Leisure Batteries..Shunt..Fridge and waterpump Issues.

[Rab]

Ok..Just recently completed the earth shunt fix on my T5 SE174. Had the usual heater issues whilst on batteries. So fridge out ,shunt done ,fridge back in and now the heater working perfectly on both batteries and EHU.
A week later I went on short trip and noticed my fridge was not working on batteries nor was my tap/waterpump [ they had been working after the shunt fix] When i tried to drive off with the fridge switched on my control panel sounded an alarm with a cable warning. The panel seemed to think I was on hook up.
When I got home I put it on EHU and both the fridge and tap working fine. However with hook up off they still would not work on batteries. I then noticed the EHU was not charging my batteries. They do charge off the altenator. Confirmed this with voltmeter. Both batteries were new last year and both reading 12.6 v. It was then I discovered a blown cube fuse. Thinking this was my problem I replaced this but I still have the same issues.
I have tested all fuses under passanger seat and all fine.
Checked the connections to battery charger and have even stuck a voltmeter on the input cable to the charger and its getting 240 v. Fuse above charger cable looks fine and tested with meter.
I have even taken the fridge back out and had a look inside the charger for signs of damage. It all visually looks good. The 20 amp fuse inside the charger is fine.
This has done me Im at a loss. Van batterries wont charge on EHU but will on alternator. Fridge and water pump wont work off batteries but they do on EHU. Still get power to 3pin plug at sink. Heater works fine off the batteries and EHU.
I think I have tried everything. Suppose it could be a new charger but would the charger affect the fridge and waterpump.
Anybody got any ideas.
Much Obliged
Rab.

 

[Steve1]

Ok..Just recently completed the earth shunt fix on my T5 SE174. Had the usual heater issues whilst on batteries. So fridge out ,shunt done ,fridge back in and now the heater working perfectly on both batteries and EHU.
A week later I went on short trip and noticed my fridge was not working on batteries nor was my tap/waterpump [ they had been working after the shunt fix] When i tried to drive off with the fridge switched on my control panel sounded an alarm with a cable warning. The panel seemed to think I was on hook up.
When I got home I put it on EHU and both the fridge and tap working fine. However with hook up off they still would not work on batteries. I then noticed the EHU was not charging my batteries. They do charge off the altenator. Confirmed this with voltmeter. Both batteries were new last year and both reading 12.6 v. It was then I discovered a blown cube fuse. Thinking this was my problem I replaced this but I still have the same issues.
I have tested all fuses under passanger seat and all fine.
Checked the connections to battery charger and have even stuck a voltmeter on the input cable to the charger and its getting 240 v. Fuse above charger cable looks fine and tested with meter.
I have even taken the fridge back out and had a look inside the charger for signs of damage. It all visually looks good. The 20 amp fuse inside the charger is fine.
This has done me Im at a loss. Van batterries wont charge on EHU but will on altenator. Fridge and water pump wont work off batteries but they do on EHU. Still get power to 3pin plug at sink. Heater works fine off the batteries and EHU.
I think I have tried everything. Suppose it could be a new charger but would the charger affect the fridge and waterpump.
Anybody got any ideas.
Much Obliged
Rab.

From your initial description, it sounds a bit like you might have somehow split apart two circuits where the charger, water pump and fridge are on one and everything else in the other and they need rejoining somewhere. However, wiring is often confusing and if you're not careful, you can jump to conclusions with these things. So usually the best plan is to split it into very simple separate jobs. So forget the charger to begin with and purely investigate why the pump doesn't work on batteries. Try to measure both battery voltages when not on charge, are they the same and at a good level maybe around 12.5V if they are find the pump fuse and see if both sides of that have the same voltage as the battery one (with the fuse still in place). Move on to the pump itself, or the switch connection under the sink and try the same, trying to find where the voltage disappears. If you fix that move on to the next fault if it wasn't fixed .

 

[Steve1]

Thinking more about possibly split apart circuit, perhaps this could be a broken ring connector on one of the connections under the seat on the battery or split charge relay ? Only guessing though not sure where those bits of look might connect, but they might spur off on a separate bit of loom because they are all in the same direction.

