Help with split relay/battery

[dmw]

I'm fortunate that my van is on a 63 plate and had a standard SCR fitted to the humax battery, it charges quickly even when the engine isn't running for very long periods,

so I've not had to charge it in the couple of months I've had it.

And they call it progress.

 

[craig at pure]

Thank you Spruce, I will order that now, Thank your for the info /emoticons/smile.png

 

[spruce]

This is quite a helpful video.

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[craig at pure]

My engine has the new euro 6 engine. So I better go and fine some penny's lol

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[Guest]

Video?

 

[doug atkinson]

As Spruce has advised it's the split relay being incorrect. We had to change one of these on a WCW system as would cut out half way through the day. Once changed no problems at all.

 

[spruce]

As Spruce has advised it's the split relay being incorrect. We had to change one of these on a WCW system as would cut out half way through the day. Once changed no problems at all.

Its good to know from an experienced supplier and fitter. I'm surprised that WCW didn't know about the issue with regard to new van's charging systems.

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

As Spruce has advised it's the split relay being incorrect. We had to change one of these on a WCW system as would cut out half way through the day. Once changed no problems at all.

How did you approach it with them? I had a slightly loose connection from my positive to the controller so they've asked me to refit this first off (have now done). Apart from that they've said there shouldn't be any issue at all and to perhaps ask an auto electrician to inspect and save my return trip to Wales (300miles). Wasn't said with much intention to reimburse though so if this is the case of being an unsuitable VSR for this model of van it's surely their responsibility to change it under warranty?

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

Is it bluehdi engine?

No just a standard HDi

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

As Spruce has advised it's the split relay being incorrect. We had to change one of these on a WCW system as would cut out half way through the day. Once changed no problems at all.

Which one do you have now?

 

[spruce]

Which one do you have now?

I can't see a mention of the Nemo or Bipper having regenerative battery charging. They do have have stop start though.

Come to think of it, you've had that van a while now so the VSR must be working or else you would have had the battery go flat long before now.

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

I can't see a mention of the Nemo or Bipper having regenerative battery charging. They do have have stop start though.Come to think of it, you've had that van a while now so the VSR must be working or else you would have had the battery go flat long before now.

Yeah so it must be ok for my vehicle or of course I would have had issues week 1. I'm hoping it was just a loose connection but I'm still uncertain if the impact that would have been having. Perhaps just less contact meant slower charging and I had a mental week last week so it didn't recover as well. It's still sitting on 12.2v and they told me max capacity would be 12.6v so it's more or less there. Hopefully the 40min drive to work in the morning pushes it back nearer that again.

 

[spruce]

On a fully rested leisure battery, 12.2 volts is only 25% charged.

My figure of 12.6volts is to do with the van's battery that has regenerative charging. The ECU only signals the alternator to charge the starter battery to 80% of charge, leaving the remaining 20% to be charged on deceleration. In other words, if the starter battery was down to 75% charged the alternator would charge it to 80% then stop charging.

If your van is in stop start mode, then you won't get any battery charging when the engine is switched off. Both vans I used my Voltage and amp gauge on, charged the leisure battery at the same amperage on idle as well as higher revs.

My leisure battery has never been below 75% charged. At that rate the 110amph battery I have will only accept a charge rate of around 8 amps. So if my battery was only 25% charged then it would take much longer than 10 hours driving to recharge it. It would take longer as the fuller the battery gets the less of a charge it will accept. (It could be that a leisure battery discharged to 25% my take a higher charge than 8 amps, but Numax advise that a leisure battery shouldn't be charged at a rate higher than 10% of its capacity.)

I once read that it would take a journey of 750kms in Australia to fully charge a flat leisure battery in an Oz RV.

I would find a way to charge that battery up if it were mine tbh.

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

On a fully rested leisure battery, 12.2 volts is only 25% charged.
My figure of 12.6volts is to do with the van's battery that has regenerative charging. The ECU only signals the alternator to charge the starter battery to 80% of charge, leaving the remaining 20% to be charged on deceleration. In other words, if the starter battery was down to 75% charged the alternator would charge it to 80% then stop charging.

If your van is in stop start mode, then you won't get any battery charging when the engine is switched off. Both vans I used my Voltage and amp gauge on, charged the leisure battery at the same amperage on idle as well as higher revs.

