Leisure Battery

[Lynne]

Hello Everyone. I've read lots about leisure batteries on here but so far, I can't find (or more likely understand!) anything related to our battery issue. I'm sure the last thing you want is another newby asking basic questions but to follow in others footsteps - we haven't a clue!

Collected T25 on Sunday. Ebay buy (don't - I know). It's nothing like we had been promised. The "minor spots of rust appearing in a few places" has turned out to be every panel and every seam! That's just the start but I digress! The leisure battery didn't seem to be charging. Red light is showing on the zig panel. Purchased a voltage tester today and found it is 12.8 volts. From what I have read this is fully charged. However, the red light stays on whatever. The strip lights work, fridge doesn't but not convinced that is run on 12V. I'm thinking that the only thing in the van that should be running off the leisure battery are the lights and if that's the case they are on - but the red light stays on the zig panel.. should that actually turn green to show the battery is fully charged? Just been out in it for an hour and leisure battery is now 13V. Oddly, the "brand spanking new" normal battery the owner replaced on Saturday is still only 8V after the journey and was 8V before we started.. all very odd... well, it is to us! Would appreciate some clarification about when the light should be green and what should run off the leisure battery.. thank you so much!

[ghost123uk]

Hi Lynne and welcome to club 80-90

Firstly, before we worry about the Zig unit, lets think about your battery readings. There is no way the van would start and run if the main battery was reading 8 volts. Are you sure you are not getting the 2 batteries mixed up ?

Try taking the negative lead off the one you think is the main van battery and trying to start it up.

Re things running off the leisure battery, most folks wire it so that anything you are likely to use when parked up runs of it, including the radio.

[Lynne]

Hi Ghost. Thank you so much for your reply! We DID wonder if we had the batteries mixed up. We are assuming that the battery behind the drivers seat which is much bigger is the leisure battery and the smaller one in the back of the van is the main battery? Does this sound right? Thanks again !

[LeeME3]

Both of my batteries are behind the front seats - the one behind the driver (RHD van) is the 'vehicle' battery and the one behind the passenger seat is the 'leisure' battery. Granted not all conversions are the same but I'm pretty sure 'vehicle' battery behind driver's seat (RHD) is pretty standard. However, always best to check as stated by removing the NEGATIVE and trying to start as you never know when some bright spark (see what I did there?) has decided to re-wire things!

[ghost123uk]

Lynne, you have committed the cardinal sin of not saying whether yours is a Petrol or Diesel ? (Diesel vans have their main battery in the engine bay)

[ghost123uk]

Also, just thought, you say the one behind the drivers seat (assuming RHD and petrol) is MUCH bigger than the other one (location uncertain at this moment ) = that is odd as the space behind the seat is small and folks struggle to find a "big" battery that will fit. So, this indicates your other battery is smaller than the one behind the seat ? If so it must be quite a weedy battery be it "main" or leisure.

We'll get there

[Lynne]

It's a right hand drive petrol van. I'm not sure how to add a pic or I would take one to show you. What you say makes sense because if it DID have a new vehicle battery the one behind the drivers seat is fully charged. However, the seller gave us the *old* vehicle battery which is smaller than the one behind the seat and so we deduced that, if the battery he gave us was the old vehicle battery, the one the same size in the back must also be the vehicle battery!! What we assume is the leisure battery behind drivers seat is bigger with two handles. Just seen the upload attachment below.. will go and take a pic..

[Lynne]

battery.jpg

[ghost123uk]

Right, so it is a fairly normal set up. The one behind the seat is the main battery.

So, the other one is either = Not charging or Knackered (either will cause the red light on the zig)

Simple test = charge it up with a normal car battery charger overnight and see if the light on the zig goes green. Then leave it for a night and measure the voltage. If below 12.4 volts you should buy a new battery.
Then start the engine and measure the voltage on the terminals of this leisure battery, it should read over 13.6 volts and less than 14.2 volts. If it is within those limits then your "split charge" relay IS working. If it stays at 12.~6 volts then the split charging is NOT working and we can look into that.

[Lynne]

I'm flabbergasted that the larger battery is the normal vehicle battery! Anyway, great advice Ghost. When O/H gets home later we will put the leisure battery on charge. Will post back here tomorrow with our findings. I'm really hoping it's only a battery issue and not a split charge problem but we will see! Thanks again.

[ghost123uk]

Even if it is a split charge issue, we on here can help you sort that out

Just noticed you ain't that far from us (in Malpas just N of Whitchurch), so if you get stuck with it shout out (normal 80-90 service that is by the way )

[Lynne]

Thanks again! Yep we were in your neck of the woods a few Sunday's ago.. not far at all!

[LeeME3]

If it turns out to be a duff split charge relay I have one i recovered off an LT35 you can have. No idea if it works but may be useful when you come to 'fault find'.

[Lynne]

Thanks for that Lee.. really kind! Will let you know!!

Ghost, my husband had the leisure battery on charge all of Thursday night. (Didn't realise it was on charge when we chatted on here.. he thought it was the vehicle battery if you recall!!) Yesterday it was on 13V. We drove around in it for an hour or so last night. This morning it is on 12.8V. DIt sounds like it's holding it's charge but will it take a few days before anything more major happens?

Thanks again!

[ghost123uk]

That sounds like it is holding charge OK

Next test = connect up the leisure battery as normal, start up the engine then put your test meter on it set to read volts. With the engine running (at a fast tick-over), it should read between 13.6 and 14.2 volts. If it stays on around 12.6 to 12.8 it means the split charge is not working. This is usually just a relay, often under the drivers seat. Have a look at that and let us know what you find. Oh, you could of course trace the red wire back from the leisure battery to see if it goes to a relay = it should.