Blown Fuses in Voltage Sensing Relay

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:42 pm

I have a 1998 WL-T Bongo which was converted in February by a well known converter. Ever since I got it I have had problems with starting. At first I suspected that it was the original Japanese battery and obtained a new 105 a/h battery from Ian.
Still my problems continued and I now suspected the alarm which occassionally went off, but I was told that this was fine by a local alarm specialist.
With my holiday fast approaching I took the Bongo to my local auto electricians (in the Scottish Borders), £115.00 poorer I was told that the Bongo would be ok to get me to the Western Islands and back. Just over a week later the problems started again. Three weeks later with two breakdown call outs and half a dozen gratefully received jump starts I made it back home. Both breakdown mechanics said that the batteries were both fine but there was a backflow from the main battery which they could not understand.
On returning home checked the forum and bought a multimeter. Found one of the three 30Amp fuses in the Voltage Sensing Relay had blown. Trickle charged the battery and replaced the fuse, Bongo started first time. Two days latter Bongo will not start, same fuse blown again. Seems obvious that there is a fault in the wiring somewhere.
My Voltage Sensing relay is a white box with GEWi55 and GW44206 stamped on it. Does anyone know the correct way this should be wire up. Would save me a 400 miles round trip to the converter to have it rectified.
Any local help in Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders gratefully received.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:03 am

I'll have a look if you want Goatee, need to be before Thursday as I'm off to the Outsider Fest on Friday til Sunday.
Can you post a pic of the relay?

Alan

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:37 am

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w222 ... 0831-1.jpg

Photo of the Voltage Sensing Unit in the engine bay of my Bongo as requested Dandy. Blown fuse has been removed.

I would be grateful if you could have a look at it as offered. Now retired so no problems in getting to Edinburgh once I get the Bongo started.

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:12 pm

i think thats just a standard electrical housing box, your relay will be inside it i presume, try opening it up and having a look inside, you may see whats wrong?, loose wire touching something else?

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:33 pm

WOW..........loks like the kinda thing I put my sandwiches in for lunch

PM me your phone number and we can arrange a meetup MountainGoat

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:18 am

UPDATE:
Reponding to Alan's invitation. Visited the Bongo Club's Scottish Technical Center in Edinburgh on 20th (Alan's Lockup). After fiddling arround inside the Lunch Box amongst the assortment of relays and connectors Alan was able to determine that the top one of the three 30amps fuses fixed to the Lunch Box served the connection between the main battery and the leisure battery. This was the fuse that kept blowing.
On cleaning up a few connections the voltage drop was reduced to what was considered an acceptable level although not perfect. Alan advised replacing the 30amps fuse with a 40 amps fuse if it blew again and giving the battery earth a good clean.
On reaching home in the Borders I found that the 30amps fuse had indeed blown again. Next day gave the battery earth a good clean (lot of white stuff) and replaced the 30amps fuse with a 40 amps fuse.
10 days on Bongo is still starting first time and every time even after a few days without use (I also have a Jeep). Watch this space I am probablly temping fate by posting this report.

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:22 pm

great stuff, hope it stays that way for ya.
dandy seems to know his techie stuff, so i wouldnt be suprised if it works fine.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:57 pm

Good to hear that MG - I was hoping it was the earth and not a faulty main battery

I'm heading off to Oorope with the bike for a month - either heading towards the Black Sea or the south Adriaric, Croatian side - just need to get away from this fuggin' weather

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:15 am

Lucky you Dandy. Remind me to buy a motorbike when I have finished kitting out the Bongo, still have all my camping equipment including four tents.
What a faulty battery supplied by Ian! Ooh the shame of it. He would never have got over it.
Thanks again, Tony.

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:57 pm

Spoke too soon. Trying the Bongo today after leaving it on the drive for 6 days it would not start. Clock working ok but new 40A fuse had blown. Checked voltage of starter battery voltage was down to 10V. Looked inside the lunchbox for any damage, none appearent. (Relay noted as a NAGRES rated 12V 40A). Gave it a trickle charge for a few hours and replaced the fuse. Bongo started first time.
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w222 ... GP0832.jpg

Checked leisure battery voltage also read 10V. Gave leisure battery a trickle charge too. While I was waiting looked up the forum and downloaded Corblimey's instructions on fitting your own leisure battery. On comparing his instuctions with my own installation I noticed that Corblimey electrical diagram showed that both the starter battery and the leisure battery needed to have their own earths. My leisure battery does not have its own earth. Is this the cause of all my problems? A bum installation by the converter. Comments please.
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w222 ... GP0833.jpg

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:31 pm

No expert, but would think it would have to have an earth to charge with the engine running.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 10:27 pm

Depends on what you mean by its own earth.

It needs a thick earth from its negative terminal down to the vehicle metalwork.

How is the negative terminal connected now?

I have a feeling that your split charge thingy may be faulty because it appears to be connecting both battery positive terminals together when it shouldn't.

Have you double-checked that your alternator is actually charging the main engine battery? The voltage across its terminals should rise to 14V-ish when the engine is running.

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 12:42 am

Hi Pipin. I noticed today that only the starter battery has an earth strap between its negative terminal and the bodywork. The leisure battery does not have an earth strap attached to it but appears to be connected directly to the voltage sensing relay.
When dandy checked it out two weeks ago he said that the starter battery appeared to be charging correctly. The battery itself is a new one from Ian which has been checked out buy my local auto electricians. Perhaps I should get the leisure battery checked out as well, it is also a new one.
Don't remember dandy checking if the leisure battery had an earth strap when he had a look at my Bongo. But he did comment that although he managed to reduce the leak he could not stop it completely.
Tony

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:57 am

Oi, there's two "P"'s in PIPPIN - well, three actually!

The lack of a direct earth strap from leisure negative to chassis could just possibly be the problem. Why?

Well there could be a slight voltage difference between the negative terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the split charge relay when a currrent is being drawn from or supplied to the leisure battery (due to the slight resistance of the thinner wire).

Given that your split charge relay is actually a voltage sensing device........see what I am getting at?

It might just be the answer, but even if not it is good practice to have a heavy earth strap to chassis anyway.

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 1:17 pm

hi mountain goat, i have a spare, if you want it, its brnd new, never been fitted, i bought it with my split charging kit but didnt need it as i had one fitted already as i had the twin winter pack, dont want owt for it you just pay for the postage, just pm me if you want it with your adress

its on the top right