4 year old batteries not holding charge? change both? (2 Viewers)

[DL42846]

Sounds like l have gone for the right choice for once then.

 

[DavidG58]

well I am pleased to say our single battery is holding up just fine so far but it is only a couple of hours so far

did notice a slight oddity today, been monitoring the voltage which goes to 14.4V when hooked up for a period, then drops 13.8V? I think, but I tripped the electrics this morning being a bit keen to get from 14C to living temps, it was -2C and proper white over at Cornish Farm this morning, decided to go from 2 - 3kW on the Alde, one too many

Reset power and charger went back to 14.4V despite being fully charged, still there an hour later when we disconnected to leave

very much appreciate your input yesterday @eddievanbitz no attempt to sell anything and all the battery testing for free, top man, top company, really nice bunch just need to find a way to get the dogs to like each other

 

[Lenny HB]

Reset power and charger went back to 14.4V despite being fully charged, still there an hour later when we disconnected to leave

That is normal it will go through it's cycle of holding 14.4v for 8 hours, don't worry about it Gel's are very tolerant.

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[DL42846]

I am trying to make some sense of my set up in the MH.
I have a Vipiemme Electric heart 105 AH battery which looks like the original battery. (8 years old)
I have ordered a new 110 AH Gel battery. I have had a quick look at the charger in the MH as I have read several comments saying the setting on the charger should be switched to Gel on the charger.
I have been advised by Alpha and DBS batteries that Gel batteries should be charged at 14.4 v and acid Batteries I think they said should be charged at 14.6V
I can't see any switch on the charger but I can see stamped on the charger that it charges at 14.4V.
Don't quiet know what to make of it all. I have a Gel Battery arriving next week , so I presume the charge rate will be alright.
But if that is the case why has a wet charged battery been running on a 14.4v charge for the last 8 years assuming the charger hasn't been changed prior to my ownership.

 

[PeteH]

This is an Interesting Read. http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/

Pages of "stuff" to do with batteries and Charging Units.

 

[Lenny HB]

I am trying to make some sense of my set up in the MH.
I have a Vipiemme Electric heart 105 AH battery which looks like the original battery. (8 years old)
I have ordered a new 110 AH Gel battery. I have had a quick look at the charger in the MH as I have read several comments saying the setting on the charger should be switched to Gel on the charger.
I have been advised by Alpha and DBS batteries that Gel batteries should be charged at 14.4 v and acid Batteries I think they said should be charged at 14.6V
I can't see any switch on the charger but I can see stamped on the charger that it charges at 14.4V.
Don't quiet know what to make of it all. I have a Gel Battery arriving next week , so I presume the charge rate will be alright.
But if that is the case why has a wet charged battery been running on a 14.4v charge for the last 8 years assuming the charger hasn't been changed prior to my ownership.

Both wet & Gel batteries charge to the same voltage, with a wet cell once the 14.4v is reach it requires a further one hour at 14.4v to ensure a full charge before reducing to 13.6-13.8v. With a Gel battery it requires 8 hours at 14.4v before reducing to 13.8v.

If a wet cell it charged on a Gel setting it will overcharge the battery.
If a Gel is charged on the wet setting it will only reach 80% of full charge an it's life will be shortened, as it will never see a full charge.

With your charger I would only use a wet cell battery, I don't believe it is suitable for charging a Gel battery.

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[peterc10]

I am trying to make some sense of my set up in the MH.
I have a Vipiemme Electric heart 105 AH battery which looks like the original battery. (8 years old)
I have ordered a new 110 AH Gel battery. I have had a quick look at the charger in the MH as I have read several comments saying the setting on the charger should be switched to Gel on the charger.
I have been advised by Alpha and DBS batteries that Gel batteries should be charged at 14.4 v and acid Batteries I think they said should be charged at 14.6V
I can't see any switch on the charger but I can see stamped on the charger that it charges at 14.4V.
Don't quiet know what to make of it all. I have a Gel Battery arriving next week , so I presume the charge rate will be alright.
But if that is the case why has a wet charged battery been running on a 14.4v charge for the last 8 years assuming the charger hasn't been changed prior to my ownership.

What make and model is your charger? Somebody who already has one may be able to give you some more info. On some the switching between Gel and lead acid may not be obvious - it may just be moving an unmarked dip switch.

