All three batteries suddenly dead

[Mack100]

Last evening I heard a beeping sound from the MH, on trying to use the alarm and entry keys there was no response.
On investigation I found that the engine battery and the 2 leisure batteries were dead.
My system:
Swift MH, nearly 6 years old
Sargent EC450 PSU
Solar panel 100W connected to FOX-320 Solar Charge Regulator.
MH kept at home and always plugged in to mains.
Engine battery less than 2 years old.
Scorpion alarm system fitted, all these extras fitted by highly reputable engineer much praised on this forum.
MH last driven about 3 weeks ago for about 45 miles, this is done every 3 weeks or so in winter.

I've managed to stop the beeping by inserting the spare ignition key and turning it to battery off position, not ideal from a security view I know but it's deadlocks all round and the battery is dead.
Just to point out that I'm an electrical and mechanical ignoramus, I've got my mate who is a superb sparks and motorhome owner coming to have a look next week.

Any observations will be most gratefully received.

 

[Larby]

Something switched on ?
Fuse blown or charger tripped on EHU
I would start with am I getting 240 volts to the MH ?

 

[two]

I'd check the charger. It's unusual for both battery banks to fail at the same time but if the charger has failed in a way that allows the batteries to discharge through it (and it charges both sets) that might have been the cause.
Get the batteries recharged ASAP. They will not recover if left discharged.

 

[Mack100]

I'd check the charger. It's unusual for both battery banks to fail at the same time but if the charger has failed in a way that allows the batteries to discharge through it (and it charges both sets) that might have been the cause.
Get the batteries recharged ASAP. They will not recover if left discharged.

Battery charger looks to be completely dead.

 

[two]

It could be that the charger's failure is effect rather than cause. Get the batteries checked before linking them back in. A bad battery can cause the charger to fail.
You may need to replace batteries as well as the charger.

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[Mack100]

Follow up post:
It was this wot dunnit:


My pal the sparks came round this morning and said to start with the basics and found that the fuse in this had gone. replaced it and the Sargent unit came on and the Sargent control panel lit up like a Christmas tree! We're still surprised that everything went flat so quickly but I'm going to let the batteries charge. Maybe there is something else wrong with the system but I will test it later when the batteries are full.

 

[Lenny HB]

Pleased it's sorted, just goes to show when in panic mode you often overlook the basics.

 

[hilldweller]

My pal the sparks came round this morning and said to start with the basics and found that the fuse in this had gone. .

Probably a 13A fuse feeding into a MH that can exceed 13A if you plug in heaters and a kettle.

 

[Mack100]

Probably a 13A fuse feeding into a MH that can exceed 13A if you plug in heaters and a kettle.

Nothing's actually been plugged in but it's a good point, thanks.

 

[hilldweller]

Nothing's actually been plugged in but it's a good point, thanks.

I nearly said plugged in / turned on but didn't.

Do you have any combination of built in heating, we have an electric hob, space heating and electric water heating that may exceed 13A if all on together.

That is the only way that fuse can legitimately fail, not that and it may reoccur.

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[Just smiffy]

Glad that the cause is sorted but as in your original post it still seems that the batteries have not lasted well over the last 3 weeks since it’s been driven, upping the solar from a 100w to 2 or 300w would be better but i still would have thought a 100w panel would have kept them from going flat in 3 weeks..... some investigations still needed I think...

Good luck...

 

[Lenny HB]

Glad that the cause is sorted but as in your original post it still seems that the batteries have not lasted well over the last 3 weeks since it’s been driven, upping the solar from a 100w to 2 or 300w would be better but i still would have thought a 100w panel would have kept them from going flat in 3 weeks..... some investigations still needed I think...

Good luck...

Our first van I only had an 80 watt panel never plugged the van in over winter always kept all 3 batteries topped up. So regardless of the mains problems sounds like your solar is not working.

 

[two]

Thanks for the feedback.
Possibly a wrong or faulty fuse.
You don't need to plug things in. The charger, fridge and hot water might consume enough to blow it.

 

[pappajohn]

That's why there's no fused plug in my hookup.
I have a dedicated 16amp hookup using a blue socket wall mounted and wired back to the garage fuse board with a 16amp RCD.

 

[138go]

The 13amp fuse is to protect the cable to the MH if there is a fault. Maybe there is something wrong with the cable or it has had water in it which has caused the fuse to blow. Might be worth checking everything is Ok up to and including the blue plug that goes in the MH. You could of course have got water in it on your last trip and plugging it in has blown the fuse straight away. Your panel should show if you have a mains connection.

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[Mack100]

Thanks for the replies, I will probably replace the ehu cable as well then, it's pretty old.

 

[martin2603]

I had a Scorpion system in a previous van , the siren gel battery failed and constantly discharged the system . Replaced the Siren problem solved, did take a lot of checks to find it .

 

[Mack100]

I had a Scorpion system in a previous van , the siren gel battery failed and constantly discharged the system . Replaced the Siren problem solved, did take a lot of checks to find it .

How did you discover that the siren battery was at fault?

 

[7735]

Did you start the engine whilst connected to mains, I have done that in a swift and unknown to me blew the fuse in the charger.

Spongy

 

[TerryL]

Just adding my threepennyworth. Assuming the fuse has been blown for a while, how far do you drive the van "every three weeks"? Unless you've got a B2B charger you'll need a decent run, as much as 2 hours, to recharge all three batteries so I would guess that the batteries have run down gradually without you noticing then, as they do, failed completely and suddenly.

Hopefully you haven't damaged the batteries and the charger will eventually bring them back to good health.
Might be worth doing a couple of the other checks mentioned though.

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[Mack100]

Did you start the engine whilst connected to mains, I have done that in a swift and unknown to me blew the fuse in the charger.

Spongy

No

Just adding my threepennyworth. Assuming the fuse has been blown for a while, how far do you drive the van "every three weeks"? Unless you've got a B2B charger you'll need a decent run, as much as 2 hours, to recharge all three batteries so I would guess that the batteries have run down gradually without you noticing then, as they do, failed completely and suddenly.

Hopefully you haven't damaged the batteries and the charger will eventually bring them back to good health.
Might be worth doing a couple of the other checks mentioned though.

When not using the MH I take it out for a 40-50 mile run every 3 weeks or so keeping the revs at 3000 rpm for the benefit of the DPF mainly. The leisure batteries are full now but the starter battery is dead so will need a new one. Got a vehicle sparks coming this morning to check the whole system. It's been at home for about 2 years now since we stopped using the storage, keeping it on permanent charge through the Sargent charger and the 100W solar has never been a problem until this episode.