Benimar Europe leisure battery not charging (1 Viewer)

[ROBROY10]

Help needed ! My 2001 fiat ducato benimar Europe 6000 st has stopped charging leisure battery when engine is running ! On investigation I have found that if I remove cables from leisure battery and put testing meter on ends with engine is running it shows there is full power being delivered (over 14 volts ) but as soon as I reattach cables to battery there is no charging showing on meter !!! Anyone any idea what would cause this ? Regards Richard

 

[tonyidle]

Which meter? How are you checking for a charge?

 

[ROBROY10]

With multi meter on live and earth cables ! Also control panel shows no charge when engine is running !

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[Vanman]

I'm no expert but it's hard to imagine it's not just a dead leisure battery.

 

[ROBROY10]

That was my first thought so replaced battery with brand new one but no joy ! Cheers

 

[Vanman]

It is possible, and sometimes sods law, that you get a dodgy new battery. I'd charge it away from the van on a 'normal' charger and check that it takes and then holds charge.

Even if the batteries were dead though I would still expect to see a charge on the cables, if you got one from them with no battery, less so if you are connecting to the battery terminals.

Unless of course you are connecting to the wrong terminals in which case there could be a safety cut-out!

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[two]

What is the voltage of the battery(ies) when disconnected?
Does the battery get charged on EHU?

 

[ROBROY10]

Yes battery accepts charge on ehu and from solar panel ! Had battery on charge out of vehicle so 82% charged as per control panel cheers

 

[The Nomad]

Check the connections to and from, and state of, the battery charge splitter which should be under the van attached to chassis member roughly under drivers seat (if it's a RHD van). It's close to the alternator and the charge lead (red cable) from alternator goes to it then cables come from it leading to the engine battery, leisure battery and a thin signal purple cable too which leads to your fridge. The unit is a metal block with cooling fins.
One option is that it has failed..... due to moisture ingress it being located under van when it's actually supposed to be protected from water ingres. Bad news is that Benimar don't have any of them any more. Good news is that they know a workaround involving 2 relays they can sell you via one of their dealers if you ask, and that any vehicle electrician can easily install for you ; and also that a lot of older boats used the same sort of metal block charge splitter so if that is your problem, try yacht chandlers too for a replacement.
Mine went whilst in Italy but we carried on as fridge is actually driven by leisure batteries when engine running and our 3 solar panels were charging them enough to cope... But you need to connect the purple signal cable from the block to some other " line when engine running" circuit instead as that's what tells the fridge to change from gas to 12volt.
Found a replacement unit at a yacht chandlers in Ljubljana in Slovenia for 80 euros and had it fitted by a superb motorhome/caravan dealer workshop there for from memory only about 40 euros Inc lengthening cables to make a better job.

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[ROBROY10]

Thank you for taking the time to reply ! Will have a look where you suggest asap and let you know outcome cheers !