Leisure battery

[Dartmoor]

I was mystified - my new leisure battery completely lost its charge. I have tracked down the cuprit - the fridge! Now mine is a Westfalia, and I thought that when the fridge was switched to 12volt, it would only draw from the leisure battery when you are on the move and charging? I re-charged my batter manually and brought it back up to 12v. I then tested it with the engine running, and according to the draper tester I have, when you press the accelerator you should read around 14volts - but on mine it makes no difference. I know my main battery is charging, but I think some how the leisure one is picking up nothing from the alternator at all. Any thoughts? Also, should the battery re-charge when on hook up, cos again nothing happens? Can you help me find a fix? Many thanks

[AngeloEvs]

I'm not familiar with the Westy Dartmoor so looked in the Bentley Manual which gives some info on the Camper wiring Schematic. I don't know what model variations there are, or how comprehensive it is, but the schematic shows a split charge relay fed off the alternator. There are no fuses shown, just the relay and, if correct, looks as though you need to locate the relay and investigate that (and that the feed from the alternator is connected). No relay is shown to automatically disconnect the fridge either, however, from what I have read on various posts a relay is fitted under one of the seats. Couldn't see any information regarding a mains charger so I cannot help you with that. Hopefully some one with a Westy will be able to give you precise and accurate details........all the best!

[Red Westie]

Westy 5pin relay is fitted just in front of the leisure battery in a gap forward and centre of the battery carrier.
They can and do fail but the fact the battery isn't changing on mains leads me to believe that you may have two different faults.
Martin

[callanish]

Hi
will this help ....dont know but it cant harm......

On my westie the mains charger under the back seat failed on me after some welding had been done. I took the top off the charger (4 screws) and there was a 2 amp ( i think) fuse which had blown ......I rerplaced it and hey presto hook up charging worked again.


Andrew

[AngeloEvs]

Hi
will this help ....dont know but it cant harm......

On my westie the mains charger under the back seat failed on me after some welding had been done. I took the top off the charger (4 screws) and there was a 2 amp ( i think) fuse which had blown ......I rerplaced it and hey presto hook up charging worked again.


Andrew

......and the fuses are likely to blow if you switched the mains charger on with a flat leisure battery so good tip from callanish..........you need a westy owner to tell you how many other fuses there are, what they are for and where they are located.

[Mocki]

the fridge shouldnt even be connected to the leisure battery, it should be connected to the main battery, via a relay, fuse and switch.

[Dartmoor]

the fridge shouldnt even be connected to the leisure battery, it should be connected to the main battery, via a relay, fuse and switch.

Not sure about that on a Westy....too much of a coincidence that the leisure battery collapses if the fridge switch is put to 12v. The main battery is fine.

Some useful help here folks - I will check that fuse under the rear seat.

Thanks

[AngeloEvs]

Mocki, I looked at schematic for the Westy and it appears that they connect everything in the leisure compartment to the leisure battery unlike UK conversions. Also noticed on one schematic that there is no relay for the fridge and looks like you have to remember to switch it off. Don't know if that applies to all versions/years or how accurate it is. Maybe Westy owners could offer a bit of info for the WIKI.

[lhd]

it appears that they connect everything in the leisure compartment to the leisure battery

Definitely not....
The leisure compartment lights are wired to the starter battery on a standard Westy as is the cig lighter, aux power thingy and the stereo. I have just had to convert mine to run from the leisure.Not sure about the fridge relay though(which is under drivers seat).
Rob.