Bongo Fury

dont know if anyone can help me
i had some problems with my leisure battery i>e the interior lights the radio blinds all went off for no reason so i took it to a electrical specialist and he replaced my split charge relay because it had burnt out cause of water getting to it
so that was the end of that so i thought but now when i use the leisure battery for 20 mins just listening to the radio it starts to die but just by turning the key to ignition lights it fires back up again is it time for a new battery or is it something else ????

The turning on of the ignition (without running the engine and allowing the alternator to charge it) must be letting the starter battery connect to the Leisure Battery, which is, effectively, increasing the power of the LB. If the LB is running down after a short time with just a radio connected, then either the LB needs replacing, or it's not charging, or you have a current drain from it.

Any help?

SD

i think my battery might be on its way out and not holding its charge i might just have to replace the battery and see if it happens again i think my amp might be killing it a bit though cause it seems like it is permantly on all the time but someone else wired up the amp and not really sure how i would change it .

cause of water getting to it

How did this happen? There is a drainage hole located in the drainage channel at the back of the bonnet. This must be perodically cleaned out to prevent water getting into the engine bay. It is well known for causing problems.

Tony

dont knw how water got to it we havent had the bongo long so just really finding things now lol

dewalt28 wrote:i think my amp might be killing it a bit though cause it seems like it is permantly on all the time but someone else wired up the amp and not really sure how i would change it .

Ahhh... you said radio - didn't mention the amp

If it's a power amp, (remembering watts = amps x volts), a 120 watt amp, at 12v, can draw 10 amps..... that'll soon chew up your LB.

I'd look for the power feed to the amp, and disconnect it/put a switch on. See if the battery lasts longer.

(Make sure the LB is fully charged 1st)

SD

is that easy to do cause im not really into electrics is it just a matter of sticking a switch in the middle of the wire between the amp and battery can i get a switch from any shop like halfords or something??

Can you see the amp? can you get to the wires into it?

If you can email me a photo, I can talk you through it.

As regards a switch, you need one that can handle the current, Halfords do have suitable ones, tell them what "wattage" the amp is, they should sort you out.

yeah the amp is right behind my seat and the main wire goes from it over the centre console then out to the engine compartment right behind the glove box so easy to get to the wires but just weather i have enough wire to re route it where i would put a switch

Maplin in Plymouth have these that would do
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=42949

You need a length of two core cable, to take 16A? (depends how many watts your amp is).

Can you crimp connectors on a wire?

If so, cut the voltage feed wire to the amp, (with power off to it!), and use the two-core cable up to (say) where a switch blank is.
This switch needs a 12mm hole - drill a blank to mount it. Crimp a spade on each of the wires at the switch end, and crimp, straight connectors on the other, fastening it to the cut power wire.

SD

thanks for that sounds straight forward so all i am doing really is leaving the main power cable to the amp in place and just spuring off it to the switch is that right??

You need to cut the power (+'ve only) cable, and put the switch across the cut wires.

As you need to extend the wire to the dash (or wherever), you'll need some 16a two core cable. Maplins will have a crimp tool (few quid) and all the connectors.

SD

(signing off for the night!)

thanks for your help lets hope its just that and not the leisure battery

definitely the last post tonite!



SD