 

[WelshGas]

Ok..Just recently completed the earth shunt fix on my T5 SE174. Had the usual heater issues whilst on batteries. So fridge out ,shunt done ,fridge back in and now the heater working perfectly on both batteries and EHU.
A week later I went on short trip and noticed my fridge was not working on batteries nor was my tap/waterpump [ they had been working after the shunt fix] When i tried to drive off with the fridge switched on my control panel sounded an alarm with a cable warning. The panel seemed to think I was on hook up.
When I got home I put it on EHU and both the fridge and tap working fine. However with hook up off they still would not work on batteries. I then noticed the EHU was not charging my batteries. They do charge off the altenator. Confirmed this with voltmeter. Both batteries were new last year and both reading 12.6 v. It was then I discovered a blown cube fuse. Thinking this was my problem I replaced this but I still have the same issues.
I have tested all fuses under passanger seat and all fine.
Checked the connections to battery charger and have even stuck a voltmeter on the input cable to the charger and its getting 240 v. Fuse above charger cable looks fine and tested with meter.
I have even taken the fridge back out and had a look inside the charger for signs of damage. It all visually looks good. The 20 amp fuse inside the charger is fine.
This has done me Im at a loss. Van batterries wont charge on EHU but will on alternator. Fridge and water pump wont work off batteries but they do on EHU. Still get power to 3pin plug at sink. Heater works fine off the batteries and EHU.
I think I have tried everything. Suppose it could be a new charger but would the charger affect the fridge and waterpump.
Anybody got any ideas.
Much Obliged
Rab.

Please correct me if I am wrong

1. Fridge + Water Pump work on EHU and Alternator running
2. Fridge + Water Pump Do Not work on Leisure Batteries ONLY
3. Parking Heater works on EHU, Alternator running and Leisure Batteries only
4. Charger not charging Leisure Batteries ie: No Plug Symbol, No voltage increase when on EHU.

Parking Heater is on a separate wiring loom to the Fridge and Water pump.

Do this first.

For those of you who don't know, if you ever get any problems with roof stuck or any other error say with the heater or fridge, you are able to access the hidden menu in your control panel as used by the VW Engineers.
Access as follows:

1. Hold down the centre of the rotary button together with the menu button (button below with the squares on it)
2. You will get the hidden menu.
3. Rotate the rotary button to get to "VW diagnose" and select this by pressing on the centre of the rotary button.
4. If no errors are present it will display "no errors"
5. If Errors are present then a list of errors will appear
6. Press the centre of the rotary button again to delete all the errors
7. Repeat process above just to check that errors have disappeared!
8. Re-configure the time and date if neccesary.

Switch Off Control Panel L lower button

Wait 30 secs and Switch ON Control Panel.


Try Fridge/Water Pump on Battery.

 

[Rab]

Thinking more about possibly split apart circuit, perhaps this could be a broken ring connector on one of the connections under the seat on the battery or split charge relay ? Only guessing though not sure where those bits of look might connect, but they might spur off on a separate bit of loom because they are all in the same direction.

Thanks Steve1...Both batteries are good and showing same voltage at 12.60. Will revisit all my fuses as not sure which one corresponds to which appliance. As for relays and looms think thats getting out of my league. I keep thinking about the Shunt. I dont think I have done it right. I replaced the old shunt earth with the kit. However on advise from a sprak I disconnected the old shunt cable and wrapped electrcal tape around the end of it. I think I should have left it connected together with the new stronger earth cable. So at the moment I still have the old cable connected to chassis on one end and not connected to the anything at the other. Does this make sense...

 

[Steve1]

Thanks Steve1...Both batteries are good and showing same voltage at 12.60. Will revisit all my fuses as not sure which one corresponds to which appliance. As for relays and looms think thats getting out of my league. I keep thinking about the Shunt. I dont think I have done it right. I replaced the old shunt earth with the kit. However on advise from a sprak I disconnected the old shunt cable and wrapped electrcal tape around the end of it. I think I should have left it connected together with the new stronger earth cable. So at the moment I still have the old cable connected to chassis on one end and not connected to the anything at the other. Does this make sense...

I don't know much about the shunt but you might have isolated the negative side of the charger, fridge and pump from the other circuit if you have left a bit disconnected there. That would explain having 2 separate circuits. It sounds like that is the most likely explanation but I can't advise exactly how to connect it back together at the shunt only that it sounds like they should be somehow connected

 

[Steve1]

If the old shunt goes directly to chassis and the new one does too and replaces it, then I am not sure if that is the problem, does it have other connections than just chassis. Or when you did the shunt if there are many cables connected together, did you leave any others off by accident ?

 

[Steve1]

If the old shunt goes directly to chassis and the new one does too and replaces it, then I am not sure if that is the problem, does it have other connections than just chassis. Or when you did the shunt if there are many cables connected together, did you leave any others off by accident ?

 

[Rab]

Please correct me if I am wrong

1. Fridge + Water Pump work on EHU and Alternator running
2. Fridge + Water Pump Do Not work on Leisure Batteries ONLY
3. Parking Heater works on EHU, Alternator running and Leisure Batteries only
4. Charger not charging Leisure Batteries ie: No Plug Symbol, No voltage increase when on EHU.

Parking Heater is on a separate wiring loom to the Fridge and Water pump.

Do this first.

