Leisure Battery Overheating

[ndcxs16]

Hi
Wonder if any one has come across this or can help.

On my friends 1990 Westfalia California when we connected the mains to check everything was working I noticed a smell and heard the leisure battery bubbling. Disconnected the mains. Then tested the voltage using a meter when we put 240v into the van. Getting over 17v at the leisure battery- opps - that would explain the over heating.

Question does this mean the power converter is knackered ( one under the seat / black box ) or is there a simple solution fix. Don't use electric hook up but would be nice to have it working. Has anyone experienced this

Thanks

[collins_sh]

very dangerous set up- your battery was likely giving off hydrogen when 'boiling'

what kind of power converter is installed? is it a zig setup or what arrangement is it?

[Mocki]

is the westy switched to 110v?

[jason k]

sounds like a bbb fault (buzzin black box)

they arent the most sophisticated of chargers......

[Red Westie]

I would be cautious, 17volts is high and you may also have a duff leisure battery/shorting/buckled plates as a result.

Martin

[jpennington]

Sounds like the battery charger has failed. Is it the Westfalia charger - marked LG20 on the end of the black box (actually the cover)?

My 86 Westy did this a couple of years ago. In my case it was the starter battery that was boiling. The battery was wrecked. The charger control system had failed so the voltage control and current limiter did not operate. It's a really beefy charger so can easily delivery 17 v and lots of amps.

My advice would be to bin the Westfalia charger and get one of the modern intelligent chargers. The Westy one isn't very clever; it doesn't do multistage charging, just churns out up to 11 A at 13.7 V (if it's not broken).

Out of interest I have been trying to repair my charger on and off for the last couple of years. I've replaced the current sensing resistor (had overheated and gone open circuit) and various transistors and thyristors. It still doesn't work properly. I treat it as an intellectual exercise, rather like the Times crossword, but more difficult. There's a circuit diagram on the Brickwerks site.

jp