 

[DL42846]

What make and model is your charger? Somebody who already has one may be able to give you some more info. On some the switching between Gel and lead acid may not be obvious - it may just be moving an unmarked dip switch.

I will take another look at the charger in the morning and get the make.

 

[DL42846]

Both wet & Gel batteries charge to the same voltage, with a wet cell once the 14.4v is reach it requires a further one hour at 14.4v to ensure a full charge before reducing to 13.6-13.8v. With a Gel battery it requires 8 hours at 14.4v before reducing to 13.8v.

If a wet cell it charged on a Gel setting it will overcharge the battery.
If a Gel is charged on the wet setting it will only reach 80% of full charge an it's life will be shortened, as it will never see a full charge.

With your charger I would only use a wet cell battery, I don't believe it is suitable for charging a Gel battery.

Why would you only use my charger for a wet battery when it will charge at 14.4 v which from my understanding is what a Gel battery should be charged at. I thought I read somewhere and was told by DBS that wet batteries should be charged at 14.6 v. That is if I have understood it all correctly.

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[Lenny HB]

Why would you only use my charger for a wet battery when it will charge at 14.4 v which from my understanding is what a Gel battery should be charged at. I thought I read somewhere and was told by DBS that wet batteries should be charged at 14.6 v. That is if I have understood it all correctly.

Wet cell chargers either take the voltage up to 14.6-14.8 volts then reduce to 13.6-13.8v, better ones take the battery up to 14.4-14.6 then hold it there for an hour before reducing to 13.6-13.8v. Neither will fully charge a Gel battery.

From my earlier post:-

Both wet & Gel batteries charge to the same voltage, with a wet cell once the 14.4v is reach it requires a further one hour at 14.4v to ensure a full charge before reducing to 13.6-13.8v. With a Gel battery it requires 8 hours at 14.4v before reducing to 13.8v.

 

[DL42846]

Wet cell chargers either take the voltage up to 14.6-14.8 volts then reduce to 13.6-13.8v, better ones take the battery up to 14.4-14.6 then hold it there for an hour before reducing to 13.6-13.8v. Neither will fully charge a Gel battery.

From my earlier post:-

Both wet & Gel batteries charge to the same voltage, with a wet cell once the 14.4v is reach it requires a further one hour at 14.4v to ensure a full charge before reducing to 13.6-13.8v. With a Gel battery it requires 8 hours at 14.4v before reducing to 13.8v.

Thanks for the info. I do have a solar panel but I have no idea what that puts out. I have bought the Gel battery now anyway. I will just have to wait and see how it goes. I'm thinking during the summer months the solar panel should charge the battery up but it might struggle during the winter months.

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks for the info. I do have a solar panel but I have no idea what that puts out. I have bought the Gel battery now anyway. I will just have to wait and see how it goes. I'm thinking during the summer months the solar panel should charge the battery up but it might struggle during the winter months.

Good solar regulators have setting for wet, gel & agm, if your one doesn't have function could be worth changing.

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[DL42846]

This the battery charger which is in the MH. Looks like a cheap Italian job.No switches that I can see on there to change from wet acid to gel.
I haven't got round to the solar panel charger. I will have to emply a few crates of wine first.

Looking into it a bit deeper it looks like I might have to upgrade the charger to a newer model that has a Gel or Acid setting.

 

[Lenny HB]

Looks like you could do a straight swap for a Nordelettronica NE287 and only £135 that would be an easy solution. A better option could be to fit one of CTEK chargers, that would require a bit of technical know how.

 

[peterc10]

This the battery charger which is in the MH. Looks like a cheap Italian job.No switches that I can see on there to change from wet acid to gel.
I haven't got round to the solar panel charger. I will have to emply a few crates of wine first.View attachment 147349 View attachment 147350
Looking into it a bit deeper it looks like I might have to upgrade the charger to a newer model that has a Gel or Acid setting.

That looks to be the back of the charger where the mains come in. If there is a dip switch my guess is it will be in the other side, i.e. where the 12V electrics come out.

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[Lenny HB]

That looks to be the back of the charger where the mains come in. If there is a dip switch my guess is it will be in the other side, i.e. where the 12V electrics come out.

I checked the spec it doesn't have a gel setting, but later versions do.

