Newbie needs help with leisure battery charging (1 Viewer)

[Liane]

Edit: Could a passing Mod/Admin please move this thread to the Newbie section, which I only just spotted! The screen hadn't populated previously to show the sections further down - thanks.
.........

Sorry to start another new leisure battery thread, but it is a bit different to the one just started by JonyBakery. We've had our Caricoca 656 for just one month. We had a good handover from the dealer, but I am wondering if we missed something about leisure battery charging. The manual with the motorhome is not particularly user friendly and I have raised this query with the dealer but still don't think I've sussed it. The leisure battery does not seem to be holding charge. We have been on electric hook up mostly when away, and I understood that the leisure battery would recharge on hook up and whilst driving. However, this does not seem to be the case. Is there some switch I should flick to ensure the battery is charging? Should the switch under the sink be switched to Off when not on hook up and On when on hook up? Or should it be left On all the time?

It is possible the battery has reached the end of its life I guess, although the motorhome is not that old (2005), the previous owners had made a few modifications and kept the van in good order, and the dealers did a full service before handover. Can anyone please help with this?

If I do need a new battery, how much should I expect to pay?

Thanks in anticipation

 

[rainbow chasers]

There should be a charge switch that you can flick on whilst on hook-up to boost it. I am unsure of the control panel on your model, but there will either be a switch on in, or nearby. Sometimes they are seperate lit switches (similar to the old emersion heaters) - one will be for the water heater, which is usually next to the gas water heater controls. If there is another elsewhere, then it will be that one.

Easiet way to check is to plug in, (make sure you have water in the heater tank in case you get the wrong one) - and then put a volt meter on the leisure battery. It should jump up when you turn the switch on to something like 14.5 volts or thereabouts. Switch off and it will drop off.

You may of course have a faulty leisure battery - quite common as sometimes vans stand for a while on dealer forecourts with the battery usually flat!

If you want to test that, give it a good charge, either through the on-board charger, or even a car battery charger if you have no luck finding it - fully charge and then put a tester on. If it stays pretty stable it will be ok - if it progressively drops in voltage fairly rapidly with just a tester on, then it is dead.

There may be an owner on shortly who will tell you the exact switch - but if you have a volt meter, it is easy to trace!

 

[madbluemad]

Hi Liane
Your correct in thinking that you liesure battery will charge on ehu and whilst driving. As I dont know the layout of your mh I dont know why it doesnt. But somebody will be able to tell you.

Your liesure battery will only be ok if it has been well looked after, if the charge has been allowed to drop to a critical level it will most likley be "US" :Sad:

You need to check the charge in your battery with an ammeter/voltmeter. Cost of batteries depends upon the size of battery in amp hours (AH) that you want.

Check the charge before spending cash.

Jim

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[hilldweller]

Sorry to start another new leisure battery thread,
If I do need a new battery, how much should I expect to pay?

Thanks in anticipation

It's not that critical where you post, all new ones appear on the front page.

Good old batteries, keeps this place going.

First things first, have you got a voltmeter/multimeter ? If no go and spend under a tenner on one, without one you are just guessing.

Once you do have one you can then be sure of your facts. Measure the voltage on hookup and if it's not over 13.5 volts then it isn't being charged properly.

Batteries - seem to be £60 at shows, £100 max on ebay.

 

[dellwood33]

I have a CI Mizar Elite and it is fitted with the Nordelettronica NE152 control panel & an NE 143 battery charger. I don't have to do anything special when on Hook Up. Just plug in & ensire the mains power switch (Under the oven) is turned on and the batteries charge up.
Off Hook Up, the battery is automatically charged from the engine.

If yours is the same system, I would suspect a dodgy battery - go for a 100 amp battery as a replacement, but check what space you have for the battery before buying.