Leisure Wiring Diagram Check Please

1Pearman

1Pearman

Member
T6 Pro
Hi all,
Can some of your experts run your eye over my leisure battery wiring diagram please? Want to make sure there are no glaring errors in how I've wired everything up. The reason I'm asking is that I've got issues with my Renogy DCC50S DC-DC MPPT charger I think. Renogy Bluetooth app is telling me the leisure battery is at 14.7V but my multimeter on the batteries is 10.7v - this makes more sense as my fridge won't run due to a low voltage warning. Everything appeared to be working fine last summer, but this year it all seems a bit funky, however, I've not touched it over the winter and the van has been used weekly and thus should have kept the batteries fully charged.
1.jpg
 
I’d trust your multimeter here! The 14.7v reported by the renogy is a charging voltage so likely generated by the renogy itself whilst it’s on. Check by using your multimeter on the charge output terminal of the renogy and the leisure battery. If those two really are 14.7v and 10.7v then you’ve a break in your connection (fuse?) somewhere.
 
post some pics of your install . .

there can be a few issues that will cause that.

corroded earth connection,

loose terminal somewhere.

volt drop over cable

etc etc

so check and double check that all your connections are good, clean and tight.

plus post some pics....


( and re your diagram . . . all looks good . . . . assuming you have fuses where they are needed. )
 
ok thanks guys...I think I'll disconnect and reconnect everything as a starting point and then go from there. I also noticed there's a BVS (battery voltage sensor) input on the Renogy that gives a more accurate reading of the SOC of the leisure battery. Interestingly the unit didn't ship with anything to connect to the terminal for this and there's no mention of it in the installation manual.
I'll try and take some pictures but it's a bit of a snakes wedding :)
 
So...I've just removed all of the cables and reinstalled it. Leisure batteries are measuring 11.3v across both in parallel with everything disconnected from the charger. Checked the ground and it's good. When I started to reinstall I initially got a yellow light on the DC-DC for the battery - apparently this means 'battery voltage normal' which seems wrong to me as I'd suggest 11.3v is way too low. However, when I reconnected the PV the light switched back to green as soon as the PV gave its measly evening 0.2Amps of charge. The BT-2 was still giving me a leisure battery voltage of 14.8v. The only thing I can think of is that the DC-DC voltage reading from the leisure battery is faulty and it's thinking it is fully charged and therefore not charging it. Some images are attached of the setup
  • 2 x 90ah AGM batteries under the passenger double
  • One under the middle seat is on it's side and has the DC-DC in front of it
  • Over the top of the DC-DC is a ply shelf with my fuse box and USB chargers and starter battery isolator.
  • 1.jpg 11.jpg 111.jpg.png 1111.jpg
  • 111111.jpg
 
1Pearman said:
So...I've just removed all of the cables and reinstalled it. Leisure batteries are measuring 11.3v across both in parallel with everything disconnected from the charger. Checked the ground and it's good. When I started to reinstall I initially got a yellow light on the DC-DC for the battery - apparently this means 'battery voltage normal' which seems wrong to me as I'd suggest 11.3v is way too low. However, when I reconnected the PV the light switched back to green as soon as the PV gave its measly evening 0.2Amps of charge. The BT-2 was still giving me a leisure battery voltage of 14.8v. The only thing I can think of is that the DC-DC voltage reading from the leisure battery is faulty and it's thinking it is fully charged and therefore not charging it. Some images are attached of the setup
Click to expand...

Measure the voltage at the charging (output) terminal of the Renogy. If this really is 14.8v and not the 11.3v of the battery then you have a break (check fuse) in your connection.

The other explanation is that your multimeter itself has a low battery which causes it to measure low - I’ve had this before. Check it on an absolutely known voltage or just change the battery in it.
 
ok just checked it over. All midi fuses are intact. Then checked the voltage on the +ve out from the DC-DC and it's measuring the same voltage as the leisure battery at 11.2v, yet the BT-2 is still reading 14.8v
 
I'm wondering if the Renogy DC-DC is out of calibration . . causing the drift

disconnect all the power feeds to the DC-DC charger. . .

starter feed and the leisure feed. . . also remove any solar PV connected.

also disconnect the remove voltage sense cable is you have one.

you could do this by removing the fuses feeding each input.


leave the unit for 10 mins. . .


then reconnect all the cables.



1655752378377.png1655752403394.png



...........................




once reconnected take voltage readings at the terminals of the dc-dc charger . .




