Bongo Fury

Hi all.

Expert advice needed. I have a Willinton split charge relay which is making a steady clicking sound, bit like the indicator tick but slower and louder. There is also a green light flashing behind the relay.

I have a long journey coming up with little time to find an auto electrician. Is there a quick fix, like an easily replaceable relay or is it a new kit? Also will it strand me if I cannot get it fixed in time. Everything is working from both batteries but it just sounds ominous.

All advice appreciated. Thanks

Mine did that for a while and it turned out to be a connection inside that came unsoldered. Worst case it's not charging but if you are going to be on hookup it's not such a problem. It's a standard Nagares relay but with a small circuit in the top of the casing with is sealed in place with stuff known as potting compound so it is completely moisture-proof. The base of the relay can be prised out which will allow the solder joints to be checked.

Thanks Simon

Hopefully this is a bad case of finger trouble. After I had posted I went to get the shopping out of the Bongo and heard the unmistakable hum of the fridge. It was switched on and obviously had been since I came back from the Bash on Monday. It was a slow hot run with the usual road closure and queue at Cricklade. The fridge was on, and tired and hot I must have unloaded it without switching it off.

The frantic clicking was the Willinton trying to recharge the leisure battery, against the fridge setting off full belt once it recovered a bit.

Idiocy prize next bash?

I contacted the maker with the same problem and he repaired it for free as long as I paid the postage. Top man!

Dodgey wrote:I contacted the maker with the same problem and he repaired it for free as long as I paid the postage. Top man!

I had the same clicking issue, I did the same trying to contact the seller (several times by email & via ebay) but I never even got a response. wasn't looking to get it replaced for free or anything as the kit was in the bongo when I bought it, was only looking to buy a replacement relay off him. Ended up fining one on ebay eventually.

Unfortunately, Willinton (AKA Martin Bird) no longer supplies the relays, battery trays or wiring kits so he may not be offering support on them any more.

How often and at what rate is the relay clicking ? It can be a normal function, where the voltage on the disconnected SB side rises above the trigger level when the LB is disconnected but falls below the drop-pout voltage once it is connected, this normally only happens for a few minutes after stopping or removing a charging source.

Mines was totally random, could happen at any point in a journey & any length of time, i replaced my relay nearly a year ago & never had a bit of trouble with it since. At the same time I also fitted an isolator switch between the positives of both batteries with heavy cable as an emergency backup to link the batteries incase the relay fails again & also doubles as a jump starting switch .