Leisure battery query from a non techie!

[Klikchik]

Please bear in my mind Im not a techie car person but Im a quick learner!!

I have had a ongoing pretty disastrous start to Bongo ownership, mainly due to electrics. I've had continuous fuses going, flat main car battery and waeco fridge fulls of spoilt food due to 12v sockets not working when parked up.

I eventually took my much loved Bongo to a reputable auto electrician who said the electrics were a complete amateur botch job and he changed everything including the split relay. Ive not a had any fuses go since but I now have two new problems.

Firstly the main car battery goes flat at the slightest thing. I can put the keys in the ignition for a minute or two and the battery goes flat or the car struggles to start.

Secondly and much more frustrating, because Im going to the Outer Hebrides wild camping next week, when I plug my Waeco compressor fridge in when the car is stopped, no power gets to the fridge (from either socket). The sockets, radio, dvd and interior light all apparently come from the leisure battery. This is where I become confused. With the Bongo stopped with the engine off, the radio and dvd player work (but whats a movie without a cold beer?!) When I plug the fridge in.....nothing The sockets and the fridge work when the car is running.

I took the car to get the batteries tested today and the leisure battery was, in the guys words, 'knackered' and the main battery wasn't 'tip top' but acceptable, the alternator was testing fine. Anyway, I got a new leisure battery, drove an hour and hoped all was going to be rosy when I plugged in the fridge when I got home.......but nothing

Am I missing something? The auto electrician is fully booked and I leave next week for what was going to be a dream trip Ive wanted to do for over 20 years. Any help is very gratefully received.

Katie

[g8dhe]

Hum, difficult to suggest what to do, it obviously has not been completely fixed yet ! The minimum you can do is put the Starter battery on a mains charger for at lest 48 hours to give it a decent charge, then repeat for the L/B. That will at least allow you to start a few times, and provided you have decent runs (20 minutes minimum @ over 3000 Revs) between starts it will replace the charge used to start the van. But I think your only option is to get back to the auto electrician to get it sorted.

[Velocette]

It sounds like the Auto electrician has solved the main problems but the sockets going off with the engine is normal. having them stay powered by the leisure battery is customisation and you need someone to do this for you. The outgoing side of the fuseholder that supplys the sockets needs to be connected to the LB via an external fuseholder and the fuse moved to this new fuseholder. this is a two minute job if you have the Willington LB Installation kit, maybe 15 minutes to half an hour if you don't. (Sounds like you haven't).

Maybe a kind Club Member in your area can help you out.

[Lotustuart]

I had same problem with 3 pin sockets. Turns out they are wired to only work with my electic hook up. 3 pin electrics running on leisure battery = dead battery very quickly.

[seventiesboy]

Sounds a confusing problem.
I can't help personally but Daveaber is in Elgin and I am sure would be able to point you towards someone in the area that could.
He may be along later or you could PM.

Good luck.

Enjoy the Hebrides. we were there last summer and had a top time.

[dandemann8]

I had same problem with 3 pin sockets. Turns out they are wired to only work with my electic hook up. 3 pin electrics running on leisure battery = dead battery very quickly.

I'm surprised they work at all

[dave_aber]

Hi Katie,

I'm back at a proper keyboard now, I was using my phone earlier (in class, naughty!)

It sounds like you have a couple of issues to deal with.

First one is the starter battery, as without that working you'll not be going anywhere.

As for the fridge / sockets, it sounds like they are not patched over to the leisure battery correctly - should be reasonably simple to sort out.

I'll be home on Friday evening, and no doubt have too much to drink when I get home, so I'll give you a ring on Saturday morning. I'm away to Forres on Sunday to the classic car thing, but we can sort it out between Sat and Monday.

Cheers
Dave

[Klikchik]

I can never get over how helpful people are on here. Thanks everyone for your time.

Ive just written to Mountain Goat and Dave_aber who have kindly PMd me. This is the outcome so far....

Took a chance and popped in by the auto electricians garage. He did say he was up to his neck but he has a motorhome himself so I gave him the big sob story and he popped the bonnet and then couldn't resist the challenge!

Turns out that not only had the fuse on the relay gone, and melted the wiring, but the sockets etc that were meant to be wired to the leisure battery were wired to the main starter battery!!! No wonder the fridge light wouldn't come on when the bongo was off! So an hour later and a little lighter on the pocket, everything is working as I'd hoped.

Just thinking I didn't get him to check what the hook up supplies, maybe Dave can help me with that one.

Thank you everyone for your time and in return I don't know much about Bongos (yet) but if anyone wants info on Scotland or photography I know a fair bit about those!

[Klikchik]

It sounds like the Auto electrician has solved the main problems but the sockets going off with the engine is normal. having them stay powered by the leisure battery is customisation and you need someone to do this for you. The outgoing side of the fuseholder that supplys the sockets needs to be connected to the LB via an external fuseholder and the fuse moved to this new fuseholder. this is a two minute job if you have the Willington LB Installation kit, maybe 15 minutes to half an hour if you don't. (Sounds like you haven't).

Maybe a kind Club Member in your area can help you out.

Hi Velocette

Its the 12v 'cig lighter' sockets on the dash and rear I meant, hadn't even thought about the 3 pin sockets! I usually only use those on a site when Im hooked up. Steep learning curve here.

Hearing Willington kit a lot, may be an option for the future if my new rewiring doesn't work!

Thanks for your input

[Velocette]

It sounds like the Auto electrician has solved the main problems but the sockets going off with the engine is normal. having them stay powered by the leisure battery is customisation and you need someone to do this for you. The outgoing side of the fuseholder that supplys the sockets needs to be connected to the LB via an external fuseholder and the fuse moved to this new fuseholder. this is a two minute job if you have the Willington LB Installation kit, maybe 15 minutes to half an hour if you don't. (Sounds like you haven't).

Maybe a kind Club Member in your area can help you out.

Hi Velocette

Its the 12v 'cig lighter' sockets on the dash and rear I meant, hadn't even thought about the 3 pin sockets! I usually only use those on a site when Im hooked up. Steep learning curve here.

Yes I meant the cig lighter sockets, it is normal for them to go off with the ignition in an unconverted Bongo. Anyway it sounds like you have them sorted now. I have the Willington set-up, I bought it secod hand with a leisure battery from a club member so it is always worth checking the small ads page on the forum.

Good luck with your trip

Hearing Willington kit a lot, may be an option for the future if my new rewiring doesn't work!

Thanks for your input