Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,

Hope someone can help me out.

I have a 1990 1.9TD Westfalia HighTop camper.

The leisure battery is located behind the drivers seat.
The leisure battery is not being charged when the van is running, my multimeter shows a reading of around 6-7 volts even when the engine is revving.

Whilst I am fine with electrics, I don't know where the leisure battery gets it's electrical feed from. Hopefully someone else with a Westi would know and can point me in the right direction for fault finding?

I look forward to some help please

Thanks

Andy

If you look on Wiki there is a really good guide to how to wire a splitter system I found it helpful and it explains a lot.

Hiya Andy,

All VW campervans usually have a split charging system. This is done by a separate relay which normally has a separate 25 Amp fuse. On my Autohome Komet camper, they are located next to the fuse box and are bolted onto the front crossmember.

The following should be checked:-

- 25 Amp fuse. Check to see wether it is blown or not. Check the fuse for continuity with the ignition off.

- Split charging relay. Check the incoming supply voltages (terminal 30 and 86), the output voltage (terminal 87) from the relay and the ignition switch voltage (terminal 85). The voltages should be the following with the engine running:-

- Terminal 30, battery voltage (approx 13V with the engine running)

- Terminal 85, ignition switch voltage (approx 13V with the engine running)

- Terminal 86, alternator output regulator voltage (approx 13V with the engine running)

- Terminal 87, liesure battery voltage (should be approx 13V with the engine running)

- General condition of lesuire battery. Do the battery terminals (on the battery) look corroded ?

If the 25 Amp fuse (not all petrol type 2 T3s were fitted with this fuse) was blown then the wiring to the split charging relay should be checked.

If the voltage on terminal 86 (from the alternator's D+ terminal) is about 13V or more then the split charging relay could be suspect.

To test the split charing relay, do the following:-0

- Remove the relay from the van

- Connect a battery or a battery charger across terminals 86 and 85 and the relay should click. If the relay doesn't click then the relay should be replaced. If the relay does click however, then the wiring in your van will need to be checked.

I have got the wiring diagram for the split charging system (in german, note: Erstbatterie "A" = vehicle battery, Zweitbatterie "A1" = liesure battery). If you need the wiring diagram, please pm your email address and I could then send it to you.

Good luck with your van,

phade

Thanks for the help so far.

What I really need to know is the location of the split charge relay. Wires just disappear behind panelling never to be seen again!

Hope someone can help with this.

Thanks

Andy

the relay for my leisure battery is under the rear seat in my van.hope this helps

The split charge relay is mounted in a gap just in front of the leisure battery (handbrake side/towards front) mine had melted and needed replacing but be careful to get the right one if you do.
This is a five pole relay that switches two terminals at once not the usual type that switches either one or the other.
Pretty sure it's a 30amp. I had difficulties in locating one so adapted a heavier duty 4 pole unit instead (piggy-backed the switched wire terminal)
Martin

Hi,

Thanks to all who helped with information!

Martin, Phade and Marc!

Having finally managed to extract the leisure battery from under the rear of the drivers seat (after unbolting the seat!) I managed to locate the relay.

Started the van and checked the voltage on the output of the relay and all was fine.

Replaced the battery and connected it up and all was still fine!

The fault had corrected itself......

But knowing what electrics/electronics are like at miraculously fixing themselves then breaking again I am going to replace the relay anyway.

Thanks

Andy

What a fab forum this for getting help and info.

I would check all of the connectors around the liesure battery and the earths to make sure that they are not corroded, about to break off or intermittant.

I had to do some work on the electrics around my liesure battery when I first got my campervan since they were bodged to say the least.

Like I said earlier....be aware that this is not a normal everyday 5 pole relay,
And....yes.... it might appear to switch the feed when it recieves the signal from the alternator but does it deliver good amps (current)
This won't be apparent until under load with a flat leisure battery demanding a high charge current.
Connections have to be very sound.
Martin

Thanks Martin,

As i am electronics engineer I know well what you are talking about!

Poor connection whether in a van or a piece of electronic equipment are a real pain particularly when they are intermittent.

Thanks again for your help in helping me find the 'hidden relay'

Andy