Vehicle battery flat (1 Viewer)

Apr 25, 2010
120
38
Durham
Funster No
11,249
MH
LP Coachbuilt
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Since 2011
Hi, my first post as I usually find an answer to my query by patiently looking through previous posts. Our motorhome is in storage and hasn't been started for 8 weeks, went today and battery is flat and won't 'turn over'. This is our first motorhome after hiring previously, and first time of shutting it down for the winter. We have a Bessacarr E560, 5 months old and did not expect the battery to be flat already even though it hasn't been used. Is this normal and do I need to keep turning it over each week to prevent this? Looking forward to be more involved in your excellent forums, thanks, Paul
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

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Hi, my first post as I usually find an answer to my query by patiently looking through previous posts. Our motorhome is in storage and hasn't been started for 8 weeks, went today and battery is flat and won't 'turn over'. This is our first motorhome after hiring previously, and first time of shutting it down for the winter. We have a Bessacarr E560, 5 months old and did not expect the battery to be flat already even though it hasn't been used. Is this normal and do I need to keep turning it over each week to prevent this? Looking forward to be more involved in your excellent forums, thanks, Paul

The alarm system ect will draw current and can flatten batteries, if you are stored in the open, use one of these to keep the battery topped up.

Caravan Motorhome Solar Panel Battery Charger 12v

Peter
 
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Enjoy_Yourself

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Jul 1, 2010
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12,397
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Hi, my first post as I usually find an answer to my query by patiently looking through previous posts. Our motorhome is in storage and hasn't been started for 8 weeks, went today and battery is flat and won't 'turn over'. This is our first motorhome after hiring previously, and first time of shutting it down for the winter. We have a Bessacarr E560, 5 months old and did not expect the battery to be flat already even though it hasn't been used. Is this normal and do I need to keep turning it over each week to prevent this? Looking forward to be more involved in your excellent forums, thanks, Paul

Try disconnecting battery when you are not going to be using for a while (as long as this won't void your insurance when the alarm is disconnected). I am looking at fitting a battery isolator to make this easier as getting to the battery on a Ducato is a bit long-winded.

Even if you turn it over for half an hour each week this doesn't seem to put enough charge back in. If you can get it connected to EHU for a couple of hours each week this might help, but I am guessing that this is not an option if in storage.

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icantremember

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The alarm system ect will draw current and can flatten batteries, if you are stored in the open, use one of these to keep the battery topped up.

Caravan Motorhome Solar Panel Battery Charger 12v

Peter

This looks to be a great little product but check first that your cigarette lighter or 12v socket is still live with ignition turned off. Many, including our Pug Boxer are disconnected when you turn off the ignition and so the solar panel will not work without some wiring work.

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K9Brian

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Aug 2, 2010
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Battery will drain down due to engine management, radio, alarm, tracker etc. Once its flat it will need a couple of days charging to get it back to 100%. Short runs or bursts from a generator won't get it back to full charge. Removing the negative lead will stop the drain but you'll lose radio settings etc and if you have alarm or tracker fitted it could mean your insurance is invalidated. In my situation even a solar panel will not provide enough charge in the winter months. I have a spare battery which I alternate in the winter months which allows me to bring the vehicle battery home for a good top up. It's also a good idea to give the van a run every couple of weeks to get the oil circulating and to remove rust from the brakes.
 
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Techno

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There is an easy mod you can do in the nearside fusebox to make it live full time. X244 chassis etc
1212710708_SwisU-L.jpg
 
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Techno

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Yes can do same for fag or accessory socket but I chose to feed the accessory cos my sat nav gets upset every time it loses power. Both in left fuse box
 
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Techno

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Just need 2 of these that fit the fuse ways perfect
Link Removed
and one of these or any other suitable solution
Link Removed

Looking at the picture I think its the bottom left connection there that is permanently live and the other end is the load side of the original fuse to accessory socket which you put in the new fuse holder
 
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icantremember

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Just need 2 of these that fit the fuse ways perfect
Link Removed
and one of these or any other suitable solution
Link Removed

Cheers for that:thumb:.........I already have all the parts so I shall get it sorted soon.

