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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10360
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folks
went to move the 'van this morning, and had no active ATC system.
On checking fuses, found 15A fuse in the left rear cubby fuse board, for perm 12v supply on pin 9 had blown. This was bit of a suprprise, as I would have thought the ATC system would have used the ign fed 12v on pin 10, which was OK.
I found this on the alko website:
How much power does ATC require?
When ATC is activated, it instantly draws 15 amps and must take priority over any other 12 volt equipment using the same pin – I.E. caravan battery charger.
Also
Important - A 20 amp fuse is required for the constant 12V supply to Pin 4 on the 12S socket. If only a single
fuse is fitted to supply both Pins 4 and Pin 6, the power supply capability of the installation must be checked
and a minimum fuse rating of 25 Amps must be used.
13 Pin Connection - ATC can be connected via the 13-Pin plug and requires power on Pins 9 (permanent supply)
and 13 (earth). Please ensure that your vehicle towbar is correctly connected to ensure correct ATC operation.
So it looks like I may have "activated" ATC, although I never noticed it if I did. It also looks like the standard 15A fuse LR fit in the trailer wiring fuseblock isnt big enough.
makes me also think I'll unplug the 'van whan parked for any decent length of time when still attached on the ball (like the 6hr ferry crossing) - wonder if it only draws current when activated - I'd like to think so.
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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 31st Mar 2012 1:27 pm |
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Russell
Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
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Local caravan dealer recently told me never to plug the van in whilst the car is running as it causes the fuse to blow and the ATC not to work. I had had no issues to that point but now turn the car off to be on the same side. My be the cause of your fuse blowing. MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club
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| 31st Mar 2012 2:27 pm |
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Madrunner
Member Since: 23 Oct 2011
Location: Dorset
Posts: 391
 
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We have ATC on our bailey.
ATC should be fed from perm feed at pin 9, not 10.
Fuse should be 20A - 15 is not sufficient to feed atc and also the fridge feed.
When I fitted my harness I checked with all concerned that it was ok to simply upgrade the fuse.
Deffo unplug atc if left hooked up for any period of time or it will flatten the towcar battery.
Hth
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| 31st Mar 2012 2:34 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10360
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Russ - as it turns out the ATC is fed from perm live, so you cant turn it off before plugging in (unles I add a switch in th rear of the Disco)
Madrunner, Pin 10 is ign controlled, so that feeds the fridge, not pin 9 (if your fridge is on that its incorrect), but yes, just upgraded the perm live fuse to 20A - see if this is now OK.
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 31st Mar 2012 4:10 pm |
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Madrunner
Member Since: 23 Oct 2011
Location: Dorset
Posts: 391
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Sorry Al you're quite right.
Fridge is off switched feed to 10.
Doh.
The only time I'd consider leaving the van hooked up is if you need to clear the atc memory which requires a substantial time hooked up to a permanent feed but I don't believe many people have encountered this problem.
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| 31st Mar 2012 4:28 pm |
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Dexter
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 1394
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Good info guys 
I'll uprate the 15A fuse before we head away for Easter. We have just picked up a new van with ATC.
Dex
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| 1st Apr 2012 11:07 am |
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Dexter
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 1394
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Hi, if anyone else is doing this on a D4 with factory fitted towpack, the fuse is in the main fuse board (no 54) behind the lower glove box. There do not appear to be separate fuses in the rear left cubby hole.
Dex
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| 2nd Apr 2012 8:41 am |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10360
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Just found this on the Alko site - so should be OK to leave connected
Can I leave ATC plugged in for a period of time, for example on a ferry? Will it drain the battery?
No. The ATC unit takes jus 50MA in standby mode, just enough to power the LED.
Also, as I'd blow the 15A fuse, the implication is that I'd activated the ATC system. The Alko site says this:
How do I recognise that the ATC system is working in the car?
Soft braking is noticed in the car.
