# Leisure battery not charging in transit



## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

PLEASE HELP A.S.A.P We are on holiday in Spain have met a really lovely young couple who have all sorts of problems with their NEW swift Kontiki. We have sorted out some problems but unfortunately we are not very good with electrics. Their problem is that they cannot use their fridge whilst in transit as it drains the battery. They have been in touch with their U K supplier who is NO help, a local garage did not understand (or so they say) They have taken a year out and have only just started their expedition but are disalusioned as you can imagine They were given no diagrams of where fuses or sensors are, it is a new Fiat 3.ltr 160multi jet please help us if you can URGENT
THANKS Pauline & Maurice


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

How new, in has it ever worked properly?

The fridge should not take its 12V cooling power from the leisure battery, but from the starter battery via a relay separate from the split charging one.

If I assume your battery being drained is the leisure one, I'm struggling to think of anything other than a wiring fault in production.

Does the fridge cool off 12V when the engine is off?

Dave


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Does the leisure battery charge up if the fridge is not switched on when travelling
Does the leisure battery charge up when on mains,


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I agree with DAB,if the fridge is working on 12 volt whilst in transit and the leisure battery is draining then it points to a faulty split charge relay.If this is the case then it is more than likely the leisure battery is not charging from the engine either as the fridge and leisure battery are normally fed from the same relay.

It could be simply the fuse blown or as it is a new van a wiring fault is possible.Try and locate the split charge relay-it is usually wired in close to the +ve terminal of the engine battery.Look for a fuse holder around this area and check the fuse,if that is ok and your friends want to continue their holiday then the fridge will work on gas when travelling,I have forgot to change over the fridge to 12 volt and inadvertantly left it on gas when travelling on more than one occasion and it has worked ok.They will also need an electric hook up to keep the leisure battery charged.

Steve


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

I agree with Steve.
No doubt if it is a new van it will have a auto change fridge, when the engine is started, it will choose battery power, with the engine still running, manually change to gas operation (have been out to my van to make sure this is possible) each time the engine is stopped you may have to repeat this operation.

Charlie


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

send a post or pm to swiftgroup he is a member of mhf and a top bod at swift i think or e mail swift here http://www.swiftleisure.co.uk/SwiftGroup
best of luck 
chapter


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## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

They have checked all fuses all seem ok They are unable to identify the relays as they are not labelled and next to the battery are several. The leisure battery appears to be charging from both hook up and solar panel only seems to be a problem when driving. They are using the gas whilst in transit but of course this is not ideal / or safe as they are going to be away for a long time.


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

As before I strongly recommend that you e-mail Peter Smith at Swift. Their electrician is excellent and should be able to help.
In the end I suspect that it will have to go to a vehicle electrician to be sorted as measurements will be needed.
These new vans are not that straightforward - particularly the Fiat part which has a CAMBUS system.


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

tattyhead said:


> PLEASE HELP A.S.A.P We are on holiday in Spain have met a really lovely young couple who have all sorts of problems with their NEW swift Kontiki. We have sorted out some problems but unfortunately we are not very good with electrics. Their problem is that they cannot use their fridge whilst in transit as it drains the battery. They have been in touch with their U K supplier who is NO help, a local garage did not understand (or so they say) They have taken a year out and have only just started their expedition but are disalusioned as you can imagine They were given no diagrams of where fuses or sensors are, it is a new Fiat 3.ltr 160multi jet please help us if you can URGENT
> THANKS Pauline & Maurice


Please pm a contact no.Peter


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## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

Thanks to everybody that has posted replies here. I thought you would all like to know that Peter at Swifts has had his electrician ring our friends with the Swift Kontiki tonight (yes Saturday evening) and is going to try and help them sort their problems out. 
A big thankyou to Peter Smith and ALL of you for your help as I was really worried about them travelling with the gas connected to their fridge especially as they are touring around the EU for the next 8 months or so, and with the Winter months who knows what could happen so thanks again
Pauline & Maurice


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Well done Peter Smith of the Swift Group. Excellent stuff.

Do we have any Hymer contacts on this forum? There's a couple of things tghat I wouldn't mind getting sorted out, over the phone. :lol: :lol: :lol:

*Tattyhead*,

Is this a posh version of you?

Potato Head

Jock.


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## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

Well here we are and the battery problem still not sorted. Not Swifts fault entirely I hasten to add but the 'problem' part has still not arrived
Pauline


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

*Awaiting Parts in Spain*

Hello Pauline,

Apologies that this part has still not been received. I have been in touch with our logistics team who have looked up the required part on the carriers tracking system on the internet. The current situation is stating that the part has arrived in Spain, but it is still in transit. A further update will be available to us in the morning, as soon as I receive the update I will get in touch.

Amy (Swift)


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## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

Amy

Thank you for your response with luck the part should be with them today

Pauline


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## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

*Leisure Battery*

Well here we are home leaving our new found 'friends' in Spain.

May I take this opportunity to thank Peter and his electrician at Swifts and all of you for your help.

Swifts have been absolutely great giving the young couple help, advice and support. They are much more confident now that the motorhome wont let them down and will enjoy, I am sure, the rest of their trip.

As you can imagine I was extremely concerned with them travelling with the gas turned on especially with the journey that they were planning. I suppose some of you may think I am acting like a bit of a 'mother hen' but I just hope that somebody would take my daughter under their wing if she were in a similar situation.

Well just to say a big THANK YOU TO YOU ALL ON MHF and to Peter etc at SWIFTS

Pauline


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