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Old 08-12-2015, 07:34 AM   #1
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Head-scratcher

Hello, again, and thanks in advance for any insight you folks can impart!

This is, I think, a continuation of the issue dealt with in my other recent post, "Battery Battered," wherein Ford probably killed my main van battery (the van is a 2003 Ford E350, 7.3 diesel, with a new Zamp solar set-up).

OK. So Ford replaces the main van battery. It runs and starts fine. The Zamp solar set-up is keeping the house battery full.

A few days later, I am in the shut-off van in my driveway, putzing around inside (the engine is off), and I decide to turn on the "Extra Van Battery" switch to listen to the radio. Immediately, the separator under the hood (I'm almost certain it's the separator) starts clicking on and off. To make a long story short, the clicking only ceases when I start the van up and then shut it down. Back to normal. No clicking noises.

The issue re-occurred the next day, when I experimented by plugging the van in to house current (with nothing inside the van on, except the solar, which was reading full). Again, the clicking commences, and continues for as long as I let it, ceasing only when, after unplugging, I restarted the engine, then shut it down.

So, do I have a problem? If so, how to proceed? The system worked perfectly before the new van battery was installed.

Thanks for any insight you can give. I do not know what brand separator/isolator is on the van, nor have I checked for loose/disconnected wiring yet. I'm trying to determine if something unseen and insidious is taking place that the "clicking" is trying to warn me about.

The van does have an Avitar security system if that matters in this case, which is operating normally.

- Rusty in Michigan

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Old 08-12-2015, 09:07 AM   #2
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Re: Head-scratcher

The Separator is the Sure Power Model 2015. It's not one of those on the recall list. The blue ground wire (I think it's the ground) is connected and tight.
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Old 08-12-2015, 12:23 PM   #3
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Re: Head-scratcher

The first thing I'd do is pull the ground wire to the separator off and try to start the vehicle. If it starts fine then the van batteries are probably OK.
In most cases the separator shouldn't switch quickly back and forth. I had that happen to mine and then it finally stuck in the open position. I banged it with a wrench and it started to work correctly. From what I gathered is the surepower separators have issues with dirty contacts. Not saying that's the problem but it was why SMB quit using them.
The separator has circuitry that is supposed to supply a delay to keep chattering down. Mine sounded like it was tapping out Morris Code. If the unit switches out at a slower pace like every 30 seconds or so, it might be a battery connection issue or even a bad battery. Unfortunately Ford rarely pulls both batteries to test each on their own and it's possible that the aux battery and/or the second starting battery can mask a bad battery in the loop. My guess is the separator is faulty but I would check all the connections before pulling it. There is also a circuit on some units that comes from the ignition. Yours must have been upgraded in the past because that year had isolators not separators and most separators were installed inside the living quarters not under the hood.
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Old 08-12-2015, 08:33 PM   #4
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Re: Head-scratcher

DaveB or anyone: Is changing out a Surefire separator pretty straightforward? Is it home auto mechanic-do-able?
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Old 08-12-2015, 08:34 PM   #5
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Re: Head-scratcher

I meant the Sure Power 2015, of course
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Old 08-12-2015, 10:10 PM   #6
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Re: Head-scratcher

It is pretty easy. but it may not be the sure power unit. Do you have a handheld voltmeter? If so I would take some measurements at the separator if you could. When you make it start clicking I suspect one of the batteries drop below 12.8 volts, this would cause it to disconnect (the clicking noise) of course if the voltage went above 13.4 it would connect again (clicking noise).

If you can get those kind of readings it might help point in a direction of what could be wrong.

Greg
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Old 08-17-2015, 07:32 PM   #7
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Re: Head-scratcher - Resolved

Peter at SMB West called it - the second van battery on the frame below the passenger side needed to be replaced at the same time as the main battery.

All is well again.

Thank you everyone, for all your advice and help. This is a magnificent community.

- Rusty
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