Technical Fiat Ducato 2.8TDi 1998

[dynek]

Hello everyone,

I'm the "proud" owner of a Mirage Alaska camping car that I almost totally rebuilt from scratch
The battery charger is dead after roughly 24 years of service so I'm replacing it with something newer.
To your knowledge is there any wiring diagram available for this vehicle, related to battery/batteries? I can't seem to find any in the download section.
e.g. I seem to see a split-charge relay which may be specific to the fact that it's a camping car not the Ducato itself. Probably to first charge the vehicle's battery before giving power to the rear charger for the leisure battery.

Any help will be appreciated, thank you!

 

[Anthony489]

Hi dynek

I believe Mirage motorhomes were built in Italy, and some were imported to the UK by Marquis Leisure. All the electrics to do with the habitation area, leisure battery etc will have been added by the converters. They may have designed their own control panel, or bought one in.

If you are simply swapping a straightforward mains battery charger with a new one, then as long as you get the mains and 12 volt connections correct you are unlikely to need to change anything else. The control of which battery gets charged and when normally depends on the control panel and its relays rather than the charger itself.

I can't help with a specific wiring diagram for your vehicle, and can only suggest you ask on a motorhome specific forum like the UK based motorhomefun or outandaboutlive, in the hope that someone else has the same van and has kept the manual ! There is/was a Mirage owner's club in the UK.

 

[Communicator]

Hi Dynek

As Anthony489 has suggested, you question may be better directed towards a motorhome forum. However connecting a new charger should not be too difficult. There are probably only five connections to make. These are mains Live, Neutral, and Earth on the supply side, and 12V positive and negative on the output. A charger output rating of about 16 A (Amperes) is typical. The charge output will most probably need connecting to the same places as the original. In order to avoid voltage drop problems, the output cables should be kept reasonably short, and 6 sq mm cable is preferable.

If you have any doubts as to your electrical abilities, seek the help of a competent electrician.

Your remarks about the split charge relay, suggest that you do not understand its function. The split charge relay connects the starter and habitation batteries together (parallel), when the engine is running, so that both batteries can be charged from the vehicle alternator. When the engine is stopped the split charge relay opens and separates the batteries. This prevents the starter battery being discharged by your camping apparatus, eg fridge, lights, water pump etc.