Newbie bongo owner needs help

[Cattybong]

Arnold is my first ever camper and bongo. Wanted a bongo for ages to take my two pooches for little hols in .been on two trips since we got him (2weeks ago). Just a little problems that I need a little help please. Arnold starts up perfect every time, except for after a night of camping. Each time we've camped we have had to get a jump start. I'm really not mechanical in anyway. The leisure battery had been switched on, we only really use the cigarette lighter fitted in the back, water pump for the sink. Don't use the lights as we have a camping lantern. When we've woken up the leisure battery meter thing has gone down but still has a little life left in it but the bongo car battery is dead? My dad has checked the cigarette lighter with a volt reader?? And when leisure battery is turned off it shows no reading so I presume it can't be draining my battery? Xxx am I doing something silly?

[philpdr]

How are you switching the leisure battery on and off,a Zig unit?or maybe a PMS3?

[Cattybong]

Zig unit I think?

[Cattybong]

I don't know how to upload pics sorry, it's says zig on it? I'm.useless, new to everything bongo related sorry.

[philpdr]

Take a look at this thread,
http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... on#p615119
The posts by Simon Jones might help,if not someone who knows more about these units will doubtless be along to help soon,a lot of the members will be at the Bongo Bash this weekend and won't be able to get online.

[Cattybong]

Will do and thanks so much. I will hopefully be attending that next year

[Bob]

Very warm welcome to BF, and sorry to hear of your problem.

I don't have a leisure battery so can't help much, but I'm guessing it is likely a simple fix, maybe a switching issue?

Is there a handle labeled something like Both/ Starter/LB/Off?

As said, someone with more knowledge will be along.

[mikeWalsall]

Dunno which Zig you have but this is mine ..

[Cattybong]

Hi, and thank you. Think my zig is slightly different ,and I've taken a pic but not sure how to upload it onto here. (feeling useless) it's shows how much battery life is it it. Seems yo charge find whole we are driving. And the reading meter goes down but isn't completely empty by morning, yet my van batteries are surely if I've flipped the switch to leisure battery and I can hear the cool box working it won't be from my car battery? Like I said I'm useless. Loved camping for the two weekends we've had Arnold just don't want to have yo use jump.leads every morning

[Cattybong]

And thanks for getting back to me and the warm welcome

[Bob]

Possibly not running the chiller from 12v whilst parked would solve the immediate problem, maybe put a couple of chill blocks in it to keep it cool while off.

Remember that running any lead acid battery flat will damage it, the LB will be a bit more forgiving of deep discharge than the SB, but best not to keep doing it.

Trouble with diagnostics is all these kits are fitted by different people in slightly different ways, but I'm sure we'll get you an answer.

Roughly where are you? Someone near by may take a look.

[g8dhe]

You may find that they have only linked the items in the conversion to the LB the radio, lights, sockets may not have been moved across to the LB!
Check the fuse panel down by the drivers right knee, if the are some wires replacing fuses in the top row then they have been switched if its only full of fuses then the chances are they haven't been moved across and hence the problem. You can get a wiring loom from http://www.solarcampersolutions.co.UK to move the extra circuits across.

[philpdr]

Just found this on another thread,don't know if it's the same unit though,courtesy of Geoff.
http://www.g8dhe.net/bongo_images/zig/Z ... al.org.pdf

Also this from Dodgey.
Leave the "car" mode well alone. No need to use it with a camper. You'll just invite the problem of a flat starter(car) battery.

When driving you can select "towing" and then the cars' alternator will charge the leisure battery, which your fridge will be running off, because you have the switch on "van" No need to use the car mode, ever.

Though - DO remember to switch off "towing" when you are not driving, because this switch simply links the starter and leisure battery - so you will be draining BOTH batteries when parked up without teh engine running.

[Cattybong]

I tjink this is starting to make sense, I have a car mode, off and van mode. I think I've had it on off when driving but it still charges. When we Park I put it on towing/ van mode. But when the cool box is plugged in it doesn't work unless I have it on van/ towing mode? Does this means it's running off my car battery? Would explain why it's draining it? Also there's a fuse box next to leisure Battery that looks like a house one with the switches and the back of the zig panel is all wires. Does that make sense?
Thank you all so much I do really appreciate it.
Oh and I live in Liverpool

[Cattybong]

Just double checked, there's a picture of a car, off in the middle and a towing caravan at the bottom. The battery meter readings doesn't do anything until I switch it to the caravan. It's a zig mark 1. There's a meter reading and three other switches, lights, pump and aux. Xx