For those of you who don't know, if you ever get any problems with roof stuck or any other error say with the heater or fridge, you are able to access the hidden menu in your control panel as used by the VW Engineers.
Access as follows:

1. Hold down the centre of the rotary button together with the menu button (button below with the squares on it)
2. You will get the hidden menu.
3. Rotate the rotary button to get to "VW diagnose" and select this by pressing on the centre of the rotary button.
4. If no errors are present it will display "no errors"
5. If Errors are present then a list of errors will appear
6. Press the centre of the rotary button again to delete all the errors
7. Repeat process above just to check that errors have disappeared!
8. Re-configure the time and date if neccesary.

Switch Off Control Panel L lower button

Wait 30 secs and Switch ON Control Panel.


Try Fridge/Water Pump on Battery.

Thank You WelshGas...Re number 4 above..charger does not charge batteries however I do get the plug icon whe I connect the EHU. When not on EHU and trun fridge on at control panel the battery icon changes to plug icon.
No errors on VW Diagnose.
Can I ask re the earth shunt repair I completed. I used the kit from shop. On advise from an electrician friend I taped up the old original earth wire and replaced it with new one. So the old wire is still there connected to the chassis i presume somewhere under the floor. Think i should have connected it together with the new stronger earth. Would this cause a problem. Also i never disconnected the earth trminals on batteries when i repaired the shunt.

 

[WelshGas]

Thank You WelshGas...Re number 4 above..charger does not charge batteries however I do get the plug icon whe I connect the EHU. When not on EHU and trun fridge on at control panel the battery icon changes to plug icon.
No errors on VW Diagnose.
Can I ask re the earth shunt repair I completed. I used the kit from shop. On advise from an electrician friend I taped up the old original earth wire and replaced it with new one. So the old wire is still there connected to the chassis i presume somewhere under the floor. Think i should have connected it together with the new stronger earth. Would this cause a problem. Also i never disconnected the earth trminals on batteries when i repaired the shunt.

I believe you have identified the problem. The NEW cable should be in addition to the old cable.

 

[Rab]

If the old shunt goes directly to chassis and the new one does too and replaces it, then I am not sure if that is the problem, does it have other connections than just chassis. Or when you did the shunt if there are many cables connected together, did you leave any others off by accident ?

I believe you have identified the problem. The NEW cable should be in addition to the old cable.

Right WelsGas thanks for that. Will get on with fixing that. Will let you know. Just one last question..should I disconnect the earth leads to leisure and engine batteries whilst doing this. I dont want to blow anothe cube fuse.

 

[WelshGas]

Right WelsGas thanks for that. Will get on with fixing that. Will let you know. Just one last question..should I disconnect the earth leads to leisure and engine batteries whilst doing this. I dont want to blow anothe cube fuse.

You shouldn’t need to but it will do no harm.

 

[WelshGas]

Right WelsGas thanks for that. Will get on with fixing that. Will let you know. Just one last question..should I disconnect the earth leads to leisure and engine batteries whilst doing this. I dont want to blow anothe cube fuse.

This is what it should look like, post repair.
The “ Earth Lead” you removed and insulated was in fact the Earth lead from the water pump and fridge. The connection this lead is bolted to on the Earth Shunt is in fact the chassis Earth, but it is inadequate and so a new Earth strap is bolted to that point on the Earth shunt and directly to the chassis to improve connectivity.

Your Parking Heater works as it is earthed elsewhere. The fridge and water pump + charging anomalies are because the Earth has been disconnected.

 

[Rab]

This is what it should look like, post repair.
The “ Earth Lead” you removed and insulated was in fact the Earth lead from the water pump and fridge. The connection this lead is bolted to on the Earth Shunt is in fact the chassis Earth, but it is inadequate and so a new Earth strap is bolted to that point on the Earth shunt and directly to the chassis to improve connectivity.

Your Parking Heater works as it is earthed elsewhere. The fridge and water pump + charging anomalies are because the Earth has been disconnected.View attachment 100412

 

[Rab]

WelshGas and Steve1....I want to thank you both for your help in this matter. All sorted now and everything is working again. WelshGas I reconnected the original earth together with the new one so thanks for your communications. i guess I caused myself a bit of a headache but on the plus side I now know my van inside out. Good to have a working van again.
All the best guys
Rab.

 

[WelshGas]

WelshGas and Steve1....I want to thank you both for your help in this matter. All sorted now and everything is working again. WelshGas I reconnected the original earth together with the new one so thanks for your communications. i guess I caused myself a bit of a headache but on the plus side I now know my van inside out. Good to have a working van again.
All the best guys
Rab.

Glad you got it sorted. I think your electrician friend owes you a pint.

 

[Steve1]

WelshGas and Steve1....I want to thank you both for your help in this matter. All sorted now and everything is working again. WelshGas I reconnected the original earth together with the new one so thanks for your communications. i guess I caused myself a bit of a headache but on the plus side I now know my van inside out. Good to have a working van again.
All the best guys
Rab.

Well done for sorting it