the electrics but nothing seems to work - lights etc.
We're certain that we're just doing something stupid. We've flicked all the switches off and on that we can find that look as if they might control the electric coming into the caravan without any joy.
The seller said everything was in working order although he didn't demonstrate that things were working but as it's in such good condition we've no reason for thinking that there is a fault.
Can you think of any small thing we might be over-looking?
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Response
Congratulations on your purchase!! We will be able to sort your issues.
Have you got an Owners Handbook? This will give you all you need by way of what you need to do to get everything to work by way of water gas and electric and more.
How do you know your caravan is a 1991 model year? I ask this question because I've talked with so many owners who have given me their caravan detail only to find it was a different year of manufacture to that which they thought. If you can let me have either the 17 digit number etched on the window or the detail off the plate located at low level beside the door.
Have you tried connecting the 240 volt mains electric to the caravan? What happens?
I assume you have a 12 volt leisure connected to the 12 volt electrical systems in your caravan and that it is fully charged and shows a voltage of at least 12.5 volts across it's terminals with the charger and 12 volt circuits switched off
Reply
The serial no 91 FL000***
We have connected to mains electric but nothing happens.
My husband is saying that there is no battery in the little compartment (on the outside of the caravan where he's plugged in the mains) perhaps that's all we need. I feel as if we're just missing something simple.
Response
OK, that does make a difference! It's always advisable to have a battery fitted but not essential.
The serial number confirms it's a 1991 year.
Can you send me a photo of your mains / 12 volt control panel, from that I'll know what I'm dealing with.
It will have some indicator lights for mains/battery condition, a few switches and 12 volt fuses. It could either under the seats or at low level in the wardrobe.
The 12 volt controller should look something like the picture below:-
Reply
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Picture of the white box |
Response
The white box is the mains electric MCB's & RCB trips for the 240 Volt systems.
What's to the left can the cover come off??
Reply
| To the left | Something electrical | Something else electrical |
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Response
Well that's interesting!!
This first photo as I said to you is the water heater, a Cascade, the second is the heater control switch, and the third photo is not what I was expecting, I don't think that this is Fleetwood original equipment but I think it must have been installed in place of.
So looking from left to right the white item is a 12v socket with what looks to be a co-ax outlet for the TV. The 2nd item is the battery condition indicator while the third item is what's most likely causing you all the problems. Before I go into that let’s check something else:-
Look in the external battery compartment, to the left (or right) of that you should see the battery charger and on this somewhere there should be an ON/OFF switch.
Ensure that the charger is switched off and the battery connections are isolated from each other together with all the switches on the white box that you sent me, before you connect the mains to the caravan
Switch on the main RCB breaker then the other switches one by one. You should be able to turn on the 230 volt mains lights, water heater and any other mains equipment you have in the van.
Let me know what happens.
Update
Put a leisure battery in and that seems to have sorted things out!
