# No Power from leisure battery although charged???



## 108764 (Dec 16, 2007)

Hi 

I have just returned from a cold weekend in Brugge. (A great place in the winter assuming you have power)

There is no power going to the consumer unit and nothing will work. I then plug into hookup and there is no change unless I start the engine for a moment (which makes everything work) but then I can turn the engine off and if still on hook up everything continues to work. 

I have checked the leisure battery terminals and traced the leisure live for any fuses but found none around the battery. I have a charge in the leisure battery.

Anything obvious before I check the leisure battery feed into the consumer unit?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

banker,

Welcome to MHF!

Let's get this clear first, because it sounds strange. 

EVERYTHING works perfectly, but ONLY if, once powered on hookup, you start the engine. It still works perfectly after you stop the engine, even straight away.

Dave


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## 108764 (Dec 16, 2007)

Thanks

My leisure battery is not powering my consumer unit at all despite being charged. Everything is fine when the alternator is going although I checked with a meter and no charge is getting to lesiure battery.

So I hooked up a 240v supply and it still didn't work.

I then started the engine and everything came on (connected to consumer unit) as I expected - but when I turned off the engine the consumer unit stayed on - I have repeated this 6 times always the same. I thought maybe a line that needs a lot of current to break resistence???

I am confused - it must be simple!!! If you know I suppose!

Sue


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"My leisure battery is not powering my consumer unit at all despite being charged. Everything is fine when the alternator is going .."

Sue,

Well it must be simple, but you lose me at first base every time. The leisure batteries do not power the consumer unit, which is a mains-only device, described here:
http://www.practicalcaravan.com/a-z/index.html

Dave


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## 108764 (Dec 16, 2007)

Thats because I am using the wrong word - Helpfully under the link you gave me it shows the definition of Control Panel.

Which is what I mean.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Sue,

Is my understanding in my first post correct? (If not what is wrong?)

Can your control panel be switched between vehicle and leisure battery? If so does that make any difference?

Is your mains charger swiched on?

What meter are you talking about? The one on the control panel? (Again, is there a battery selection switch on it?)

Dave


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## 97984 (Mar 5, 2006)

We had a similar problem on a previous van where there was no 12v power to the control panel after stopping the engine running. If you hooked up, the 12v supply to the control panel would work but as soon as the hook up was disconnected the 12v supply would die again. Sometimes, by restarting the engine, the 12v supply would return & stay on. The leisure battery was fully charged.

It turned out to be a relay under the bonnet next to the battery that was causing the fault. We found the contacts were dirty on it & when cleaned up everything worked O.K again. It was the same relay that controlled the 12v feed to the fridge & that would also play up sometimes. Might be worth a thought?


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## 108771 (Dec 16, 2007)

I also think you need to look closely at the split charge relay, they are under the bonnet getting all the weather & damp & often cause problems, try cleaning the terminals please disconnect the batterys 1st though. big sparks can be caused


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## 04HBG (Dec 9, 2007)

Hello Banker,
I had a very similar problem on my Autotrail and it took a bit of finding but it was the fuse holder coming from the leisure battery, despite checking the fuse which looked and was good. The fuse holder itself came away in my hands in bits the second time i checked it, the fuse holder was a square type push in holder. 
I made a temporary repair by replacing it with a simple in line fuse, that temporary that 2 years down the line its still there doing fine.
Ron D


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Looks like I have something similar!! BUT THIS ONLY AFTER WORK DONE BY THE DEALERS!

Had work done on the habitation door on Thursday. Mentioned that the voltage on control panel (from electric charging unit) was showing 15.2v and behaving a bit erratic. When we first collected motorhome I also mentioned it went up to 20v!! Thought it had been sorted then but this happened, going up to 15.2v on Wed BUT we did have sevre frost every night at Cornish Farm so I did ask if this reading was anything to do with the frost as Auto-Trail in their wisdom (not) had sited the leisure batteries under the off side, side skirts of the motorhome on a platform and not in a locker as in previous motorhome. So of course are going to be affected by frost/very cold weather!!! 

Anyway the service chap said we have replaced the charging unit.

Well on the way home the Radio wouldn't turn on!

At home turned engine off, Tried radio and it turned on! However now the rear speakers are on and won't turn off. I have set Fade to 00 and my setting was still there!

The SRC button won't work, this is needed to change to EXT-IN so that I can have sound for the flip down tv!

Of course all that was working when I left Cornish Farm that morning!!

Thought I had better try the Charging unit so plugged in. Have electric at Sockets but noticed on the Control Panel that leisure battery reading was low and I had just driven 50 + miles, should have showed 12.8 or 13.0v. So i checked the input current and it showed nothing going in from the charging unit even though it was switched on!!!!

Switched from leisure battery to Vehicle battery and saw between 1.1 and 2.1 amps going in via the charging unit!!
Switched back to leisure battery and still nothing going in via charging unit!!!

So from having a charging unit that was at least working I now have one that is NOT charging my leisure batteries, Radio not working when engine on and switches not working.!!!

WHY OH WHY CANNOT THESE WORKMEN CHECK THAT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IS WORKING!!!!!

The receptionist says come back!!! as if I am just around the corner. The men didn't touch the Radio!!! However if removing a charging unit then they must have to disconnect something that goes to the battery surely and whatever they have done has caused the problem!!! Maybe not connected something properly???

Fed up is an understatement as I was planning to go up to Wales tomorrow instead I have to wait for someone to come and rectify this problem. If they come that is, I was expecting confirmation today but of course no one has telephoned to confirm they are coming tomorrow!!!


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## 108764 (Dec 16, 2007)

I have found at least 6 fuses around my engine battery - some as high as 50 amp!!

But alas no relay. I did find that the engine battery post was a little loose which is a good find as i am sure that would have been a problem later - I also found a mysterious spade terminal hanging in space that I trackked back to be an earth.

But I have yet to find a relay for charge split.

I think I need to take the engine battery out of the Burstner and have a good look around - but at minus 3 and pitch black its not inviting.

Anyone any ideas where the split charge relay might be on a 1997 Burstner Ducato????

Very grateful for help to date - I still have hope that with your help I can do this one!

Sue


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