............................
 
ok so all checked as per the above and still reading 14.7v via the BT-2 monitor, but measuring 11.2v at the output terminal of the DCC50S. I've even taken the whole rig out of the van and hooked it up in the house and I get the same readings.
...update....Battery is now on the charger and reading 12.3v (unsure if it will recover or not) across the terminals. Decided to hook up the DCC50S again. So connected the +ve out to the +ve side of the battery, and then the -ve common to the -ve side of the battery. DCC50S powers up and BT-2 app still tells me the leisure battery is 14.7v. The BVS (Battery Voltage Sampling - a more accurate way to guide the charger to know how to charge the battery) port on the DCC50S is now annoying me because why is it there if there's no mention of it in the manual and nothing is supplied connect to it. A bit of googling later reveals some units did ship with a BVS cable and some manuals do mention it just not the version I have. So i rigged up a temporary wire into it and connected the other end to the battery. As if by magic the BT-2 now reports an accurate voltage of 12.3v
My assumption is that the DCC50S automatic leisure battery voltage sensing is out of calibration broken. Sadly it's probably ruined 180ah of battery to discover this (battery monitor with shunt now on order). Hoping Renogy are going to sort this out with a replacement DCC50S and do something about my battery. No response via customer service for 2 days though. Very poor.

For anyone wanting get a more accurate reading for leisure battery voltage for their Renege charger and not take a chance that the machine can work it out itself then Renogy don't sell the BVS cable in the UK. I'd suggest ordering an extra battery temp sensor and cutting off the temp sensor on the end and using it as a BVS. Or find on of the terminal blocks (i think they are PCB blocks) on the internet and make your own up.
 
1Pearman said:
ok so all checked as per the above and still reading 14.7v via the BT-2 monitor, but measuring 11.2v at the output terminal of the DCC50S. I've even taken the whole rig out of the van and hooked it up in the house and I get the same readings.
...update....Battery is now on the charger and reading 12.3v (unsure if it will recover or not) across the terminals. Decided to hook up the DCC50S again. So connected the +ve out to the +ve side of the battery, and then the -ve common to the -ve side of the battery. DCC50S powers up and BT-2 app still tells me the leisure battery is 14.7v. The BVS (Battery Voltage Sampling - a more accurate way to guide the charger to know how to charge the battery) port on the DCC50S is now annoying me because why is it there if there's no mention of it in the manual and nothing is supplied connect to it. A bit of googling later reveals some units did ship with a BVS cable and some manuals do mention it just not the version I have. So i rigged up a temporary wire into it and connected the other end to the battery. As if by magic the BT-2 now reports an accurate voltage of 12.3v
My assumption is that the DCC50S automatic leisure battery voltage sensing is out of calibration broken. Sadly it's probably ruined 180ah of battery to discover this (battery monitor with shunt now on order). Hoping Renogy are going to sort this out with a replacement DCC50S and do something about my battery. No response via customer service for 2 days though. Very poor.

For anyone wanting get a more accurate reading for leisure battery voltage for their Renege charger and not take a chance that the machine can work it out itself then Renogy don't sell the BVS cable in the UK. I'd suggest ordering an extra battery temp sensor and cutting off the temp sensor on the end and using it as a BVS. Or find on of the terminal blocks (i think they are PCB blocks) on the internet and make your own up.
Click to expand...
I've had dealings with Renogy support.

They are China based so timings are always out, you may have to wait a day or two but they Will get back to you.... Also if you give them the testing results they ask for they will honor any fault or issue.


Also fwiw... I have a v1 and V2 version of the dc50s.... Both come with the remote battery temp sensor, and the bvs cable connection.

The temp sensor is needed for SLA temp compensation... But I've never bothered fitting it.

I've also never bothered with the bvs cable..... This was used for a more accurate Battery volt sensing due to volt drop over the current carrying conductors... But I've always found the units work well without it being fitted.

So.im wondering if they have ditched both in the current version model?
 
@Dellmassive Mine is a Jan 2021 unit and came with temp sensor only.

You don't want to sell me one of your BVS leads do you? Saves me guessing on eBay trying to find the right connector and making my own. Seem to be available on Renogy website shop in the USA but not here in the UK.

Cheers
 
I can't send you mine....

But this might help...?

Not 100% sure on size....

Screenshot_20220622-182621_eBay.jpgScreenshot_20220622-182536_eBay.jpg
 
Thanks, i've ordered some from eBay to see if i can make my own. Have the batteries fully charged now (pretty sure they are going to be useless after bringdown at under 11v), but they are sat on the 240v charger at 12.9v. I've hooked up a multimeter and voltmeter to the leisure battery side of the DCC50S and both are reporting 12.9v. Still having the same issue with the DCC50S though...BT-2 is telling me the leisure battery is over 16v and giving me a big red warning. The leisure battery charge light on the DCC50S is flashing red angrily at me too! Seems that the DCC50S is over-reading the house battery consistently by 2-3v. Assign as i connect my diy BVS it shows the correct voltage through BT-2 and the battery light returns to normal.
Sadly I've not had a peep out of Renogy in a week. I'm stuck with a faulty DCC50S and 190ah of seemingly ruined leisure battery due to the fault.
 
have you raised a ticket via the DC-HOME app as well?
 
Yeah, raised the ticket via the Renogy website and also on the app too. In their defense, Renogy actually got back to me today so have replied answering all of their questions. Frustrating it too so long but hopefully, they will keep the communication line open until we have a resolution.

I've made up my own BVS now which i think will make the DCC50S work ok, but I'm hoping they will help me sort out the 180Ah leisure battery that now won't hold a charge because of the charger fault.
 
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