Split charge. Help

[Alex Smith]

I have just taken my old Ionics system out of my old Renault traffic, and put it into a ford transit custom. When I took the system out of the old van, the only wire I had to disconnect was from the positive terminal on the battery. I have fitted the system back into my new van and connected the same wire to the positive terminal. when I went to the van this morning the battery was flat. Have I wired it incorrectly?

 

[spruce]

I have just taken my old Ionics system out of my old Renault traffic, and put it into a ford transit custom. When I took the system out of the old van, the only wire I had to disconnect was from the positive terminal on the battery. I have fitted the system back into my new van and connected the same wire to the positive terminal. when I went to the van this morning the battery was flat. Have I wired it incorrectly?

Something isn't right.

Which battery is flat? If its the van's battery, have you left something on by mistake, radio, glove box open, back door open etc.

I presume that as you only had one wire to connect the split charge relay would actually be a volt sensing relay (VSR).

Should be easy enough to test. With the van's engine running use can test the situation with a multimeter. The voltage across the terminal of the van battery should be reading between 13.8 to 14.4v. This means that the alternator is charging. If you go to the leisure battery and put the multimeter across the terminals it should read the same. If the voltage isn't after a while then the VSR isn't working.

If you switch the engine off and leave it for sometime the vsr should switch off and isolate the batteries. You should then see a different voltage reading across each battery as each of them stabilise.

 

[Alex Smith]

It was the van battery that was flat. The central locking wouldn't work and when I started it up none of the dash was working. I ran it for 5 mins turned it of and started it again and everything was fine. Thanks I will buy a multimeter tomorrow and check

Regards

Alex

 

[spruce]

Take the fuse out on the van battery side of the cable to leave it overnight. If it goes flat again it isn't anything to do with the wiring you have done.

 

[Deleted member 84]

Not meaning to scare you but I'd look into it abit more. As my friend has a transit and they have a different can bus system for charging batteries. Does anybody else with a transit know? I think there wiring got fried.

 

[Alex Smith]

Thanks I might go and disconnect the wire

 

[Alex Smith]

Cable now disconnected. I will try to get the van in somewhere on Monday.

 

[spruce]

Not meaning to scare you but I'd look into it abit more. As my friend has a transit and they have a different can bus system for charging batteries. Does anybody else with a transit know? I think there wiring got fried.

I haven't heard of anyone suffering a flat van battery before.

There have been a couple that have had non charging issues. The ecu is programed to charge the battery on decelleration or when the van is on a downhill in gear with the driver's foot off the accelerator pedal and the engine revs above idle.

One owner found that turning the side-lights on kicked the alternator into charging mode and he was happy to continue to do that. I would imagine that this is going to be a problem that will have to be addressed by Ford as these vehicles will be converted for other applications where second battery charging is required - ie motorhomes, crew cabs, emergency roadside assist vehicles, etc.

This is obviously emissions based so quite what happens next is anyone's guess. Ford won't want to be seen to change the software after registration as the manufacturer is responsible to ensure that each vehicle is built and supplied to run in accord to the emissions regulations they were built to conform to.

My first point of call would be to the service manager of the local Ford garage that supplied his van if there is a problem with charging. If Alex's battery goes flat tonight then the issue will be with the van and that will need to be addressed by Ford as part of the new van warranty.

 

[Neil]

It was the van battery that was flat. The central locking wouldn't work and when I started it up none of the dash was working. I ran it for 5 mins turned it of and started it again and everything was fine. Thanks I will buy a multimeter tomorrow and check Regards

Alex

How did you get on getting to the van battery mate the guy that did the wiring in my custom said what a **** place to have the battery lol

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[peter rogers]

only one wire?? i have a wire to postive for controller charger then a red and a black from system to lesisure battery then from there connected to van electrics

 

[spruce]

only one wire?? i have a wire to postive for controller charger then a red and a black from system to lesisure battery then from there connected to van electrics

He is referring to the single wire from the main van battery to the relay. The relay is self switching ensuring the van battery gets charge preference before the leisure battery is charged. He will have another red wire from the relay to the + terminal of the leisure battery and a black fly lead from the relay to the van's chassis. The leisure battery will also be earthed to the van's chassis.

The other split charge relay has an addition wire to trigger the relay, usually run from the van's alternator charge light wire or a supply from the ignition switch which is only live when the engine is running. The wiper motor live and cigarette lighter are also alternatives in most cases.

 

[Alex Smith]

How did you get on getting to the van battery mate the guy that did the wiring in my custom said what a **** place to have the battery lol

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It was easy. I pushed the cable threw a gap in the bulkhead just behind the drivers seat. Pushed the seat forward, removed the battery cover and connected it to the positive terminal.

 

[Neil]

Does the cover on top of the battery easy to pull off? I've been to scare to take it off lol

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[Alex Smith]

He is referring to the single wire from the main van battery to the relay. The relay is self switching ensuring the van battery gets charge preference before the leisure battery is charged. He will have another red wire from the relay to the + terminal of the leisure battery and a black fly lead from the relay to the van's chassis. The leisure battery will also be earthed to the van's chassis.
The other split charge relay has an addition wire to trigger the relay, usually run from the van's alternator charge light wire or a supply from the ignition switch which is only live when the engine is running. The wiper motor live and cigarette lighter are also alternatives in most cases.

Does the cover on top of the battery easy to pull off? I've been to scare to take it off lol

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Does the cover on top of the battery easy to pull off? I've been to scare to take it off lol

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Yes it's easy. Lift the seat to its highest position and slide it forward. Then remove the 2 8mm bolts, the metal bracket will then pull out. Then it's just the plastic cover. Lift the plastic clip at the back and pop the grommet out with the wires running threw near the negative terminal. Then the plastic cover should just pull out and it's done. Simples.