Brodgar

Onecal I never heard from the moderator. What appeared was some sort of generic message saying ’BANNED - you do not have permission to view this site’. I’m assuming some sort of technical glitch perhaps because I had a thread from the site opened in my reading history on my browser from some time ago (where I was not signed in) and my own thread opened on Google (where I was signed in) I hadn’t and still haven’t posted anything other than what you’ve now read and after I contacted ‘Contact Us’ link on the website and explained my issue the problem disappeared. Sorry I can’t be more sensational!

Hi Alan Thanks for the offer. I’ve a very tattered copy of a not particularly detailed wiring diagram for the DS300 and also for the vans habitation electrics - they’re not nearly as useful as the information I’ve learned on this website from before I joined (there was a very informative post from which I learned a lot involving a guy who had a fault which turned out to be an erroneous bridge across his fridge relay) and also since. I’ll post a picture of my unplugged distribution board and also a schematic of a more detailed diagram I found on the web because I’d like to know which items are which on my board but annoyingly the diagram has numbers but no explanation. You’ll see what I mean. Cheers, Andy

A little later in following up (and perhaps closing this thread) because I was temporarily BANNED from the site! Not quite sure why since I didn’t believe my charging problem to be in any way controversial but after contacting the moderator the ban seemed just as mysteriously to lift. I pulled all the connections off the DS300 board, took an ‘unplugged’ photograph (this for clarity so I could study the layout and ask questions in a later post) and reconnected everything. Then I started the engine and took voltage readings at the board terminals. First of all they were - B1 - 14.2v (yahoo!); B2 - 12.5v (boohoo 😢) But then I pulled the blue/white wire connector off and on. There was an audible click and… B1 - 13.8v; B2 - 13.8v…encouraging So I then checked voltages elsewhere… Across starter battery 14.1v; readout on PC200 B1 - 14.2v; B2 13.6v I’ve other issues to resolve (no interior lights), tidy up and clean/lubricate wiring and connections, plus some I might have though haven’t yet found out I do, but in the meantime it would seem, if those readings are correct, that I don’t have a charging problem..? Andy

Re: I would still like to see over 14.0V. 13.6V is not much more that a float voltage. I’ll check this on Thursday and report. Andy

…Re: my ignorance - presumably no the fridge does not draw power with the ignition off because as you said its relay is wired in parallel with the split charge relay. Hi-hum, I’ll get there, every day’s a school day..! One other thing though - if FA4 is a tapped supply for accessories, what is blade terminal FA5 for? The same..? Andy

Hi guys. Apologies - it’s my punctuation/shorthand that’s at fault in my last post. When I wrote 13+ volts, I meant I was getting more than 13 volts. In fact I think it was 13.63 volts. So all good there. Re: the white wire ‘mains on signal from the charger’, and forgive my ignorance, but do you mean the DC516 charger, and is that low rate charge to the starter battery when the van is on electrical hook-up? Re: the fridge - if it’s switched to 12v, does it draw power when the ignition is switched off? The B2 battery is earthed to the chassis by a thick metal braided earth strap. It seems in good condition. There are some other wires connected to the terminals on B2 which I’d like to trace - some of them are for the Webasto heater. When I get back (which won’t be until Thursday) I’ll pull the connections off and check them for dryness/corrosion. Doing so to the blue/white wire certainly seems to have had an effect. I never heard the relay at all on the way into work this morning. I’ll also double check the voltage readings. If all is well I think my next job will be to see what state the drinking water pump and heater are in. Thanks again guys

Slight correction to my last post - voltage at blue wire terminal 13v+ (not 12v) with engine running. Onecal, I haven’t checked any of the connections but I’m hoping they’re fine - in lieu of developments since I’m going to wait and see what happens next. Andy

Thank you so much for your very comprehensive reply Alan. I have some good although perhaps confusing news. When I went to the van tonight, I put my multimeter across the starter battery terminals with the engine running - 13+ volts, same as on Friday - but putting the meter across the lb also produced 13+ volts so clearly being charged this time! The lb has been disconnected for several months (in fact it’s been completely absent as I scrapped it) until Friday when I connected the new one with a new 30A fuse and holder to the starter battery (in answer to your question, the 30A lb fuse was present and in good order) and it’s been connected since. Tonight was the first time I started the van since Friday and now the readings seem fine. However, before long the relay started chattering away, constantly this time like a hazard relay, until I disconnected the blue/white wire plug. At this point the clicking stopped. I checked the voltage at the blue wire - 12+ volts - then reconnected the plug. The relay gave one click and fell silent. The voltage readings (which I took this time from the B1 and B2 terminals on the board) remained at 13+ volts at all times when the blue/white plug was connected. So I’m happier but more confused. Onecal, thanks also for your reply. There WAS water damage inside. When the new roof was being installed the fitter complained of a mouldy taste in his mouth (!) which I think came from the plywood bed base in the roof. I’ve replaced these and will soon be doing likewise to the sink unit which has become delaminated. However, there is no evidence of any damage to or nearby the electrical charging or distribution. Thanks again guys for the input, it’s really nice when people like yourselves take time out for forums such as these, especially at at this time of year. Andy

Hi - I’m a noobie to this forum and motorhomes in general. I acquired my dad’s ‘07 Renault Trafic Amalfi with a Reimo pop top. He’s had it since new but at 90 years of age his somewhat erratic driving left the roof in bits in a field when he forgot to tie it down whilst driving. It was lucky no-one else was involved. So he’s off the road, but the van isn’t or not yet at least. It’s had a new roof fitted but having sat idle for a year it now has various issues and has become my project. It’s a decent van underneath, only 80,000k so I’m keen to get a few more years out of it. First problem is the leisure battery. Turns out it’s the original and was basically scrap which is what I’ve done with it, replacing it with same spec. The fuse and fuse block from the starter battery were blown and melted, when this happened I don’t know, so I’ve replaced them too. However when I start the engine the voltage across the lb terminals is battery voltage (12.45v, starter battery is fine 13v+) and from what I believe to be the split charge relay (black cube on a DS 300 circuit board…ubiquitous electronic distribution hardware for motorhomes?) comes an incessant clicking. It’s not exactly constant - I’ve still to determine a pattern to it - but it was audible before I replaced the battery and main fuse and it still is. If the relay was a stand alone item I’d replace it and see if that cured the problem but I’m not sure how simple it is to remove it from the circuit board. A gentle tug doesn’t feel like it’s merely connected into a terminal block. Any help on this would be appreciated. I’m probably going to be after more in future…😕