Relay issue

[JPR]

Hi,

Recently my voltage sensitive split charge relay started clicking on and off constantly. I noticed it immediately on starting the engine, when the engine was running constantly at any speed and idling. I fitted a new relay which solved the problem for the next 50 or so miles. The next journey it clicked on and off again for a short time after starting the engine then behaved as expected for the remainder of the journey. Now it is back to clicking on and off again constantly.

Any ideas? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers.

Jon

 

[Spriddler]

Welcome.
It's clicking (switching on and off) due to an intermittent power supply. I doubt that the relay itself is faulty.
I'd check that all the relay's connections are clean and tight plus the feed connection from the alternator D+ output.

 

[Phill D]

Hi and welcome,
Sorry can’t help more but check the power supply to the relay.
this may bump your question back to the top

 

[Pausim]

Possibly a poor connection or perhaps voltage drop. When the device connects the second battery the voltage drop may be enough to take it below the voltage threshold of the voltage sensitive device. Voltage up clicks on, voltage drops as battery connects so clicks off, voltage then goes up again because the battery is disconnected so clicks on again………………

 

[Lenny HB]

Have you got a solar panel charging your starter battery?
If so that will be the problem, you can't use a voltage sensing relay with solar.
VSR are best avoided on campers/motorhomes far better to fit a standard wired relay.

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[autorouter]

The first question: is the voltage sensitive relay (VSR) switching on and off because the voltage is going above and below the switching thresholds? I would guess that's what is happening, because you have fitted a new relay and the clicking continues. But you can check by putting a voltmeter on the relay input terminals.

Next, remove the fuse at the leisure battery end of the wire from the VSR. Does the clicking stop? If it stops, then that means there is excessive voltage drop between the starter battery and the VSR. Since it went for some time working correctly, that means the wiring is thick enough, so that's not the problem. It could be a bad connection somewhere between the starter battery and the VSR. If you've eliminated the positive connections, look at the negative return path, through the earth straps and chassis connections. A bad connection in the negative return path will cause voltage drop just like in the positive feed.

 

[Landy Andy]

You should be able to fInd the voltage it engages at and the voltage it separates at. Then use a multimeter to find out what you are getting from your alternator. Perhaps your too near the limit, so keeps flicking in and out, and so killed the old one, and is now doing the same with this one. possibly the clicking in and out was as a lot of the power would have been going to recharge your starter battery, then when that was done, had more power to keep relay engaged.

 

[Hoovie]

Welcome.
It's clicking (switching on and off) due to an intermittent power supply. I doubt that the relay itself is faulty.
I'd check that all the relay's connections are clean and tight plus the feed connection from the alternator D+ output.

just an FYI ... if it is a Voltage Sensing Relay, it does not have a feed from the Alternator D+ output (it works on Voltage Sensing, not an D+ signal)

 

[Spriddler]

just an FYI ... if it is a Voltage Sensing Relay, it does not have a feed from the Alternator D+ output (it works on Voltage Sensing, not an D+ signal)

Useful info for the PO as he didn't say (didn't/doesn't know?) which he has.

 

[JPR]

Thank you very much for everyones replies You've been extremely helpful. I investigated the leisure battery side of the relay and readjusted a few connections. Seems to have done the trick.

Really appreciate the support.

Cheers.

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[JPR]

Useful info for the PO as he didn't say (didn't/doesn't know?) which he has.

Thanks for this also. The connection comes directly from the battery.

Cheers.