Leisure battery not charging

Questions & answers about kitchen units, stoves, fridges, heaters, water tanks, seats, mattresses etc etc.

Moderator: Doone

Post Reply
root-n-5th
Bongonaut
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 4:09 pm

Leisure battery not charging

Post by root-n-5th » Sat Aug 25, 2018 6:06 pm

Hello,
I'm new to the van - 95td - and it has a pms3 electric unit. Everything works fine from the battery but I'm unsure how to charge it. We had it plugged into the mains for 3 days and the battery is now showing low charge.

Should it be in the 'van' position when plugged in?

How do I get it to charge when moving?

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

Re: Leisure battery not charging

Post by g8dhe » Sat Aug 25, 2018 6:19 pm

With a PMS3 you need to plug in the EHU, make sure the RCD and MCB are operated so that mains power is available, then turn on the Charger (light will be lit) and select the battery to be charged VAN=Leisure Battery, CAR=Starter Battery then you will be charging the relevant battery, if you have a voltmeter worth checking to make sure no fuses have blown. When mobile if there is a Split Charge Relay fitted then both batteries will be charged together from the alternator.
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
root-n-5th
Bongonaut
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 4:09 pm

Re: Leisure battery not charging

Post by root-n-5th » Sat Aug 25, 2018 6:29 pm

I think my problem was I didn't switch to van. But, it didn't charge after 200 miles of driving so maybe I need to check the split relay. Any pointers?

Thanks for the help! This is all quite new to me.
User avatar
g8dhe
Supreme Being
Posts: 10180
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm
Location: Worthing, West Sussex.
Contact:

Re: Leisure battery not charging

Post by g8dhe » Sat Aug 25, 2018 6:37 pm

If you get the leisure battery very flat then its possible that the Charging fuses will be blown on a Split Charge Relay (SCR) setup;
Image
These fuses will be located close to each battery - if you only have one then you have a more serious problem - if one has blown then replace BOTH as it will be damaged. The SCR will normally (but not always) be located under the bonnet, with heavy duty cables running to the fuses near the batteries. In some case small cheap units designed many years ago for use on caravans have been installed often rated at only 20 or 30 Amps, often with cardboard labels with an Orange background (Smartcom) these are likely to fail with the currents used in motorhomes.
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
root-n-5th
Bongonaut
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 4:09 pm

Re: Leisure battery not charging

Post by root-n-5th » Sat Aug 25, 2018 7:08 pm

Great stuff, thanks. Will check tomorrow.
root-n-5th
Bongonaut
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 4:09 pm

Re: Leisure battery not charging

Post by root-n-5th » Mon Aug 27, 2018 1:44 pm

I've checked under the hood and I have two batteries and a fuse box near each one. The boxes have 40Amp labels, but 20Amp inline fuses I think.

There are a lot of fuses so should I try the ones in the fuse boxes or the inline ones?

Also, I've plugged the van into the EHU and switched the battery selector to "Van". No change after an hour, so how long can I expect it to take to charge?

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

Re: Leisure battery not charging

Post by g8dhe » Mon Aug 27, 2018 3:12 pm

Impossible to say remotely which fuse is doing what! You have to check the wiring and see where it goes and hence its function.
Fuses protect the wires that are used to connect items together, hence the fuse rating should be slightly less than what the wire is capable of handling and both wire and fuse should be rated at a greater value than the circuit uses, now the charging circuit will easily need to pass 30 Amps as a minimum, and in some circuits using Voltage Sensitive Relay for the switching it might need to handle 60+ Amps, which is why some of the relays are rated up to 120 Amps.
Geoff
2001 Aero V6, AFT, full side conversion.
Image Spherical Visions
Post Reply

Return to “Campervan Conversions in Bongos”