Leisure Battery - charging whilst using??

[isaune]

Hello everyone

Just to summarise my problem.

On my van, unlike others apparently, the brakelights work on the same fuse as the cigarette lighter, radio and interior lights.

That’s not necessarily a big problem, except that, when I did the rewiring detailed in the above posts (ie replacing that fuse with a live feed from the leisure battery) the cigarette lighter, radio and interior lights all worked perfectly (from the leisure battery) but, for some reason, the brakelights did not.

Anyone got any ideas what that reason might be?

BTW, the good news is that the MOT was passed and the brakelights worked again as soon as the old fuse was put back in the slot. However, I would still prefer the lighter, radio and interior lights to work off the leisure battery - hence the whole point in this post.

Many thanks for your help.

Ian

[1664]

On my van, unlike others apparently, the brakelights work on the same fuse as the cigarette lighter, radio and interior lights.

No it's not unlike other vans with an early fusebox

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/VehicleSpec ... /fuses.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If the lighter radio etc are still working off the leisure battery, and the brake lights now work via the original 8amp fuse what's the problem? The 8amp fuse is still connected to the starter battery isn't it and therefore what you've wanted all along?
You could have had two or more separate feeds off the one fuse and the brake lights are still connected...

Just had a quick glance at the early (Aircooled) Haynes manual wiring diagram and there are two/three feeds off the one fuse. Haven't got time now to trace it out in detail as I have to go out in a minute but that would explain the above...

[isaune]

Thanks 1664

I'm not at the van now but am planning to have a good look tomorrow morning!

I'm a bit confused because my van is not an old air cooled one - it is 1986 2.1 litre petrol water called.

Also, the fuses are not the ceramic type - they are definitely blade fuses.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that the mechanic said the brakelights weren't working until he took my spade connector (from the leisure battery) out and replaced it with the old fuse.

I don't get what you mean though, 1664, about me now getting the best of both worlds. I didn't have time to check last night or this morning but my understanding is that my spade connector from the leisure battery is now dangling loose and the 2 blade fuse is back in place.

Which puts me back to square 1 with the interior lights, radio and cigarette lighter working off the main battery which I don't want.

Anyway, unless anyone has any other ideas, I will report again in the morning!!

[1664]

I assumed you had a van with the earlier fusebox as the list of fuses that you put a link to is of the early type'; 8 and 16 amp sized fuses are the bullet/ceramic style fuse sizes. Blade types are 3, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 amp etc.
Also the list of what they do is pretty much identical to the early fusebox listed on The Brick-yard I linked to (except for fuse 7 and all being 8 amp) and exactly the same as in the Aircooled Haynes manual. I referred to an Aircooled Haynes as that lists the earlier fusebox and wiring diagrams but now I know your van is 1986 wbx so should have the later version.

As for the "best of both worlds", I thought the brake lights worked with the lighter and radio still off the leisure battery - I hadn't read the mod' details and thought the wiring had been re-routed to the leisure battery rather than the leisure battery being connected to the outgoing side of the circuit on the fusebox. My fault for not reading the entire thread, sorry

[isaune]

Quick question before I get onto this in the morning.

Firstly, in the above modification, I know that the spade terminal from the leisure battery has to plug into the NON live part of the fuse holder.

And I know there are ways to test which part of the fuse holder (ie top or bottom part) is live using a voltmeter or an earthed bulb or some other gadget etc etc

But, for the avoidance of doubt, I was just wondering if anyone knows for sure which is which.

Should the spade connector go into the top half of the fuse holder or the bottom half?

Would just save me some time, maybe some cash (Voltmeter?) and a few grey hairs - that's all!!!

Thanks chaps!!!

[isaune]

Ok. A quick update.

As I suspected, my spade connector from the leisure battery was just dangling, fuse number 3 was back in; brake lights were working but, of course, this meant that the interior lights, radio and cig lighter were running from the main battery - something I wanted to avoid and the whole point if this exercise!!

Just for a laugh I took the fuse out and checked the brake lights. Guess what? They worked!!

So I put my spade connector back in the bottom slot. Radio, lights and lighter sprang into action!! So far so good.

Checked the brake lights again. Working fine.

Just as a double check, I disconnected the leisure battery and the lights, radio and lighter all stopped working.

So, everything appears to be fine.

The mystery is why the MOT man said the brake lights were NOT working until he replaced my spade clip with the original fuse.

Someone earlier mentioned muppetry and I am starting to think that might be the case!!

Anyway, all's well that ends well. Bruges here we come!!

Thanks for advice chaps.

Ian

[California Dreamin]

Leisure battery was flat perhaps?

Martin

[isaune]

Don't think so, Martin, because, based on this morning's findings, I think my brake lights are on a different fuse ie not fuse 3. So the leisure battery wouldn't affect them.

[Oldiebut goodie]

Possibly all that happened is that you have both knocked the brake light fuse which was making poor contact!

[isaune]

Sounds logical Oldie.

The simplest solutions are the best ones !