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Ok so im starting to get to grips with my motorhome but I think the leisure battery is kaput. Firstly how can I test it? Should I charge it to see if it holds a charge? Do I need a special charger?
If I need a new one is there specific ones for specific motor homes? Mines a renault trafic rapport model.... Do I get the same power one, I think mine is 75ah or something or can I get a bigger one?
Probably the easiest way to test it is to buy one of those specific gravity testers from Halfords (the ones with the bulb on top that look like a giant eye dropper). Note that you need to remove the caps on top of the cells to use it so check first that it isn't a sealed battery. Charge the battery and test each cell using the giant eye dropper, if you have a duff cell it should be obvious because the reading for that cell will be very different from the rest. If they're all low after charging then it's probably just tired, either way replace it if the readings are unsatisfactory.
______________________________________________________________ If you lend someone £20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.
On the replacement issue, you need to get a leisure battery. These are designed to be run down lower than a normal engine battery, which can provide big gobfulls of current for short periods (to start the engine). A leisure battery is designed to provide generally lower power, but over a longer period.
On size, most people generally have either 85A/h or 100A/h. The only restriction is how big a battery can you get in the space provided? Frank (sallytraffic) on here has a Renault Trafic, and thus might be able to give you more specific information.
Hi Steve
Another way to quickly check the charge state of a battery if you have a voltmeter, is to put the negative (-) lead onto the negative (-) battery terminal and then carefully put the positive (+) lead from the meter into each of the cells in turn. You will need to remove the filler caps to do this and while you are at it check that there is enough distilled water in each cell.
The meter reading for each cell should be at least 2 volts. If the reading for each cell is less than 2 volts then try to charge the battery using a normal type of charger. After about 12 hours disconnect the charger in the usual way and then check the cells again. You should see a significantly higher reading now, but a minimum of 2 volts per cell. You could also try taking the same readings again in a further 12 hours with nothing connected to the battery and see how much the charge voltage has dropped, but remember that the minimum voltage per cell should be at least 2 volts for a good battery.
If one cell (or possibly more) are reading significantly less than 2 volts, then this indicates that you have a bad cell and therefore the battery will need replacing.
I hope this helps
Before you start testing and tinkering please spend a moment or two reading THIS THREAD < on the dangers of lead Acid batteries.....
mike
______________________________________________________________ When confronted by a problem, you can solve it easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger have handled this?"
A cell can fail through whiskers growing between the plates and shorting it. Their vulnerability is that effectvely they are a fuse. So a £$%!*&^ great current whack, but VERY short duration to limit the energy dump, can zap them into oblivion and resurrect the cell.
A second, healthy and fully charged battery helps.....
This post comes with a health and safety warning and caveat. It's not for the faint-hearted. By reading this post and applying it, you waive all rights to sue me
Hi Dave
Are these whiskers constructed from crystals of sulfuric acid etc? Or are they something else? I thought one way to resurrect a "dying" cell was to put a shunt across it very quickly to give it a shock, but I think I am reading you right, that you are saying give the battery a big input??? If this is correct I am now confused, please help me out of this quandary
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