Are my batteries past it ? (1 Viewer)

[Figaro]

After two nights without hook up my leisure batteries are showing 11.8 volt.
Despite 2 hour drive yesterday and solar, use of fan and tv seems to have been more than was replaced.
I'll try an get hook up today but are they likely to be goosed ?
Probably 5+ years old.
I think I know the answer......

 

[Jim]

Sounds like they might on their last legs. How many batteries do you have, what capacity are they?

 

[Reallyretired]

Sounds as though replacement is called for, however charging leisure batteries by driving a couple of hours doesn't do much unless you have a b2b charger or similar. Solar should be doing well at the moment though.

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[funflair]

It's surprising how many people have flooded lead acid batteries and never check the electrolyte levels, not saying it is this but worth a check.

Martin

 

[Ivory55]

Would help if the manufacturers made it easier to check the batteries, like having them slide out on a draw. Not having to disconnect them and lift them out.

 

[Minxy]

Would help if the manufacturers made it easier to check the batteries, like having them slide out on a draw. Not having to disconnect them and lift them out.

... or in our case remove the flipping driver's seat!

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[DavidG58]

As I have found twice now, one duff battery will make them all appear to fail. If you can disconnect them from each other and check individual voltages

We went round France in Feb last year on one battery and no sites, really wonder sometimes why we fit multiple batteries or maybe I am just unlucky

 

[funflair]

... or in our case remove the flipping driver's seat!

If they are that difficult to get at I would hope that they are sealed.

Martin

 

[chatteris]

I had one battery fail and the other was down to 9.5 volts but has charged up ok to 12.6volts

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[John Mee]

As there is a battery thread going, can I ask a question - sort of related.
Sealed batteries seem to have a vent. That would suggest they are not sealed. Does this mean they lose liquid over time and does connecting them to an EHU when the van is standing effect the rate at which liquid is lost? Can you get in and replace water?

 

[funflair]

Batteries with a vent are maintenance free in other words if they do loose water they can not be topped up, they work by recombining any gases etc back to the electrolyte so under normal circumstances they behave fine and should be OK standing on EHU with a decent charger, the vent tube will only come into play if the battery has a fault and gasses.

Martin

 

[John Mee]

Thanks, another question answered.

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[Richard n Ann]

As I have found twice now, one duff battery will make them all appear to fail. If you can disconnect them from each other and check individual voltages

We went round France in Feb last year on one battery and no sites, really wonder sometimes why we fit multiple batteries or maybe I am just unlucky

We've always managed perfectly well with 1 x 100ah battery. At one point we had a portable compressor fridge too. Coupled with a 150w panel you've got to be going some to need extra batteries (not that there's anything wrong with multiple batteries, I don't want to start something  )

 

[chaser]

@Robert Clark has some nearly new ones for sale a few threads away that look a bargain

 

[Figaro]

Would help if the manufacturers made it easier to check the batteries, like having them slide out on a draw. Not having to disconnect them and lift them out.

There's one under each can seat, never seen the light of day since I got the van 3.5 years ago. I think they are 90 Ah gel. Probably time I figured out how to remove the seats and investigate !

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[TerryL]

If they're gel I understand there's no maintenance possible.

Even if you proved only one battery was at fault, if they're over 5 years old I would still change them both. That way you only do the job once.

 

[John.]

... or in our case remove the flipping driver's seat!

Could be a good anti theft deterrent

 

[Basildog]

... or in our case remove the flipping driver's seat!

Should have bought Trojan batteries as they actually do a kit that automatically tops up the batteries believe it or not

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[Basildog]

There's one under each can seat, never seen the light of day since I got the van 3.5 years ago. I think they are 90 Ah gel. Probably time I figured out how to remove the seats and investigate !

We normally expect to see the leisure batteries starting to deteriorate after year 2 and by 3 years old they are toast

 

[Minxy]

If they are that difficult to get at I would hope that they are sealed.

Martin

Not sure about the new ones put in by the dealer as they were lead-acid which our charger would have fried in no time so we had new gels put in that the dealer paid for as it was their fault for not doing it properly in the first place!

