westy split chariging

[ninja.turtle007]

The leisure battery is not charging from the alternator. Does anyone know where I can find the relay. I believe the one on the battery box is to do with the fridge?

[tensilekid]

The relay under the seat next to the battery is the split charge relay. The fridge relay is on top of the fridge just behind the controll panel (you can see it if you take off the small side grill (2 screws).

[Red Westie]

Front right of leisure battery, 5 pin 30/40amp where it has two live outputs switched together (not the common type which swaps between the two outputs.)
Martin

[ninja.turtle007]

Okay, thanks.

is there a way of testing this? If this has failed would it stop the battery from receiving a charge or should I be looking for a bad connection somewhere else?

Thanks

[Cafnod]

If you can test in situ by prodding meter probe into wire. If its giving out 12vdc or whatever then its working. You should be able to hear it click, or feel it when it comes online. Requires two people though unless you have a remote starter switch.
There are off vehicle relay testers, usually made up or main dealer gear, I have one for standard cube relays, feed in feed out trigger types. If you nmeed to make one you can by a fitting from VWP and wire it or use crimps running to croc clips and then test if you get continuity after powering the relay up.

[Red Westie]

Indeed....the output terminals (two on a late Westy) will simply show charge voltage (around 14volts) once the engine is started and the ignition light goes out. This positive feed should disapear as soon as the engine is stopped regardless of wether the ignition is on/off.
If the relay is faulty then perhaps this would be a good time to uprate it with something bigger.

Martin

[ermie571]

for us it was the trigger wire....it had come off the coil......therefore the relay didn't charge.

Em
x

[ninja.turtle007]

Hi

Thanks for the advice.

A few more questions if I may. With engine off there is one live feed to the relay which I presume is the feed from leisure battery. The other thick cable on the relay I pressume is from starter battery. This is not live with the engine on or off. Once engine is started the relay clicks but there is no power on the cable from the starter battery. I presume this has broken down somewhere and needs replacing. If I loop a cable from starter battery to the terminal on relay I get charge on leisure battery when the engine is running and relay clicks.

Just want to check my theory is correct before wiring something that could be dangerous.

Thanks

Tom

[Cafnod]

Hi Tom
Your reasoning is spot on, obviously the cable is the problem but why? Are you sure there is not a fuse in the cable thats popped? If you disconnect the cable at both ends and measure continuity you should get an ininite or open circuit reading. Try piercing the insulation say a metre further down with the meter probe, keep checking at metre intervals, until you get continuity, it maybe that the cable is only broken a foot from the end. Once you know where the cable is damaged you can splice in a new section, unless it looks nasty, in which case replace the whole lot. BUT firstly DO check for a blown fuse.
And fit a fuse inline, up near the starter battery preferably, if its a thirty amp relay then a thirty amp fuse etc. Makes sure the new cable if required is a minimum of say fifty amps if its a long run, this avoids voltage drops which you dont want in a charging circuit, the heavier the cable (within reason) the better.
HTH
Richard

[ninja.turtle007]

I previously had to replace the cable from alternator to starter battery, so this has probably broken down too. I have enough cable left from before so no problem replacing it.

Thanks for the advice.

[Cafnod]

Alternator charging wire should be about 6mm that should be ample but do put a fuse in the circuit that way if you have a problem with leisure side it will pop the fuse before the relay explodes or the cable melts. This could be caused by a knackered leisure or an inverter left with a load on it and when you start up the flat leisure grabs as much current as it can, possibly setting fire to your van in the process.
Glad to have helped have fun.
BTW in you wanted ad you are asking for a westy RCD, can you please PM a pic of it or a link as I can often source electrical kit and I might know it as something else.
Regards

Richard

[ninja.turtle007]

All done thanks. I bought an RCD from an electrical wholesalers. It was was about the width of an MCB smaller so I used a blanking peice from a consumer unit.

[Cafnod]

Excellent