Bongo Fury

Update 2....

There is still a parasitic draw on the Leisure battery of about a half an amp (better than the 1+ amp, but still way too high!). This of course needs to be fixed.

I felt that I had reached the limit of my capabilities so booked the van in to be checked out by the recommendation given previously in this thread and I went there this morning.

Once I got there I popped the bonnet and showed the guys around the two batteries and described the issues I was having. I was then advised that "Its a f***ing mess" and "we don't want to get involved" as "its not standard and there is no wearing diagram".

I guess they are not too happy taking on anything that does not come with a Haynes style manual. That is, of course, their prerogative. However, if a Haynes style manual did exist for this then I would hardly need a professional to investigate it!

So here I am back to "square one" with this parasitic draw ....

You've shown tenacious problem solving capabilities to get this far. I'm impressed! With your understanding so far, you could well be best placed to sort it. ... and you'll be confident in the knowledge that it is properly fixed.

Not exactly an unknown response, but often goes to show there capabilities As above it might well be worth digging in yourself, in which case start by drawing out the circuit. Start from each battery and follow the wiring along to the fuse blocks etc. Once you get out of the bonnet area its a pain, but needs only be done once and it will save you a lot of effort in the future! I keep a copy of the diagram of my own vehicle, along with photo's of key fuse blocks etc. circuit one side pictures the other printed up and plastic sealed in the vehicle at all times! Cause when you have a problem you can bet it will be in the dark, after a few drinks and pouring down! Trying to think thru the problem in that state is not recommended!!!

cmm303 wrote:You've shown tenacious problem solving capabilities to get this far. I'm impressed! With your understanding so far, you could well be best placed to sort it. ... and you'll be confident in the knowledge that it is properly fixed.

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say so.

I may well have to have another go at it, once the 1st set of bruises heal and my back rightens itself from scrabbling around under the bonnet, steering wheel and centre console!

g8dhe wrote:Not exactly an unknown response, but often goes to show there capabilities

It just gets to me that each time I try and support local cottage industries I end up with a bad taste in my mouth...

g8dhe wrote:As above it might well be worth digging in yourself, in which case start by drawing out the circuit. Start from each battery and follow the wiring along to the fuse blocks etc. Once you get out of the bonnet area its a pain, but needs only be done once and it will save you a lot of effort in the future! I keep a copy of the diagram of my own vehicle, along with photo's of key fuse blocks etc. circuit one side pictures the other printed up and plastic sealed in the vehicle at all times! Cause when you have a problem you can bet it will be in the dark, after a few drinks and pouring down! Trying to think thru the problem in that state is not recommended!!!

Yep, that's why I wanted someone else to look at the wiring after the fuse board!

Sounds like I may have to do this myself..... Sigh.

There is nothing, but nothing, like getting to know your own car yourself. I think even car electrics, especially those more accessible as post manufacture/ non factory ones might be, can be tackled, with a multimeter, spare fuses, pen and paper to keep a good record of where you're up to, and taking it slowly and methodically by making inly one change at a time then testing. Oh and you need a Geoff, for those moments when you cannot fathom what is going on.

But you sound like you're doing all that already

I've become suspicious of some who claim to be car electricians, especially when i come across the use of scotchloks. I had to remake all my towbar wiring thanks to work like that. A recent experience at Halfords didn't boost my confidence either. They seem happy enough to add questionable wiring, or just deal with standard interfaces. But forensic work? Forget it!

mikeonb4c wrote:There is nothing, but nothing, like getting to know your own car yourself. I think even car electrics, especially those more accessible as post manufacture/ non factory ones might be, can be tackled, with a multimeter, spare fuses, pen and paper to keep a good record of where you're up to, and taking it slowly and methodically by making inly one change at a time then testing.

Too true, but the difficulty is in finding the time and a dry/warm enough period when the Bongo is not needed to do this all in!

mikeonb4c wrote:Oh and you need a Geoff, for those moments when you cannot fathom what is going on.

Amen to that brother!

mikeonb4c wrote:But you sound like you're doing all that already

Thank you, but its more blind luck and ignorance than anything else!

mikeonb4c wrote:I've become suspicious of some who claim to be car electricians, especially when i come across the use of scotchloks.

Talking of Scotchloks, how does one get rid of it? I cannot (easily) see a way to remove the (offending) item.

TTFN

Cuch

If you are talking about AA in Croydon who was it that you spoke too?
Not pleased that they would speak that way to someone who we recommended to them.
I cannot understand why they would take that attitude they are known as the best in the area and have built looms for kit cars as well as burnouts on older vehicles. They do know their stuff.
PM me if you would rather.

Hello

Bongolia wrote:If you are talking about AA in Croydon who was it that you spoke too?
Not pleased that they would speak that way to someone who we recommended to them.
I cannot understand why they would take that attitude they are known as the best in the area and have built looms for kit cars as well as burnouts on older vehicles. They do know their stuff.
PM me if you would rather.

As its their right to not take on work, I don't think that I am "naming and shaming" anyone nor am I naming anyone else so I think its OK to carry on this thread?

(Mods, please do let me know if I need to stop )

Based on the pictures on Google, yes I believe it was.

(I say that as many moons ago, before Google, I used an A to Z to go to a shop and buy my very first mobile phone. Unfortunately I miss read the A to Z and ended up in a shop 3 doors before the one I wanted to buy the phone from. Took me a few months to work out why my monthly rental was much higher than I expected! ).

Spoke to an older gentleman with white hair, beard and a prosthetic.

(Please don't tell me that I went to the wrong place! )

Having looked at the existing wiring he was concerned of two things:

1. That the last person to deal with the wiring would be blamed for any subsequent electrical fire. Not sure if he meant that there was a possibility of there being a fire after he looked at it or not.

2. Did not know if it would take 1 or 10+ hours to sort it out and at £60 an hour that could spiral out of hand.

Thus he did not want to get involved in it.


The above is what he did not like the look of. The two white wires in the top right are actually 3 core domestic flex. (It was already in the van when I got it and not done as a part of the conversion.)

He was also not impressed with the screw in the side of the coolant tank for the Haydn Low Coolant Alarm

Could this be the 1st Bong he has ever seen? <shrug>

On the plus side there was a very nice looking modified (I think) Morris Oxford there that I had a quick mooch around!

Cuch

No need to stop Cuch.

No you got the right place Cuch. The One armed man is Steve the owner. The young lassie his daughter.
Sorry he wouldnt help you. Maybe he was having an off day!

Yes just got the images! I am using Chromodo browser and since the last update "strange " things have been happening spooky. I think you should swop out the household flex if its the mains wiring variety as it is not really suitable, not designed to withstand the vibration and possible flexing in an auto set up. Dont think that`s related to your problem though.
Good luck.

In fairness i don't really blame them especially seeing the pics. There's probably a case for dewiring and starting again but as you say, time is the issue and i have the same dilemma with fettling mine when weather is (rarely) good and i want to be off somewhere. But over my 10 years of ownership i have got to know a lot about mine which is partly why i don't want to part with it

mikeonb4c wrote:In fairness i don't really blame them especially seeing the pics. There's probably a case for dewiring and starting again but as you say, time is the issue and i have the same dilemma with fettling mine when weather is (rarely) good and i want to be off somewhere. But over my 10 years of ownership i have got to know a lot about mine which is partly why i don't want to part with it

Yes a difficult one to estimate. Hopefully Cuch will get it sorted with help from those on here Mike.

were do the white wires go to