Newbie on line....fridge/battery?

[Sammyvan]

I've just purchased a 1997 bongo. The Waeco fridge works well on electric hook up and off it but the leisure battery does not work or connected. The water pump does not work and the zig ????? No idea. Therefore, whilst parked up with no electric hook up I do not want to put the fridge on as I believe it'll drain the main van battery.....am I correct?
Also, is there any point in getting a new zig/leisure battery if I don't want a water pump???? Or would it allow fridge to work whilst off hook up?

loving my new van

[g8dhe]

How do you know the LB isn't working / connected ?
Do you have a Split Charge Relay to charge when travelling from the alternator ?
Do you have an additional wiring loom plugged into the original fuse box by the drivers knee ?
Which Zig unit do you have ?
Do you have a manual for the Zig if not then they are available to download here http://www.g8dhe.net/bong_images/zig/

[Sammyvan]

The lb is sitting under the bonnet with no connections to anything else and looking very old.
I have no idea if I have a split charger or even which zig? Don't know what a wiring loom is.
As you can read....I know not very much at all....this is all new to me and I'm not mechanically or electrically minded.

[Ian]

It might not be a leisure battery. Have a look inside the Bongo on the dash. Do you have the button shown on the right in this photo?



If so, you have a cold start kit and the second battery under your bonnet is a second starter battery.

[John_H]

The lb is sitting under the bonnet with no connections to anything else and looking very old.
I have no idea if I have a split charger or even which zig? Don't know what a wiring loom is.
As you can read....I know not very much at all....this is all new to me and I'm not mechanically or electrically minded

Maybe a few pics might help you find things ... a basic Zig unit looks similar to this:

You may have split charger relay lurking somewhere between your main and leisure battery, it will be in the positive (red) cable and look looks similar to this:

This is a basic split charge circuit, you can see the SC relay in the centre.

If you sit in the drivers seat, look at the dash (roughly in front of your right knee) for a small pull-out panel. Behind this are the fuses. If yours has wires sticking into it (like the pic) then it's pretty likely that you do have a leisure battery and it's wired to run items from it when the ignition is off.

Hope this helps

[cmm303]

The lb is sitting under the bonnet with no connections to anything else and looking very old.
I have no idea if I have a split charger or even which zig? Don't know what a wiring loom is.
As you can read....I know not very much at all....this is all new to me and I'm not mechanically or electrically minded.

Pop some pics up here of any pertinent controls/switches/systems you have. Also looking down inside your bonnet to pick up both batteries and their wiring. Also of the fuses by the driver's right knee.

Were these electrics demonstrated to you when you bought it and did you get any instructions?
Got any receipts/paperwork for the conversion or electrical work?
Could you go back to the seller and ask them how to make it work?

It sounds like you have 2 starter batteries (SB) and they have disconnected the 2nd SB instead of replacing it. There will be tell tale wiring that your pics will show hopefully to confirm.

[Sammyvan]

Wow....thank you. I'll get looking and photographing when the rain stops

[John_H]

Sam sent me the pics of his vehicle as he couldn't post them himself. Here they are:
I would guess that the extra (disconnected) battery may have been a cold start battery. Either way it doesn't look very healthy. However, it won't cost to remove it and check it over. There's nothing connected to the under dash fuses so my guess is that the fridge is wired to the starter battery (that looks like a fuse holder to me in the 4th pic) Not sure what to recommend - what drain the fridge has on 12v, maybe the Waeco model might help. I think I'd be inclined to get someone who has a little knowledge of campervans/motorhomes to have a shufti at it. It sounds like it's got EHU so where's the input and the regulator/charger I wonder. So hard to make guesses!!

[Sammyvan]

Thank you John for posting photos and the advice. (P.s. I'm a female Sam). I will contact a garage that's been listed on this website who is bongo friendly In my area and see what they can do.

[John_H]

sorry, Sam. bad gender guess ...
Rather than visit a garage, you might find another bongolier on your doorstep if we knew (roughly) the area you reside in, then maybe someone from here could take a look for you.

[Sammyvan]

Hi, thanks. That would make more sense as I know there's plenty of "enthusiasts" out there who'd love to tackle the old wonders to be discovered under the bonnet of the 1997 Japanese import.
I live near Guildford, Surrey.

[John_H]

Hi Sammy ... Did you get anyone to take a look at your electrics yet?

[Sammyvan]

No one has come forward from Bongofury but am in contact with a private autoelectric guy but am concerned if he has experience of old Bongos. I've emailed a garage too.
Crossed fingers I get somewhere soon as I'm hoping to go to France in august