I never noticed anything - whats soft braking when its at home?
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 2nd Apr 2012 9:29 am |
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Dexter
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 1394
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The ATC works by applying the brakes momentarily to whichever side is required to compensate for any detected snaking, so I guess 'soft braking' will mean that on a normal car you'll feel the van pulling a bit.
Probably not feel anything in a Disco under full flow 
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| 2nd Apr 2012 1:16 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10360
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I guess as I've towed big twin axle 'van's for such a long time, apart from feeling slightly less easy through the air (the Bailey is a bit slab fronted), it wasnt moving about any more than the previous Abbey, so I wouldnt have expected the ATC to have be activated at all, but I guess it was as the fuse had definately pulled its 15Amps, and popped.
it would be interesting to know when it was kicking in from the drivers seat, as if the damn thing is going to be on regularly, its going to do nothing for the fuel economy.
wonder how you can "monitor" it? Alko say that in the future, there "may be" a drivers module, but nothing right now - an Alko approved dealership with diag kit can tell you how many times its been activated.
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 2nd Apr 2012 1:36 pm |
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Dexter
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 1394
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I agree Al, like you I've been towing for many years without any issue whatsoever and wouldn't have paid extra for the ATC, it came on the van as part of the spec.
Must admit the more I read about ATC and the potential hassles and problems, the more I'm tempted to switch the system off and remove the push rod to de-activate it 
We're off to the lakes later this week and it's a trip we make often so I can get a good idea of fuel consumption over the 600 miles or so. Hoping the slopey nose and less weight of the new Sterling will improve things and I did notice that the shock absorbers now fitted do seem to make a difference to the tintent's stability on the move.
Dex
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| 2nd Apr 2012 3:42 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10360
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Dex, yes, interesting to see what you get MPG wise - I wasnt really expecting mine to change, as although the Bailey is 100kg les than the Abbey, its aerodynamics are worse (if looking at the frontal shape are nything to go by )
I thought that once the D3, with the aerodynamics of a small shed had punched a hole in the air, it shouldnt make too much difference to what was behind it, but I did feel like the car was having to work harder with the Bailey on the back.
When I asked the guy at Alko what the ATC would feel like when activated, he said some folks had said it was like pulling into a headwind (i guess 'cause the brakes had been applied). I thought it felt a bit like that the whole time - I'm a tad concerned now that mine might be "on" all the time.
I've a trip in May, and might get it on a diag box when we get back, and see how many time its been activated.
Any electronic D3 wizz's out there tempted to hook up a box of tricks to a Alko ATC system??
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 2nd Apr 2012 4:11 pm |
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Madrunner
Member Since: 23 Oct 2011
Location: Dorset
Posts: 391
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Hi chaps - ref ATC kicking in I've had it activate a couple of times. Nothing involving instability but bumpy roads, tight corners and small roundabouts are a usual suspect for it kicking in.
Even in the disco you'll notice if it activates.
Imagine gently applying a handbrake on a normal car, the rear sags slightly and you feel a pull from the rear of the car. It's certainly noticeable !!!
I notice it more in the disco than the navara as the disco is so comfortable at chucking the van around.
Personally I'd never tow without atc now I've had it. Like abs probably never need it but that one time you do it's there.
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| 2nd Apr 2012 6:09 pm |
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Russell
Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
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Dexter wrote:Hi, if anyone else is doing this on a D4 with factory fitted towpack, the fuse is in the main fuse board (no 54) behind the lower glove box. There do not appear to be separate fuses in the rear left cubby hole.
Dex
Dex thanks for that about the fuse on the D4 I was just going to get the book of words out and have a read MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club
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| 2nd Apr 2012 6:15 pm |
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Zapp79
Member Since: 25 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 129
 
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D4 tow pack has 2 fuses fitted 'in-line' in the back (they are in single-fuse holders). Don't know what they are or what they do though.
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| 2nd Apr 2012 6:22 pm |
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