You’ve got a motor mover on your caravan and you hit the button on the remote, but the thing won’t move. How do you get your motor mover working?
I’m going to cover chassis mount motor movers, as they’re the most popular. So, the first thing to check is whether it requires manual engagement, or an automatic one.
First check for a manual motor mover
If it’s a manual one, you’ll need to engage the motor with the wheel first yourself. Ensure this is done by physically engaging the bar you have into the spline on the mover, and use your body weight to rock the roller into contact with the wheel. Ensure it makes good contact with the tyre.
First check for an automatic motor mover
For an automatic one, your job is much easier and you should be able to just press a button on the remote to engage the motor onto the wheel. Again, ensure that it ends up making good contact with the tyre.
Check the manual
It may sound obvious, but if you have it handy, checking the manual will help. This is because some motor movers can have odd processes or tell you things that might not seem as obvious (or that you may have forgotten), especially if you haven’t used it in a while.
Is the remote paired with the motor mover?
If you have an automatic motor mover, checking that it is paired with the remote control is one of the first things to do. Check the manual for any instructions relating to pairing the two.
Check the remote’s batteries
Some movers can be sensitive to the type and power level of the batteries in the remote. So check that they are a decent set of lithium batteries, as batteries with a slightly higher voltage can make a difference.
Check the Isolation Switch
The isolator/switch can be fitted externally in an external switch box, or inside a locker where the socket is. They’re generally located where it prevents you from operating the mover when the caravan is connected to the Electric HookUp (EHU).
So ensure this is ON to use the mover.
If the switch has been ON for some time, some movers will ‘go to sleep’ so you’ll need to reset this by switching it to OFF for a while (say 5 minutes) and then back to ON.
If you’re still having issues
Check with your local dealer or the supplier of the motor mover, as it could just be a fault.