My leisure battery has never been below 75% charged. At that rate the 110amph battery I have will only accept a charge rate of around 8 amps. So if my battery was only 25% charged then it would take much longer than 10 hours driving to recharge it. It would take longer as the fuller the battery gets the less of a charge it will accept. (It could be that a leisure battery discharged to 25% my take a higher charge than 8 amps, but Numax advise that a leisure battery shouldn't be charged at a rate higher than 10% of its capacity.)

I once read that it would take a journey of 750kms in Australia to fully charge a flat leisure battery in an Oz RV.

I would find a way to charge that battery up if it were mine tbh.

I'm waiting for WCW to get back to me for the third time. I really don't have a clue how these things work and I'm grateful for your insight.

What about buying a battery booster charger and unplugging it at the weekend? What one would I need?

Thanks

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

This is my vehicles battery setup.

I've checked the manual and my battery doesn't have the specific warning label for the start/stop variants of this van. My engine doesn't cut out when parked or stationary either.

 

[spruce]

This is my vehicles battery setup.
I've checked the manual and my battery doesn't have the specific warning label for the start/stop variants of this van. My engine doesn't cut out when parked or stationary either.

Then it doesn't sound as though you should have a problem with a VSR. The specs say they have them. However, someone also said that it could be turned off. Now I do understand that as it was a feature to stop idling engines and help the environment so being able to turn it off doesn't make logical sense to me.

You can get an intelligent leisure battery charger to recharge the battery I do it with mine every few days.

I use this,

Numax Leisure Battery Charger 12V 10A - Battery Chargers - Numax Battery Chargers

This is also a popular one

CTEK MXS7.0 Battery Charger

Ctek prices have gone up quite a lot in recent times.

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

Then it doesn't sound as though you should have a problem with a VSR. The specs say they have them. However, someone also said that it could be turned off. Now I do understand that as it was a feature to stop idling engines and help the environment so being able to turn it off doesn't make logical sense to me.
You can get an intelligent leisure battery charger to recharge the battery I do it with mine every few days.

I use this,

Numax Leisure Battery Charger 12V 10A - Battery Chargers - Numax Battery Chargers

This is also a popular one

CTEK MXS7.0 Battery Charger

Ctek prices have gone up quite a lot in recent times.

Thank you so much. Guess I'm just running it quicker than it can charge.

One last moronic question but how do these intelligent chargers work? I was looking at the bulky style jump kits that you attach to the terminals then plug in to the mains at home and I can't see any connections like that on the linked charger?

Thanks again, Spruce.

 

[spruce]

Thank you so much. Guess I'm just running it quicker than it can charge.
One last moronic question but how do these intelligent chargers work? I was looking at the bulky style jump kits that you attach to the terminals then plug in to the mains at home and I can't see any connections like that on the linked charger?

Thanks again, Spruce.

With the Numax you get crocodile clamps that clip onto the terminals or you have another connector with ring terminals. I hate those crocodile clamps so would use the other lead with ring terminals secured permanently onto proper battery terminals. I would attach it to the leisure battery and just run an extention lead out to the van from the house.

When you are finished, just plug the charger from the fly lead and put the charger away. The fly lead will remain on the battery.

The Durite VSR is bi directional. So the charger will also top up the van's battery as well. When both are full the charger with go into float mode. You can leave the charger connected up and switched on for months if you like.

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

With the Numax you get crocodile clamps that clip onto the terminals or you have another connector with ring terminals. I hate those crocodile clamps so would use the other lead with ring terminals secured permanently onto proper battery terminals. I would attach it to the leisure battery and just run an extention lead out to the van from the house.
When you are finished, just plug the charger from the fly lead and put the charger away. The fly lead will remain on the battery.

The Durite VSR is bi directional. So the charger will also top up the van's battery as well. When both are full the charger with go into float mode. You can leave the charger connected up and switched on for months if you like.

Cool so basically you plug the Numax into an extension lead and run that from the house and just connect that to the leisure battery and it'll charge up. Whip the clips off and unplug again afterwards. So no attaching to van battery or having to remove the leisure from the van either? That sounds like a good compromise to me when I need to boost it up again. Mine's fallen to 11.9v today again

 

[spruce]

Cool so basically you plug the Numax into an extension lead and run that from the house and just connect that to the leisure battery and it'll charge up. Whip the clips off and unplug again afterwards. So no attaching to van battery or having to remove the leisure from the van either? That sounds like a good compromise to me when I need to boost it up again. Mine's fallen to 11.9v today again

That's the way I do it.

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

That's the way I do it.

Great, sounds ideal and convenient. I'll get that ordered.

Cheers mate.