12v issues please help! Half working electrics

Dansouth96

Forum Member
Hi all,

Hoping for someone to give me a quick fix and tell me I've missed something easy and obvious here!

I'm converting a Renault traffic 2010 and installing the electrics. I have installed a split charger and wired up a simple 12v system involving lighting, usb socket etc. The 12v usb panel works fine and is connected and ran off the leisure battery no problem. For some reason, my lights only work when the split charge relay kicks in! As soon as this kicks in when the engine starts, they come on and work fine. The same with a single 12 cigarette lighter. It works fine with the split charger on but otherwise doesn't work at all.

This seems crazy and I can't figure it out. It's all wired correctly obviously as once the split charge gives it a boost, it all powers up in all its glory! I've checked the battery and it's at 12.6.

Some help would be appreciated and sorry if some of this doesn't make sense.

Any potentially obvious things to try?

I've tried another battery and still the same issue.

Thanks dan
 

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SquirrellCook

SquirrellCook

Forum Member
It reads as if your leisure battery is not in circuit. A simple test would be to measure the battery voltage before and after the spilt charge kicks in. If it doesn’t change, either a fuse is blown or something is open circuit.
 

Dansouth96

Forum Member
Thanks for the reply.

Could this be the case even though I have the the usb/cigarette lighter panel power up through the leisure battery?

as I said, that works but the lights and the other cigarette lighter I have in the van dont work.

thanks for your help as this has been racking my brains!
 
mistericeman

mistericeman

Forum Member
Are you lights LED.... Sounds almost like they aren't getting enough voltage to work from the battery...
Needing the boost from the alternator to fire them up.
 

Dansouth96

Forum Member
mistericeman said:
Are you lights LED.... Sounds almost like they aren't getting enough voltage to work from the battery...
Needing the boost from the alternator to fire them up.
Click to expand...
Yes LED lights. This is my second conversion, second Renault, and I've used the exact same equipment this time around as I did before. This was one theory I thought and it seems Asif it needed the boost to get them working.
 
mistericeman

mistericeman

Forum Member
Dansouth96 said:
Yes LED lights. This is my second conversion, second Renault, and I've used the exact same equipment this time around as I did before. This was one theory I thought and it seems Asif it needed the boost to get them working.
Click to expand...

Does sound odd.... I used IKEA leds with the transformers chopped off (they were 12v via 240/12v transformer at the time... Though now appear to be 240/24v now)
Without any issues....

Have you tried them on the vehicle battery and comparing starter battery/leisure battery voltages via a multi meter?

Without engine running obviously
 

Dansouth96

Forum Member
As soon as the starter battery is on and the split charge kicks in, it comes on. Tomorrow I'll test the starter battery and leisure battery voltages to see if there is a change.

It's obviously wired correctly as it comes on with the starter battery boost.

Not massively experience with electrics and self taught but these set backs just boggle my mind!
 
mistericeman

mistericeman

Forum Member
Dansouth96 said:
As soon as the starter battery is on and the split charge kicks in, it comes on. Tomorrow I'll test the starter battery and leisure battery voltages to see if there is a change.

It's obviously wired correctly as it comes on with the starter battery boost.

Not massively experience with electrics and self taught but these set backs just boggle my mind!
Click to expand...

Been there.... Got that T shirt....

Everyday is a school day and it usually gets sorted either via helpful input from folks far far more knowledgeable than me OR a big hammer.
 

Dansouth96

Forum Member
Frustrating.

Hopefully someone can shed some light! Not sure a hammer will help me this time, although it is usually my fall back position!!!

I have a video of the issue I can send to anyone who is interested in helping me out haha!
 

wildebus

Forum Member
Dansouth96 said:
As soon as the starter battery is on and the split charge kicks in, it comes on. Tomorrow I'll test the starter battery and leisure battery voltages to see if there is a change.

It's obviously wired correctly as it comes on with the starter battery boost.

Not massively experience with electrics and self taught but these set backs just boggle my mind!
Click to expand...
If the lesiure battery is at 12.6V but it is not powering some of the habitation electrics it cannot be connected to the hab electrics. could be a fuse; could be a connection that appears connected but is open circuit.

If you have the typical Split Charge Relay, either Switched by ignition/alternator, or voltage enabled, it will work even without a Leisure Battery being inside the van, so what you are doing there is confrming the Leisure Battery has no connection to the Hab Electrics I think.

Confirm: You suspect the battery may not have enough power to run the Lights ... turn the lights on WITHOUT the split charge enabled - what is the the Leisure Battery voltage? still at 12.6V or dropped massively? If not dropped, not connected.
Confirm: Turn the engine on and the Hab Electrics start to work... check the voltage of the starter batter before and after turning on engine. Did it go up or even change? if no difference, the Leisure Battery cannot be connected to the Split Charge. (probably same bad fuse/connection as first one.
 

Dansouth96

Forum Member
Thanks for having a think about this for me.
As I said I'm new to this despite it being my second conversion.

Just thinking now, I've currently got 2 out of three switches wired up but I've chained all the earth's together on all 3 switches, would this make the third switch part of the open circuit so meaning it's not working????

Hopefully yes!

Thanks
 

st3v3

Forum Member
No-one going to comment on the standard of the wiring?

OK then.

I'm all for people having a go, but some of what you've done there is so bad it's not funny mate, please get somebody competent to help you out...
 

Dansouth96

Forum Member
Appreciate what your saying mate, just trying to get it working properly and then I'll tidy it all up and make all safe.
 

Dansouth96

Forum Member
Thanks for the replies.

The fuse board and the battery are both bolted to the chassis via two separate bolts. From the fuse board my wires run to the switches where they chain up the switches and then earth back on via a single earth cable to another bolt in the chassis next to the switches. How does that sound?
 
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