Tam &Toby do Europe ...Take two

Lenny HB said:
Two jump leads clipped to get her is not a good idea, when we spoke yesterday you said you were going to get a new cable.
What you could do but you won't like it as its a pain with where your EBL is. But you could take the starter & leisure battery cables out of the EBL and join then with a terminal block a bit of 30 amp choc block will do for the test. Then see what the current is with the EBL by-passed.
Then check the current with the EBL connected best to do this test first.
Between test put a load on the batteries for at least ½ hour otherwise you will get confusing results.
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Taking the wires out the ebl is impossible without unplugging all the top cables and lifting the ebl out the cupboard ..no way to get to the wires

It was hard enough to put voltmeter on them.

I'll have a look but don't think it's possible

Will see what other cable I have too but not promising anything
 
Northernraider said:
Taking the wires out the ebl is impossible without unplugging all the top cables and lifting the ebl out the cupboard ..no way to get to the wires

It was hard enough to put voltmeter on them.

I'll have a look but don't think it's possible

Will see what other cable I have too but not promising anything
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Whilst doing your testing leave the ammeter in one place (clipped around the leisure battery negative (earth) connection). There is no point in taking current measurements anywhere else. Take a current measurement charging via the EBL - note reading. Without disconnecting anything connect your jump leads from the starter battery +ve terminal to the leisure battery +ve terminal. Note the current reading.
 
OK I've just been home to let dogs out and had a look ...it might be possible if I remove the drivers seat and box and then use a mirror to see under cabinet to get screws out...not sure but can have a go.
 
tonyidle said:
Whilst doing your testing leave the ammeter in one place (clipped around the leisure battery negative (earth) connection). There is no point in taking current measurements anywhere else. Take a current measurement charging via the EBL - note reading. Without disconnecting anything connect your jump leads from the starter battery +ve terminal to the leisure battery +ve terminal. Note the current reading.
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When you say the leisure battery earth wire do you mean at the actual leisure battery? Or the earth wire below ebl ?


I never knew you got current going through the earth lead .....learn something new every day lol

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Northernraider said:
When you say the leisure battery earth wire do you mean at the actual leisure battery? Or the earth wire below ebl ?


I never knew you got current going through the earth lead .....learn something new every day lol
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I mean the negative wire or wires connected to the leisure battery negative terminal. Just leave the meter in the same position throughout your testing.

Current - if you have a circuit with a source of power at one end and something to absorb that power at the other the current is the same anywhere along that circuit. The circuit in your case is from earth at the starter battery, through the battery, out of the +ve, through the EBL, to the leisure battery +ve, through the battery, out of the -ve terminal and to earth. Which as both batteries connect to the chassis is the same earth at both ends.
 
Wow, this is getting complicated. Soooooooo glad i'm not you Tam doing this!!!!:rolleyes::rolleyes: Just being a bit forward so excuse me, but, would a trip to tonyidle be an idea? If he was ok with that? Lenny is obviously way to far. Is Kendal a long way?
 
intokenny said:
Wow, this is getting complicated. Soooooooo glad i'm not you Tam doing this!!!!:rolleyes::rolleyes: Just being a bit forward so excuse me, but, would a trip to tonyidle be an idea? If he was ok with that? Lenny is obviously way to far. Is Kendal a long way?
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Thats why Lenny HB is panicking lol

He's worried incase I haven't fixed it by the time I head south and pop in 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Hopefully if we can pinpoint whats causing the problem then its just a case of changing that item.
 
Northernraider said:
Thats why Lenny HB is panicking lol

He's worried incase I haven't fixed it by the time I head south and pop in 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Hopefully if we can pinpoint whats causing the problem then its just a case of changing that item.
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Yeah, poor Lenny. It's really interesting to follow, but i would have lost the will i think by now. Still i guess your going to be so much wiser after you've cracked it & maybe a bit proud of yourself too?
 
intokenny said:
Yeah, poor Lenny. It's really interesting to follow, but i would have lost the will i think by now. Still i guess your going to be so much wiser after you've cracked it & maybe a bit proud of yourself too?
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I dunno like ...ive not a clue whats causing it I'm just hoping one of these two can figure it oot lol.

