Battery Problem (1 Viewer)

[tankerpaul50]

Please can anyone give any advice we have a 2015 Challenger Sirius The problem we have is that the engine battery looses its charge after about 3. Weeks it has been back to the supplier on numerous occasions they say that they have changed the battery tested the alarm but they say thy cannot find anything faulty any ideas would be welcomed

 

[pappajohn]

2 to 3 weeks seems to be the norm these days.
Far too many low drain parasitic loads on today's vehicles.
I shut off and lock my car I hear maybe 6 electronic relays switching off in a 5 minute period....it used to be, ignition off, all off.

 

[Reallyretired]

Most vehicle batteries are not ofa particularly high capacity. Even a large car may have a battery of 70Ah or less. A drain of 100mA over the 500 hours in 3 weeks will be enough to prevent the vehicle starting.
I leave a 10w solar panel on the roof of my car when I go away, as I have to leave it in the motorhome storage facility. This will produce at best around 500mA of charge so no regulator is needed, but its enough to keep the battery charged most of the year.

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[DL42846]

Did they try running a multy meter to do a battery drain test. My MH sits quiet often for several weeks without any problems. My Defender has sat for up to 8 weeks without any problem also. But that is very basic.


PS, I'm no expert but I have managed to sort out a couple of problems with something like this. Worth a try just for piece of mind.

 

[Glandwr]

My car has sat for 5 months over ever winter for the past 6 years. First year came back and the battery was junked. Since then I connect it to a Ctex intelligent charger for the duration. No problems. An alternative is solar on the dash so I believe if you catch the sun.

Dick

 

[Lenny HB]

Sounds normal to me, Hymer recommend you shouldn't leave a battery without charging for more than 10 days.

Best solution is to fit a solar panel

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[DanielFord]

3 weeks sounds about normal to be fair. It does vary, for example, on our last holiday (which was 3 weeks) obviously both my car, and the wifes were left. When we returned, got in wifes car, started first time - 2006 Honda Jazz on original battery. Got in mine, flat as a pancake, only managed to get the solenoid to click - 2008 Vauxhall Astra with a 6 month old battery!
The van has solar, so it is always topped up, there are loads of things that sap power when it is supposedly shutdown, with everything in the off position, we get a draw (on the sargent) of 0.2 amps. My understanding is that the cab battery is designed to give thumping power to crank the engine, but isn't great on longevity, whereas the leisures would be pants at cranking the engine, but give good charge life!

 

[Wendo55]

My 6month old mh went completely flat after 3 weeks. I was told the same about "hidden " things draining it these days. I just try and use it as much as possible over the winter and when left (in storage ) go once a week to run the engine for a good 20mins.

 

[PeteH]

Parasitic drains, can flatten batteries in very short order. I have a 100W solar panel on the roof, and provision for a second, which keeps the whole shooting match topped up. This time of year the Rig is on Shore power anyway as I keep a heater on to keep it aired. I appreciate however that not everyone can keep their unit alongside the house. Investment in a Solar panel would be my choice?. I got a 10W one from Maplin, cheap, a few years back and it is secured just outside the garage in the line of the Sun (when we get some!!). This is currently keeping the Triumph battery charged during the refurbishment phase, but of course not being on a vehicle there is only the "natural" discharge to contend with. ALDI where knocking some (20W?) out at £15 a few months back?

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[eddie]

Three weeks is the low side of "normal" Normal being about four weeks

Is your radio operated via the ignition, or can you use it without the keys in the ignition?

 

[PhilandMena]

Before I depart on lengthy trips a fully charge my car battery then disconnect my negative terminal! Job done. The car sits in the garage for up to four months in this condition. Thirty second job to reconnect when I return and battery remains fully charged and ready to go.

 

[tankerpaul50]

Thanks for all your replies we have a 100w solar panel fitted also had a new regulator fitted which gives 80% to leisure batts and 20% to engine batt but still they can't find the problem,they have told me they changed the battery but I have now asked them to do a drop test and a multi meter test

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[Lenny HB]

My 6month old mh went completely flat after 3 weeks. I was told the same about "hidden " things draining it these days. I just try and use it as much as possible over the winter and when left (in storage ) go once a week to run the engine for a good 20mins.

You really don't want to do that. Worse thing you can do to a diesel engines is leave it ticking over from cold, diesels should be driven off straight away after starting. On tickover they never get up to full operating temerature, quickest way of wrecking your DPF & CAT let alone all the problems of premature wear on the engine.

Thanks for all your replies we have a 100w solar panel fitted also had a new regulator fitted which gives 80% to leisure batts and 20% to engine batt but still they can't find the problem,they have told me they changed the battery but I have now asked them to do a drop test and a multi meter test

Comes down to one or more of 3 things, duff battery, something drawing more current than it should or solar regulator not charging the battery. With the vehicle being fairly new my bet would be on the solar not working properly or wired incorrectly.

 

[eddie]

Thanks for all your replies we have a 100w solar panel fitted also had a new regulator fitted which gives 80% to leisure batts and 20% to engine batt but still they can't find the problem,they have told me they changed the battery but I have now asked them to do a drop test and a multi meter test

I'll try again lol Is your radio/head unit wired through the ignition? We solve these mysteries on a weekly basis. A Head unit (call it what you like, Radio/Navi/Camera/DVD) that is incorrectly installed as to be on standby 24/7 will cause no end of issues.

With the new information re the solar panel your engine battery should not be going flat

 

[Xabia]

Have you got an inverter in the van. I discovered that if I left it on standby accidentally it would soon drain the leisure batteries and they are 2 x 110 AH.

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[tankerpaul50]

Will check the multi media centre it caters for radio CD player and the rear camera

 

[DL42846]

Will check the multi media centre it caters for radio CD player and the rear camera

Check the rear camera is not running all the time?
You can buy these multi meters for about £10. Plenty of video's on YouTube to guide you through the basics. Plus a handy thing to have when you want to test batteries that you have laying around in the back of draws etc. I got mine out the other day to check the neighbors car battery, she was well impressed. ( with my multi meter that is)