Can long term hook up foreshorten cab battery life

[DavidG58]

We changed our cab battery about 5 years ago, it let me down last time out and having left it off charge overnight it now drops to under 12V so needs changing again

I am not too worried about buying a new battery, given how critical it is and relatively cheap I will just get on with it , but it got me wondering

We leave our MH on permanent hook up at home, keeps battery and fridge ready to go, plus heating always on set at 8C to save draining down and frost issues

Two questions

1. Might it reduce battery life mainly cab, by being on permanent charge

2. As we have gel batteries on the hab side the charger is set to gel, but the cab battery isn’t gel, might that be why it’s failed after five years

 

[Robert Clark]

In my opinion

1. No
2. No

 

[Boringfrog]

In my opinion

1. No
2. No

Snap....

 

[Googlebot]

What you will get with a wet battery is the need for more frequent topping up of the electrolyte with it being on charge a lot.

I think it’s fine, given the above.

 

[Lenny HB]

The charge to the starter battery is only a 1—2 amp truckle charge which shouldn't cause any problems. 5 years is not a bad life for a starter battery on a diesel.

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[Just smiffy]

Replace the engine battery with a gel also…

 

[DavidG58]

What you will get with a wet battery is the need for more frequent topping up of the electrolyte with it being on charge a lot.

I think it’s fine, given the above.

Unless that gets done as part of a service , I know I have never even checked my battery levels

 

[Googlebot]

Unless that gets done as part of a service , I know I have never even checked my battery levels

It won’t be done on a standard service, I am just going to change mine actually, also having never checked it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Replace the engine battery with a gel also…

A Gel starter battery will be megga bucks & then alternator would probably kill it.

 

[DavidG58]

Replace the engine battery with a gel also…

A Gel starter battery will be megga bucks & then alternator would probably kill it.

What Lenny said, thought that would be the case, but wasn’t brave enough to answer

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[Just smiffy]

A Gel starter battery will be megga bucks & then alternator would probably kill it.

Hey…. I told you a long time ago, “what do I know eh”

 

[Taran_Las]

As 'bad things' always appear to happen to you David here's my little story regarding my cab battery. I was wandering around France (as one used to do) when my 13 month old van failed to start. I used jump leads from the hab battery to the cab battery and let them equalise as best they could. Disconnected the jump leads and thankfully the van started. Not wishing to have to repeat the process I found SDVI a Fiat professional garage in Angers. Saturday morning could be a bit of a problem but what's to lose? The nice French man indicated they could change the battery for me but not for an hour. 'Aucun problème du tout' as they say in Wales . Eventually, after many cups of coffee my van was ready, complete with new cab battery. Only one thing left to do. Hand over some Euros.

To be precise 428 of them. A rather expensive battery considering I had replaced both hab batteries two weeks earlier for less money than that.

But at least I was back on the road.

Enjoy

 

[Googlebot]

I am changing mine, before the weekend.

It struggled this week to start it despite having a good charge before and at 8 years old, it owes me nothing.

I can get a Yuasa delivered from Tanya for £100 but will check my local motor factors as well. I like to buy local if I can, internet is great till you want to go and get one now.

 

[Lenny HB]

Hey…. I told you a long time ago, “what do I know eh”

Nufing

 

[Googlebot]

As 'bad things' always appear to happen to you David here's my little story regarding my cab battery. I was wandering around France (as one used to do) when my 13 month old van failed to start. I used jump leads from the hab battery to the cab battery and let them equalise as best they could. Disconnected the jump leads and thankfully the van started. Not wishing to have to repeat the process I found SDVI a Fiat professional garage in Angers. Saturday morning could be a bit of a problem but what's to lose? The nice French man indicated they could change the battery for me but not for an hour. 'Aucun problème du tout' as they say in Wales . Eventually, after many cups of coffee my van was ready, complete with new cab battery. Only one thing left to do. Hand over some Euros.

To be precise 428 of them. A rather expensive battery considering I had replaced both hab batteries two weeks earlier for less money than that.

But at least I was back on the road.

A mate had a leisure battery fail in France. €180.

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[Lenny HB]

I am changing mine, before the weekend.

It struggled this week to start it despite having a good charge before and at 8 years old, it owes me nothing.

I can get a Yuasa delivered from Tanya for £100 but will check my local motor factors as well. I like to buy local if I can, internet is great till you want to go and get one now.

I got a Yuasa 5000 from Halford for £105 with their trade card no delivery charge so cheaper than Tanya or meggerbaterry.

 

[Googlebot]

I got a Yuasa 5000 from Halford for £105 with their trade card no delivery charge so cheaper than Tanya or meggerbaterry.

Thanks Lenny, will take a look.

 

[royandsharont]

Regardless of what type of Hab batteries you have is it the general practice to have a standard wet lead acid battery in the Ducato?

Why would a gel battery battery be so expensive and why would the alternator probably kill it?

Interesting

 

[deleted79651]

As 'bad things' always appear to happen to you David here's my little story regarding my cab battery. I was wandering around France (as one used to do) when my 13 month old van failed to start. I used jump leads from the hab battery to the cab battery and let them equalise as best they could. Disconnected the jump leads and thankfully the van started. Not wishing to have to repeat the process I found SDVI a Fiat professional garage in Angers. Saturday morning could be a bit of a problem but what's to lose? The nice French man indicated they could change the battery for me but not for an hour. 'Aucun problème du tout' as they say in Wales . Eventually, after many cups of coffee my van was ready, complete with new cab battery. Only one thing left to do. Hand over some Euros.

To be precise 428 of them. A rather expensive battery considering I had replaced both hab batteries two weeks earlier for less money than that.

But at least I was back on the road.

Enjoy

We camped on a 'DIY' camping municipal, unstaffed, the sole occupants. And then a group of 'Travellers' arrived, and caused chaos, shouting, boasting about being thrown off the last site, and how they had defrauded the local restaurant etc. And then the 'Leader' appeared, talking [shouting] into his mobile phone, 'What'ya doin' in effin' Angers?', but he pronounced it as a plural of 'Anger'. And, ever since, whenever we spot the first signpost, my wife and I chorus, 'Effin Anger' ... The Leader's phone call lives on ...

Steve

 

[DavidG58]

used jump leads from the hab battery to the cab battery and let them equalise as best they could

I bought some extra long heavy duty jump leads to do just this on mine trouble is the hab batteries are too close to the top of the locker to get a clip on

I had also left my jump starter at home on charge luckily was with a friend so jump started off his

I can get a Yuasa delivered from Tanya for £100 but will check my local motor factors as well. I like to buy local if I can

I intended to let Mercedes change mine at service next week, but will check the price first now I am retired not bothered before when my business paid due everything

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[Raul]

Regardless of what type of Hab batteries you have is it the general practice to have a standard wet lead acid battery in the Ducato?

Why would a gel battery battery be so expensive and why would the alternator probably kill it?

Interesting

Alternator is designed to charge the starter battery fast. A starter battery has CCA rating, two types fall in this category: flooded and agm. A gel battery does not have CCA ratings the same as the flooded or agm, meaning that can not deliver cranking power or accept a fast charge. A gel will be damaged by 50amps from alternator, where the flooded and agm, it will just soak it up till constant voltage is reached.

 

[royandsharont]

Thanks Raul that makes sense to me now

 

[Fulham Dave]

As 'bad things' always appear to happen to you David here's my little story regarding my cab battery. I was wandering around France (as one used to do) when my 13 month old van failed to start. I used jump leads from the hab battery to the cab battery and let them equalise as best they could. Disconnected the jump leads and thankfully the van started. Not wishing to have to repeat the process I found SDVI a Fiat professional garage in Angers. Saturday morning could be a bit of a problem but what's to lose? The nice French man indicated they could change the battery for me but not for an hour. 'Aucun problème du tout' as they say in Wales . Eventually, after many cups of coffee my van was ready, complete with new cab battery. Only one thing left to do. Hand over some Euros.

To be precise 428 of them. A rather expensive battery considering I had replaced both hab batteries two weeks earlier for less money than that.

But at least I was back on the road.

Enjoy

We had the same thing. Would not start whilst in France during the summer, breakdown chap got us going and directed us to Fiat dealer. They advised that even though van only 1 year on the road, battery was over 2 years old as it was on base vehicle that left Fiat for delivery to manufacturer. Wanted €375, plus €75 to install. Decided to buy a battery booster (largest I could find) for €95. We were due to return to UK a couple of weeks later so would use booster as and when needed.

Came back to UK, visited dealer for some pre-arranged works to be completed and mentioned about cab battery. Picked up van following day and they advised they had replaced cab battery. Expecting a largish bill, I was amazed to find no charge on invoice. Kindly, they had replaced the battery and sent claim to manufacturer stating it was a leisure battery that failed as they were still under warranty.

Now that's what I call great service, going above and beyond and what a lovely early Christmas present!

 

[Lenny HB]

They advised that even though van only 1 year on the road, battery was over 2 years old as it was on base vehicle that left Fiat for delivery

It would have still been covered under the Fiat warranty as Fiat warranty starts from the date of registration.

 

[Lenny HB]

.

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[DavidG58]

Just ordered battery to be fitted at service next month

Based on dealer fitted prices quoted above, not too bad , but paying £135 + VAT for convenience

 

[nicholsong]

To answer the OP have my MH on EHU al the time.

I have just replaced the starter battery, which I have had for 12 years and I do not know how long it had been in the vehicle before, but may have been original i.e. 18 years.

As my garage says they do not make them like that any more. I had asked about changing it about 4-5 years before and he said 'NO - wait till it fails', so I got another 4-5 years out of it.

So my answer to the OP is no problem on long-term EHU.



I was lucky that it failed while in storage in a boatyard in Greece and the yard had one in stock, same as I had been quoted on the phone from two other suppliers on the island. I may have paid €10-15 over the odds but it was just 30m away.

I am not sure about the replacement as it has a Greek label on, but anyone can buy a battery from China and stick a label on it.

I may replace it and keep it as a spare.

Does anyone know of a battery which has the old heavy plates? I now it will cost more but if it lasts as long as the previous it is worth it. Also it gives the assurance of being unlikely to fail for a long time.

Geoff

 

[Fulham Dave]

It would have still been covered under the Fiat warranty as Fiat warranty starts from the date of registration.

Thanks for that Lenny, but the Fiat dealer in France checked and said no it was not covered under the Fiat warranty. If we wanted it replacing, we would have to pay €375 + €75 fitting. Maybe it is different on the continent??