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Leisure battery / electrical problem

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 2:03 pm
by JohnJones
Hi, I've searched for similar problems on the forum and the fact-sheets and not found a solution, apologies if I'm duplicating here.

Bought a kit from Rooster around Christmas to run various bits off the leisure battery. Worked great. In Feb the leisure battery went flat. Made sense as I was using it more. Plugged the van into mains as I don't think the leisure battery charges from the alternator. Blinds and radio etc all working again and the leisure battery is holding a charge after 2 weeks.

However, after getting the leisure battery working, the tap in the kitchen no longer pumps and the interior led lights don't work. I think these worked from the leisure battery directly so nothing to do with the kit.

I checked as many fuses as I could find using a meter. All the ones below right of the steering wheel work fine. All the ones in the kit work fine. In the engine I found two fuses coming off the positive terminal of the leisure battery and the yellow 20A had blown. Replaced that and that seems to have made no difference to anything.

Having read in the forum, I have tried disconnecting the leisure battery for 10 minutes then reconnecting and that didn't work.

In addition – I went on holiday for a week during cold. Main battery was dead on return, jump started it and seems it seems ok now.

This morning I went out to take some photos for this post and the leisure battery is dead. Checked with a meter and it's only showing 0.8 volts. Radio and blinds were working yesterday. Main battery is showing over 12 volts.

My first guess is that the main battery died in the cold weather and that that was a separate problem.

My second guess is that the leisure battery died and was flat for a week before I could get an adapter to charge it and so is now holding little charge and will probably need replacing. When I do this it is probably going to be best to buy and fit a split charge circuit so it doesn't die again.

My question is about the lights and the tap that don't work. Does anyone have anything else I could check? I'm also wondering whether they could be shorting out the leisure battery and affecting it's charge.

I will try to post some photos below;
fuses coming from positive terminal of leisure battery
Image
cable from leisure battery crossing over main battery - with some cables joining from the main battery?
Image
the lights that don't work are the led's in the roof
Image

Thank you

Re: Leisure battery / electrical problem

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 2:14 pm
by g8dhe
The two in-line fuses handle the Split Charge Relay and charging of the leisure battery, if either of these fails then you MUST replace BOTH fuses as whilst one will have blown the other will be damaged and with these not working then you won't be charging the leisure battery at all from the alternator.

Re: Leisure battery / electrical problem

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 2:29 pm
by JohnJones
g8dhe wrote:The two in-line fuses handle the Split Charge Relay and charging of the leisure battery, if either of these fails then you MUST replace BOTH fuses as whilst one will have blown the other will be damaged and with these not working then you won't be charging the leisure battery at all from the alternator.
Thank you, will go and replace both now. I did wonder whether I had a split charge already set up but being so new to all this I wasn't sure.

Re: Leisure battery / electrical problem

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 9:58 am
by ben
Would love some help on an LB problem

Had LPG fitted a few weeks back, since then the LB won't hold charge and I get all the radio settings lost each time I turn the van off, heater setting lost, nothing works on the LB now and I can't see how they have managed to do that.
Taking it back to fitters on Thursday, but any help or ideas would be much appreciated
many thanks

Re: Leisure battery / electrical problem

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 10:01 am
by g8dhe
Start by checking the TWO charging fuses should be close to each battery and in the leads from the split Charge Relay.
After that check that the relay itself is operating, either by being switched by the Ignition switch, or by the Alternator signal or using Voltage Sensitive relay the method depends on the type of relay and the installer.