Battery charging (1 Viewer)

[WinnietheBrave]

I have a problem with my house battery not charging, while I driving or on a hook up.
I'm not sure if this problem was there when i bought the van, as the batteries that were in it were finished, i relpaced them a few months ago with some second hand (free) batteries, which were ok untill the last two trips out when i noticed they weren't charging.
Someone as rigged up a relay between the starter and the house battery, on test this is working, but when in place it doesn't switch.
Any ideas?

 

[Dodgey]

Relay between house and started battery, I'd remove for a start, get thing standard and go from there, my opinion but the amount of vehicle I've had with bodged up wiring beggers belief, and invariable causes problems. Anyway, a good start point as long as you confident messing.

Next up, check the control panel for any blown fuses?

Not sure on the Winne, but our first RV wasn't charging and it turned out to be a circuit breaker in the geni locker, I know ours has a circuit breaker, and a fuse, in there but whether it's related, well hopefully someone else can advise?

Also, hows your hook up done for 240? Our has a cable wired direct to a transformer feeding the 110 stuff including the charger. When not required it plugs into a socket wired back to the geni, to allow charge etc. I know if it's not plugged in we wont get engine charging of the leasure batteries or (obviously) the genni to run the van. Don't know if this would affest te 240 though but a thought none the less?

 

[WinnietheBrave]

Relay between house and started battery, I'd remove for a start, get thing standard and go from there, my opinion but the amount of vehicle I've had with bodged up wiring beggers belief, and invariable causes problems. Anyway, a good start point as long as you confident messing.

Next up, check the control panel for any blown fuses?

Not sure on the Winne, but our first RV wasn't charging and it turned out to be a circuit breaker in the geni locker, I know ours has a circuit breaker, and a fuse, in there but whether it's related, well hopefully someone else can advise?

Also, hows your hook up done for 240? Our has a cable wired direct to a transformer feeding the 110 stuff including the charger. When not required it plugs into a socket wired back to the geni, to allow charge etc. I know if it's not plugged in we wont get engine charging of the leasure batteries or (obviously) the genni to run the van. Don't know if this would affest te 240 though but a thought none the less?

I don't know how the hook up for 240 is done, I have two cables in that stowed area, one being the hook up the other I was told was to get power from the gennie, you had to join the two together. I haven't done this as yet as I can't get the gennie to run (I will post this problem seperatley)

The van was imported from new and sold through a company who's name eludes at the moment, but they still exist, so would assume it was done professionally?

If i can I'll post pictures of said problem areas.

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[hilldweller]

Someone as rigged up a relay between the starter and the house battery, on test this is working, but when in place it doesn't switch.
Any ideas?

That is standard European design. The relay is connected from ground to D+ on the alternator so as soon as the alternator generates some volts the two batteries are joined but when stopped the starter battery is safe from discharge.

There must be a few fuses that need checking.

I've no idea how the yanks do it - they listen to Sinatra "I did it my way".

 

[Dodgey]

That does sound similar to our setup and ours has to be plugged together when not on hookup, that said you said the batteries are not charging from hook up so that blows that theoryoh:

 

[WinnietheBrave]

Link RemovedNot sure if this will help, as it looks a mess to me, but this is what I have under the entry steps.

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[Dodgey]

I'd trace the 'extras' out and remove as a matter of routine. If it's doing something usefull reinstall properly and safely, piece of mind as much as anything?

 

[hilldweller]

Link RemovedNot sure if this will help, as it looks a mess to me, but this is what I have under the entry steps.

First Mr Bond you must cut the thin red wire. Wait 30 seconds exactly and cut the thin black wire. If any of these wires touches ground it will detonate and the surrounding ten miles will be a nuclear wasteland for the next 500 years.




Looks mickey mouse. That relay looks small to be carrying battery loads. Needs improving or removing.

 

[WinnietheBrave]

Any pictures and details of what should be in there?

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[Dodgey]

There should be nothing but the battery (thick bits of) cables. As said trace out where the other cables go and what they do first then see if they are a problem or needed. If needed redo properly/safely, if not bin 'em.

 

[Terry]

Hi from your pics it looks a straight forward relay job ie alternator to relay then to a fuse then battery/ fridge If you want to run both fridge and battery charging you need a twin relay :thumb: You need to check if the relay is working and the fuse intact

terry

 

[Dodgey]

Yank fridges, or at least the majority and the one's these Winne's use have 12 volt for operation only and the refrigeration part is either gas or mains 110 via transformer usually.

That wireing is a lash up for something non standard.

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[Terry]

Yank fridges, or at least the majority and the one's these Winne's use have 12 volt for operation only and the refrigeration part is either gas or mains 110 via transformer usually.

That wireing is a lash up for something non standard.

???? are you saying the fridge only works via gas and 110v :thumb: not on 12v at all ?
If no 12v operation then the wiring is straight from the relay - fuse - battery bank :thumb: that should be a simple job to test :thumb: because the fridge is out of the loop.It is obviously a home / self fitted relay - first job is to see if it has a in-line fuse / check ( put one on then if it has not got one ) check if the relay is working, if not replace . The wire looks good enough to carry 12 / 14 v to the battery bank, but if you are not sure replace with thicker wire:thumb:
terry

 

[Dodgey]

12 volt does the ignition (gas) and general control not the cooling. This wireing will be an add on for something else, or a bodged repair but I favor the former.

 

[Terry]

cheers for that :thumb: the wiring in that case will be a straight forward relay to charge the batts
terry

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[WinnietheBrave]

The relay works fine on a bench test, but nothing when put back. It has 12v on one terminal, one is earth,Trouble is I'm having is tracing where the red goes to from the relay, it disappears into a loom by the n/s indicator??

 

[Dodgey]

The relay works fine on a bench test, but nothing when put back. It has 12v on one terminal, one is earth,Trouble is I'm having is tracing where the red goes to from the relay, it disappears into a loom by the n/s indicator??

Near side indicator???

Lift your dash and see where/if it come into the van and keep tracing. Relays etc are left hand side of bonnet under a cover that, err, (should) say relays so it's possible ones gone and been bodged.

 

[WinnietheBrave]

Near side indicator???

Lift your dash and see where/if it come into the van and keep tracing. Relays etc are left hand side of bonnet under a cover that, err, (should) say relays so it's possible ones gone and been bodged.

I may just cap that one and run a new one, at least I will know from whence it came.

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[acting_strange]

Can you give us any numbers names etc from the relay so we could look it up??

 

[WinnietheBrave]

Can you give us any numbers names etc from the relay so we could look it up??

Its just a normal switching relay, I'll have a look at numbers tomorrow, although I don't think it is the relay at fault because it worked on a bench test. I think the problem may be where it is getting the power from? Still haven't managed to trace that yet.
To many fault's, I should focus on one at a time

 

[Dodgey]

To many fault's, I should focus on one at a time

Wise words:thumb: