Battery doesn't draw current - time to replace it? (1 Viewer)

The Lobster

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The battery that came with the MH can show 60% capacity on the control panel but if I put the (LED) TV on and draw a couple of amps, after a few seconds the battery low warning flashes on the control panel and the controller switches the 12V off. I assume this means it's not holding charge and the only solution is to replace it?
 

funflair

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Quite possibly, but 60% is pretty close to flat anyway as 50% would be concidered as far down as you should be taking it. When you are on charge what Voltage does the panel show for the habitation battery, even if it's not taking and holding a charge it should be showing between 13 and 14 volts just to prove that your battery charger is OK.

Martin
 

pappajohn

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Certainly sounds like it.
On charge it will show charge voltage, not actual battery voltage.
In simple terms, remaining battery percentage is worked out from remaining voltage.
For our purposes.......
12.7v =100%
12.4v = 50%
12.1v = dead
All assuming no load and rested for an hour after charging.

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Bobby22

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Before you discard it, check that the cells are fully topped up. if there are any dry cells it will probably be goosed, if it has low cells it may recover if its topped up and charged properly.

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The Lobster

The Lobster

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Before you discard it, check that the cells are fully topped up. if there are any dry cells it will probably be goosed, if it has low cells it may recover if its topped up and charged properly.

It's a Lucas LL26MF which is a "sealed maintenance free" type :(
 
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The Lobster

The Lobster

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My advise would be don't buy another one, this looks like a 'sticker battery'

What's a "sticker battery"? In the battery compartment in the floor I can fit a longer (but not wider) battery so I was thinking about 120 Ah capacity rather than the current 95 Ah. I was looking at another Lucas, but from their higher performance Traction XC range (an LX35MF). WDYT?

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Langtoftlad

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Sticker battery is a generic no name product made by who knows who - certainly not by the manufacturer named on the label.
One of the items best not to scrimp on
 
Sep 10, 2013
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I recently bought two vehicle/ starter batteries for the van (as it happens unnecessarily but that's another long tale) Battery Megastore were very good, with superb advice, product availability and delivery...highly recommended you give them a call. Just google for their details.
 
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The Lobster

The Lobster

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So... given our preference for not being hooked up all the time I've chosen an NCC class "A" battery - Go Outdoors do a very nice 19% discount on a Broken Link Removed at the moment which would fit perfectly, so I think we'll give that a go.

From what I've read an AGM design would be longer life with motorhome deep cycle use/lighter/faster charging - and better performance in the cold - all of which look good reasons to consider it. Other than cost, is there any downside to AGM?

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The Lobster

The Lobster

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Once again a sticker battery and over priced. Avoid.

You may well be right - but what makes you think that in this case? Go Outdoors are a pretty reputable outlet and the discount is typical of their loyalty scheme... would they risk selling presumably illegal "clones"?
 
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They are not illegal just a generic battery bought from their wholesaler. The AA don't make batteries either and have no idea or care about the quality. Only buy a battery a battery with a manufacturers name on it. Numax - Varta - ect IMHO!

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The Lobster

The Lobster

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They are not illegal just a generic battery bought from their wholesaler.

Researching a little bit is quite revealing - they aren't an OEM but they don't appear to be a sticker battery provider either --- they claim that "manufacturers who supply Platinum Batteries are OE approved and supply to a ‘Spare Parts of Matching Quality’ standard. This is achieved by the same production lines, same machinery, same technology and same quality control as that used for vehicle OEM’s". For the same spec they come out about the same price as Numax and both are considerably cheaper than Varta... but the Varta spec clearly shows a much higher number of cycles (and hence presumably longer life), which seems to have a big impact on price in general. However I'm dubious about whether I need a 600 cycle battery...
 
Jan 8, 2013
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'They' claim would be a give away for me.
Honestly you make your choice and take your chance, its just that I have been buying domestic batteries for 15 + years on both my NB's and now MH's and have seen too many batteries with stickers that claim to be the bees knees only to be disappointed.
£149.95 also seems to be very expensive for an unknown battery.

Have a look at these - I bought two 110A Numax batteries last year

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=numax+110+leisure+battery&tbm=shop
 
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The Lobster

The Lobster

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Have a look at these - I bought two 110A Numax batteries last year

So after far too much further research it seems to boil down to Numax for value or Varta for quality... or perhaps Numax, with the money saved going towards a solar panel, on the basis that if I can trickle charge a Numax it will ultimately let me stay disconnected longer (even if its somewhat lower cycle count may mean it won't last as long).
 
