Lost my motorhome virginity and 0.4amps (1 Viewer)

themountaintiger

Free Member
Sep 27, 2009
355
63
Lancashire
Funster No
8,653
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 649C Class
Exp
Since 24th March 2010
Hi All

Just done my first trip in swift sundance motorhome, I parked up (on chocs), managed to switch internal lights on (well misses sussed that one out), made a cup of tea, turned heating on (and off), turned captain seats around and did a number 1 and yes a number 2 in the toilet!! :whatthe:. I even started to mess about with the lights to see what used the most amps, so im beginning to learn a bit about it. Motorhome virginity lost!!! :RollEyes:

What im a bit confused about is that on return from 100 mile journey after a days use without hook up, my control panel is saying that the leisure battery now has 13.5v in it but there is 0.40amps leaving it (there is an arrow pointing away from it), Is this a present from the leisure battery to the cab battery? or have I left something on (although Im sure I havent). I cant work out that if I stop looking at it will it revert to 0. Is it something to do with electric steps being out as Im looking. I suppose I could retract them and parachute out.:helpsos:


Felt good today cos I got my first motorhome waver, who was heading north 10 miles north lancaster on M6, thanks mate, my misses though thinks ive lost the plot!!

any advice thankfully received...
 
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themountaintiger

themountaintiger

Free Member
Sep 27, 2009
355
63
Lancashire
Funster No
8,653
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 649C Class
Exp
Since 24th March 2010
Leisure battery

Hi mountaintiger

0.4 amps current draw is most likely the frost protection on your Truma boiler.

Bryan

Hi Bryan

Would this actually drain the leisure battery or is it too small an amout to do this?

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Exustrek

Free Member
Sep 25, 2007
30
0
Biddulph, Stoke-On-Trent
Funster No
401
If your battery is in good condition i guess it will take quite a while for 0.4 amps current draw to drain a leisure battery.

We have a 220 amp battery bank & ours shows a constant drain of 0.2amps, the longest i've left it between charges is 2 months, battery was at 12.1v after standing for 2 months, about 50% charge, try not to let your battery drop below 12v.

Our control panel allows us to isolate the leisure batteries if the van won't be used for a considerable length of time, which of course means the only loss of charge is through self discharge. If you do this during winter months it's important to make sure your water system is drained down.

Bryan
 

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Apr 27, 2008
11,793
13,949
Eastbourne East Sussex
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2,327
MH
Hymer low profile
Exp
Since 1972
Hi Bryan

Would this actually drain the leisure battery or is it too small an amout to do this?

It will if you leave it long enough. 0.4amps will discharge a 110 AH battery to effectively flat in around 6 days. However 0.4amps sounds high just to keep a valve closed so perhaps your battery drain is something else.
 
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themountaintiger

themountaintiger

Free Member
Sep 27, 2009
355
63
Lancashire
Funster No
8,653
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 649C Class
Exp
Since 24th March 2010
ill have to check

It will if you leave it long enough. 0.4amps will discharge a 110 AH battery to effectively flat in around 6 days. However 0.4amps sounds high just to keep a valve closed so perhaps your battery drain is something else.

Ill check tommorrow with a fresh pair of eyes.....:Eeek: to see if it is something ive not done

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Exustrek

Free Member
Sep 25, 2007
30
0
Biddulph, Stoke-On-Trent
Funster No
401
nearlyretired is probably right

I've just been out & checked ours & current drain is only showing 0.1 amps.

If you've turned off all the obvious stuff a couple of things that catch some people out are TV signal boosters & the frame heater switch on the fridge freezer.

Bryan
 
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themountaintiger

themountaintiger

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Sep 27, 2009
355
63
Lancashire
Funster No
8,653
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 649C Class
Exp
Since 24th March 2010
Hmmm

nearlyretired is probably right

I've just been out & checked ours & current drain is only showing 0.1 amps.

If you've turned off all the obvious stuff a couple of things that catch some people out are TV signal boosters & the frame heater switch on the fridge freezer.

Bryan


Ive just bought the motorhome Tuesday and realised that the TV signal booster had been left on by previous owners this morning when I tried to get a tv reception. So I have definitely switched this off.


