Help please: Something's happened to my leisure battery wiring...

An alchemy of sparks, copper wire and earth

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

Post Reply
RichMac
Registered user
Posts: 2
Joined: 02 Jul 2019, 14:24
80-90 Mem No: 0

Help please: Something's happened to my leisure battery wiring...

Post by RichMac »

Hello all
I'm making my first post with a plea for help as I cant figure out what's wrong with the wiring between my two batteries (leisure to main) and why nothing is working in the camper electrics. The van had been in for an engine repair since last trip when everything was working ok. I also had old style swivel base units welded in for both seats so I expect the batteries were removed and something happened then. 
Since getting the van back I discovered I couldnt get the 3-way fridge to spark for the gas. Then I realised there is no power going to the Zig unit (CF8). I replaced the leisure battery as it was shot, and Ive checked all the fuses, but no joy. I thought there would be something obvious to reconnect, but now I realise I am utterly confused and ignorant of how it is or should all be wired up.
Here are pix of the wiring in the main battery compartment along with the scrappy drawing I made to try to make sense of how it all connects. Hopefully its very obvious to some of you...   ImageImageImageAs you can see I dont really understand what is what down there. But Im really confused that there's a circuit which appears just to go through two 16a fuses and back out again. And that there are two red wires that seemingly once connected the leisure battery to something, but that are left taped off.
The only thing I know that's been done since I had he van (not that I really understood it at the time) was when the Ryder 'super smart' charger was fitted by someone who fixed a previous fault with the fridge spark wire, who had recommended removing the main battery from being connected to the Zig unit.
I hope this all makes sense, and one of you with a lot more understanding than me can suggest what to do to get things working properly again. Thanks

User avatar
AngeloEvs
Registered user
Posts: 1345
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 19:22
80-90 Mem No: 4709
Location: Upwell, Norfolk

Re: Help please: Something's happened to my leisure battery wiring...

Post by AngeloEvs »

The leisure battery positive should go to a fuse and from that fuse direct to terminal 4 of the Zig unit. The terminal block is on the rear of the unit and can be accessed by removing the four fascia screws on the front panel, this will enable you to pull it out and check for continuity (using a multimeter) between terminal four and the red cables that go to the fuses or any cables that don't not appear to be connected.     Disconnect the leisure battery whilst doing continuity tests.

With the leisure battery connected you can use the multimeter to see if you have 12v at terminal 4 of the zig or just switch the zig to on and check the LED on the front panel illuminates.   You need to first get 12v to the zig then work on the charge relay wiring

Also, there is a wiring diagram of the zig unit and connections to the leisure and starter batteries in the club WIKI but bear in mind that there are variations regarding how the charge relay is wired by the various conversion specialists.     
1987 DG Karisma LPG with remodelled interior

RichMac
Registered user
Posts: 2
Joined: 02 Jul 2019, 14:24
80-90 Mem No: 0

Re: Help please: Something's happened to my leisure battery wiring...

Post by RichMac »

Thanks for the pointers AngeloEvs. My first poke at it didnt reveal anything, but Ive just tried again and I might be getting somewhere now:

The unnconnected fuse holder ended cable by the leisure battery actually runs to position 2 on the Zig (that end has a small brown collar-thing).
The red cable from Zig position 4 (has a red collar) goes into the first 16am fuse in the main battery compartment (seen in picture above). This loops via the third fuse to blue wire which I realise now is the fridge ignition. Hurrah

So for now I should be good to reconnect that cable to the leisure battery, with a newly fitted 25a fuse, to get the camper electrics & fridge ignition back, yeah?

Then I'll try to make sense of the rest of it

Post Reply