Batteries. (1 Viewer)

russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Hi,i'm new so i hope i'm posting in the right place.
I need to know why my 2 Leisure Batteries keep going flat,the only things running are my compressor fridge and lights.
Appreciate all your help,cheers.
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
Exp
45 +years with breaks
Hi,i'm new so i hope i'm posting in the right place.
I need to know why my 2 Leisure Batteries keep going flat,the only things running are my compressor fridge and lights.
Appreciate all your help,cheers.
Fridges are power hungry beasts, we need to know battery size and approximate age and time taken to go flat, before any real help can be given
Geo
 

Tony Lee

Free Member
Sep 28, 2008
274
2
Funster No
4,196
Geo is correct about needing far more detail.

also - if you have mistreated the batteries in the past - ie by running the battery dead flat more than a (very) few times and failing to recharge it fully ASAP, then even the best brand new battery could be murdered within a few weeks.

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russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Hi,my fridge is a Waeco compressor.
Batteries are 2 85AH which are over 2 years old.
It took 11 hours for them to go from green to red,they were fully charged.
The motor may stand on my drive for upto 3 to 4 months without being used.
Is there any way of having them tested,cheers.
 

madbluemad

Banned
Jan 26, 2008
3,327
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spain
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since 1980
Hi,my fridge is a Waeco compressor.
Batteries are 2 85AH which are over 2 years old.
It took 11 hours for them to go from green to red,they were fully charged.
The motor may stand on my drive for upto 3 to 4 months without being used.
Is there any way of having them tested,cheers.

Hi Russ

It doesnt take much to run down an 85Ah battery or even two and with the equipment that you have switched on 11 hours is a long time. You may also have other equipment switched on that you are unaware of. You can check the voltage with a voltmeter however, try switching everything off and see what happens. Then switch on one appliance and see how long it takes to run the battery down. Then another etc, its a process of learning for yourself what you can and cant have on.

For example. I have one 85Ah battery. The missus left the fridge door open to stop anything growing in there. Even though the fridge was switched off by the switch on the fridge the light within the fridge stayed on. I had also left the electric step switched on even though I wasnt using it. At the end of three days my battery was dangerousley low and if it had been left for another couple of days it would have been zapped. Hope this helps.

Cheers

Jim :Smile:
 
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russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Madbluemad as i said in my post [not being rude] my fridge is a compressor fridge which i was told draws very little juice,also three lights.
I don't think that's going to draw that much power to flatten the batts surely.

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Jul 29, 2007
6,526
39,280
Ipswich
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32
MH
RV and PVC
Exp
30 years
Hi Russ you need to add the wattage's up of your lights, if their tungsten filament then they might be 22 watt each, divide the wattage by 12 to give you amps, add in the fridge at say 1.5amps per hour that's 16.5amps, and you might be surprised what you have taken out of them.

Olley
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
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172
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Hi Russ you need to add the wattage's up of your lights, if their tungsten filament then they might be 22 watt each, divide the wattage by 12 to give you amps, add in the fridge at say 1.5amps per hour that's 16.5amps, and you might be surprised what you have taken out of them.

Olley

sorry Olley, but i make that 7amps but over an 11hour period its still 77amps.
the batteries may be 85ah but they wont give 85amps before the voltage is too low too be of any use.

i'd be quite happy with 11 hours from a couple of 2 year old 85ah batteries.

sorry Russ, i cant see the relevence of the van being stood for 3 to 4 months at a time.....surely you turn everything off if its stood this long and you should give the batts a quick boost charge every month or so.
 
Jul 29, 2007
6,526
39,280
Ipswich
Funster No
32
MH
RV and PVC
Exp
30 years
Hi Papa sorry reading my post again it isn't clear what I meant. If he adds the wattage of his lamps up divides it by 12, then multiplys it by 11 and then adds that to the fridge's 16.5 amps he will find out what he will draw in an 11 hour period.

I didn't mean that I had already added the lamps in, as I didn't know the wattage, for all we know they could be LED's.

Sorry, I write like I think, all in a muddle :ROFLMAO:

Olley

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russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Pappajohn,got to put my hands up,never gave it a thought to give the batts a quick charge.
Going to buy two new batts tomorrow and i will look after them,i promise:Smile:
Thanks for all your posts.

PS I want to put my fridge at waist high,how do i keep it in place when driving round corners,cheers.
 

madbluemad

Banned
Jan 26, 2008
3,327
239
spain
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just looking
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since 1980
Madbluemad as i said in my post [not being rude] my fridge is a compressor fridge which i was told draws very little juice,also three lights.
I don't think that's going to draw that much power to flatten the batts surely.

OK !!

Jim :Smile:
 
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russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Morning all,took my batteries to be checked out and was told there finnished.
Bought two new 85ah,do i have to put them on charge before i fit them if so how long for,cheers.

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madbluemad

Banned
Jan 26, 2008
3,327
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just looking
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since 1980
Hi Russ

Your new batteries shoul be fully charged. Just stick them in. If you are in any doubt buy a voltmeter and check them.

Cheers

Jim :Smile:
 
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russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Cheers for your reply mate but when you start to get technical then i'm lost.
I'll wait for my son to come down to see me and get him onto it.:roflmto:
 
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russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Just an update put new batteries on my camper,fridge and two lights left on since 12.30pm and still going strong.:Smile:

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American Dream

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Aug 20, 2007
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156
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125
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Glad you're sorted Russ,

Best not to run them completely flat though.Although the build of leisure batteries is different I would not personally drain them completely flat.

I assume you've got a charger/controller that will shut off the drain on them before they discharge fully.:thumb:

Steve.
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,084
9,006
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
Just an update put new batteries on my camper,fridge and two lights left on since 12.30pm and still going strong.:Smile:


Hi russ

may I suggest you invest in a cheap digital voltmeter from say Maplins, you will then be able to monitor the batteries and give you a better understanding of how long they will last with your fridge.. easy to use and it could save you from knackering them.

here is a chart to use
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russ

Free Member
Oct 8, 2008
96
0
Essex
Funster No
4,340
MH
Selfbuild
Exp
2 years
Morning you lovely people,Steve ref: charger/controller i go by my Zig if it goes red i use my intelligent charger which you can leave on for ever.
Scot i have taken a print of the chart and will invest in a digital voltmeter and learn how to use it.
Checked my camper and it's still showing green so i will turn it off at 12o/c and put the batts on charge. Thanks for the post's,Russ.:Smile:
 

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