Technical 1993 Ducato battery drain

[MickyP10]

Could anyone offer thoughts on below, please?

Bought an elderly 93-reg Ducato motorhome and it has a drain on the vehicle battery of 5 amps or so and I've been trying to trace it.

I have all the fuses out, radio disconnected, etc. Have tried disconnecting starter which has a permanent live, but it still does it. I haven't tried the alternator yet - I presume that's buried underneath somewhere, because I can't see it!

It did have an alarm fitted in the past and I wonder if it this? It has Bitron Video on the cover and has a permanent live from the battery. I won't disconnect anything until, hopefully, someone can verify whether it's a Fiat part or not.

I have bought a battery isolator, although a) I'd still like to know where the current draw is and b) it looks a pig to fit as the battery's all snug by the inner arch and bulkhead. :-(

:-( It won't let me post pics but it's a large grey box mounted just above battery!

Thanks for any info you can offer.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi.

No direct experience..

This might just shed some light..

https://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/80804-bitron-video-2044029-a.html?80804=#post892340

The forums SEARCH found several threads with Bitron..

Charlie

 

[cris1117]

https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/30-parts-accessories/51420-glow-plug-controler.html

This is a great site for you Motor homers.

 

[Communicator]

The weight of evidence suggests that the grey box is the glow plug controller.

By way of support, I used to own a 1990 2.5TD Talbot Express. This had 4 off conventional glow plugs. The glow plug controller was a grey box mounted to the RH inner wing above the battery, It had 4 blade type control pins, and from my notes they were for indicator lamp, starter position of key, accessories position, and to one side earth. From memory the glow plug supply terminals were via M5 studs.

It may be worth noting that 2.5TD engines were generally indirect injection, where the injectors discharge into combustion chambers in the cylinder head. While such engines may be smoother running than direct injection engines, they are not so good at cold starting. Glow plug use being almost essential for the first start of the day.

As regards the battery drain, since your vehicle is a motorhome, have you tried disconnecting the connection to the habitation electrics?

 

[Communicator]

https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/30-parts-accessories/51420-glow-plug-controler.html

This is a great site for you Motor homers.

Please note that the above is a subscription site. While I am prepared to give my time to help others, I am not prepared to pay for the privilege.


As an alternative, I recommend outandaboutlive.

 

[varesecrazy]

Could anyone offer thoughts on below, please?

Bought an elderly 93-reg Ducato motorhome and it has a drain on the vehicle battery of 5 amps or so and I've been trying to trace it.

It did have an alarm fitted in the past and I wonder if it this? It has Bitron Video on the cover and has a permanent live from the battery.

:-( It won't let me post pics but it's a large grey box mounted just above battery!

Thanks for any info you can offer.

Any luck..?


Alternator .. often at rear of engine

Follow the fat red cable from battery positive

 

[MickyP10]

Thanks all. Guess I won't be disturbing the grey box then! It does look like an aftermarket product and afterthought by the factory. It's probably easier for me to disconnect this first rather than the alternator, which I still haven't found, incidentally. :-( Not sure I want to investigate too much further beyond this, as the Zig control box is a pain to get to and costs more than Simon Cowell's teeth whitener.

Could the split charging relays cause such a drain, maybe if one had crusted up internally? Just wondering out loud...

 

[Communicator]

The alternator is normally belt driven, this places it at the No. 1 end of the engine. The following link is to an eBay advertisement which shows a Fiat 2.5TD engine, clearly shows the alternator at lower RH end of the engine, on the central thumbnail image. This is where varesecrazy suggested.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Duc...729879?hash=item5230b8b617:g:uBgAAOSw8iJd7TFU

Having a long experience of faulting relay circuitry in different disciplines all with critical applications, I tend to be sceptical when relays are blamed for a failure. In automotive applications, it can be due to corrosion on the relay connections. However it is worth eliminating the split charge relay. Possible causes can be a.) A whisker bridging the contacts, or b.) A flattened residual stud or pin. This latter defect can result in the relay not releasing when the coil is de-energised, or c.) A sticky substance migrating from a self adhesive label onto the pole face. Again the relay fails to release, or does so slowly. Unlikely in the current context.

The simplest way to eliminate the split charge relay, is to check both starter and habitation battery voltages. If they are similar, if possible connect the vehicle to a mains supply. With the Zig unit charging the habitation battery only. The voltage should rise, but if the starter battery voltage also rises, further investigation is required.

 

[MickyP10]

Hiya

Thanks for above. I would have found the alternator (honest!) but the vehicle isn't jacked so my nose is an inch from the engine's underside. At least I know where to look now!

Have had the starter battery on charge today so not been doing too much diagnostic stuff. Earlier I had stuck the mains into the side of the van and noted the leisure battery charging only. But some advice suggests when you flip the Zig battery switch to the vehicle battery that the charge is redirected there. I tried that and nothing happened. I have no idea if this is normal or not. Sorry. :-(

Have ordered an immobiliser (not the answer, I know) but this will mean, probably, removing the grey box, then battery to resolder an eyelet onto the earth lead. Currently I can't see where it attaches to the body as it disappears behind the battery. If I can find it when the battery's out I'll give it a good clean.

Any thoughts on those briefcase solar chargers? Just wondered. Obvs the paranoia's kicking in.

 

[cris1117]

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