I lost the plot with it ages ago.....but I'd like to get to the bottom of it.

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Just home from work batteries are at 63% and 12.2v that's after 11 hours of a 5.4amp drain.
20200811_001355.jpg
20200811_001402.jpg
 
OK so first stage

Clamp meter on habitation battery negative. All interior lights on and tv
Start engine ...initial amps 26.5 drops steadily to 11.5 and remains around that number


I'll switch it off now and wait 10 minutes or so before connecting jump lead
 
Ok stage 2
Jump lead connected between batteries
Initial amps 25+ drops steadily to between 14 and 15amps and remains there ( this is with the 50amp fuse at starter battery still in place )
20200811_110528.jpg


And if i remove the fuse it drops to this
20200811_110635.jpg
 
That sounds good is that with the standard wiring?
If so it looks like your poor connection on the leisure batteries could have been the problem.
I would have liked to have seen more than 25 amps but your van has a lot longer cable run than mine. My starter & leisure batteries are 2m apart with the EBL in the middle.

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Lenny HB said:
That sounds good is that with the standard wiring?
If so it looks like your poor connection on the leisure batteries could have been the problem.
I would have liked to have seen more than 25 amps but your van has a lot longer cable run than mine. My starter & leisure batteries are 2m apart with the EBL in the middle.
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Yes original wiring in place but that 14 amps is with jump lead connected also

Without jumplead its only around 11amps
 
Northernraider said:
Yes original wiring in place but that 14 amps is with jump lead connected also

Without jumplead its only around 11amps
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That is because you have double the wire size an reduced the volt drop.
Could be worth rewiring with heavier cables.
 
Its definitely more than I was getting before as its siting around 12-12.5 amps at the minute and doesn't seem to change when I put fridge on 12v either ...but the batteries are low at 64%

But I think previously I was only getting 3 or 4 amps
 
Northernraider said:
tonyidle
Lenny HB

Have I to do any more tests or do you think thats the best im going to get ?
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I think that's the best you'll get. Rewiring from the EBL to the leisure battery with heavier cable would improve things as Lenny suggests but TBH, now you know there's no fault with EBL or wiring, I'd install a good B2B device for your type of use (short stays all off grid). The B2B would increase the charge rate dramatically and compensate for any voltage drop.

Keep an eye on your alternator. If you really did see 17v at one point it is on the blink. A cigar socket plug in voltmeter is dirt cheap & handy. You only have to see it stay over 14 & under 15 when travelling to know that all is well.
 
tonyidle said:
I think that's the best you'll get. Rewiring from the EBL to the leisure battery with heavier cable would improve things as Lenny suggests but TBH, now you know there's no fault with EBL or wiring, I'd install a good B2B device for your type of use (short stays all off grid). The B2B would increase the charge rate dramatically and compensate for any voltage drop.

Keep an eye on your alternator. If you really did see 17v at one point it is on the blink. A cigar socket plug in voltmeter is dirt cheap & handy. You only have to see it stay over 14 & under 15 when travelling to know that all is well.
Click to expand...
Yeah i have one of those cigarette voltmeters which is where i seen the 17v once ...but it did only do it once no idea why

I think I now need to see how it works when in use ...so ill maybe try and go away overnight next tuesday so I can see what goes in on a drive.

I'll reconnect my solar today to bring it up a bit and see what amps I get when over 80%
 
Yippeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! This sounds so promising, i for one am so pleased.:giggle::giggle: Well persevered Tam.(y)(y)Only problem now is to find something else as interesting to follow. Well done to Lenny & Tonyidle, & anyone else who helped.

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Spotted a major fault with your van Tam.
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Steering wheels on the wrong side. No self respecting Hymer own would put up with that. :rofl:

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