Leasure battery not charging or appearing when switched to yet it 12.1V (1 Viewer)

hondafan

Free Member
Oct 8, 2021
5
0
Funster No
84,734
MH
Swift Sundance 2004
Exp
Just got my first one
So I just got myself my first motorhome a 2004 swift sundance on a ducato body, I'm a mechanic but a lot of these systems are new to me.

so atm I have a switch above the door which I can choose between the van battery or the pleasure battery when I flick to the pleasure battery nothing appears... on the van battery I'm about 75%

I located the battery and it has 12.1V but when plugged in and switched to the leasure battery it's not charging and shows nothing on the voltmeter above the door. when I switch it to the van battery it shows it charging...

any ideas where to start ? I'm guessing relay or something ? I checked the fuses in the cupboard and there all okay.
 
Dec 24, 2014
9,033
46,425
Hurstpierpoint. Mid Sussex.
Funster No
34,553
MH
Compass Navigator
Exp
Ever since lighting was by Calor gas.
Granny......eggs, so forth as you're a mechanic, but are the pleasure ( (y) ) battery connections/terminal posts clean and making good contact?
Presumably no other 12v equipment is working - water pump, fridge control panel, interior lights etc. when EHU isn't connected?
Has the 12v previously worked O.K?
 
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hondafan

hondafan

Free Member
Oct 8, 2021
5
0
Funster No
84,734
MH
Swift Sundance 2004
Exp
Just got my first one
12v kit all works but only when switched to the van battery, nothing from the leisure battery at all.

i only just purchased the van and its problem I have found :(

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Mar 30, 2019
2,762
5,130
Cardiff, UK
Funster No
59,476
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2016
There is usually a separate fuse close to the battery protecting the main supply cable out from the battery, this may have blown.
 
Apr 27, 2016
6,800
7,837
Manchester
Funster No
42,762
MH
A class Hymer
Exp
Since the 80s
As well as checking the leisure battery contacts, there will a be a main fuse near the leisure battery. This is on the main supply wire to the habitation distribution/fusebox. The display panel is connected to the distribution/fusebox, so if power isn't reaching there, the display panel won't show it.

If that fuse has blown, there'll be no power from the leisure battery, but also the alternator and mains charger won't be able to charge it.
 
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hondafan

hondafan

Free Member
Oct 8, 2021
5
0
Funster No
84,734
MH
Swift Sundance 2004
Exp
Just got my first one
ignore the red wire that's for an inverter I am putting in, but the fuse looks okay on the other wire, ill check the engine fuse in the morning but don't understand how that would affect the leisure side of things when the main battery everything works.

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Mar 30, 2019
2,762
5,130
Cardiff, UK
Funster No
59,476
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2016
That brown/blue wire is the main cable from the battery to the control panel if the fuse is blown no power can get from the battery to the rest of the van, also the power can't get to the battery from the onboard charger when plugged in to mains power or the the alternator when the engine is running
 
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hondafan

hondafan

Free Member
Oct 8, 2021
5
0
Funster No
84,734
MH
Swift Sundance 2004
Exp
Just got my first one
fuse there is spot on, I meant if a fuse engine side had gone I can't see that affecting the circuits from the leisure battery completely.
 

Eggs

Free Member
Jan 3, 2018
1,633
2,934
Suffolk
Funster No
51,836
ignore the red wire that's for an inverter I am putting in, but the fuse looks okay on the other wire, ill check the engine fuse in the morning but don't understand how that would affect the leisure side of things when the main battery everything works.
Are those spade connectors at the bottom of the black fuse holder? The brown/blue sheathed in red is on the skew, as it come adrift?

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Apr 19, 2008
1,938
2,916
Kent coast Hythe
Funster No
2,211
MH
Rapido fiat based
Exp
brought first van 16 yrs ago
Although fuse looks intact check the continuity with a meter, or as comments above remake the fuse holder.
1633719861909.png
 
Jan 28, 2008
10,104
18,259
Dovercourt, Harwich, UK
Funster No
1,353
MH
Renalt burstner
Exp
7 years campers before that
12,1 is a pretty flat battery what happens to the voltage both on the battery and on the panel when the engine is running?
 
