Leisure battery expectancy?? (1 Viewer)

[namwaldog]

This may sound like a naive question to some more experienced MH's but what are the signs of leisure batteries running flat?? Is it like a torch whose light gradually dims before going out or does, say, the TV (when running on 12v) switch itself off. I think that the sensible thing is probably to use being at home as a controlled environment and let the lights etc run the battery down but is there a logical sequence of things stopping working?
Our MH has two 100 amp batteries and two large solar panels! but I start to fret a little when we are not on MHU and have watched , say, a two hour DVD on a 19" screen TV. Am I paranoid??

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Paranoid you need the men in white suits !
We have the same as you and last months without hookup.assuming you've not got a large inverter and are using microwaves or a hair dryer.
Your solar panels should have your batteries topped up daily,we use led lights 12 v chargers and the kids games console daily watch 2 or 3 dvd as well


Vlad

 

[Badknee]

Haha, someone said on here and I agree with them that there are hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on extra amps that to most will never be needed, fluorescent lights need x amount of volts/ amps and when they don't have them switch off.

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[scotjimland]

defo a white coat case

for your sanity.. instal a digital battery volt meter..

this chart shows when to start panicking ..

never go below 12v

 

[hilldweller]

have watched , say, a two hour DVD on a 19" screen TV. Am I paranoid??

You should be able to do this for a week on fully charged batteries. Indefinitely in summer sun.

 

[Barclaybasher]

My leisure battery gave me a clue that it was on the way out................if I flushed the toilet the sound would go on the 12v TV

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[namwaldog]

Thanks for all you replies, has it gone dim in here??
The Computerised Management System in the MH is a CMS 2000 and I think this may have the equivalent of the digital battery voltmeter as suggested by ScotJim. This gives me voltage reading on both the leisure and engine batteries. Is this the one to watch for decreasing voltage?

 

[sallylillian]

Paranoid you need the men in white suits !
We have the same as you and last months without hookup.assuming you've not got a large inverter and are using microwaves or a hair dryer.
Your solar panels should have your batteries topped up daily,we use led lights 12 v chargers and the kids games console daily watch 2 or 3 dvd as well


Vlad

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean your not being followed!

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Anyone following me runs the risk of impalement!




Vlad

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[Glandwr]

As to life expectancy! How long is a piece of string? Abused (as has been said run down blow 12v on a regular basis) not long at all. Treated well and allways topped up many years.

Dick

 

[pappajohn]

Anyone following me runs the risk of implement !




Vlad

I guess your predictive text is working then.
Surely that should read IMPALED.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Now edited !


Vlad

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[scotjimland]

Thanks for all you replies, has it gone dim in here??
The Computerised Management System in the MH is a CMS 2000 and I think this may have the equivalent of the digital battery voltmeter as suggested by ScotJim. This gives me voltage reading on both the leisure and engine batteries. Is this the one to watch for decreasing voltage?

yes.

 

[pappajohn]

Using the meter on your control panel, try not to allow the voltage below 12.04v as that is approx 50% discharged OFF LOAD.
When the battery is under load, TV and lights etc, it will show a lower voltage....the heavier the load, the lower the shown voltage.
A fully charged car battery can show as low as 9v when you turn the engine to start it.
As soon as that load is removed the battery will show fully charged within seconds.

 

[sallylillian]

Using the meter on your control panel, try not to allow the voltage below 12.04v as that is approx 50% discharged OFF LOAD.
When the battery is under load, TV and lights etc, it will show a lower voltage....the heavier the load, the lower the shown voltage.
A fully charged car battery can show as low as 9v when you turn the engine to start it.
As soon as that load is removed the battery will show fully charged within seconds.

Think you mean 30% at that voltage, 50% is 12.20

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[pappajohn]

Think you mean 30% at that voltage, 50% is 12.20

12.20 is 60%
12.06 is 50%

(stolen from scotJims post)

 

[sallylillian]

Apart from the variance from the first statement you made can I assume that selected posters or all posters are canonized according to Pappajohn? This chart is not common amongst others on the web or reference material.

 

[TheCaller]

This chart is not common amongst others on the web or reference material.

There are quite a few of these charts floating about & I have yet to see any two that agree. Probably because trying to relate State of Charge to open circuit voltage on a single chart has too many variables for any one set of figures to be accurate for all conditions.

