# Battery Charger Query for 1998 Autosleeper Trooper



## macbrains (Apr 6, 2010)

A little while ago, I bought, second hand, a 1998 Autosleeper Trooper. 

The vehicle is fitted with an auxiliary battery under the bonnet next to the vehicle battery and my query relates to charging this second battery - I have tested the charging with a multimeter and as far as I can tell, the second battery is charging fine from the engine (the voltages go up when the engine is switched on), but it doesn't seem to charge when the motorhome is plugged into a mains hookup (the voltage does not alter when connected).  The red "charging" light on the Zig CPX31 unit is never alight (or am I misinterpreting what this is intended to show?)

The handbook supplied with the vehicle suggests that a battery charger could be fitted to this model as an optional extra - was this always fitted when a second battery was specified?  It seems to me that a user would always need the second battery to be charged from a mains hookup if one was available, surely? Otherwise, after a few nights stationary on site with use of lights etc, the auxiliary battery would start to discharge. This happened to us, hence the query.

If there is a charger fitted, how can I tell and where is it situated in the vehicle?  If there isn't, could one be fitted, where would it go and how much might that cost? 

There could of course be a battery charger fitted, but that it is faulty in some way, via fuse (although I have checked these), relay or whatever.

Sorry about all the questions, but the handbook is not very clear on this point.

We are still very pleased with the Trooper!

Many thanks for any help any Wildcampers are able to give.


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## kenjones (Apr 6, 2010)

You could ring Auto-sleeper on 01386 853338
I own a VW Topaz and found them very helpful when I had a query about the electrics.


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## macbrains (Apr 6, 2010)

Thanks Ken.

My first thought was to contact them - I've emailed them twice to servicecentre@auto-sleepers.co.uk but had no reply!

Any other thoughts? I was hoping the collective wisdom of this site might provide some info.

Thanks all


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## guerdeval (Apr 6, 2010)

Silly question but have you looked all over the van ? is there another battery anywhere else? ,  I only ask as the 2nd battery under the bonnet might be an additional starter battery .


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## macbrains (Apr 7, 2010)

guerdeval said:


> Silly question but have you looked all over the van ? is there another battery anywhere else? ,  I only ask as the 2nd battery under the bonnet might be an additional starter battery .



No other battery anywhere, so far as I can tell. I'm pretty sure the second battery is not an additional starter battery.


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## Peel (Apr 12, 2010)

I've recently acquired a 94 Trident - the hi-top version of yours - and am busy getting to grips with it.
I'm no electrical expert but I can report that when I connected the hook-up the red charging light on the Zig did come on so yes, yours should too.
I don't have any kind of on-board charger.


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## rockinjac (Apr 12, 2010)

Hi, is there a seperate switch for the mains, on the zig also try putting the other switches in different positions, ie. on site, touring, if there's a red light for charging, there's almost certainly a built in charger in the zig uint, but on my swift caravan 98. there's a seperate switch in a locker!...Jack


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## Nosha (Apr 12, 2010)

Our Zig (on A/S Talisman) stopped working, in desperation I drilled off the two pop-rivets that hold the cover on and there was a small fuse on the circuit board. I'm going back MANY years - it was E reg, so they may have changed since then but it's worth a try!


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## macbrains (Apr 17, 2010)

Thanks all, for your input, especially Peel - I can't help but feel a fuse or whatever has gone somewhere. I think the only way is to get in touch with a service engineer who will hopefully be able to diagnose what's going on (or isn't going on, if you see what I mean!)

Cheers
macbrains


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## NicknClair (Apr 18, 2010)

Hi,
If this Vw was fitted with a mains charger, it will prob be fitted to the false panel which if you go into the locker next to the seat and remove the false panel in the bottom, it should expose the charger and poss heater (The chargers norm use is a small silver box about the size of a Dril bits holder - only thing I can think of at the time  ). Your RCCD box (230v Distribution) should also be marked up with "Charger" if fitted, so check all the trips/fuses are up.

Failling that, there is a very small chance that the charger has been tucked away behind the panel which holds the distribution board itself, BUT be causious when removing the board as the lugs to the Zig unit have a habit of breaking as they are only attached by brass rivets. This would be the very last place to look.

The chargers themselves are a very basic unit, so it may pay to look into improving the mains charging even if you found the unit and the cause to it's non operation.


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## macbrains (Apr 20, 2010)

I've found it!!!  Thanks to nickjvanbitz, I unscrewed the floor of the locker next to the rear seat, adjacent to the draining board area, and underneath there is a Zig X-7 battery charger, along with the heater working parts.  On top of the charger is a switch - switched it on, and BINGO!  When connecting up the mains lead and the RCD, the red charger light comes on!!!

Sorry to be so excited, but I've been trying to get this sorted for ages...

nickjvanbitz - you mentioned improving the charger - what might this give me and - the all important question - how much?  I've been thinking a solar panel fitted would give me extra options, but the pop up roof (though solid) might be a problem?

Anyway, I hope this helps anyone else in a similar position....

rgds
macbrains


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## novawight (Apr 20, 2010)

Peel said:


> I've recently acquired a 94 Trident - the hi-top version of yours - and am busy getting to grips with it.
> I'm no electrical expert but I can report that when I connected the hook-up the red charging light on the Zig did come on so yes, yours should too.
> I don't have any kind of on-board charger.



yes I have a Topaz the red light comes when charging


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## NicknClair (Apr 22, 2010)

macbrains said:


> I've found it!!!  Thanks to nickjvanbitz, I unscrewed the floor of the locker next to the rear seat, adjacent to the draining board area, and underneath there is a Zig X-7 battery charger, along with the heater working parts.  On top of the charger is a switch - switched it on, and BINGO!  When connecting up the mains lead and the RCD, the red charger light comes on!!!
> 
> Sorry to be so excited, but I've been trying to get this sorted for ages...
> 
> ...



Glad to be of service 
There are many chargers on the market, but something like a digital battery charger that has different charging modes will be the prefered choice in my book. Many to choose from Cteks to Sterling to Waeco, but the importance is to have a sensible sized output of say 30A plus. This should be able to cope with consumption as well as supply a sensible charge into the leisure battery.

Solar Panels - loads of suitcase/portable style panels on the market, which come with regulators built into them. Ideally you should consider a 65w plus on a van such as yours, purely as there isn't too much that uses 12v, but when I talk to people about power, I normally focus on the size of leisure battery first, as without the storage capacity of a good battery all the hard work and money is wasted if the power cannot be stored anywhere. There are also other more compact power solutions to pick on (i.e advanced Battery to Battery charging), but really depends on how you use the van.


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