Where to look first

[janie]

Hi All,

Last night I had to drive my daughter and numerous friends to Plymouth, wait around 3 hours and then drive them home. Never mind, I thought, my tiny white van has never let me down at these moments I'll make dinner and a cuppa and have a read - time will fly by. So I dutifully dropped them off and found a suitable spot to park up. Turned on the cab light - nothing. Turned the tap - again nothing.
Now, both of these are wired to my leisure battery and so I tried changing the fuse in the split charge realy but that hasn't solved it. Also, the front 'cigar' lighter socket is working. Therefore I assume it's the wiring running into the back but I may be wrong.
Please can someone give me a clue where to look first - by now I'm extremely hungry and thirsty.

Thanks

jane

[Poohbear]

The fuse in the split charge relay won't make any difference initially because that is only used when your engine's running and you are charging the battery. I would guess that your leisure battery has gone flat for some reason (maybe something to do with the split charge relay or fuses). Do you have a volt meter to check it? Do you have other fuses for your conversion? Do you have a zig unit and was it switched to the correct position?

[janie]

Hi thanks for replying.

No, I don't have a zig unit. I only have a removeable kitchen unit which plugs into the 12v socket in the rear. I'll be checking the battery with a meter when I get home from work tonight (it was late and very dark last night so couldn't do it) however the fact that my 12v socket in the front works would suggest that it's not the bettery that has gone flat - that has happened before and the reason was the in-line fuse to the starter battery - which is why it was the first thing I looked at (also I happened to have one with me).

[haydn callow]

Does the front ciggy socket work with the IGN on or off or both?

[janie]

HI,

it works with ign on and off. I've checked just about everything I can think of now. It seems that the wire running to the back of the van comes directly from the leisure battery and then splits into 2 behind the side panel (behind the removeable kitchen) to accomodate the 12v socket and the cabin light. The battery is fully charged so no problem there but there is definitely no power getting to the 2 items mentioned. Therefore I think that the problem lies in the 1 main wire somewhere between the battery and the connecter where it splits into 2.

[g8dhe]

I only have a removeable kitchen unit which plugs into the 12v socket in the rear

Do you mean the cig. lighter socket in the rear ? or do you have a standard bongo rear kitchen unit ?

The cig. lighter sockets often have a fuse built in to them on the rear connectors, I'm wondering if you have blown the fuse on the socket. However that doesn't explain the light not working unless its not the standard one but comes from the kitchen unit ?

[Bob]

Moral:

Whatever you are driving you may be delayed.

Confucius he say, "Keep always camping stove, water, tea bag and basic scoff".

Seriously, hope you're sorted soon.

[janie]

Well. Today I'd had enough and after ripping everything apart and getting nowhere fast I decided a beer and some nasty 'work or I'll sell you you awkward so and so' looks would help. Then I delved under the glove box and jiggled energetically and ineffectually for a bit before deciding to give in, put everything back and in time honoured tradition, ask my dad. Then I noticed everything was working.....I'm an auto electrician and I didn't even know . Thanks for all your ideas
....wiggling worked in the end