C15 electrics

[sevencranes]

Hi All,

Had anyone acquired a wiring diagram for their Romahome (C15D)?

Currently having problems with the water pump and fridge. Water pump not working, and the fridge not working on either mains hookup or through the dashboard switch. But the cabin lights work. Any suggestions? Leisure battery is fully charged and earth seems good.

Alternatively, has anyone rewired their van? How did you (or did you) keep the fridge workibg only from the mains or engine, and have you managed to incorporate the ability to charge/run from a solar panel?

Thanks,
Mike

[peterfowden]

Hi Mike,
there is a manual for a c15 hylo on the top of the Romahome chat section.
You don't say the age of your Romahome c15. We had a 89 year with no hook up. If yours had an aftermarket hook it may not be wired for mains on the fridge. We used to get our fridge going on gas before a journey 2hrs or so and then switch to 12v while travelling to help keep things cold.
Even after 3/4hr trips on just 12v it didn't seem to get the fridge going cold .
Does the fridge work ok on gas ?
If not Ant has a trick of taking it out turning it upside down for a couple of hours to get the fluid round the pipes I think and then right way up and try again.
I think he also says for a hour or so you can run the gas and mains at the same time to get things moving. I'm sure he will correct me if am wrong.
I think you'd need a massive solar panel to keep the fridge working as they use alot of juice.
Good luck

[peterfowden]

Sorry forgot about water pump.
Can you hear it running, if so it might have an airlock. Artoo said he filled his tank up undid the inlet hose til water arrived clipped it back and then out let the same and hey presto glug glug and running water.
I ended up putting a garden hose on inlet to pump with it running to get it primed.
Cheers

[jayjay]

Nothing to add except that my little romahome demountable was retro wired for EHU and the fridge was gas only... I never used it on 12v for the same reason as Peter, it was better just to fill it with ice packs and use it as a cool box until I arrived on site, then light the gas. I also had to turn my fridge upside down for an hour then back the right way and let it settle before it would light on gas the first time I tried it. It hadn't been used for ages.

If there is no 3 pin plug to your fridge and no nearby plug socket I would think it's gas only.

A fridge on 12v will only work whilst driving along if you have a relay to your leisure battery and 12v wiring for the fridge.

If its gas only (as in 2-way and not 3-way) then it's not a problem, once cold they are much more efficient on gas and don't use a great deal. Solar panels will not run a fridge. They would charge your leisure battery (if big enough) but even a fully charged leisure battery would only run a fridge on 12v for at the most four hours before it was flat.

[sevencranes]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for reply.

My camper is a 2000 X reg. Has built in mains-to-fridge, rather than after market, although I suspect a new mains charger has been installed (doesn't seem to be the same model as in the manual I have. Thanks for hint on the hylo manual. Will have a look. Haven't yet tried the fridge on gas.

Waterpump itself works. Have taken it off and put it across a 12v battery to prove. Problem there seems to be the panel thing. Power is getting from the leisure battery to the panel, but not across to the outlets, its seems.

I was thinking of solar to charge the leisure battery when not hooked up, rather than running the fridge direct..

thanks,
Mike

[peterfowden]

Hi Mike,
it might be an idea to put a question on the ask Ant section. He will probably point you in the right direction and you'll wonder why you didn't think of that yourself . That's what happens when I need help anyway.
Hate electrics you either find the problem straightaway or along way down the track.Worse if you have intermitant faults though.
Good luck let us know how you get on .

[paul]

Currently having problems with the water pump

I had a problem with the water in my C15 recently. After laborious tests I ascertained that the battery was supplying power, the pump worked with power supplied to it, the tap switched the power on and off and the wiring was intact. It just didn't work when it was all put together.

I decided the most likely suspect was the tap. My nearest caravan supplier sold me one - better than the original - for just £15, and this solved the problem.

The tap must have been switching the power on, then consuming so much current itself that there was insufficient to make the pump work (but ample to register on circuit testers).

If you think that your tap is at fault, it is easy to replace. It is held in with just one plastic nut which is accessible from inside the wardrobe. Do the usual trick of warming the ends of the hoses to get them off and on more easily. A hair-dryer will do , or a hot-air gun on a low setting.