Leisure battery charging

[Jillygumbo]

While at the Bash we discovered that my new leisure battery was not charging because the 40amp fuse had blown. We, Simon and Geoff, inserted a 30amp fuse and the leisure battery charged.

When I got home I took the bongo to my auto electrician who replaced the cigarette socket in the front, replaced a 40amp fuse and tested everything. So far so good.

I purchased one of those digital volt readers from fleabay which worked fine until last week.

I have still not been able to get my cool box to work from either 12v socket, and only used the leisure battery for interior lights and charging phone and iPad.

Noticed the meter was reading 12.1 with the engine running on the way home (should have been over 13), checked the 40amp fuse and low and behold, it's gone - again.

Now the only time I plugged the cool box in at the back it did not come on at all, so I didn't bother (was frozen stuff anyway). Could that have blown the fuse?

Why am I having so much trouble with this leisure battery? It just doesn't seem worth the cost of installing it!

[Bob]

Not sure, Jilly.

Strange though.

[Simon Jones]

To blow a 40A fuse would suggest a significant load, such a really flat LB (unlikely) or an intermittent dead short somewhere. A coolbox on its own would not draw that sort of current. The thick plottens

BTW, did you get your awning rattle sorted out?

[Jillygumbo]

To blow a 40A fuse would suggest a significant load, such a really flat LB (unlikely) or an intermittent dead short somewhere. A coolbox on its own would not draw that sort of current. The thick plottens

BTW, did you get your awning rattle sorted out?

I don't think I've had the cool box working on it at all since the Bash, when I used it from the front socket. The dodgy front socket has now been replaced. It was working so I think I'll have to ask the auto electrician to have a good look at some point. Will pick up some 40amp fuses tomorrow.

No, the awning still rattles! Both awning and leisure battery fitted by same conversion company. I found them excellent service wise so loathe to point the finger - yet!

[Dodgey]

If the 40 amp fuse is one specifically for the split charging system then to blow it your LB has to be going really flat (under 10 ish volts).

What / where exactly is this 40 amps fuse? as if it's part of the splilt charging system - i.e between the 2 batteries, the only way to blow it is the above.

If it's inline to the vehicle supply side - i.e. your 12 sockets etc, then you have a wiring problem in your cab, or, equally likely , your fridge is faulty.

[Jillygumbo]

If the 40 amp fuse is one specifically for the split charging system then to blow it your LB has to be going really flat (under 10 ish volts).

It went flat the first time at the Bash because I didn't know about it. Simon and Geoff helped me and we were able to re-charge it fully. I was using a small cool box in the front, direct into the socket, intermittently and never for long periods.

What / where exactly is this 40 amps fuse? as if it's part of the splilt charging system - i.e between the 2 batteries, the only way to blow it is the above.

It blew last week without the cool box being plugged in at all.

If it's inline to the vehicle supply side - i.e. your 12 sockets etc, then you have a wiring problem in your cab, or, equally likely , your fridge is faulty.

This may be it. I've obtained some spare fuses. While blown the socket at the front was pushing out 12+ volts, so it wasn't flat. Now I've inserted a new 40amp fuse, it's back up to 13.5 with the engine running.

So I think it's something to do with the wiring. On the list for the auto-electrician to check into (not the people that installed it as they are too far away for a quick visit!

Thanks for your advice - appreciated

[g8dhe]

I have my doubts on that coolbox Jilly, it was decidedly not very cool after trying it out. If that was left on for a few hours when stationery, it will have taken the l/b down to the point where on restarting the charge fuse (40amp) will blow.

[Jillygumbo]

I have my doubts on that coolbox Jilly, it was decidedly not very cool after trying it out. If that was left on for a few hours when stationery, it will have taken the l/b down to the point where on restarting the charge fuse (40amp) will blow.

I was very careful Geoff and when using the front socket for the new cool box I had the engine running too. I haven't had the cool box plugged in with the engine off, which seems to me to defeat the object of having a leisure battery in the first place. Since the bash, I haven't bothered plugging a cool box in at all until I set off for Cornwall two weeks ago. Admittedly I did plug my older cool box in at the back, but it wouldn't even fire up. I just unplugged it immediately and connected it to the mains on site. The cool box i had at the bash was new because I thought my older cool box was at fault, which it may have been (12v part), but if the plug was faulty and didn't fire up, why did the fuse blow again?

The voltage has not been lower than 12v on the meter, so the LB did not get low this time.

So I have only used the LB for interior light, and charging iPhone and iPad. That is what is so frustrating. What's the point of having it? Before LB, I only charged my appliances with the SB. Expensive experience so far.

Perhaps the wiring is at fault and I can't get back to Barnstaple for Richard to investigate further, so I will get the auto-electrician in Swindon to have a look I think.

[g8dhe]

It certainly sounds like you have a load on the battery, just a question of what it is! Be aware also that smart phones/tablets/iPads etc. can these days draw over 2Amps each whilst charging, this will tail off during charging but it soon adds up especially when running from the socket as well.

[Dodgey]

You have a fault somewhere. You should certainly be able to run your coolbox off your LB - not for 25 hours, but for a good half a day at least.

Charging phones and tablets should have little impact if you are running the engine every few days.