Jul 8, 2008
1,135
1,463
Weymouth, Dorset, UK
Funster No
3,231
MH
c build
Exp
6 yr
it might be the that the charger gone use
or if it like this you might find the fresh water does not work as well

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Jaws

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2008
23,821
71,977
Thetford Norfolk
Funster No
4,189
MH
C class, Chieftain
Exp
since 2006 ( I think ! )
Are you within easy travelling distance of Thetford in Norfolk ?
If you are I would be happy to go through it with you and sort it out
Long since retired so obviously no fiscal remuneration involved :)
 
Apr 27, 2016
6,800
7,837
Manchester
Funster No
42,762
MH
A class Hymer
Exp
Since the 80s
If you think the main leisure battery supply fuse is OK, check that the voltage is reaching the distribution/fusebox. If not then there is a break/bad contact somewhere. If it's reaching the fusebox OK, then there are other possibilities. What make/model number is the distribution/fusebox?

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hondafan

hondafan

Free Member
Oct 8, 2021
5
0
Funster No
84,734
MH
Swift Sundance 2004
Exp
Just got my first one
this is the box and this is the meter plugged in shows it full (same if I flick to van battery) as soon as I unplug drops to nothing on the leisure...

Afraid I'm Northampton so quite the drive away
 

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Oct 10, 2018
1,959
1,098
Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex
Funster No
56,646
MH
PVC
Exp
Since 2005
There is a wiring diagram, which may help , for a 2006 Swift Sundance in the Resources section (on the top line above ) it is in the Manuals for Motorhome stuff section. and I think it may be the same as your 2004 model.
There may be 3 x fuses with a relay near the starter battery.
 
Apr 22, 2018
6,779
12,489
Herts.
Funster No
53,503
MH
Adria Coral lowline
this is the box and this is the meter plugged in shows it full (same if I flick to van battery) as soon as I unplug drops to nothing on the leisure...

Afraid I'm Northampton so quite the drive away
In your first photo it shows that the hab battery is at 100%. I assume this is because it is plugged into the mains. Are you sure it not just a knackered hab battery you’ve got?

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Jaws

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2008
23,821
71,977
Thetford Norfolk
Funster No
4,189
MH
C class, Chieftain
Exp
since 2006 ( I think ! )
Afraid I'm Northampton so quite the drive away
LOL !!! You are DEF new to motorhomes ! :)
Its only about 75 miles..
In a couple of years time chances are 75 miles will hardly be worth starting the van up :) But hopefully we can get it sorted on here for you
As a starter, you are gonna have to do a bit of searching and find the change over relay
Once found get someone to start the van while you hold a finger on it to see if it clicks
If it clicks check the voltage on the brown/blue wire. It should rise to around 14v charging voltage
If it does and that 20a fuse is ok, all that is left is the actual wire its self.. which is quite possible as you have no feed from the hab battery to the hab electrics and also the hook up charger
 
Mar 30, 2019
2,762
5,130
Cardiff, UK
Funster No
59,476
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2016
The brown/blue cable comes from the leisure battery positive and goes to the back of the selector switch on the control panel. When you press the switch down the current from the leisure battery flows down the brown/red cable from the back of the switch to the 12v distribution box, that's the black box in the wardrobe. When the mains powered charger (also in that black box) is switched on the current flows up the brown/red cable which is why the meter reads full. So either your leisure battery is completely flat, your fuse is gone next to the battery, the red/blue cable has broken or corroded somewhere along it's length or the connection has come off the back of the switch. If you can get access to the back of the switch on the control panel you can check for current there.
 
Oct 10, 2018
1,959
1,098
Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex
Funster No
56,646
MH
PVC
Exp
Since 2005
hondafan I see you have an earlier Plug in systems power control system fitted so I do not think the diagrams I pointed out in the resources section will be any help ,as they are Sargent systems , hopefully other ideas may help.
There normally is a relay fitted that cuts off the 12v leisure supply when the engine is started but I do not know if it would stop the charger working as well if it was faulty.

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busbuddy

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 2, 2018
1,291
2,895
leicestershire
Funster No
56,515
MH
swift suntor 630G
Exp
since 1994
This is the wiring diagram I used when working on mine, that era chargers are much the same...nothing fancy so it's just out with the multimeter and trace the wires
 

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