Jan 8, 2013
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So after far too much further research it seems to boil down to Numax for value or Varta for quality

Now you're getting to be a battery expert. Knowledge is always a good thing.
Also you could have sold the van before you need to replace them.
I can strongly recommend solar panels if you're going to spend time parked up and 'Off Grid'
 
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The Lobster

The Lobster

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funflair

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Looks like a good battery but, good no cheap and cheap no good so these won't be the cheapest batteries around, you might need a specialist to supply.

Martin
 

Lenny HB

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So... given our preference for not being hooked up all the time I've chosen an NCC class "A" battery - Go Outdoors do a very nice 19% discount on a Broken Link Removed at the moment which would fit perfectly, so I think we'll give that a go.

From what I've read an AGM design would be longer life with motorhome deep cycle use/lighter/faster charging - and better performance in the cold - all of which look good reasons to consider it. Other than cost, is there any downside to AGM?
I wouldn't go near an AGM for leisure use even if you have a proper AGM charger,but if you don't they will not last very long at all. My original fit AGM's lasted 18 months.
 
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The Lobster

The Lobster

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So now I'm confused again... Everything I've read suggests AGM will give deeper cycles, i.e. better recovery from deep discharge... Surely that's a good thing if you're not on grid regularly??

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Dazzlin

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So now I'm confused again... Everything I've read suggests AGM will give deeper cycles, i.e. better recovery from deep discharge... Surely that's a good thing if you're not on grid regularly??

That's what I understand and it works for us, even down to 11.8v but not often!

We do have solar to top it up, and, as we rarely plug in, my solar regulator has an AGM setting. (Votronic)

Make sure you can charge it fully. Our solar reg goes to 14.8v bulk charge and 13.5 float. Had two Leoch AGM batteries for 3 years full timing and they still seem good.
 
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I had 2 Banner AGM batteries and had to replace them within 2 years. Very few chargers have an AGM setting, most just have only Gel and Wet.

Replaced with Varta LFD90 and performing well.

Suggest you check out aanddcaravanservices website before you make a final decision.
 
Mar 11, 2014
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I have the 150 Ah version of the varta AGM. It was the biggest that I could get in the space and also had the terminals in the right place for the existing cables.

It wasn't cheap (they seem to average £2 per Ah pricewise) but is in it's 3rd year with regular use, although the solar that I fitted last year will be helping it now.

The LAD115 is shown as in stock here
http://www.europeanbatterysupplies....es/varta-agm-dc-battery-12v-115ah-lad115.html

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The Lobster

The Lobster

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I tried to order one from here but they couldn't fulfil the order and marked it "on hold" for ages until I chased it up with the credit card company and the payment was reversed. On investigation they seem to have a number of domain names, claim a huge range, but are based in a rather small auto parts shop down a side street in Preston (judging by Google StreetView). It's also impossible to find a contact email address, or the proper registered company details (the ones they give don't exist in the Company's House database)...
 
Mar 11, 2014
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I tried to order one from here but they couldn't fulfil the order and marked it "on hold" for ages until I chased it up with the credit card company and the payment was reversed. On investigation they seem to have a number of domain names, claim a huge range, but are based in a rather small auto parts shop down a side street in Preston (judging by Google StreetView). It's also impossible to find a contact email address, or the proper registered company details (the ones they give don't exist in the Company's House database)...

That does annoy me when a company shows something as being in stock when it isn't. We've recently had the same experience, purchased an 'in stock' item, got an email saying it would be dispatched in a week, then over a week later received an email saying it was out of stock and would be back in 4 weeks. What they mean is they never had it in stock and were relying on their supplier having it in stock. Grr..

I'm using the varta agm on the gel setting. The factory fitted battery was an agm and the charger was set to gel so I've left it like this. It technically isn't correct and means I probably won't get as long out of it as I should but it's doing ok at the moment (hope I've not jinxed it now!). The reason the original one died was because some twit (either previous owner or someone at the dealers doing the hab check) put a fuse in the Auto Select Fridge Only fuse space and mine is a manual select. Which meant when i forgot to switch from 12v to gas it drained the battery. Doing this a few times before I diagnosed the issue was fatal to the battery.

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