Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all, firstly sorry for any silly questions as I'm not the greatest at electrics.

I can't seem to work out how my interior electrical system works. I have a leisure battery connected to a zig unit.



The main battery has a split charger with a switch(what does the switch do in it's 2 positions?). Red wire runs from engine by under the van to the spilt charger.





There is a wylex fuse box power switch unit.


When my main battery is connected I get power to 2 spotlights in the inside of my van and my stereo, but neither of the plug sockets.
Once main battery is disconnected I get no power in anything.
I guess the wylex unit isolates power to the leisure battery, but even when this is in the on position I still get nothing.
All the glass fuses in the fuse box near the leisure battery are fine, as is the fuse in the zig unit.
I took the leisure battery inside to charge it up, it was low but charged up to half power. I've ordered a voltmeter to check it.
The main battery charge is fine.

I'd be really grateful for any help and explanation, in lay man terms, what the problem might be or anything I need to check or do to sort this out.
Many thanks.

So very difficult to know what previous generations of owners have done but it may help you to have an idea of how the average system should operate.
Just to clear up one thing first, that Wylex box appears to be a 'mains electricity consumer unit'.....so what you have normally are two systems..1) mains electricity (230 volts) and 2) 12 volts ...both system's completely separate apart from a 'mains charger putting out a charge voltage to the leisure battery (this charger is probably built in to your ZIG unit .
The mains side obviously doesn't work unless you have a 'hookup cable' plugged in and switched on. It is only then that mains sockets in the van start working, these will work on the trips in the mylex box so might need resetting.
The 12 volts side works o
Through a split charge relay..this side only works with the engine running...the relay is switched by slightly higher charge voltage but only with the engine running.
Other ZIG unit specific operations ...just download the manual for the model you have...hope this helps.
Martin

California Dreamin wrote:So very difficult to know what previous generations of owners have done but it may help you to have an idea of how the average system should operate.
Just to clear up one thing first, that Wylex box appears to be a 'mains electricity consumer unit'.....so what you have normally are two systems..1) mains electricity (230 volts) and 2) 12 volts ...both system's completely separate apart from a 'mains charger putting out a charge voltage to the leisure battery (this charger is probably built in to your ZIG unit .
The mains side obviously doesn't work unless you have a 'hookup cable' plugged in and switched on. It is only then that mains sockets in the van start working, these will work on the trips in the mylex box so might need resetting.
The 12 volts side works o
Through a split charge relay..this side only works with the engine running...the relay is switched by slightly higher charge voltage but only with the engine running.
Other ZIG unit specific operations ...just download the manual for the model you have...hope this helps.
Martin

That explains things much clearer to me now, thanks.
Two more quick questions:
Have you any idea what the switch near the main battery would do?
What would the fuse dial on the zig unit control?

DibDub wrote: What would the fuse dial on the zig unit control?

That just means you unscrew to access the fuse.

DibDub wrote:
Have you any idea what the switch near the main battery would do?

Switch it off & see if the engine still starts, it could be a simple immobiliser.

bigherb wrote:

DibDub wrote: What would the fuse dial on the zig unit control?

That just means you unscrew to access the fuse.

Ahh silly me

Jeff J wrote:

DibDub wrote:
Have you any idea what the switch near the main battery would do?

Switch it off & see if the engine still starts, it could be a simple immobiliser.

It's not an immobiliser. The engine starts fine in either position.
In one position it is connected to the live feed of the battery and the other to the relay.

Appreciate all the answers guys.

control of either the split charger, or fridge 12v???

Mocki wrote:control of either the split charger, or fridge 12v???

No fridge in my van.
Yes that is what I was thinking.
Cheers.

Hi, could you clarify how many wires are on the switch and where they go? Thanks.