Split charge remains?

An alchemy of sparks, copper wire and earth

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

Post Reply
Cookie
Registered user
Posts: 17
Joined: 17 Mar 2021, 19:55
80-90 Mem No: 0

Split charge remains?

Post by Cookie »

Hello all,

From my leisure battery bay I have wires going into a relay. They then disappear off to both behind the dash and to the main battery bay.

I have attached photos in the hope someone can identify if it is an old split charge system and what is doing what?

Basically from the relay (which is fused) a green wire goes behind the dash onto the back of fuse 12(old torpedo system). A red wire also disappears behind there but is cut off and not attached to anything.

A purple and red wire then go to the main battery box, the purple is fused in line and goes to the fridge relay and the red is just left loose again?

Can anyone help please and explain it a bit clearer? I have found one diagram that explains the fridge/pump wiring but nothing to explain what’s going on with the batteries.

It’s a 1980 Devon moonraker.

Thanks in advance! ImageImage
1980 2.0 Aircooled Devon conversion
(Still learning the rest!)

User avatar
Mocki
Membership Admin
Posts: 16957
Joined: 29 Sep 2005, 09:27
80-90 Mem No: 428
Location: Mansfield Notts
Contact:

Re: Split charge remains?

Post by Mocki »

It’s difficult to comment on something we can’t see , but what I can see is the neg connection is inadequate. 
you need to replace that neg wire with a earth strap like your main battery should have .

what you need is to start again , with wires that are big enough to do the job 

if that is your fridge 12v heater wiring, it’s not big enough , three way fridges "draw" roughly 11amps on start up dropping to about 8amps when up to temp . 
Thin wires are the reason many people will tell you that the 12v part of a three way fridge will only maintain temperature, rather than actually cool.It’s a myth ......On most 3 way fridges, the 12v heating element is the same heat power as the mains one , give or take a few watts , but the majority of installations are so poor that the voltage loss on the 12v element is such that the performance is as you believe, only good for maintaining a already cool fridge . 
 If the cabling and installing was carried out correctly the 12v side would be easily equal ( and actually in most cases better , because only top end fridges have any thermostatic Control on the 12v side ) to the 240v . 
 Silly thin wires often wired to the leisure battery via alternator or worse still a voltage triggered relay instead of good thick wire to the main battery via a alternator triggered relay . 
 The 12v elements require approx 11amps @ 13.8v , and sadly most will be struggling to get 75% of that because of voltage drop



 
Steve
tel / txt O7947-137911
👀
________________

1989 2.1LpgWBX HiTop Leisuredrive Camper
1988 2.1 Caravelle TS TinTop Camper 
 

Cookie
Registered user
Posts: 17
Joined: 17 Mar 2021, 19:55
80-90 Mem No: 0

Re: Split charge remains?

Post by Cookie »

Hi and thanks for the reply. Not sure the pictures do it justice really, I purposely left out the fridge and pump wiring from the picture just to keep it simple and to know if it was a split charge system and what each cable was potentially for.

Noted on the negative cable thickness.

Everything was working prior to me ripping out the rotten cupboards and I haven’t messed with anything yet but this is the fridge and pump jumble!

Regards

Cookie Image
1980 2.0 Aircooled Devon conversion
(Still learning the rest!)

Post Reply