Club 80-90 Forums

1992 1.9 DG Holdsworth Villa 3
65amp alternator
Zig SP-4 and DCU/3
Wiring seems unmolested and follows the diagram as on the wiki

When I got the van the last owner said the leisure battery hadn’t been charging while driving so they had been using a trickle charger on it.
So after reading a few bits on the wiki here and numerous posts, I’ve managed to get that problem solved (new fuses) also cleaned the contacts to the alternator.
But in my digging around I’ve noticed the leisure battery doesn’t charge from the electric hook up. Am I correct in thinking that the lights should also work from the electric hook up when it’s connected? Currently as the leisure battery doesn't hold charge they dim very rapidly.
Does this go via the same relay that’s used to charge the leisure battery from the alternator?
I took some readings from the relay on multimeter set to ohms and it read 44.6 which is less that its suggested by various sources it should be.
Could this be causing the issue?
If not what other areas should I be looking in?

Any advise is greatly received

Tim

I don't think leisure battery will charge from hookup unless you install a trickle charger

Also sounds like the leisure battery you have is dead

ChrisTriple wrote:I don't think leisure battery will charge from hookup unless you install a trickle charger

Also sounds like the leisure battery you have is dead

you are right the battery is stuffed am going to get a replacement was looking at this http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/volksw ... e-battery/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The manual I got with the van does state that the mains supply can be used to charge the caravan battery and looking at the wiring diagram there is a cable fed from the zig unit to the split charge relay https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Fi ... Wiring.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .

Does it have a Zig unit?
My holds worth conversion does, if so then there is a switch on the Zig that switches between charging while driving, and charging while on 240v hookup.

organicmatter wrote:The manual I got with the van does state that the mains supply can be used to charge the cara van battery and looking at the wiring diagram there is a cable fed from the zig unit to the split charge relay https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Fi ... Wiring.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .

It looks like your DCU/3 unit should be charging the leisure battery when the DCU/3 is connected to the Mains.
I've coloured in your wiring picture -
Red - this is the split charge circuit and is completely separate from the DCU/3;
Green - this is the wire that should charge the battery when the DCU/3 is connected to Mains
Blue - this is the 12v line coming out of the DCU/3 that is used to power lights/water pump etc



I would assume that the DCU/3 would connect the Green wire to the Blue wire when Mains power is not available (i.e. when the DCU/3 Mains switch is off) so that the leisure battery powers the lights/pumps etc;
When Mains power is available (and the DCU/3 Mains switch is On), then the DCU/3 provides 12v to charge the battery on the Green wire and 12v for the lights on the Blue wire - so that the battery is charged and the lights are lit!!

So .... if your battery isn't charging when Mains is available - then I'd be testing the voltage on the wire that I have coloured Green to see if there is 12v on it? (Note: you'll need to disconnect that wire from the leisure battery otherwise you'd just be measuring the battery voltage which would be misleading)

I would like to have a good excuse for missing the obvious fact he stated a zig existed, in my first reply MLC, but I can't think of one..!!
Just pencil it in as a brain-freeze moment..!!

My Holdsworth charges as soon as you connect mains.
On the Zig you can select if you want the van to run off car bat or leisure bat.
Make sure that the switch on the bat charger is turned on.

Thanks for the reply's

okay so it take MidLifeCrisis the white wire to the control unit is just to tell vehicle battery condition.

I have ordered some crocodile clips to help me test this tomorrow, but the voltage across the battery doesn't increase when the dcu-3 is turned on.

organicmatter wrote:okay so it take MidLifeCrisis the white wire to the control unit is just to tell vehicle battery condition.

The White wire to the Control Panel will allow you to power your lights/pumps via the starter battery (there will be a switch on the Control Panel to switch between Vehicle Battery or Leisure Battery) - a lot of people disconnect this wire so that they can't 'accidentally' switch to Starter battery and drain it!!

organicmatter wrote:I have ordered some crocodile clips to help me test this tomorrow, but the voltage across the battery doesn't increase when the dcu-3 is turned on.

Any chance that the fuse has blown between the DCU/3 and the Leisure battery??

My crocodile clips haven't arrive yet.
So I tried swapping the leads to the leisure battery before the fuses so red to grey (green on drawing) and vice versa. It's not these as the both work from the alternator and not from the hookup.

Going to test the dcu3 next see if it's putting any 12volt out at source.

Had a bit of a poke about.

Replaced the electric hook up with one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/121657687384" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; old one was cracked, glad I changed as was rusty inside also found a very large spider living in it (new ones screw holes even lined up).
Put a new leisure battery in and trimmed ends of wires at fuses going to leisure battery.
Cleaned up any earths I could find.

Tested voltage at dcu3 seems to be putting out 12.62 (didn't disconnect wires just poked probes in)
Tested grey wire at leisure battery now showing 12.56

Can some one with this set up tell me exactly how it all works?
What voltage should I see on the battery when it's plugged in to mains?

How do the lights work when on hookup? Should they work when the battery selector is in the middle (mine only works when switch is on either battery).

Thanks again