Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Technical questions and answers about the Mazda Bongo

Moderators: Doone, westonwarrior

Post Reply
Corden
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:38 pm
Location: Cheshire

Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by Corden » Mon Sep 13, 2021 9:16 pm

Hello everyone.

I have just bought my first ever camper. A 97 Ford Freda. I need some help with the electrics and leisure battery. If anyone could help point me in the right direction I would be so grateful. I have no idea what I’m doing.

Firstly the van fires up and drives ok. I do however get a yellow coil symbol flash on the lower left of the dash. What does this mean?
I am not able to get any of the electrics working while driving, like radio and cigarette lighter. I assume these are rigged up to the leisure battery.
So the leisure battery might be completely dead but I can’t get any of the electrics working without hook up. The electrics work when using hookup. I have not had the fridge working though. Not even sure how to turn that on.

I have matched up and replaced any fuses I could see around the batteries under the bonnet. This didn’t seem to cure anything. Although I’m not sure if this has stopped the coil light on the dash. I’ve not checked that since changing fuses.

I have a power management system installed in the back of the van. This shows the level of the car battery is good and the van battery level is non existent. The hookup doesn’t seem to charge the battery either. Just makes a bit of a whirring noise? I think I should try and replace the leisure battery?

So if I should try a new battery, what kind of battery should I get? I don’t really know what to look for a part from the dimensions. (So it fits into the bonnet)

I’m sorry if this is a lot to unpick or if it’s a bit of a minefield, but I’m willing to give things a try and learn.

Many thanks.
NIcholas.
User avatar
g8dhe
Supreme Being
Posts: 10180
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm
Location: Worthing, West Sussex.
Contact:

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by g8dhe » Tue Sep 14, 2021 8:56 am

First the flashing coil lamp means that the ECU is flagging an error, just what the error is needs to be read out from the diagnostic connector down on the lefthand side of the passenger footwell. Details on how to do this are in the Factsheets in the members area.

It sounds quite likely that the leisure battery is flat, possibly dead if its been left a while. Use a voltmeter to check the state of the battery and then replace as needed.

If you need a new LB then as you say size is important, the trays are not standard in size or mounting height, then when you know the dimensions choose a battery that fits and has the largest AmpHour capacity - normally in the range 80-120AMpHours - a good source is https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/ make sure you choose the correct terminal layout most batteries come in either style.
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
Corden
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:38 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by Corden » Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:25 pm

Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate your time. I think I've found a battery on that link that's very similar in size to one that currently installed.

I can't seem the find the factsheet. I've had a look in the members area and just seems like a list of members? Am I blind or am I in the wrong place?
User avatar
g8dhe
Supreme Being
Posts: 10180
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm
Location: Worthing, West Sussex.
Contact:

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by g8dhe » Tue Sep 14, 2021 9:12 pm

Its the Bongo Fury Club members, possibly your looking at forum membership;
Click "Join Bongo" at the top of the page above,
then click "Sign in" if your already a member otherwise you'll need to join the club itself,
fill in your details and login,
finally click "Members Area",
you may need to scroll down a bit, then click FACTSHEETS and you will see a couple of sheets under Diagnostics to read.
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
Corden
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:38 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by Corden » Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:32 pm

I ordered, fitted and tested a new leisure battery. All the electrics now work! Amazing. Even the coil lamp no longer flashes when driving. I'm now hoping there is no issues with the relay and pms charging etc. Thanks for the guidance.
User avatar
Dugie
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2021 9:43 am

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by Dugie » Sun Sep 19, 2021 9:57 am

Hi I'm experiencing similar problems. Had my bongo for 5 days. Loving it except for a few niggles. The bongo is my 2nd camper, having built a budget one previously I have a bit of experience with LB'S and split chargers.

Here's my problem. There is a 20amp fuse connected to each battery about 6 inches from the positive terminal. The one on the engine battery (bat on the left as you look at engine bay) has blown twice now, this then seems to stop my fridge working. I'm pretty certain that the lb is dead. Is the dead battery likely causing the fuse to blow?
Im also wondering if 20amp fuze is enough?

