Battery Vehicle Society

Seems slightly different. Currently mine won't start charging at all , though did randomly after spray of silcon , then went on for 90 minute and cut out . So does in my case seem to point to a intermittent fault , with flap switch or controller/wiring. From what Chris said earlier yours seems to point to charge controller ?? though I'm a complete novice in the area

Somebody told me it could be break in battery circuit, ie. voltage reading is ok at idle but falls under load and same happens when trying charging. Maybe something is loose or fuse socket is corroded... Anyway that might be because of wet and rust. Will investigate.

Please accept appologies for the bad drawing. There is a lead coming through the offside inner wing from the charging flap, (Actually a number, mains and direct charge as well) and goes to a small round multiway on a bracket at the front of the chassis rail. Split the plug / socket by turning the joining ring and gently pulling apart at the same time. You can take the plug out of the small panel by removing the retaining threaded ring. The hole in the panel has a flat so to ensure it doesnt turn .
In here are two rows of pins, the socket can have a row of three a row of four and a row of three, only one row with two pins and the centre with three are used . The pins I have shown go to the switch.
When flap open the circuit is closed, when flap closed the circuit is open.

Grumpy-b

Excellent, thanks for that, it's a big help. I'll check it out and let you know how I get on.

So , tested flap micro switch and all fine. (just as you said GB , thanks)
So not that.
Fiddeld with main fuses and various links to see if loose. No joy. then suddenly started charging. Stopped after 10 min. Fiddle a bit more , mainly turning ignition on , moving it back and forth a bit, plugging, unplugging fuses etc.
Started to charge on about 4 occasions , randomly and will charge for about 5-10mins.
So any thoughts?
charge controller problem ?
If so anybody got a good one or know were to get one ?
many thanks James
Thanes Valley

Have you checked your charge lead. They do tend to internally break and if waggled will briefly work or stop working. First area of breakage is near to where the cable goes into the charge plug.
With the lead off the car . Open the Marechal plug shutter and find the two pins that are live and neutral by tracing back to the 13a plug (earth as well) join the live and neutralpins on the 13amp plug with a piece of wire. Hold your meter probes in the marechal plug end and bend the cable back and forth along its length. It helps to have an assistant for this. If continuity fails at a location near to one end than you can just shorten the cable, if not then its a new cable. This wont work if you dont bend the cable as often the break is held together by the rubber and internally melted conductor and only breaks down either through arcing eroding the end of the break, or you bending it. I have had at least three breaks in cables like this. Causing erratic charging.
If you need it I keep a really nice 1.5mm really flexible coiled lead that I have made especially for EVs. Its cable is not simply arctic type, but a special one with internal PVC and external urethane in a seriously bright yellow. The whole thing is made in the uk even the PVC shrouded conductors which are multi strand small size to get the flexibility. Not cheap but worth it

Grumpy-b

jamesingram wrote:So , tested flap micro switch and all fine. (just as you said GB , thanks)
So not that.
Fiddeld with main fuses and various links to see if loose. No joy. then suddenly started charging. Stopped after 10 min. Fiddle a bit more , mainly turning ignition on , moving it back and forth a bit, plugging, unplugging fuses etc.
Started to charge on about 4 occasions , randomly and will charge for about 5-10mins.
So any thoughts?
charge controller problem ?
If so anybody got a good one or know were to get one ?
many thanks James
Thanes Valley

Just a couple of things, first have you got an eVlite? you need to beg borrow or steal one of these for the blingo or your banging your head against a brick wall. Secondly pull the two traction fuses from each battery pack and stick your volt meter in the BATTERY connections ( NOT THE HEAVY CABLES) and write down the voltages from each pack, this will show any weak packs, if you have a shorted cell anywhere in the packs the battery voltage will rapidly go up to 200 volts or more and the vehicles computer will shut the charger off !!!
A maintenance charge and battery watering are called for here and you cannot do either without an eVlite, so my advice is don't use the van until this is done,, the vehicles computer although quite old now by modern standards is still quite capable of doing some clever tricks one of which is cutting the vehicles speed down to 20 mph when the battery pack get low on volts !!! so you noted that pulling the traction fuse behind the aux battery will make the computer loose it's memory for a short time and she starts charging !!! well done, don't give up keep trying and if you are sure its a controller problem then contact GRUMPY or HYEND in POLAND, thats my bit done, cheers HARRY MORRIS

harry morris wrote: if you have a shorted cell anywhere in the packs the battery voltage will rapidly go up to 200 volts or more and the vehicles computer will shut the charger off !!!

Great advice! I think there lays the problem and it was exactly in mine van which I wrote earlier. I saw voltage went to over 234V then charger stopped. Also charger was OK (tested in another Berlingo)
Anyway "charging" was always for a few (5?) seconds.

Grumpy-b wrote:Have you checked your charge lead. They do tend to internally break and if waggled will briefly work or stop working. Grumpy-b

Grumpy , there's a little diode on the top right of the van charge socket, when I plug the lead in this goes on ( reddish) I presume this meant power was getting to the van socket fine ?

The guy I brought it off said he's got a box for maintenance charging . I presume this is a EVlite. I'll grab it and get some instruction off him on how to use it.
cheers