Club 80-90 Forums

Hi All,
I hope I'm posting this in the right area - it's the first time so forgive me if not.

Just bought my first camper - a 1990 Westie California and I'm hoping to take the family camping this weekend (brrr!!)
When I bought it, I had the split charge relay changed cos it pulled the main battery down for some reason after the leisure battery had been connected for 24hours or more.
So I bought a new aux battery, gave it an overnight charge and fitted it. All looked well enough on the Westie kitchen unit - green light on the LED panel and the Eberspacher worked fine.
Left it for 2 days - everything seemed turned off and tonight, the leisure battery has been drained right down - although I guess the relay is working cos the main battery is still showing 12.5v.

So my question is - what would cause the aux battery to drain down like that? I'm sure the Eber was off. The micro switch on the tap needs replacing and the fridge was totally turned off cos it doesn't work on either 240v or gas (although it lights fine on gas it don't get cold).
I'm pretty sure the battery terminals weren't shorting out but I'm at a loss to figure out what could be causing it.
All help is gratefully appreciated. I've been reading the forums and wiki for a few weeks / months now and I',m sure that someone out here will have an answer but I'm sure it ain't me right now.
Cheers guys!

Are you sure the fridge hasnt been dragging the battery down on 12 volts?? Most fridges are usually connected to 12v when the engine is on so it does not drain the battery. Thats how mine is connected. Just a thought.

I guess I'm not sure TBH and the fridge is the one item I thought would cause such a drain but all 3 switches on the front of the fridge (it's an RM184) are in the off position and it's definitely not getting cold (but that's another story).
I did wonder if it is possible for the fridge 12v element to fail in such a way that it would permanently be draining the battery?

How would I disconnect the fridge completely - I can see the mains plug on the inside of the cupboard but I can't see where the 12v wires would be going? If I disconnect it completely, at least I can isolate it at try again?

Frustrating cos the family are all excited about going camping and I figured the eber might be useful as the temp is supposed to drop to -5 in our parts on Saturday night but hey, I guess we'll just chuck a few more jumpers and blankets in instead

Put an Amp clamp on the positive terminal to check for a drain.

Good idea - thank you.
Will try to beg/borrow or steal one tomorrow.

Any ideas on how to unplug the 12v side of the fridge so that I can isolate that load from the system?

Hmm Now I have re read your post I see the layout in your van is a professional conversion if its a Westfalia. I was expecting maybe someone had done a diy installation and may have wired up the fridge 12v incorrectly.

All Westies flatten leisure batteries when left parked up.....yours admittedly is doing it more quickly.
When I first got mine I noticed one of the fuses on the drivers door piller had been removed and after I replaced it the leisure was going flat pretty much as described but over a few weeks. I ended up fitting a heavy duty rocker switch behind the seat that basically disconnects the Eber/fridge from the leisure....jobs a goodun! never goes flat now...just turn the switch on when we use the van and stops any amp draw, however small.

Martin

I won't be so bold as to say it hasn't ever had any DIY 'patch ups' done but yes, it is a Factory Westfalia and it looks to be intact (although curiously, I cannot seem to find the aux battery charger that I read should be somewhere under the rock and roll bed???)

I'm thinking that a trip to the local Caravan / Motor Caravan servicing guy may be in order - so that I can get these types of gremlins ironed out. I do suspect that the fridge is faulty as it didn't cool down on 240v or gas but I purposely didn't try it on the 12v because I had read that this type of fridge would knock out a battery very quickly.

I just hope the new battery will take a charge - it was reading a paltry 1.52v when I DVM'd it tonight before I disconnected it. There's a possibility that perhaps the new battery is duff but somehow, I think it's more likely to be something in the 'van.

That's a great idea Martin - I think I'll defo be fitting an isolation switch but like you say - 2 days is quick to kill a 65aH battery when there's nothing obviously switched on so I'll also try the Amp clamp to see if i can isolation if there is a component in the system that is causing the drain.

It's a steep learning curve but it's not going to put us off - and I do appreciate the help on Club80-90 - Thank you all.