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Black dog
Guest
I'm not an expert on motorhomes, but I would be astonished if such a recent model didn't have a way of charging the leisure battery from the engine while running.
If you have a multimeter, connect it between the battery + and earth with the engine off and note the voltage. Then start the engine and check the voltage at the battery + again. It should be above 14v, usually about 14.4v. If the voltage hasn't risen, wait a few minutes with the engine running and try again (some relays are sophisticated enough to delay charging the leisure battery until the starter battery has regained the charge it used tio start the engine). If it's still basic battery voltage, then your split charger isn't charging the leisure battery. Either the relay has gone kaput or you have a break somewhere in the wiring.
My first move would be to check the wiring and then replace the relay - they are pretty cheap. A DIY split charge system would be wired with the relay in the engine bay, near the starter battery. There would be a heavy wire going to it from the battery (and then on to the leisure battery somewhere) and a thin wire going to the alternator for the switching voltage. If you can't find it with this information, I'd check with Swift.
Edit - just read your post again. Also try the battery check with the car/van switch in different positions. Is there a "travel" setting (maybe between car and van)? It may simply be that the split charge system is disabled on certain settings.
If you have a multimeter, connect it between the battery + and earth with the engine off and note the voltage. Then start the engine and check the voltage at the battery + again. It should be above 14v, usually about 14.4v. If the voltage hasn't risen, wait a few minutes with the engine running and try again (some relays are sophisticated enough to delay charging the leisure battery until the starter battery has regained the charge it used tio start the engine). If it's still basic battery voltage, then your split charger isn't charging the leisure battery. Either the relay has gone kaput or you have a break somewhere in the wiring.
My first move would be to check the wiring and then replace the relay - they are pretty cheap. A DIY split charge system would be wired with the relay in the engine bay, near the starter battery. There would be a heavy wire going to it from the battery (and then on to the leisure battery somewhere) and a thin wire going to the alternator for the switching voltage. If you can't find it with this information, I'd check with Swift.
Edit - just read your post again. Also try the battery check with the car/van switch in different positions. Is there a "travel" setting (maybe between car and van)? It may simply be that the split charge system is disabled on certain settings.
pappajohn
Guest
hi blackdog, thanks for the input(no pun intended). tried all you suggested already but no luck. i cant find a feed to the leisure battery so if it does split charge it must go elsewhere first, ie: into the mains charger/power supply unit relays or somewhere in the wiring loom, as there is only 1 live + 1 neg at the battery. as the battery is under the front seat it would make sense to feed direct with the shortest wire run.i know of some systems that only trickle the aux battery when the engine battery is fully charged so thats a possibility. swift are a good manufacturer but the after sales and enquiries leave a lot to be desired.i'll post as to outcome.
john.
john.
John Dough
Guest
Normally the split charge relays are beside the mains charging unit which is generally close to the mains input from outside.Most of the leisure batts have only one connection either side of the battery.
On my Camper the battery is under the front passenger seat,the charging unit is at the back about 1 foot from the mains input so a fairly significant voltage drop with all the wiring from the alternator but it manages 13.5volts all the same at the battery.
On my Camper the battery is under the front passenger seat,the charging unit is at the back about 1 foot from the mains input so a fairly significant voltage drop with all the wiring from the alternator but it manages 13.5volts all the same at the battery.
pappajohn
Guest
HI JOHN,
I HAD A LOOK IN THAT AREA BUT ONLY ONE RELAY THERE. IT'S THE NORMALY CLOSED RELAY TO CUT ALL POWER TO 12v WHEN DRIVING.
THE RELAYS MAYBE IN THE CHARGER UNIT ITSELF BUT I'LL HAVE TO DRILL OUT THE RIVITS FIRST.
E-MAILED SWIFTS BUT THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL SAYING CONTACT A SWIFT DEALER(THEY NEED THE INCOME!!!).
GOING TO FIT AN AFTER MARKET SPLITTER AS THE HANDBOOK SAYS THE ALTERNATOR ONLY TRICKLE CHARGES THE LEISURE BATT WHEN THE CAB BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED WHICH SEEMS TO DEFEAT THE OBJECT AS YOU COULD ALMOST FLATTEN THE VAN BATTERY BUT THE CAB BATTERY WILL BE FULLY CHARGED HENCE VERY LITTLE VAN BATT CHARGE WHEN DRIVING WHEN YOU COULD DO WITH A GOOD CHARGE BEFORE THE NEXT OVERNIGHT?
AS I STATED EARLIER SWIFT MAKE GOOD VANS BUT HELPFUL THEY AIN'T.
JOHN.
I HAD A LOOK IN THAT AREA BUT ONLY ONE RELAY THERE. IT'S THE NORMALY CLOSED RELAY TO CUT ALL POWER TO 12v WHEN DRIVING.
THE RELAYS MAYBE IN THE CHARGER UNIT ITSELF BUT I'LL HAVE TO DRILL OUT THE RIVITS FIRST.
E-MAILED SWIFTS BUT THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL SAYING CONTACT A SWIFT DEALER(THEY NEED THE INCOME!!!).
GOING TO FIT AN AFTER MARKET SPLITTER AS THE HANDBOOK SAYS THE ALTERNATOR ONLY TRICKLE CHARGES THE LEISURE BATT WHEN THE CAB BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED WHICH SEEMS TO DEFEAT THE OBJECT AS YOU COULD ALMOST FLATTEN THE VAN BATTERY BUT THE CAB BATTERY WILL BE FULLY CHARGED HENCE VERY LITTLE VAN BATT CHARGE WHEN DRIVING WHEN YOU COULD DO WITH A GOOD CHARGE BEFORE THE NEXT OVERNIGHT?
AS I STATED EARLIER SWIFT MAKE GOOD VANS BUT HELPFUL THEY AIN'T.
JOHN.