Two-Six Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I have just installed a CTEK D250S DC to DC charger in the family Autocuise Valentine (Circa 2002). My main query is about the earthing of the leisure electrical system I think... Upon checking voltages in general, I have found some strange things happening. With the system as supplied..I found that when the engine was running it was charging the leisure battery at JUST .13 of an Amp.... I think the voltage was steady at about 12.7 volts. Engine off, when the main charger was hooked up, this voltage at the leisure battery was at 13.44 volts and charging at 3.5 amps. So that's fine. I then installed a cable from the positive terminal of the starter battery and hooked up the DC-to DC charger. I earthed the charger using the supplied negative wire that is part of the existing van wiring via the negative terminal of the leisure battery. This is the strange bit. The voltage measures on end of the cable from the starter battery between the "earthed" negative terminal of the battery/negative connection to existing wiring was only at 12.70 Volts. This means the charger doesn't come on at the voltage is below 13 Volts. I had a volt meter ON the starter battery and the voltage there was 14.34 volts (engine on).. BUT when I grounded the negative terminal of the leisure battery to the chassis using a jump lead the voltage was now at about 14 volts. The slight being drop due to the resistance of the chunky cable to the starter battery...That's fine. However configured as supplied and using the existing + and - connections to the leisure battery, I cannot use the new DC-to DC charger. I have now installed an earthing wire from the negative terminal of the leisure battery to the chassis and the charger now works as it should. The voltage goes over 13 volts and the charger starts to charge at a higher voltage than at the starter battery. This is what its supposed to do. So that's all good. This leads me to think there is something odd about the way the original electrical system was wired up. What is holding down that voltage, resistance in the rest of the van's wiring to earth or in the mains charger? I haven't tried hooking up the mains yet. I need to do a few more tests. It should be fine but SOMETHING strange might happen. Perhaps earthing the whole system like this might be a bad idea....I dunno. What I could do with IS A SCHEMATIC of the van's wiring or at least of the mains charger that is installed in the van. I can then figure out how it works. Anybody know what the mains charger is in my van? Anybody got any helpful Schematics? Can anybody shed some light on how the original system is supposed to work, especially in terms of earthing? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Not understood all of your posting but would comment as follows. I have a CTek 250 D ? which also has a solar panel connected to it. I used 10mm2 cable to connect the CTek to the starter battery and the leisure battery with fuses at the batteries. I upgraded the leisure battery earth by a 10mm2 cable to chassis. I removed the fuse at the split charge relay that would normally charge the leisure battery. If you do not do this then the CTek and the alternator will be charging in parallel and total confusion reigns. The CTek only starts to charge the leisure battery once it has charged the starter battery to over 13volts. I hope this assists Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Hi two-Six Without doing any further tests it sounds as though your leisure battery and/or your entire habitation 12 volt electrics have a faulty earth. Try measuring the voltage between the hab battery negative and the vehicle chassis (not the hab earth). You may have to measure between hab battery negative and starter battery negative if you can't find a suitable point on the chassis. Any voltage reading over, say, 0.1 volt with no load/charging or above 0.2 or 0.3 volts with engine running suggests you have a faulty earth. You will have to trace wiring to find where the hab electrics are earthed to the chassis. To try and help your question on wiring diagrams, what make and model of control panel, charger, etc are fitted to your MH? Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two-Six Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 Sshortcircuit, I posted you a PM :-) I went out earlier and had another look at things. I did measure the voltage between the negative post of the battery and the ground that I installed. It measured 0.07 of a volt with the engine on and off, and with the mains charger on. So that's OK I think. One thing I did discover, with the mains charger on, if I switch to the "car" battery on the control panel in the van, the voltage on the starter battery goes up to about 13.7 volts and the CTEK charger comes on and starts charging. I guess it would do that, so I guess that's OK too. Putting the switch on the Control Panel to Internal, or the HAB battery, the voltage on the leisure battery goes to about 13.7 volts and the CTEK disconnects as the voltage on the starter battery drops through 13 volts. I guess that's OK too. With the engine on the CTEK does its thing with no problem that I can see. Removing the fuse from the split charger relay. That sounds like a great idea as its almost totally useless I might as well. I am not sure if I need to do this at this stage...I guess it will not have adverse outcomes if I do will it? Where can I find it and what will it look like? There are some likely suspects on the bulkhead, one could be a relay with a fuse next to it..I haven't looked too hard at it so far.... I did check for 230Volts AC on the earth..nothing detected...That's PROBABLY a good thing too ;-) So, I think its all OK........ Keith, I am not sure what the installed mains charger is. So far I can't figure out how to get at it to have a look, my Dad seems to think its made in Hull for some reason. The van is an Autocruise Valentine made in about 2002 by the Swift group. If that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 From what I understand all looks ok but I suspect with the engine running you are parallel charging by engine and ctek. Not sure what your base vehicle is but mine is a Fiat and the relays/fuses are under a large plastic cover in the centre of the engine bay. There are two relays, one for the fridge and the other for charging leisure battery along with a fuse block and four fuse. I would repeat this is in the centre of the engine bay and not the relay boxes to the right. When on hook up what you are doing when switching to charge the starter battery is bringing in the ctek and making use of its multi stage features to charge the leisure battery which I consider beneficial although never really use. do not think you have any problems so enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Two-Six - 2016-02-09 8:19 PM Keith, I am not sure what the installed mains charger is. So far I can't figure out how to get at it to have a look, my Dad seems to think its made in Hull for some reason. The van is an Autocruise Valentine made in about 2002 by the Swift group. If that helps. In that case it is probably made by 'Plug In Systems' who where formerly of Willerby near Hull, but sadly now defunct. There is an ex-employee who has now set up to repair the systems if you want more info... http://www.expluginsteve.co.uk/ HTH, Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artheytrate Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Hi Hamish (sshortcircuit) I've recently fitted a Sterling B to B charger to our Auto Sleeper which is fitted with a Sargent EC500 PSU and a Sargent EC 480 control panel. The instructions say nothing about removing the charging fuse from the original installation, but reading your reply it makes sense, I've emailed Charles Sterling yesterday and await his reply on this. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 John, It will be interesting to hear the response you get from Sterling. Keep us informed. 17 days to go and we are off Regards Hamish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two-Six Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Great!, some really useful info Keith. Looks like I have a PMS 5B WAH. http://www.expluginsteve.co.uk/Unit-identifier%282448008%29.htm I am going to see if this guy has a schematic/service manual. Yes it will be interesting to see what Mr Sterling says about the split charger fuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artheytrate Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 sshortcircuit - 2016-02-10 8:16 AM John, It will be interesting to hear the response you get from Sterling. Keep us informed. 17 days to go and we are off Regards Hamish I've phoned Sterling today and their technical person told me that I need to remove the fuse from starter battery to Sargent unit and then the Sterling B to B will work fine. Have a Good trip Hamish and give Mary our regards. John and Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artheytrate Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 artheytrate - 2016-02-11 3:30 PM sshortcircuit - 2016-02-10 8:16 AM John, It will be interesting to hear the response you get from Sterling. Keep us informed. 17 days to go and we are off Regards Hamish I've phoned Sterling today and their technical person told me that I need to remove the fuse from starter battery to Sargent unit and then the Sterling B to B will work fine. Have a Good trip Hamish and give Mary our regards. John and Pat. Hi again Hamish, with the fuse removed from starter battery I found that the solar did not charge the batteries so I refitted fuse and solar now ok. I've had this email to day from Charles Sterling. Hi John, Simply connect the BBW from the starter battery to the leisure battery. Bypassing the sargent unit shall not be an issue. A complete rewiring is not necessary, just keep it simple. Thank you for your inquiry, Charles Sterling Junior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.