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Techno

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Cheers for that:thumb:.........I already have all the parts so I shall get it sorted soon.

Just a note for the viewers. Do not do this with more modern models that use CANBUS wiring.
Fine for 2006 and earlier and common across Peugeot Fiat etc.

ALSO I posted this on another forum so I've copied it for those who it may effect

My 2004 boxer has never had both 12 volt cab sockets live since I bought it.
I finally had time to investigate more thoroughly having failed to solve the problem last time.
The answer was incorrect information in the owners handbook, as well as quite a loose fitting fuse on the 15 amp for which I just squeezed the holders closer together.
The cigarette lighter is listed as fuse 44 15amp and the power socket as fuse 52 20amp, this is actually completely the opposite in reality.
The power socket marked 180 watt maximum is fuse 44 15amp and the cigarette lighter is 52 20amp. The wiring size to each corresponds correctly with this.
 
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icantremember

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Just a note for the viewers. Do not do this with more modern models that use CANBUS wiring.
Fine for 2006 and earlier and common across Peugeot Fiat etc.

ALSO I posted this on another forum so I've copied it for those who it may effect

My 2004 boxer has never had both 12 volt cab sockets live since I bought it.
I finally had time to investigate more thoroughly having failed to solve the problem last time.
The answer was incorrect information in the owners handbook, as well as quite a loose fitting fuse on the 15 amp for which I just squeezed the holders closer together.
The cigarette lighter is listed as fuse 44 15amp and the power socket as fuse 52 20amp, this is actually completely the opposite in reality.
The power socket marked 180 watt maximum is fuse 44 15amp and the cigarette lighter is 52 20amp. The wiring size to each corresponds correctly with this.

Ooops.....that's bu**ered it, mine is 2010:cry:
 
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geoff1947

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Hab Bty

Talking about bty's We stopped on an Aire yesterday en route to Spain and overnight the hab bty was drained. Nothing was on bar for lights to cook and read for awhile ! Is it possible to test a bty to see if it holding its charge' If it is kaput which make of bty would you recommend> I have an 09 Auto Sleeper Sigma and wondered if the bty has had its day etc.:Angry:

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LouiseL

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Well, battery is one of the most important parts of our cars. I read an article entitled The basics of the battery that runs your vehicle. It says that an automobile battery has to serve numerous functions, but the majority of us rely on it to start the automobile every single day, which is really true. The numbers and marks on a battery can help you keep apprised of the state of your vehicle's health.
 
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Jan 19, 2012
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Similar, but with added EHU...

For the past couple of weeks my Autocruise Starburst [bought a week earlier...] has been hooked up to the mains on the drive. I was concerned that despite my best efforts not all water might have drained from t'system and so I have a convector heater in there on frost setting, with the mains switched off during the day. Today I thought I'd start it up, just to check that it would really - and it didn't. Certainly not first time. I checked the info on the - what do you call it? Control panel? and it was showing 12V 'good' for the leisure battery and 11.7 V 'fair' for the vehicle battery.

I switched the mains back on and the vehicle battery then flickered between 'fair' and 'good'. The van then started up normally.

Does this suggest the 6-year-old battery is dying? I thought the van charged both leisure and vehicle battery when on EHU.
 
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Apr 27, 2008
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Battery has probably had it. Many only last 3-5years though the one on my Suzuki 4x4 is 8 years old and still going strong.
I wouldn't consider 11.7v to be 'fair' however 11.7v with no load is 'dead'

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Wildman

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All vans are different, most will charge both provided the correct swtich setting are selected, some can only do one or the other and you have to manually switch. A battery master will overcome that problem
 
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dellwood33

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I blame the Brownhills storage area at Birtley. Went to get my MH yesterday & found the vehicle battery was flat - I think they have been nicking the charge for their own vehicle batteries ! :Smile:
 
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Jan 19, 2012
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Just a thought - does the battery charging system work as soon as the mains is hooked up? Or do I have to switch the control panel on, and leave it on?

