Hi

If your van is new, there is a good chance that the onboard battery charger will charge the vehicle battery. If you are parked at home or near to EHU can you hook up & recharge vehicle batt this way? You can check that the charger is delivering a charge to your batt by putting a meter across the terminals & looking for a voltage of 13.8-14.4volts

Good luck

 

Hi
Look at

>>Here<<

Steve

 

Thanks for the replies & for the link

I've read it through and thats what I did I connected the leads to my car, a 2L diesel freelander and to the points under the bonnet specific for jump starting got my car running and then tried to start the motorhome .... nothing just lots of clicking, I had more luck with the new battery but it still wouldn't turn over.

If I can get it going again I won't ever let it go down again :roll:

 

Just a thought which might be wrong. Some people have had problems with Starter Motors on the X250 model. ???

 

Do the headlights work?

 

"Just a thought which might be wrong. Some people have had problems with Starter Motors on the X250 model. ???"

Sounds like the starter motor, or the connection to it, to me also. Even if it's an older model!

Does the engine turn over?

 

Has the starter motor jammed? Clicking...

Steve

 

Hi. Check if everything else is working.Put on your headlights and then try the starter if your headlights stay bright, then it isnt the battery.The clicking noise is the starter solenoid which could be faulty.If you have fitted a new battery check the connections are tight and not corroded,sometimes one or both of the connectors can crack giving a poor connection.

regards Rob.

 

When I was a farmer I (all too) frequently had to jump start one of my tractors and found that jump lead were often unreliable in making a good connection - the clicking sound is what you get. First you need heavy duty leads, (I use 25mm ones) lubricate the contacts on the battery terminals with Vaseline, attach the leads and rotate them slightly so that the teeth dig in a bit, have someone sit in the car and press the accelerator slightly to raise the revs to about 1500rmp, leave it like that for a few minutes and then try to start the dead vehicle. You may have to waggle the jaws on the leads several more times before you get any effect. Failing that leave the vehicle on the charger overnight so that the starter battery charges up. If you jump start it it's not a good idea just to run the engine, you need to take it for a drive. But the best plan is regularly to connect the vehicle up to a hook-up to charge both the starter and leisure battery.

 

My money is on you bought cheap leads from Halfords in ignorance. There are leads, and then there are leads.

Dave

 

batteries flat

Hi

Lots of good advice as usual, can I just add that if your M/H is on the new ducato/boxer chassis open the bonnet, right hand side there is a little flap on big cable you will see there open the flap and that is the positive connection for your vehicle. there is also a stud on body that is the negative.

Or consult the hand book, set the charge to vehicle as opposed to habitation, the hand book will tell you which is which.

turn on battery charger and leave it to do it's job.

If you can justify the cost fit a solar panel, or pm me and I'll give you some other useful contacts.

 

Thank You all for everything

The problem is me and my ignorance - it's definatley the batteries I've left it for 2 months and reading on here it's not surprising, my dad had told me to go and turn it over and leave it running for half an hour every month and I haven't. Yesterday the control panel said the v battery was poor and the L batteries were dangerously low. Trying to start it must have drained it completely - today the step didn't even come out. I am a complete novice and I assumed a brand new vehicle was made to stand a while - I've learnt my lesson the hard way. I just don't know what to do now? I don't have any Electric at the storage area where it is

The control panel keeps ticking and just shows a bar now - can't get anything on it

 

Hi

I had great problems trying to start my motorhome after a severe battery drain caused by the radio ( now fixed ).I used the jump lead method,but tried to start it many times without success.In the end I left my escort diesel van running for about 20 mins before I even attempted to turn the engine on the motorhome,and bingo,she started.Give it ago,you got nothing to lose.

steve

 

Ok I'll try that, I'm taking my car on a good run tomorrow so if I get back early enough I'll go and do it on Tuesday

 

One more point (just to confuse the issue :roll: ) - is your van on the new Fiat Ducato chassis? (It looks like it might be a Peugeot from here).

One of the issues being dealt with by Fiat is to change the starter fuse. If yours is a Fiat, has this been done yet?

It may be nothing to do with it :wink:

Gerald

 

I've said earlier, I've had lots of experience jump starting tractors, which are good deal more difficult than vans. Get good heavy-duty leads, connect the 2 vehicles and keep the engine running of the car you're jumping from. The clicking sound indicates a poor connection. You could leave it connected for half an hour as someone above suggested before even turning the engine. Don't switch on the ignition until you're ready to start it as that will just drain the battery.

