Charger - Charge Starter?

[t4_generation]

Hey folks. Should the inbuilt charger charge the starter battery? I remember reading some german manuals online which suggested it did...

My 2001 bus has been laid up on the drive since November, plugged it in a few times for a couple days here and there to keep leisure batteries topped up.

I tried to start it the other day to go for a drive round the block but the starter battery was completely dead. Was working fine when I last started it about a month ago. So I plugged in for 48 hours.

The leisure battery is a nice healthy 13.5V so it's been taking a charge no problem. The starter is still completely dead.

I might have a drain somewhere, as the central locking on the remote has stopped working. Or maybe my starter is just fecked. I have a CTEK charger that I can put under the bonnet in the meantime to try bring it back to life...

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

Some do, some don't.

I thought the later ones did, but as you say - the charger may not be working correctly, there may be a wiring issue or the original charger may have been replaced with one that doesn't have the functionality.

It's under the fridge if you want to check it. Seat forward, undo a couple of screws then pull out on the grill at the bottom.

 

[2into1]

Mine doesn't - or at least the engine battery doesn't register a change of voltage when I plug in.

I get around it like this: I have a modern trickle battery charger which I plug into one of the 240v sockets in the van. The output of the charger is a male for a cigarette socket, which I plug into the socket in the dash (which appears to be permanently live).

So when I plug the van in to maintain the leisure battery the starter battery gets a top up too.

It seems to work fine. I'd be worried about putting a big lump of amps through the dash socket but it only seems to trickle and nothing appears to get warm.

 

[pabloalfa76]

My on-board charger doesn't charge the Engine starter battery either.

I like peters idea around the problem though, nice and simple. I may steal that idea!

 

[t4_generation]

That is a good idea for winter lay-up. I wonder if I can find a fag lighter plug for my C-Tek.

As it happens my starter battery recovered well with a dedicated charge.

There must be a split charge relay that switches the alternator output over to the leisures when the starter battery is sufficiently topped up. If this could be replaced by a dual sensing VSR, then I reckon you could have the reverse - the starter would be topped up once the leisure's had had their fill on hookup?

 

[t4_generation]

Ok, so I confirmed my charger is not the dual output kind, nor does the split charge relay divert any charge to the starter. So I bought and fitted one of these:

http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Cyrix-ct-120A-230A-EN.pdf (120A Model)

from Travelvolts.com. This will now combine the batteries and charge whichever one needs it from whichever source. Great bit of kit, I had one on my old panel van conversion.

Some photos and installation notes for anyone else interested.

Beware before you start:
Cyrix has M6 terminal posts. Bosch relay has M4, so the only fiddle with the job is either cutting off M4 ring crimps and putting new ones on IF YOU HAVE THE CORRECT TOOL for the heavy gauge wire. Or very carefully filing out the terminals to M6, removing no more than you have to.

I would advocate the former, but actually did the latter.

Job was along the lines of

- Disconnect Starter Earth - Very Important!
- Disconnect Leisure Battery Earth - Very Important! On 2001 pop top it's easy to get to. No excuse.

- Check both terminals on existing relay ~0V with a voltmeter.

- Remove old relay. Starter +ve on the Right. Leisure on the Left.

- Fit new relay.
You'll need to reshape the positives because they are now going to point out the way from the relay.
You can reuse the existing plug for the earth. The Blue wire is no longer required. I clipped it, insulated and tied it back and crimped on a single spade connector, this would be optional.

- Refit earths
- Test everything works

I'm yet to determine if there is a difference in "priority" between the two terminals on the Cyrix. Will update this thread when I find out!

 

[Padraic]

Hi there, I have been looking for this post for a while now. Just wanted to ask how this new relay is performing? I'm hoping to fit one soon and would like to get advice from someone who already has made this change.