Charging from elec hookup (1 Viewer)

irnbru

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 27, 2013
13,503
31,101
Glasgow
Funster No
26,684
MH
Benimar 264
Exp
11 yrs
How long should it take for both leisure battery and van battery to both reach full? I have had elec hook up plugged in 5 days and neither batteries are showing full. I do notice however the charger has a red light on but looks like the element is also red...Is this normal?
 

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
Some chargers need switching on ie rocker switch in middle off rt say engine batt left /LB -don't know if yours is like that but your charger should have charged one of the batts in around 24 hrs easy - a small 4 amp hr batt will stick in aprox 80 ish amps in 20 hrs --chances are your van will have something larger than 12 amps per hr charger --check for switches if ok check batteries :winky:
terry
 
Upvote 0
Apr 27, 2008
11,794
13,956
Eastbourne East Sussex
Funster No
2,327
MH
Hymer low profile
Exp
Since 1972
How long should it take for both leisure battery and van battery to both reach full? I have had elec hook up plugged in 5 days and neither batteries are showing full. I do notice however the charger has a red light on but looks like the element is also red...Is this normal?

What's the element ? Never seen one on a battery charger.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0

movan

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 2, 2009
21,492
120,752
Moving around
Funster No
9,543
MH
Burstner
Exp
since07
omg. The more I read all these technical threads the more confused I get ... now I have to check a windy coil!!!! Am gonna sell the van after all and get a push bike with a bag big enough for a one man tent.:Sad:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0

movan

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 2, 2009
21,492
120,752
Moving around
Funster No
9,543
MH
Burstner
Exp
since07
Maybe a photo would help?
wild-country-sololite-by-terra-nova-1-person-back-packing-tent_4118_300.jpg


Of course ... oops sorry, you meant of the windy coil battery!!!!:winky::winky:::bigsmile:
 
Upvote 0

biggsy

Free Member
Apr 1, 2012
25
10
Hull
Funster No
20,349
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012
Hi, I'm also a Chausson owner, so I think I recognise the red button. It's there to show you that the mains is connected and also acts as an on-off button for the charger. If it's red, it's working. I wonder what charge you are expecting on your batteries? When we have ours plugged into the mains, the control panel shows 13.7 volts on the hab battery. When disconnected to the mains, this falls to 12.6 volts. What is yours reading?

Mike
 
Upvote 0

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
Hi, I'm also a Chausson owner, so I think I recognise the red button. It's there to show you that the mains is connected and also acts as an on-off button for the charger. If it's red, it's working. I wonder what charge you are expecting on your batteries? When we have ours plugged into the mains, the control panel shows 13.7 volts on the hab battery. When disconnected to the mains, this falls to 12.6 volts. What is yours reading?

Mike

Holding 90% charged then = new batts next yr ::bigsmile::Smile:
terry
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
irnbru

irnbru

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 27, 2013
13,503
31,101
Glasgow
Funster No
26,684
MH
Benimar 264
Exp
11 yrs
Hi all thx for your help, I don't know what the battery reads but the hook up has been on for over a week and neither the cab or hab battery is showing full, nor have they moved any dots. I have a volt meter but unsure which setting it should be on as theres that many.

Attached is a picture of the red coil behind the button. Im wondering if its like a convector heater that glows red when faulty?

Does the picture look normal?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Attachments

  • today 179.jpg
    today 179.jpg
    69.9 KB · Views: 61
  • today 178.jpg
    today 178.jpg
    72.9 KB · Views: 53
Last edited:
Upvote 0

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
Hi set your meter to 20v then test and note reading -turn off charger unit and leave overnight then test battery again and note reading --anything below 12.2v and it's a new battery
link to good value battery if it fits size wise Broken Link Removed
terry
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Jul 1, 2012
714
1,817
Nr Whitby
Funster No
21,735
MH
van conversion
Exp
On & off since late70s
Bump
Probably being over cautious but am struggling to think of why a charger would have a glowing coil.
Basically it is a transformer that converts 240v to 12v and converts it to DC.
It is possible that the glow is the charger overheating.
Any electricians out there?
 