I think some charts try to make some allowance for the lack of proper no-load standing time that usually applies in real life situations.

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[scotjimland]

This chart is not common amongst others on the web or reference material.

The chart I posted was only a guide for the OP.. it was not not intended as definitive, nor to start a debate on state of charge voltage to the nth volt.
It was picked at random from the plethora of battery charts on the net

voltage measurements are only approximate. and are for 'off load' at rest.. at 20deg c for a flooded lead acid battery.

the best determination is to measure the specific gravity, but for many motorhome batteries this is difficult or impossible... and to be frank, not a task many owners would want or need to undertake.

Also, motorhome voltage panel meter accuracy won't be great, they are only intended as a guide for the owner..

 

[sallylillian]

Jim, it is a problem, in my view, that posting statements of asserted fact in this world of instant deliverance, without caveat, allows those attempting to gain inteligence to be missguided which is unfortunate. And if you are seeking an answer to a problem and see a statement by another you know to be incorrect it makes you jaundice to their comments ongoing and weakens the value of genuine well minded posts the majority of which are valuable.

 

[jonandshell]

Who cares?

12ish volts is a good guide for those of you mere mortals with standard 'leisure' batteries.

I must remember not to discharge ours to 11.62 instead of 11.66 volts. There would be hell to pay!

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[sallylillian]

Who cares?

12ish volts is a good guide for those of you mere mortals with standard 'leisure' batteries.

I must remember not to discharge ours to 11.62 instead of 11.66 volts. There would be hell to pay!

A mate of mine does not care, and he is forever replacing batteries, and asking why his do not last more than a year or 2 at most. 12 volts is nigh on dead. But who cares?

 

[jonandshell]

A mate of mine does not care, and he is forever replacing batteries, and asking why his do not last more than a year or 2 at most. 12 volts is nigh on dead. But who cares?

Err,no!

12 volts is not dead, about 11.2 volts is.

Why has this thread taken such a nasty tone?
Motorhome Fun is fast becoming anything but!

 

[scotjimland]

Why has this thread taken such a nasty tone?
Motorhome Fun is fast becoming anything but!

I had to bite my lip.. may well have been banned otherwise.

besides.. life is too short to get involved with flamers..

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[sallylillian]

Err,no!

12 volts is not dead, about 11.2 volts is.

Why has this thread taken such a nasty tone?
Motorhome Fun is fast becoming anything but!

I had to bite my lip.. may well have been banned otherwise.

besides.. life is too short to get involved with flamers..

I apologise if my posts have offended it was not the intention.

 

[Scuba Steve]

I have 2 leisure batteries and a 120w solar panel and even in winter I never worry about power, our van internal lights are all LED and we do watch how many we have on at once but we watch the TV and have a Aldo heating system that needs the pump running to provide heat.

 

[funflair]

I think it's fair to say that all batteries are not made equal, some will safely discharge to 80% of capacity others don't want lower than 50%, some will be at 12.7 after full charge and rest where others might be at 13 volts.

With any figures quoted I think the variety of equipment we all use should be born in mind.

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[pappajohn]

Jim, it is a problem, in my view, that posting statements of asserted fact in this world of instant deliverance, without caveat, allows those attempting to gain inteligence to be missguided which is unfortunate. And if you are seeking an answer to a problem and see a statement by another you know to be incorrect it makes you jaundice to their comments ongoing and weakens the value of genuine well minded posts the majority of which are valuable.

Just out of interest.....where do you get your figures from, and can you verify in writing they are correct.
you stick to what you believe to be correct and ill stick to mine.

Its up to the person needing the answer to believe whichever they think is correct and by its very nature a forum is not the place to get definative answers to anything.

 

[sallylillian]

Just out of interest.....where do you get your figures from, and can you verify in writing they are correct.
you stick to what you believe to be correct and ill stick to mine.

Its up to the person needing the answer to believe whichever they think is correct and by its very nature a forum is not the place to get definative answers to anything.

As I have said "I apologise if my posts have offended it was not the intention."

 

[Andy]

Well I think mine is on its way out,...........very dim internal lights and water pump not pumping. Yes, just had solar panel fitted, which just maybe's has shown up that battery was on its last legs; (has always been on hook up previously). Will be testing it tomorrow.