Is my charger dead?

Niall_G

I would appreciate any advice.

Last winter my leisure battery discharged fully and would not charge properly again (even with an external charger). Since it was old and small, and I needed to weld a new housing for it anyway, I upgraded to a new, larger elecsol battery. My problems didn't end there though.

The battery arrived charged to 12.5v, but is not charging any more through the charger. When I meter the output of the charger with the battery attached it reads 12.5 (presumably reading the battery's voltage). When I meter it with no battery attached it makes a clicking noise (like a relay going mad) and the voltage goes up and down with each click (variable amounts from 11v to 15v).

The van is a CI Riviera/Ducato 1996 so I had thought I might just change the charger anyway to a nice new stepped one and at least be able to leave it on permanent charge. However when I removed the existing charger, I see it also acts as a transformer and distributor for the 12v electrics. Basically it has a power input plug, a leisure battery input/output harness, 2 12 output harnesses, 3 blade fuses, and 4 relays. There is no manufacturer detail on the charger but the relays are Siemens.

The 2 30v blade fuses in the wiring circuit seem okay and there is power to the charger and the 12v works off the charger (presumably draining what's left in the battery so I have everything switched off for now).

I have a rudimentary knowledge of electrics (but not so much vehicle electronics) and so could run any other tests you think useful. I have attached a very basic wiring drawing for anybody who wants to take the time.

A far lesser concern, but given the wire from the + of the van battery to the + of the leisure battery, what stops the van battery from discharging to the leisure battery.

Advice greatly appreciated.......

spaceHopper

There's normally are relay so when the engine is running the battery will be charges when ithe engine is off the batter is disconnected from the engine battery.

If you measure the voltage with the engine running you should see about 14V, if you do then the engine should be charging the battery. But it would need along run to get it charged if you can take it out and put in on a mains charger and see how you get on. You might be asking tomuch of the existing charger but onece fully charged you might be fine.

Niall_G

Thanks Spacehopper. I will try running the engine on it tonight.

I can get a mains charger in to charge the battery alright, but surely the van charger should be charging it (albeit possibly slowly) - I left it on for 2 days with no change.

*Kol*

You should be able to see about 14v across the battery when it is charging from the leisure charger. Lookings like its not charging at all.