 

[Lenny HB]

There's one under each can seat, never seen the light of day since I got the van 3.5 years ago. I think they are 90 Ah gel. Probably time I figured out how to remove the seats and investigate !

As it's a Hymer and from your avatar an older one so they will probably be 80a/h. gels . Treated well gels normally last 6 to 10 years and require no maintenance.
If it's a later Hymer and has AGM's or they have been changed for AGM's anything past18 months and you are doing well

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[Figaro]

@Lenny HB I've removed seat front cover and photographed them, they seem to be 90ah gels and they died completely overnight.
Were in ghent at moment and have tunnel booked for Friday. Planned a few days travelling coast from Ostend finishing at gravelines. I'll have to see if we can limp along or bring forward tunnel.
I'm hoping when sun rises solar will give enough to resurect them, or I suppose we could try and book onto a site.
Any suggestions for a seller for replacement
Thanks
Chris

 

[funflair]

If you follow @DavidG58 s advice and separate the batteries you should find that only one has gone down and the other on is good enough to get you home, the better on should show a slightly higher voltage when separated but should charge up OK.

Martin

 

[Figaro]

Hi all, it looks like my batteries may be ok after all.
They died after three nights without any hook up and I had presumed they would be recharged by a couple of hours driving and solar but apparently not.
After a good charge they actually show a better resting rate now than they did before ! After a night of TV, lights, pump etc they would usually sit around 12.5v. But after being drained to the point where the system cut off they now rest about 12.9v. after same use.
So I'm left thinking I need to up the charging to stop this happening again.
Would a b2b be a solution, or a bigger solar ?
I have a ELB 99, 2x 90ah gel batteries and I think the solar is about 80watt.
Thanks
Edit, I'm home now so will take them out and test separately as recommend.

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[Lenny HB]

Hi all, it looks like my batteries may be ok after all.
They died after three nights without any hook up and I had presumed they would be recharged by a couple of hours driving and solar but apparently not.

About 12 - 15 hours should get them fairly well charged.

So I'm left thinking I need to up the charging to stop this happening again.
Would a b2b be a solution, or a bigger solar ?
I have a ELB 99, 2x 90ah gel batteries and I think the solar is about 80watt.
Thanks
Edit, I'm home now so will take them out and test separately as recommend.

I expect they are 80 a/h Gels not 90.
Unless you are planning to do a lot of off grid camping in the winter the B2B is probably not essential as Hymer's use decent size wiring and you get a fairly good charge rate. Normally starts off at at 20-25 amps then once the battery voltage starts to come up it drops to 10-12 amps. A B2B will give you a charge rate 35 - 50 amps initially then it will drop to 17-20 amps. You would still need to drive for quite a few hours to get the benifit.

If not doing much driving between stops more solar say 300+ watts and a good quality MPPT regulator like the Votronic or Victron, would be the way to go.

 

[TerryL]

B2B was my first choice after a second leisure battery - it "fools" the alternator into putting out a full charge, up to 50 amps depending on model, and I can get a full charge from 50% depleted in an hour of driving (not that I ever let them get that low, the solar sees to that). Although not cheap they put an end to worrying about battery use, especially if you can't get hookup when you park up with the added advantage that they also "condition" the batteries so they theoretically last longer.

Also a saving of not needing a hookup if it's extra in site fees.

To finish it all off I fitted a Battery Master which keeps the engine battery topped up, from the leisure battery when it's fully charged. Never had a flat battery since.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Would a b2b be a solution, or a bigger solar ?
I have a ELB 99, 2x 90ah gel batteries and I think the solar is about 80watt.

More solar and an MPPT controller is the way to go.

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[Minxy]

You're basically using more power than you're currently producing so up the solar, fit an MPPT regulator, but be as bit more 'aware' of your usage so you don't get into the habit of leaving stuff turned on for the sake of it, even on standby equipment can use quite a bit of power. In winter you're not likely to replace the amount of power you use with solar unless you are in some very sunny climes. Also don't get overly 'excited' about what the solar is producing, instead keep an eye on the state of charge of your batteries as it's that which will determine what you can realistically use ... it's nice to know that the solar is putting in a good charge (or not!) but it doesn't tell you what's in the 'energy bank' which is what's actually usable.