Upvote 0

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
it will be the red light to say it's on :Smile:try turning the charger off /see if it goes out :thumb: then back on and see if it glows red again :Smile:
terry

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
irnbru

irnbru

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 27, 2013
13,503
31,101
Glasgow
Funster No
26,684
MH
Benimar 264
Exp
11 yrs
Hi all thx for your help, I don't know what the battery reads but the hook up has been on for over a week and neither the cab or hab battery is showing full, nor have they moved any dots. I have a volt meter but unsure which setting it should be on as theres that many.

Attached is a picture of the red coil behind the button. Im wondering if its like a convector heater that glows red when faulty?

Does the picture look normal?

Bump
Probably being over cautious but am struggling to think of why a charger would have a glowing coil.
Basically it is a transformer that converts 240v to 12v and converts it to DC.
It is possible that the glow is the charger overheating.
Any electricians out there?

Am thinking the same but will try Terrys suggestion, but I know nothings changed in last 8 days.
 
Upvote 0

movan

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 2, 2009
21,492
120,752
Moving around
Funster No
9,543
MH
Burstner
Exp
since07
it will be the red light to say it's on :Smile:try turning the charger off /see if it goes out :thumb: then back on and see if it glows red again :Smile:
terry


:Doh:Oh yeah.... heard that one before ... usually from over a telephone and spoken with an indian accent........:Cool:
 
Upvote 0

biggsy

Free Member
Apr 1, 2012
25
10
Hull
Funster No
20,349
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012
Still think it's the on/off button for the mains supply. I think the "coil" stuff is simply the light cast from the back of the button.

How do you know batteries are not charged if you have not been able to test them? Does your control panel not give you a reading?

Mike

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
irnbru

irnbru

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 27, 2013
13,503
31,101
Glasgow
Funster No
26,684
MH
Benimar 264
Exp
11 yrs
The level of dots showing charge is not increasing in either hab or cab.
 
Upvote 0

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,831
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
buy a five quid multimeter and check the battery voltage.

only two wires to connect....red one to battery pos, black one to battery neg....in fact, a digital meter should work either way round, before connecting set selector switch to DC volts and thats it.

13.7v and upwards....charging
12.6v and downwards....not charging

simple, reliable and effective.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Apr 27, 2008
11,794
13,956
Eastbourne East Sussex
Funster No
2,327
MH
Hymer low profile
Exp
Since 1972
In my experience the voltage reading on some of the control panels is not particularly accurate. Echo advice above, get a digital voltmeter, I think I've even seen them in Tesco.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
:Doh:Oh yeah.... heard that one before ... usually from over a telephone and spoken with an indian accent........:Cool:

That's what my new Indian friend told me over the phone :Doh:::bigsmile:
Just going off my own charger that has a red light to tell you it's on :winky:
terry
 
Upvote 0

phodetheus

Free Member
Jan 20, 2014
248
237
Full timer
Funster No
29,773
MH
Coach Built
Exp
3 months
I always say that if you switch something on and a light comes on you can be sure of 2 things. 1. There is power to the bulb and 2. The bulb is not faulty. Beyond that nothing is certain and cannot be taken for granted.

Now I have finished being unhelpful I will try and be a little helpful.

When I managed to drain both my leisure batters it took less that a day on hook up to fully charge them. I would say if they have not charged after 5 days there is a problem with your charging system OR depending on the battery type you may have killed your batteries. Apparently some types of battery if you completely drain them they will never hold a full charge again. (Hope this is not the case for you)
 
Upvote 0

biggsy

Free Member
Apr 1, 2012
25
10
Hull
Funster No
20,349
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012
Ah, OK. Different to ours, which gives some numbers. Looks like an appointment with a multimeter to be looked forward to!

Mike
 
Upvote 0

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top