Are you in the AA/RAC etc? They may be able to start it for you.

You said you bought a spare battery. Was it the same size? ie Amp hours? Was it fully charged? Replacing the flat battery with a fully charged new one should start it but if you don't know how to do that best leave it alone.

This one isn't for the faint hearted but you could get someone to tow you and literally jump start it by letting out the clutch gently in 3 rd gear and it should start after a few yards. But you have to have a bit of traffic free road, a good tow rope and be prepared to depress the clutch as soon as it starts and be prepared to brake if necessary so you don't hit the tow van.

If you don't have electrics at your storage then you either have to take it for a run once a month or get a solar panel as someone suggested.

 

Hi Geraldandannie.
I am just about to take delivery of a new Chausson Welcome 75.
My current M/H allows charging by selection of either engine or habitation when on EHU.
I am told that my new M/H when on EHU will only charge the habitation battery.
Have you any experience on how long the engine battery will last assuming normal current drain (ie alarm and switched off radio) before running into this type starting problems?
If you externally charge do you know of any possible ECU implications?

Regards

 

Hi Labshack

Have you a portable geny by any chance?

If you have plug it into the EHU onto the side of the van

Roy

 

I've an Autotrail Scout SE too.
Having it sit hooked up, for a couple of months will always drain the vehicle battery.
It was only recently that I figured that the built in charger can charge the vehicle battery too - It's not very clear at all in any of the manuals.
WIth the consule unit above the door ON, simply select the cehicle battery as power source.
Once a month now, if I'm not using the van, I simply give the vehicle battery a charge for a few days. No more problems.

Then again, if you're storing it on a sit without hookup power, this isn't going to help

 

Motorhometone, I assume that your new motorhome will be on the X250 chassis. I find that the vehicle battery on my Twin will be ok for a month with an alarm activated. Fortunately the electric hook up charges both of the Twin's batteries.

 

Labshack
If your van is newish is it not covered by the Fiat rescue cover? Have you tried ringing them and asking them to come out to your van?
You should find details in the manuals issued with the van.
Good Luck

 

Hi Shelley
The clicking you heard is the starter soleniod trying to engage but not having the power to do so yet.

if you are still having problems make sure you got good leads then leave them conneted (with the car running for 10-15 mins before trying to start the van. This will give the van battery time to take a decent amount of charge on. When its starts take on a good run for an hour.

What you can them do is get one of them little solar panels from maplins etc for about 10 quid (got mine off ebay) and leave this connected to the van battery and the panel on the dash. This will tricle charge the battery while you are on the storage facility.

 

Wenlock stole my thunder. One of the benefits of the new X250 is the Fiat Motorhome rescue service. Give them a call and arrange for them to get it started for you. This is not a free service, you have already paid for it in the cost of your van. Get the service that you have paid for.

 

Hiya All

I've Thanked you all for your comments, I am indeed in the RAC as it is a fiat based van so 3 yrs service so today I've had them out .... the RAC van was connected up (after almost getting stuck in the mud in the run up to my MH) and the guy left it running for a while before trying to start the MH so that is a good thing to remember which a few of you suggested, he then said to get my car up with my jump leads and attached them as well - he said they were fine, lower quality (although he said mine were good heavy duty ones) would just mean leaving it running longer before trying to start the flat vehicle. Anyway 20 mins we achieved success. I decided and the RAC man agreed that to take it out would be a bad idea as I would never get it back through the mud (uphill) on my return. I left it running for an hour and a half .... was freezing by this time and dying for the loo (MH loo is at home :roll: ) The control panel now says the vehicle and lesuire batteries are good - I did have to reset the clock but didn't try the radio. I'm so pleased now

Right now then I shall be going down there now every weekend to run for 1/2 hour should that be enough? Until I can get a battery master or solar panel fitted - probably when I take it back for it's second safety recall 8O ...and to have the rearview mirror fitted back on AGAIN oh and yes that age old problem ... show them the pictures of the engine full of water because of the scuttle connection :roll:

I am supposed to be enjoying my motorhome am I not????

 

Glad you sorted it all out mate.

steve