[Dave Willis]

I have a Toyota Hiace which has a twin battery set up as standard. One battery has had a live feed from the terminal to the controller in the back. Today the controller wouldn't work at all until I wired up the leisure battery I carry for back up.
Is it possible for one van battery to be completely knackered whilst the other is fine? I have no starting issues at all, van runs perfect. Controller won't work with the engine running either. I'm just guessing the voltage is just too low.

Any ideas?

[richywilts]

is there a fuse on the split relay from controller to the van battery maybe thats blown or split relay isnt working

[stuart mc]

easiest way to find out is to hook it up to the second van battery

[landy2]

like richy says check fuse from relay or from battery to relay happened to me once  

[Dave Willis]

No idea, I don't have an aftermarket split relay, I don't know how the vans batteries charge together to be honest.

[Dave Willis]

Swapping the batteries would prove a point I suppose, maybe I'll drop in for a free battery check tomorrow.

[Perfect Windows]

I also have a Hiace and went through something similar only last week!

Your van batteries should be wired in parallel, so there should be a thick cable from the +ve on one to the +ve on the other.  Ditto for the -ve.  Thanks to this, even if you're wired to one of the batteries, you're working off both.

Number one - make sure that all connections are tight.  That was my problem, but we'd already gone through the rest before finding that out.  Donkeys.

Test number two, start the engine and put your voltmeter from +ve (either) to -ve (ditto).  Should read in excess of 13V.  If below, you have an alternator problem.  If not carry on.

To check whether one battery is knackered without resetting everything like radio, alarm, etc, what you need to do is to disconnect one end of one of the cables that runs between the negative terminals (doesn't matter which).

Then put a voltmeter across each battery in turn.  They should be above about 12.5V as an absolute minimum, ideally closer to 13V.  If one or other seriously underreads 12.5V, that battery may well be cream crackered.

If they are all OK then you're probably looking at getting an auto electrician to look at it.  If you go to a garage they'll get an electrician to look at it and charge you margin on top.

Also, loads of decent batteries these days come with three year guarantees, so check before you buy a new one that it isn't covered.

Good luck,

Vin

[landy2]

sounds to me if one of your battery s gone but you should have a earth going to controller as well as a live , but if it works with leisure battery i will think the battery it it conected to is gone , but check fuse inbetween battery and controller

[Perfect Windows]

Controller won't work with the engine running either.

Lesson: read posts before answering!

OK, is the controller not lighting up at all? i.e. no power at all to it, even with van running?

If so, there's some circuit problem between the battery and the point where you connect your leisure battery into the controller.  This could just be a disconnected wire or (hopefully) a blown fuse.

Vin

[Spruce]

Controller won't work with the engine running either.

Lesson: read posts before answering!

OK, is the controller not lighting up at all? i.e. no power at all to it, even with van running?

If so, there's some circuit problem between the battery and the point where you connect your leisure battery into the controller.  This could just be a disconnected wire or (hopefully) a blown fuse.

Vin

I agree this will be a circuit problem from the van battery to the controller.

From Mark's post it would appear that he carries a spare leisure battery as a backup. I a s s u m e  that this isn't connected to the van's system via a split charge relay. So as you have stated, a fuse, damaged wire or faulty cable is what you are looking for. The van starts fine and your controler and pump works with a replacement battery, so the fault is something in between.

My guess is that the previous pressure switch post and this are linked. If the fuse is fine, then you will need to look for a broken/damaged cable or faulty connection at the battery.

[stuart mc]

having re read this I agree with both vin and spruce

[Dave Willis]

I have a switch so I can isolate the power. It has a tiny led light on it so I assume it's got power. Would this then eliminate a fuse problem?
When i disconnect the controller the light gets brighter on the switch.

[stuart mc]

depends where the fuse is mark if it is before the led light yes if after no, that is if there is a fuse

[Dave Willis]

Sorted 

Well, maybe. I took a look at the inline fuse and it's a pretty poxy one to be honest and the fuse is a sloppy fit. I twisted the blades a tad and gave them a very light rub with sandpaper and hey presto - everything back to normal I think.

Thanks chaps.

[stuart mc]

Sorted 

Well, maybe. I took a look at the inline fuse and it's a pretty poxy one to be honest and the fuse is a sloppy fit. I twisted the blades a tad and gave them a very light rub with sandpaper and hey presto - everything back to normal I think.

Thanks chaps.

good stuff

[Spruce]

Sorted 

Well, maybe. I took a look at the inline fuse and it's a pretty poxy one to be honest and the fuse is a sloppy fit. I twisted the blades a tad and gave them a very light rub with sandpaper and hey presto - everything back to normal I think.

Thanks chaps.

Thanks for coming back to us. Has this changed anything with regard to the controller issue you were also having?

[Dave Willis]

Will find out tomorrow. It might be that the connection has robbed some electrical power making me turn the flow up too high to compensate.

[Window Washers]

Will find out tomorrow. It might be that the connection has robbed some electrical power making me turn the flow up too high to compensate.

i had a simr problem in my transit same parallel batteries I have rewired everything put in new power box in back of the van, new pump get to a large job this morning nothing from one of the controllers there is only one of two things it can be ( the write on the controller as knackered inside on the controller is on its way out will find out on Saturday when I'm back I cut open some of the wires that were on the system before at it was damaged inside yet outside looked fine, I find the digital controllers a total nightmare compared to the older twist type maybe just maybe electrics and water just don't mix very well sat inside a damp van.

Hope you get it sorted anyway

Ian p.s as my guys left the job it started working again, thankfully I always have 2 pumps and controllers to limit down time