If I write down here the things I used tday/yesterday that might help me

Used
ceiling lights (off as it is dark inside throughout)
roof lights (off as it is dark inside throughout)
Radio (now its in house)
Truma Heater used it on Gas then turned it off (is there anything electric in there)
Gas Cooker to boil a kettle via gas
Steps (were out when checking control panel, perhaps I should enter via cab)
(just tried entering through cab, amps still the same)


Not Used
Fridge (not used but I did move button to a 0, not sure what it was on before)
Boiler (The motorhome was running dry, no water or waste so boiler etc not on. (hadnt got to that instruction page yet)

It is very silent in there with no lights or anything else on (to my knowledge) but still showing 0.4amps, is it anything to do with alarm system or would that run off cab battery

?
 
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themountaintiger

themountaintiger

Free Member
Sep 27, 2009
355
63
Lancashire
Funster No
8,653
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 649C Class
Exp
Since 24th March 2010
Sundance control panel uses amps itself?

Reading through another motorhome forum someone has mentioned that the 0.4 amps the control panel is telling me im losing, could be in fact the control panel itself (swif sundance 630g 2007). Is the easiest way of testing this just to measure the battery charge levels say an hour after stopping after a journey, and then again 2-3 days later to see if in fact there has been any leakage?

ta in advance

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oldun

Free Member
Mar 23, 2008
747
162
St Neots
Funster No
1,917
MH
VW Campervan
Exp
Since 2001
Do you have TV aerial with an amplifier turned on or an alarm that always draws a small current?

There are quite a few things that continually draw a small current.

Or is the meter giving you a false value?
 
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JayDee

Free Member
Oct 7, 2007
1,057
169
N. Devon
Funster No
556
MH
A Class
Exp
7 Years after 5 years with caravan.
Hi All

Just done my first trip in swift sundance motorhome, I parked up (on chocs), managed to switch internal lights on (well misses sussed that one out), made a cup of tea, turned heating on (and off), turned captain seats around and did a number 1 and yes a number 2 in the toilet!! :whatthe:. I even started to mess about with the lights to see what used the most amps, so im beginning to learn a bit about it. Motorhome virginity lost!!! :RollEyes:

What im a bit confused about is that on return from 100 mile journey after a days use without hook up, my control panel is saying that the leisure battery now has 13.5v in it but there is 0.40amps leaving it (there is an arrow pointing away from it), Is this a present from the leisure battery to the cab battery? or have I left something on (although Im sure I havent). I cant work out that if I stop looking at it will it revert to 0. Is it something to do with electric steps being out as Im looking. I suppose I could retract them and parachute out.:helpsos:


Felt good today cos I got my first motorhome waver, who was heading north 10 miles north lancaster on M6, thanks mate, my misses though thinks ive lost the plot!!

any advice thankfully received...


Ignore her. It's one of the bonuses of motorhoming. ::bigsmile:
 
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TonyIsh UK

Free Member
Oct 31, 2008
120
1
Funster No
4,736
Being a motor home aside, you may be wise to learn how to use a voltage / amperage multimeter, Cost about £5 from Maplins or similar.

With this you can measure the ACTUAL current and volts at the battery. On my M/home the display is always 0.6 volts lower than the voltage at the battery terminals.

0.4 amps from a battery at rest is quite high, even a engine battery with an alarm, FIAT power hungry ECU and the dreaded radio standby voltage, should not pull this much.

Rgds

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Mar 28, 2010
191
352
Wirral
Funster No
10,821
MH
A class Hymer 504
Exp
Since 1995
0.4 amps

Our Hymer loses this amount. It's a combination of things such as the Truma frost switch and the control panel. We always switch off the electricity in the van when not in use but it still drains this amount. We have two batteries and can plug the van into the mains on the drive. Otherwise, Hymer recommend switching off the Elektroblok which is what controls the battery. I think that stops the drain of 0.4 amps.

You do have to watch this drain because it will flatten your battery quicker than you think.

Swift have improved their customer service and so if you cannot find the cause and put your mind at rest, email them with details of the van and any reference numbers on the panel.
 
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