What is this in the battery compartment

[nesty]

What is this in my starter battery compartment? Doing a bit of a tidy up.

Can anyone tell me what the item arrowed is? Is it the Alternator regulator? There’s a lot of wiring coming out from it!

[kevtherev]

it's a relay of some kind
after market, probably something to do with your leisure electrics (do you have a zig?)

the regulator in in the alternator

[nesty]

ok No, I haven't got a Zig.

OK this most probably explains why until now I haven't been able to locate the water pump and lighting connections.

The thicker wire comes in from the far corner of the compartment like it's coming from the cupboard area of the camper.

[CovKid]

Split-charge relay?

[nesty]

Split-charge relay?

I hope it isn't as I just discovered this fitting my new Inteligent splity charge relay!

I know a prevouis owner done a manual switch split charge type thing. I am in the process of deleting this as going with the new system.

So this thing in the battery compartment isn't a standard item then?

I also got a switch on the daash for the fridge to run 12v whislt engine running. It might be something to do with that!

[kevtherev]

VW use brown for ground so no not standard
why not switch stuff on/off and see what it works

[nesty]

Just nipped out tothe van and this what it says on the side

Lucas
6RA
332930

Defo a realy. Just got to work out what it does!

[nesty]

Down some googling. It's a Lucas change over relay. What do they do?

[kevtherev]

Lucas
6RA
332930

That relay can carry 30amp
could be a spot or fog relay, or as you say the fridge



I would say the connections are like this?

[nesty]

I haven't got any fog lights (apart from rears).

Yes this seems the same set up. Looked at the wiring diagram from this relay & the wires go to the corresponding pins. Ie C1 to C2 and W1 to W2. So would this mean there are 2 items on this relay? IE one item using C and the other using W?

Gonna investigate this on Tuesday. I'll try and follow the wires.

[Wolfsburg Willy]

Nesty, the wires W1/W2 energise the relay (ie turn it on like a switch) and the wires C1/C2 are the terminals that are connected when the relay is energised. So either W1 or W2 will be earthed and the other will be supplied by current when the doodah is turned on. C2 is probably your high current (up to 30A) feed and C1 (dual) the high current consumers. The only problem is finding out what the doodah is.

[nesty]

Nesty, the wires W1/W2 energise the relay (ie turn it on like a switch) and the wires C1/C2 are the terminals that are connected when the relay is energised. So either W1 or W2 will be earthed and the other will be supplied by current when the doodah is turned on. C2 is probably your high current (up to 30A) feed and C1 (dual) the high current consumers. The only problem is finding out what the doodah is.

Cheers many thanks. I am off the thinking this has to be the fridge 12V relay for the dashboard switch. It's the only thing I can think that is high current that not accounted for.

Is it possible that this relay could be using one power feed to supply multipule items such as Fridge, Water pump and interior lights?

[Wolfsburg Willy]

Is it possible that this relay could be using one power feed to supply multipule items such as Fridge, Water pump and interior lights?

It is possible, but it would only be as a 'master switch' to handle quite a high current draw. Also, if wired like that you would lose all the consumers if the relay malfunctioned. You will have to troubleshoot the relay to ascertain when it is energised (such as ignition on/off) and then check to see if there is a voltage across C1 when it is energised. It may be a remnant of something that was fitted but has since been removed. You know what it's like when you find that bundle of wires taped up under the dash but you've no idea what they are connected to!

[nesty]

Exactly. The relay might ot actully work. I never activated the fridge 12V dashboard on switch, whislt driving. I was too scared of flattening the battery!

The more I research it it makes sense it is the fridgge really. If the sleet not too bad on Tuesday I'll follow the wire back from the fridge switch on the dash and see where that leads me.

[Titus A Duxass]

That's exactly the same as my VW split charge relay.