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carry on then

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for the OP.

don't forget the cold weather kills batteries anyway, regardless of being a car/leisure or motorhome battery.

It doesn't mean your battery is completely dead ( finished) though. take the advice already given and give the battery a decent charge off the vehicle before your ready to use the vehicle again.

If it wont take a charge off a mains charger, then you might want to consider a new one.

If your van is only 5 months old, it may well be a case of 'little use' thats created your problem and all you need to do is condition the battery.
 
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OP
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camel
Apr 25, 2010
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Thanks for all the help and advice. Removed battery and charged up using Ctek charger, returned battery to vehicle and it started up no problem. As mentioned in my other posts, had problems locking passenger door (as central locking not working) but solved with advice from other funsters and also now need to remove MH from storage as it is closing!
MH now on driveway (not ideal as tight fit) with ehu connected which seems to have charged up the leisure battery. I can change the battery to be charged on the control panel manually, but is there any way this can be changed to automatically charging one battery and then the other to ensure both are constantly charged? Bessacarr E560 MH.
Also, can the battery 'overcharge' by being constantly connected to the ehu?

Thanks, Paul
 
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Jan 19, 2012
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Just to continue my hi-jacking - the control panel on the Starburst has a button to switch between leisure and vehicle batteries. According to the handbook, when set to Vehicle, 'the vehicle battery supplies 12v to the conversion if the auxiliary battery is discharged'. It makes no mention of the same switch changing the battery to which mains power is being supplied. The rest of the handbook seems to be silent on the subject! Anyone have any ideas as to whether/how/if the vehicle battery is being charged whilst on EHU? And incidentally, how many types of control panel are there out there?

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Jun 2, 2010
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Just a note for the viewers. [HI]Do not do this with more modern models that use CANBUS wiring.[/HI]Fine for 2006 and earlier and common across Peugeot Fiat etc.

ALSO I posted this on another forum so I've copied it for those who it may effect

My 2004 boxer has never had both 12 volt cab sockets live since I bought it.
I finally had time to investigate more thoroughly having failed to solve the problem last time.
The answer was incorrect information in the owners handbook, as well as quite a loose fitting fuse on the 15 amp for which I just squeezed the holders closer together.
The cigarette lighter is listed as fuse 44 15amp and the power socket as fuse 52 20amp, this is actually completely the opposite in reality.
The power socket marked 180 watt maximum is fuse 44 15amp and the cigarette lighter is 52 20amp. The wiring size to each corresponds correctly with this.


My vehicle is a 2010 Peugeot Boxer and therefore CANBUS. If I just disconnected the 180 watt maximum power socket from the CANBUS loom and connected a fused direct lead from a live source would this be likely to affect the CANBUS system?
 
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Jun 2, 2010
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For Techno100

My vehicle is a 2010 Peugeot Boxer and therefore CANBUS. If I just disconnected the 180 watt maximum power socket from the CANBUS loom and connected a fused direct lead from a live source would this be likely to affect the CANBUS system?

Bump
 
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Techno

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Re feeding it direct from the battery? Yes that should be fine

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Jun 2, 2010
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Thanks Techno, I didn't have a problem feeding a fused link from the battery, but was uncertain if diconnecting something from the CANBUS system might upset it.
Thanks again:thumb:
 
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Techno

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If you re feed the socket it's no longer on the BUS so is not drawing load from it nor being controlled by the network. The computer will just assume it is not in use
 
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Jan 19, 2012
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A big thank you...

...to Fullers, who replaced my vehicle battery without quibble after I'd explained the problem to them. So that's four tyres and two batteries they have replaced on the Starburst. Seems good to me.
 
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