Club 80-90 Forums

Hi, I'm after inserting a delay device/circuit between the main battery and the split charge relay. A delay of a 20 seconds to a few minutes would be useful to allow the voltage to settle down before the split charge gets involved. I seem to have variable voltage after ignition and the charge relay clicks away like mad for a short while which can't be good for it. What do I need?
cheers Patrick.

The sterling chargers do that, but obviously cost lots of money. Cheap option could be to wire in a switch on the cable to the split charger. Mount it in the cab, and you can turn it on/off whenever you want

lloydy wrote:The sterling chargers do that, but obviously cost lots of money. Cheap option could be to wire in a switch on the cable to the split charger. Mount it in the cab, and you can turn it on/off whenever you want

Yeah you're right - a switch on the control wire would do it, but the van already feels like a space rocket with all the pre-checks that happen as it is. I'm after the $5 automatic solution.

syncropatrick wrote:I'm after the $5 automatic solution.

Find a car in a scrappy with an interior light delay box.
Wire that in so that once it sees the charge, it fires off the delay then turns off. Use that to pull in a relay which'll pass the current to the charge relay.

You'll probably want to hunt around to find a delay box which doesn't do a "soft extinguish" - just turns the light off at once, rather than fade it out.

Might be worth looking around Pug 405s - if you can still find one - I know my ol' CX had a discrete delay box that did precisely that, but they really are hard to find now, and a lot of the interior electrickery is common with 405s.

I would guess you have avoltage sensitive relay.

If so change it for an ordinary relay (or 2 if you have a fridge as well)controlled by the D+ wire from the alternator .
20 or 30 amp 4 pin relays will cost £2 or £3 each from a motorist shop or ebay
Look in the wiki for instructions for fitting

If it is a voltage sensing relay it should have a built in delay. It sounds like the the cut in voltage is set too high most are factory set for modern charging systems with their higher charging voltages. Or you have a problem with your charging system, is the drive belt tight? Saying that there are some crap voltage sensing relays out there.

I'm with bigherb on this one....rather than putting a sticking plaster on the fault why not cure the fault itself?

My guess would be this could be easily cured by fitting a new voltage regulator/brush pack at around ten, twelve pounds.
The new regulator will be set at a higher voltage (the last few that I have fitted have been set from 14.2 - 14.5 volts). Reading between the lines I believe this increase is because most new batteries are now based on newer materials which require slightly higher voltages to charge correctly.

So a new regulator brush pack = slightly higher charge voltage = no more voltage sensing relay clicking. With the added bonus of better charging especially considering there is more to charge with the leisure being in the circuit as well.

Martin

If that doesn't sort it you can use THIS to delay the switching on of the relay for 5 to 5 seconds. (£7.98) Assuming that it's not a voltage sensing one. This would have to receive the signal from the ign switch. We really need to know what type of relay you are using - voltage switching? adjustable? standard +something else?

Thanks chaps, all useful info. Alternator belt is tight and doesn't squeak. Alternator is Bosch 90A of unknown vintage and a brush pack/voltage regulator replacement is on my todo list and has been for over a year. I think its a voltage sensing relay, twas supplied by Raw Components a couple of years ago. Both van and leisure battery are under two years old and float charged while parked up at home. Sounds like brush pack is top of the list before further twiddling is done. Brush pack/voltage regulator available mail order?

While dodging showers I fitted a new brush pack/voltage regulator. Initial tests show its reduced the relay clicking. I'll know more at the weekend when the van gets a good spin.

California Dreamin wrote:My guess would be this could be easily cured by fitting a new voltage regulator/brush pack at around ten, twelve pounds. The new regulator will be set at a higher voltage (the last few that I have fitted have been set from 14.2 - 14.5 volts). Reading between the lines I believe this increase is because most new batteries are now based on newer materials which require slightly higher voltages to charge correctly. Martin

Where could this be purchased please? I can't see this listed on Brickwerks site.



Doug.

B&B Components Granville Rd, Maidstone.

New Kentish Campers wrote:

California Dreamin wrote:My guess would be this could be easily cured by fitting a new voltage regulator/brush pack at around ten, twelve pounds. The new regulator will be set at a higher voltage (the last few that I have fitted have been set from 14.2 - 14.5 volts). Reading between the lines I believe this increase is because most new batteries are now based on newer materials which require slightly higher voltages to charge correctly. Martin

Where could this be purchased please? I can't see this listed on Brickwerks site.



Doug.

I rang Vehicle Electrics and they popped a couple in the post for ~£24.
https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.p ... k#p7452490

Patrick, if you can get into the voltage sensibg relay there should be an adjustable 'pot / screw' in there which sets the switching voltage. Get a multi meter and set it exactly where you want it.

Depends on whether you can actually get in to the unit, most of the time there's a way, afterall it was assembled so it'll come apart somehow. That cost even less than £5, just a bit of your time.