Does it have some sort of inbuilt charger and the electrics work through the battery and how can I check please?
Thank you. The plate only gives weights. It's not much help but I think it's 1994/5. There is a manual but it doesn't say much about the electrics except for towing purposes.
I may be answering my own question (can you guess I am not technical) but there is a box above a cupboard with controls showing charging and state of battery. My confusion comes from the fact that the previous owner said they ran "it off the mains" but the light bulbs are 12v. My assumption is that one plugs in on site to 240v and it charges the battery which provides the power? Just want to be sure as I'm completely new to caravanning.
Response
If your van is 1994/95 it was built after they introduced the 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
This 17 character number will be die-stamped into the caravan drawbar and chemically etched at eye level on the windows.
e.g. SGFS000FLXC000101
Yours should show an R or an S after the 000FL to indicate 1994 or 1995.
Your caravan is equipped to work on both 230 volt and 12 volt electrics.
The 230 volt system is connected to your van in one of the outside lockers. You'll need a special extension lead to go from the site mains to the van.
The mains operates some lighting, microwave oven (where fitted), water heater, fridge etc, plus some 230 volt sockets for other items you choose to use. It also has a 230 volt to 12 volt Battery charger to maintain the leisure battery topped up.
The leisure battery is located in the same outside locker as the mains cable connector for the 230 volt supply. The battery is for working all the 12 volt items in your van such as some of the lighting, water pump for the hot and cold water systems, radio, and some 12 volt sockets for specific items of equipment you may wish to have, such as a TV etc.
Both the 230 volt and 12 volt systems are housed in a single enclosure inside the caravan, normally under the front seating area nearest the locker where the mains cable / battery are located, or possibly within the wardrobe. This unit is called a PDU - power distribution unit.
It has a main earth trip switch plus a few mains trip switches for the two or three circuits on the 230 volt side. There will also be a switch to turn on the charger plus all the 12 volt fuses for the various circuits.
You should also be aware that when there is no mains available on a site most items of equipment in you van will work via the 12 volt and the bottled gas.
An example of this is the fridge, which will operate off the gas supply and the 230 volt supply and the 12 volt battery, also your fridge will work off your car battery when you connect your cables to the car, start the engine and have the fridge switched to 12 volt.
The hot water system will work off 12 volt to run the pump and the bottled gas to heat the water.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
That's really helpful - many thanks. One last query - the battery is at the front in a compartment but there is an inlet at the side of the caravan for electrics marked 220/240v. Am I right in assuming it will be this which provides the 230v power - and if so, does it charge the battery?
