Leisure Battery Not Charging from Engine

[lrsfawcett]

Hi

Just wondered if anyone could help with our battery problem? We've recently realised that our leisure battery is no longer charging via the alternator. It used to charge it up pretty well and it is also wired so that we could have the fridge on while we were driving. The leisure battery itself is fine at charging if we use an electric hook up and it will hold it's charge.

We checked the alternator and this is working and happily charges the main bongo battery but when you test whether the flow is going through to the leisure battery nothing is happening on the meter.

Does anyone know what could be causing the problem?

Thanks for any help. Lauris.

[dblake]

If it's set up like mine there's a fuse between the batteries that could be blown.
If the leisure battery charge is low and then you start the van up the surge can make it blow.

[Cloughy]

That was the case with mine recently. The 15amp fuse near the LB was blown and the symptoms were as you describe.
Replaced the fuse and back to normal.

cloughy

[Tizzle]

This happened to me too - and it was the fuse. Frustratingly I only worked this out after driving around Europe for 4 weeks drinking warm beer due to no working fridge!

[apole]

Same here,

Check the fuse and ensure it's the right rating, I have a 70amp relay and use a 40amp fuse from memory, don't be tempted to put in a big fuse, it's there for a reason.

If it keeps going, or this isnt' the problem, check all the wiring is still in place.

Do you have a ZIG unit in the car somewhere, if so make sure it's set to touring and not on-site as this also stops the LB charging.

Failing all of that, maybe consider replacing it with a willinton kit, the cheaper ones can fail.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Andy

[g8dhe]

Be aware there are 2 fuses one at each battery feeding the VSR, so make sure you check both!

[lrsfawcett]

Thanks for all the posts on this. I've checked the fuses beside the steering wheel, the cylindrical fuses at the control unit in the rear of the bongo and the fuses under the bonnet that are located in the two main cases. These all look fine.

Will try to locate fuses at the sides of the leisure battery next and report back.

thanks, Lauris

[Foz.Foz]

Had a similar problem with mine the other month. Turns out that the split charge relay had got water in it and had rusted solid. Ordered a new one from Raw Components and it's all working again

[lrsfawcett]

Ah, it was the fuse between the two batteries after all......what joy to have cool drinks again. Thanks for the advice. Sorry for the late reply - holidays!

[fargo]

I have this problem - the 30 amp fuse keeps blowing on start up as the leisure battery is dead (it is wired in relay I think with the main battery). If I start up the bongo with the fuse out, then stick it in I hope to get some charge into the beast, other wise I will have to invest in a mains charger for the leisure battery.

There must be a better way around this, it seems to me everytime I flat the leisure battery I will blow the fuse when I start the bongo - anyone got any ideas.

[MountainGoat]

I've put a cut out on the positive terminal of my leisure battery. When not using my Bongo for a while I unscrew the the gate and leave it on the on the drivers seat. Alarm and central locking on the drivers door still works via the starter battery, other doors need locking and unlocking with the key unless I screw the gate back in place.

Tony

[fargo]

Well that did not work. I started the battery without the fuse in, popped it in and after about 45 seconds it blew.

I think I need a sparky to take a look at this unless anyone has any ideas. My wiring is the same as this except I have 30 amp fuses. The fuse that keeps blowing is the one off the main battery

[missfixit70]

If the LB is dead, it will keep blowing the 30 amp fuses, that kit isn't enough to cope with a "flat" LB (how flat is flat?), it's trying to draw more current than the fuse can handle, you'll have to charge it from a mains charger.
If you keep running your LB flat, apart from shortening it's life, this will keep happening.
Options as I see it are
Fit a bigger LB,
Run the engine for a bit to charge the LB while you're camping
Use hook up & a cheap trickle charger while you're camping
Fit a Willinton kit split charge kit http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-BONGO-100-A ... dZViewItem which can handle a bit more abuse - I think mine's got 100a cable & 70a fuses. May still have problems with a totally flat battery though.

[dp bradford]

.....My wiring is the same as this except I have 30 amp fuses. The fuse that keeps blowing is the one off the main battery.....

Mine was the same when I got it, except it had 15 amp fuses... blew the first time I ran the battery down even a bit I replaced the relay with a heavy duty 100 amp unit I sourced from ebay, uprated the wiring between the batteries and replaced the fuses with 40 amp ones. Now it works

Dave

[missfixit70]

.....My wiring is the same as this except I have 30 amp fuses. The fuse that keeps blowing is the one off the main battery.....

Mine was the same when I got it, except it had 15 amp fuses... blew the first time I ran the battery down even a bit I replaced the relay with a heavy duty 100 amp unit I sourced from ebay, uprated the wiring between the batteries and replaced the fuses with 40 amp ones. Now it works

Dave

Bit like Triggers broom then Dave It's the same unit you fitted, you've just replaced everything