 

[DL42846]

That looks to be the back of the charger where the mains come in. If there is a dip switch my guess is it will be in the other side, i.e. where the 12V electrics come out.

Good try, but I did look on the other side and there is nothing. From what I have been reading up it looks like the next model the NE143P is the one with Acid/Gel switch

 

[DL42846]

I checked the spec it doesn't have a gel setting, but later versions do.

Would it make any difference if I used my present charger to charge a Gel battery. I'm thinking of just upgrading the charger to the one you pointed out which seems to be a straight swap and for only £135 ish its not that expensive

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[DL42846]

Just ordered the upgrade charger. NE 287 should arrive about the same time as the battery.

 

[DL42846]

I checked the spec it doesn't have a gel setting, but later versions do.

The plot thickens. I ordered a Nordelettronica NE287, however this morning I received a NE 186. This doesn't have a GEL setting that I can see. I have tried to look it up and according to Nordelettronica site it is supposed to be suitable for GEL by flicking a switch which I don't have on mine.
I have contacted the supplier as on all the confirmation invoices they have stated a NE287.

Not only does the Italian Nordelettronica site appear mixed up but so does the supply here in France unless I am missing something?

 

[Lenny HB]

Probably someone just made a mistake and shipped the wrong box, hope you get it sorted.

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[PORKSTER]

To be honest all this is too much information overload for me but I have read its not good for the batteries or the charging devices to be on constant charge. This is why I only put mine on hook up now and then and also while on hook up I turn the charger off. I have assumed my batteries to be dead several times but they still keep doing the job ..........bet thats thrown spanner in the works I will be buying batteries very soon now lol

Bloody knew it went to van tonight starter battery was dead I have removed it and its now on charge I will start a new thread for advice think I will need a new one this one looks like original so 12 year old

 

[DavidG58]

Just a little update on my status

Being one who puts most things off, I have done nothing, we survived the three weeks round France in Feb very well, only had 5 nights on hook up the whole trip, but did move every day that we were not on hook up

I do know my leisure batteries are definitely charged off the alternator when driving, was very surprised to find quite a few MH's don't for some odd reason

We stopped 2 nights on one aire with virtually no sun, we did drop to 12.2V there, but had been charging my lap top off the plug in 150W inverter that I keep getting told to change, but we do then plug in other stuff to charge at same time off the 240V

Took MH out for knocking noise issue as reported on another thread, but came back on Friday forgot to hook up, just gone to MH to get ready to go out today, found not on hook up, but hab batt reading 13.2V in fairness nothing running off it at all and nice sunny day, can battery down to 12.4V though which surprised me

So just off for 2 nights away, not sure if we have hook up, but with decent sun forecast will see how we get on

Gas will probably run out now as fridge was running off gas when not hooked up , only joking I hope, filled up on way to Chester, still on first bottle

But possibly all looking good for single battery operation on the basis of our typical use, which is move on daily, unless on site when we have hook up anyway

Probably will get round to buying another battery, but not today

 

[DL42846]

Hi, I'm no expert here but I have been running on one battery for years. On my earlier MH I did install a second battery but found I didn't get much more out of having two. I suspect it was due to the solar panel only being capable of charging the one battery. I now have one GEL battery 110 amp which suites me fine. We normally go for a couple of days in one spot. Never used hook up other than when preparing the MH for a trip. We have one solar panel which I have set to correctly charge the GEL battery. I have no intention of changing my set up. As I said earlier I'm no expert here but I would be concerned when running an inverter. I have heard they can drain your battery rapidly. I have one which I carry in the MH but don't use it. Did use it once to run the wife's hair drier, but I did run the engine whilst she was using it.

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[DavidG58]

I'm no expert here but I would be concerned when running an inverter. I have heard they can drain your battery rapidly. I have one which I carry in the MH but don't use it.

Thanks for the input Mike

My little inverter is used with caution, it draws around 0.5A doing nothing, then up to 5A when laptop charger is first plugged in, dropping during the charge to less than 2A within about 1/2 hour, I reckon it costs about 3A to charge my laptop for 1/2 hour, fair price to pay to stay in touch with you lot

Most of my inverter use is while driving so no issue then I am careful to unplug when not in use

Biggest draw now on my batteries is a new strip light that came with our new awning, 5.5m long even LED's they take 5A , but we do provide light for around 50m away as well as just for us