# Leisure Battery Charging from the alternator



## Berniem1uk (May 1, 2005)

Hi Everyone

I don't know if there is anyone with a similar problem to this, but I have a 2003 CI Carioca 5 on a Fiat Ducato chassis and recently I have had a battery charging problem with my leisure battery, just when the charging is from the engine alternator. It charges ok when I have the van on electric hook-up at a campsite, but it won't charge when the van engine is running. 

I have tested both the starter battery and leisure battery with a multimeter. When the leisure battery is charging off electric hook-up it gives a reading of about 12.5volts, but when I disconnect the electric hook up lead and start the engine, no charging of the leisure battery takes place at all, yet the starter battery charges ok.

Any thoughts anyone?

Bernie


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Bernie,

Yes, you've almost certainly blown a fuse in the thick cable between alternator, split-charge relay and leisure battery.

This often occurs when the leisure battery has been run down absolutely flat.

Dave


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Bernie

What Dave says I can second... i've just had an in line fuse blow on me and stop charging the batt from the engine. It was on the positive line from the engine battery to the split relay.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi Bernie

Firstly, not all M'Hs will charge the leisure battery from the alternator, but I assume from what you say that yours does normally do so.

If this is the case you need to then consider that the alternator will only put charge into the leisure battery once the starter battery is fully charged. If for instance your starter battery has developed a dead cell it will never be able to attain full charge so therefore the leisure battery will never be charged. Firstly then check your starter battery is OK by using a battery tester (the sort that you suck up a sample of acid from each cell and test the SG). All the cells should give a fully charged indication following a run out. If one cell doesn't show fully charged then that's your problem. Do the test on the leisure battery too, the 12.5v reading on charge seems low to me, it should be at least 12.8v even if the charger has completed its cycle.


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## Berniem1uk (May 1, 2005)

Thanks guys for your advice. It sounds like it is the fuse because I did let the leisure battery drain down a few weeks ago when I let the fridge run on it for too long.

Sadly I won't be able to check the van for a couple of weeks as it is stored at my mother's near Didcot and I am miles away at Gerrards Cross.

The next question is, where is the online fuse? The Fiat Ducato has a fuse and relay box at the front of the engine compartment, but I don't think it is in there. Is it actually in the wiring from the alternator to the split relay and if so what does it look like?

Bernie


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Bernie

If its a simple split relay system, it will be just a relay and it could be anywhere! Mine is attatched to the bulkhead in the engine bay, just before the wires go through the bulkhead into the cab.

Happy hunting!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

As Snelly has said it could be just a relay. (automotive relays are little black cubes with sides about 3cm long). 

There is probably a fuse nearby. 

One place it might be is near your vehicle battery. As a split charging system extends the charge to the leisure battery its not normally done as a seperate feed from the vehicle distribution box/fuse box although one wire will come from their or the alternator to the relay.

My tip is look for wiring outside the made up looms, perhaps attached to them by cable ties.

Regards Frank


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

sallytrafic said:


> My tip is look for wiring outside the made up looms, perhaps attached to them by cable ties.


.... and patched into it with those horrible little blue plastic squeezy crimp connector things, like mine is :roll:

Gerald


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## klubnomad (Mar 6, 2006)

Ah, Scotchloks, the cowboys favourite accessory :lol: 

Dave

656


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

656 said:


> Ah, Scotchloks, the cowboys favourite accessory :lol:


Well done, Dave. It's so long since I used one, I'd forgotten what they were called :roll: Memories of fitting 8-track tape players into Minis and Hillman Imps come flooding back :?

Gerald


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Hillman Imp*

Hi

Off topic but the Imp was the one with the lift up/lift out rear window?

Rapide561


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

_Thanks guys for your advice. It sounds like it is the fuse because I did let the leisure battery drain down a few weeks ago when I let the fridge run on it for too long._

The fridge should never run on the leisure battery alone,due to the high current draw at 12v dc.The split charge relay is designed to power the fridge(and charge the leisure battery)only when the engine is running so as to use the power from the engines alternator.

Your leisure battery will soon discharge if it is supplying power to the fridge.

Steve and Sharon


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

wakk44 said:


> _Your leisure battery will soon discharge if it is supplying power to the fridge.
> 
> _


_

Spot on info Steve and Sharon but only if the fridge is an absorbtion fridge ...if it is a compressor fridge it may well be powered from the leisure battery and due to the much lower demands it makes it could power the fridge for anything up to a couple of days on a charge. All we need now is for Bernie to tell us which type of fridge is fitted in his 2003 CI Carioca 5, if it is an absorbtion type ( silent and it gets hot at the back) then it may be wired incorrectly. If it is a compressor fridge ( you can hear the compressor running) then it is wired correctly but provision must be made to keep the battery charged....by driving, hook up, big solar panels or a genny.

Mike_


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## 98197 (Mar 18, 2006)

*Leisure Battery charging from the aslternator*

I had rhe same problem recently with my Chausson Allegro - no juice from alternator to leisure batteries. But the problem was NOT the fuse. It turned out that the wiring from the alternator ran underneath the vehicle to the batteries in the rear locker rubbed against the exhaust and had burned through. When the wiring replaced and rerouted no more problems.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

When you say the wiring had burned through, do you mean it was NOT protected by a fuse?! 

Dave


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## 102023 (Dec 6, 2006)

HI,
I have a CI Mizar GTL living that has the same problem. If the leisure battery ids fully charged then it seems fine, but if it's a bit low it won't charge and the relay behind the passengers seat switches about every second.
I phones Ci and they say that if the battery voltage is too low then it won't charge, but if you plug it into the mains and give it a bit of charge then it will be okay until the voltage gets too low again. This is no good it you are not near a mains hook up. They asked me to send the PCB that sits in the fuse box back to them and they would test it , as this could be faulty. Let me know if you have any joy and I'll let you know how I get on.
I'm waiting to see what they say, as I have sent the PCB back this week.


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