Battery damaged? Forums

jamiemilly

More help please. I have had the van a few weeks now (our first) and have been on a couple of trips - great fun. I am just getting the van ready for a 2 month trip up and down the Scottish west coast and on checking the leisure battery reading saw that it was 7.8v! The van has been standing for a couple of weeks and on investigation I realised that the radio/CD player lights were on, although it was not actually playing, we had not switched it off completely ( Embarassed

nuggets) and it was on standby. I assume that this is connected to the leisure battery rather than the engine battery on Autotrails and is responsible for the battery drain? I thought all I had to do was switch everything off on the control panel and the batteries would be ok - but it looks as if the stereo bypasses this system!

Why I am writing is to ask whether running the leisure batteries down to this level will have totally ruined them (typically I had just added a second battery - as we like to wild camp). I read in the manual that they should not be allowed to go below 10.9v. Anyway I have learned one lesson - am I right in thinking that it is best to disconnect the leisure batteries when the van is left for a while?

Stephen

I have had another thought - there is an alarm fitted - do these normally run off the leisure or vehicle battery - this could have run the battery down and would also stop me disconnecting the leisure battery. I think I will contact the dealer tomorrow - but any advise from Motorhome Facts members would be most (more) appreciated.

Anonymous

Hi Stephen,

I cant answer the question as to what has drained you battery, but as to the battery itself,

Get it on charge ASAP, you will have damaged it but to what extent is difficult to say, when you next use the van you will know by how quick it goes flat but for sure you need to buget for replacement in the future.

You mention that the 10.9 voltage, its far better to use a higher level than that, I use 11.9 as the very lowest I allow my batterys to go to and even then I never allow the voltage to stay at that level, and my battery´s are now 4 years old and still going.

One other thing, do not, I repeat DO NOT connect a new battery up with a old battery, the old battery will drain the new one and drag it down, if you already have a new one then think about another one or stop using the old one.

Doug...

Phil905

Hi, according to the Swift Motorhome Manual to avoid causing permanent damage to one or more cells you should not discharge a leisure battery below 10.5v. This is one of the most common causes of battery failure.
Phil.

Braesman

For a bit of background reading try www.leisurefayre.com/websiteb/bwebsite/b2/pricelistsh02/battery2.htm

HelenB · Moderator

Now you have relly worried me how on earth am I going to know if my battery gets that low, can see me with a electric measuring thingy ( whose name escapes me at the moment all I can think of is altimeter and that aint right) poised by the drivers seat all night just in case. Thanks guys Sad

Phil905

Hi Helen, you're thinking of a multimeter. Cheap ones less than a fiver, fairly good ones about £10 in Maplins. Hasn't your van got a Battery State indicator fitted? Most M/Hs have. Anyway if you get some sort of meter you only need to put the probes into the 12v socket, if you have a switch that changes your 12v supply from Cab to Leisure then you will be able to check the state of both batteries.
Phil.

spykal · Moderator

Hi

I have posted this elsewhere and been told its too simplistic, but I use it with sucess and it is a boon to anyone who wants a simple guide to battery condition/capacity.

[i:3c97f4c552]if you are worried about how the battery is doing why not get a battery condition meter that plugs into your cigar lighter for the vehicle battery or if you are familiar with digital voltmeters just check the voltage level at a 12volt socket.
Here is a chart to give you a rough guide to whats left.....just stay in the green. [/i:3c97f4c552]
(Print out this page cut out the chart and stick it on the back of the multimeter)
[img:3c97f4c552]http://tinyurl.com/6t257[/img:3c97f4c552]

Mike

Phil905

Hi Mike, It's a very useful chart and I can't see why anyone would criticize it. As you say people who are not too sure of the significance of various readings should print it out and keep it handy in the car and/or van.
Phil.

jamiemilly

Thanks for the advice everyone I will run away and follow the links. The chart is perfect Mike - clarifies it for me perfectly.

I have been out fiddling with the van and found out a few little bits and pieces. The discharge cannot be due to the alarm as it definitely runs off the the vehicle battery. I disconnected the leisure batteries and neither the radio/cd player nor the freeview screen (doubles as a reversing camera) would work. When I switched the engine on the radio/cd and screen all came on. Therefore it seems the radio/cd etc runs from the leisure battery unless the engine is on.
What has taken me by surprise (although I obviously no nothing) is that the radio/cd standby screen (although it is a very bright neon blue) seems to have been responsible for running down the leisure batteries (2x85A) in the space of a fortnight (the only other light that stays on is the red indicator light on the switched off reversing screen) -does this seem right to everyone?

What does everyone elso do when their van is standing for say two to three weeks - do you disconnect the batteries?

Stephen