Thanks Matt
Corden
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:38 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by Corden » Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:56 am

Well funny you should say this because when I first tried to remedy the situation I had replaced some fuses around both batteries. On the LB is 2x20 and 1x15 fuses. On the SB is 1x15 and 1x20. Just before fitting my new LB I noticed that some of these newer fuses had blown again. I'm no expert but I also assume that the old LB was the cause of blown fuses.

I can't comment on the fridge though as I haven't even tried mine yet.
User avatar
g8dhe
Supreme Being
Posts: 10180
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm
Location: Worthing, West Sussex.
Contact:

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by g8dhe » Sun Sep 19, 2021 11:13 am

On the split Charge Relay setup you should have two charging fuses, 20 Amp rating might be the right choice for the cable used which is what the fuses are protecting, but you can expect more than 20 Amps for charging a LB! The wiring, relay and fuses should be designed for at least a 30 Amp if not a 40 Amp current flow even this can be exceeded if you have flattened a LB and then rev the engine and hence alternator when first starting the engine!
There can be several ways of configuring a LB and its setup, both will work but one method can cause confusing results when the LB fuse blows. The preferred setup is as below;
Leisure_battery_configuration.png
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
User avatar
Dugie
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2021 9:43 am

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by Dugie » Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:07 pm

The lb does charge but when the fridge was working and I had a multimeter connected to it the voltage was dropping every second by a .01. I need to confirm that the split charge is working to. Do you think its safe to up the fuse to 30amps? I found the instruction for the split charge system but no mention of fuses. My lb on my old van had a 40amp fuse but the wire was over twice the size.

On the wiring diagram you put up is the far left hand fuse a free slot the existing back up slot one.

I also can't get the fog lights working, had a good old tinker yesterday and and confirm that the switch and the relay are both functioning. Bulbs are fine but no power getting there.

While digging around the relays I did notice an earth that had been cut was wondering if that could be the earth for the fogs?
20210920_200709.jpg
User avatar
g8dhe
Supreme Being
Posts: 10180
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm
Location: Worthing, West Sussex.
Contact:

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by g8dhe » Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:44 pm

Replying to Dugie - (by the way its always much better to start your own thread, whilst it might be a similar sounding problemthe cause may be different)

Do NOT uprate fuses! They should have been selected on the basis of the gauge of wire they are feeding, they protect the wires so if a short occurs then rather than bursting into flames the fuse blows - this is particularly relevant in this situation, each battery is a source of power, in a small front end collision the charging cable is likely to be damaged as the the front end will collapse, there isn't an engine there to absorb the impact! This can then cause a short under the bonnet resulting in a free flying arc welder.
There are TWO fuses one for each battery (sources of power) each protects the cable that it connects to. Neither is a spare or backup!

What sort of fridge do you have ? Is it a compressor fridge or a coolbox style ?
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
User avatar
Dugie
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2021 9:43 am

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by Dugie » Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:58 pm

Hi Geoff,

That's what I thought the cable definitely looks like it's not rated for more than 20amps.

It's a waco compressor fridge, light works inside and little green light is on but the little red light is flashing in the way to indicate inefficient supply voltage. It wasn't even working when I was hooked up to the eletric the other day.

Interestingly there's a little battery check button on the cabinet next to the fridge. This always reads the lowest red. Even with the engine on. After I changed the fuse (20amp by the sb) the first time and plugged it into the hook up it went to green.
The fact that it's only ever gone green when plugged into the mains and not with the engine on makes me think there may be a problem with the split charge relay.
User avatar
g8dhe
Supreme Being
Posts: 10180
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm
Location: Worthing, West Sussex.
Contact:

Re: Electrics/Leisure battery help.

Post by g8dhe » Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:44 am

Or possibly a problem with the connection from the LB to the fridge/control panel ? Check all the connection points and fuse contacts etc you may have a corroded contact somewhere dropping the voltage as soon as any significant current is drawn.
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
Post Reply

Return to “Techie Stuff”