Westfalia black box charger

[saviogimmi]

Hi everyone, well I hadn't started the van for a while, so the starter batt was dead. Thought I'd plug the van in via the hookup to charge up left all day and night. Go to start the van no power at all. The bbb is humming as normal getting hot as normal but is making a ticking noise which it had never done before? I tested the voltage across the terminals, stater batt was giving a very low reading. I'm right in expecting to see around 14 v when on hook up. The lea sure was reading 12.3v on hook up, which leads me to believe the black box is at fault? Any ideas before I get an expensive replacement!
Thanks
Sav

[Oldiebut goodie]

Ticking noises in power supplies are usually caused by faulty capacitors. Given the probable age of the bbb that may be the problem.

[Hacksawbob]

disconnect the leisure terminals and measure for the difference with BBB on and off see what the difference is.

[California Dreamin]

Indeed.....as he said ^^^^^ you might have a completely dead battery and the noise is the thermo trip clicking in and out.

Martin

[Oldiebut goodie]

I would expect a pulsing voltage higher than 12.3v then if it were tripping in and out. A ticking noise to me means a regular like clockwork type of noise as in a faulty capacitor.
It does sound like the batteries are going to meet their makers though.

(I thought that those chargers only charge the leisure battery anyway and so wouldn't have charged the starter.)

[saviogimmi]

Well here is an update! Took the starter batt out Monday left it on charge for about 16 hours! Put it back in the van last night it started fine. Went back to start this morning completely dead! So maybe it was a dead batt causing the thermal switch to click? Anyway the batt is only 1 year old from halfords with a 3 year guarantee, need to find the reciept now!!!!

[California Dreamin]

Common BBB Westy chargers have two outputs and charge both the leisure and starter batteries whilst on hookup.

Given that you charged the starter battery for 16hrs and then it had enough power to initially start the engine but then soon after went flat again....I would want to test this battery away from the van...see how the battery holds it's charge without being connected.

Given a 16 hour charge I would expect to see quite a high initial voltage (perhaps as high as 13.2 volts) but after several hours coming down to and holding a steady 12.6 - 12.7 volts.......this is what a fully charged battery should be holding, the question is; are you still seeing 12.6 - 12.7 volts after 24 hours standing..AS IT SHOULD!

Obviously the likes of Halfords will have a much more sophisticated 'checker' that will put you battery through a series of checks before giving it a 'green/amber or red for dead' bill of health or otherwise.

Once you can establish the status of both batteries and depending upon those results ....you can move on to discharge checks (whether there is something shorting/draining the batteries)

Westy chargers do have a thermal cut out in their circuit and capacitors can also make clicking noises or even high pitched squeeling but before writing off the charger as faulty make sure both batteries are in good condition as the noise maybe a symptom rather than a fault.

Martin

[saviogimmi]

After the charge the batt did read 13.2v exactly! But in recent months the batt would be dead within two weeks of not using the van. I have been charging it on hook up each time, I'm wondering if this heavy cycling has destroyed the plates, killing the batt. All I have running of the starter batt is an alarm, as I have done the stereo mod?

[saviogimmi]

Ok problem solved, it turns out nothing was wrong with the batt, or the bbb charger. I put a spare batt in and measured the voltage 12.2 and 11.8 when connected then the multimeter started running down like a clock and the batt connections got very hot! So now time to find short! Traced to glow plug relay that was so hot I couldn't touch it, removed it 20 mins later to hear somthing loose inside, opened it up and a small piece of solder is sitting between two contacts!!!! Removed it put relay back and all is ok. Sitting at 12.2v. And the bbb charger is working as it should no clicking, so must of been the thermal resistor as the batt was so low!!! Very lucky the van didn't go up in flames the heat that was produced!!!!
Anyway thanks for all the help, hopefully it won't come back

[California Dreamin]

Hmmmm yes...figures. Just be aware that 11.8 & 12.2 volts are still pretty low number as far as charge level goes...this should rise with the hookup connected, to something over 14 volts.

Now that you have found the heavy discharge you just need to satisfy yourself about the condition of the batteries....once charged and stood for a day make sure you are seeing something over 12.5 volts.

Martin