Leisure battery not charging when hooked up to mains ..

[Bigpeetee]

Looks like there is still an issue with the earth lead on the leisure batt, I don't know how thick it is.

Obviously it's difficult without seeing it, but you are getting 0.6v drop at least. Why not just make a permanent connection between the two negative poles, a short length of suitable cable should do it.

I don't know your charger unit, but is it one that only operates when the battery voltage starts to drop? It may be slightly intelligent and think, "well the battery is charged, it doesn't need me" so that when you first connect it to the mains it shows a charge, but recognises that the batt is full and switches off.

Try just running a load for a while until to leisure batt voltage drops, then try the charger.

Just switch everything 12v on, lights, TV etc.

 

[nsr500rossi]

Thanks Pete

Well the leisure battery does not have an earth on it, just a black thin wire from the negative terminal that goes into the van ..i guess to the zig panel and a red wire that also goes into the van, i also believe there is a red wire going to the positive terminal from the zig relay.

So a permanent earth wire between the terminals would be ok?

I will try your suggestion for running the battery down, although the van was made in 1986 so am not sure if the charger would be intelligent, if i remember rightly, when the battery was not fully charged the mains hook up still did not work, although i never had the neg to neg cable attached

I really appreciate all your help Pete, you are the only one with suggestions

Mike

 

[Bigpeetee]

No probs, but the leisure batt should have a substantial earth, connecting the two negs together is perfectly ok.

 

[nsr500rossi]

Cool

I wonder why i does not have an earth already, how was it supposed to work ...very strange!

 

[nsr500rossi]

Looks like there is still an issue with the earth lead on the leisure batt, I don't know how thick it is.

Obviously it's difficult without seeing it, but you are getting 0.6v drop at least. Why not just make a permanent connection between the two negative poles, a short length of suitable cable should do it.

I don't know your charger unit, but is it one that only operates when the battery voltage starts to drop? It may be slightly intelligent and think, "well the battery is charged, it doesn't need me" so that when you first connect it to the mains it shows a charge, but recognises that the batt is full and switches off.

Try just running a load for a while until to leisure batt voltage drops, then try the charger.

Just switch everything 12v on, lights, TV etc.

Hi Pete

Well, i have reconnected the neg to neg terminals, voltage up to 14.3v when engine on

I have tried leaving the lights heater etc on, voltage drops steadily, when down to 12.5v i turned the mains on, it comes on for a few seconds then goes of, when connected and on the voltage does not jump up to 14v like when the engine is on, it just slowly rises

This does not seem right, surly when i am down to 12.5v with everything on i should get a charge from the mains

Maybe time for an auto electrician

Mike