[OldSoldier]

Hi, I'm fairly new to motorhoming and have just bought a new Compass. When the ignition is turned on all the power automatically cuts out in the back of the MH. Is this a legal requirement and if so why?. I use to drive coaches and passengers have reading lights. I can run a DVD player in the back of my car but cannot do the same from the "leisure" battery supply in the MH.
Is there a way to isolate this and allow sensible use of the rear electrics?
Regards. Pete.

 

[Anonymous]

awd

 

[zulurita]

Hi Pete,

Yes unfortunately this is the case now, new rules and regs for at least 2 years now or maybe more. I know the first 2 motorhomes we could use the 12v when the ignition was on. Probably a saftety issue.........and probably coming from EU but we never had any sagety issues with the old set up.

regards

 

[Anonymous]

Pete, it is the interpretation of the elctro-magnetic interference standards in the UK that most local manufacturers follow that route. Many European manufacturers do not disable the habitaion 12v, I guess they interperet the rules differently.

It is possible to by-pass if you have a manual with the wiring diagram, or any good auto-electrician will be able to do.

It is a very emotive subject, and some will argue that it could upset your ABS, air-bag, engine management system or whatever, and then happily plug in a DVD or TomTom or a miriad of other devices without any consideration!

I have done it on my 'van. Keeps the kids happy/reading/playing with rear lights in the dark winter months. As you say, busses run their lights in the back?

Pete

 

[MOTORHOMER]

I find it a damn pain

Motorhomer

 

[OldSoldier]

HI Thanks for this. I do have a wiring diagram but cannot tell from it what relay is being used to isolate the circuits. If anyone has any ideas I would be grateful. I have a new ELDDIS ( PEUGEOT ) COMPASS AVANTGARDE 200 and am travelling up to Scotland overnight on Friday night. It would be nice to have some lighting in the back for the passengers.
Regards. Pete.

quote="NorwegianBlue"]Pete, it is the interpretation of the elctro-magnetic interference standards in the UK that most local manufacturers follow that route. Many European manufacturers do not disable the habitaion 12v, I guess they interperet the rules differently.

It is possible to by-pass if you have a manual with the wiring diagram, or any good auto-electrician will be able to do.

It is a very emotive subject, and some will argue that it could upset your ABS, air-bag, engine management system or whatever, and then happily plug in a DVD or TomTom or a miriad of other devices without any consideration!

I have done it on my 'van. Keeps the kids happy/reading/playing with rear lights in the dark winter months. As you say, busses run their lights in the back?

Pete[/quote]

 

[89539]

Pete,

On my Auto-Sleepers, that part of the circuit was not in the wiring diagram :evil:

I had to re-draw it myself, but it did not take too long to work out what wire was doing what. For mine, the one relay sorts the fridge when the alternator is charging and the habitation was on the NC or "87a" terminal on the second relay. That relay also has a connection from the leisure battery to the vehicle battery while the alternator is charging on the NO terminal. I did not change any of the other wiring, but fed a dedicated 12v feed for the habitation circuit via it's fuse by-passing the relay. I can easily put it back to it's original state.

Hope this helps.
Pete

 

[OldSoldier]

Thanks Pete. I will give it a go tonight.
Regards. Pete.

Pete,

That relay also has a connection from the leisure battery to the vehicle battery while the alternator is charging on the NO terminal. I did not change any of the other wiring, but fed a dedicated 12v feed for the habitation circuit via it's fuse by-passing the relay. I can easily put it back to it's original state.

Hope this helps.
Pete

 

[OldSoldier]

All done. Will let you know if it has any adverse affects when we get back from Bonny Scotland in a week or so.
Many Thanks.
Pete.

Thanks Pete. I will give it a go tonight.
Regards. Pete.

Pete,

That relay also has a connection from the leisure battery to the vehicle battery while the alternator is charging on the NO terminal. I did not change any of the other wiring, but fed a dedicated 12v feed for the habitation circuit via it's fuse by-passing the relay. I can easily put it back to it's original state.

Hope this helps.
Pete