Changing leisure batteries (1 Viewer)

[wigster]

Ive bought two batteries i need to fit, old ones knackered . Two lion ones in there charge up fine but dont hold up under any load . God knows how long or whats happened to them before bless em .

My van is a Hymer with solar connected to ebl 99 .

If i switch ebl off is that ok then to change the batts .

Probably daft question but if i weren't sure i wouldn't ask .

Thanks

Steve.

 

[Theonlysue]

There is a correct order, but not sure what it is.
Perhaps @JeanLuc can be more helpful.

 

[wigster]

Thanks Sue

I know which order etc just wanted reassurance if it was ok once ebl was switched off im sure it is or am i lol, i wouldn't ask @JeanLuc is a great idea , thanks sue

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[SandraL]

Re the solar, the panels should be disconnected from the solar regulator first, before ebl turned off or battery removed. After replacement of batttery the last job is to reconnect solar panel. If you are lucky you may have a fuse beween solar panel and solar regulator which would be same as disconnecting solar panel. I am not referring to fuse mounted on the ebl. Handbook for ebl can be downloaded from schaudt website. After choosing document they send link to your email which you click on to do a one off download of document which you can save. If a schaudt solar regulator you can also get docs from their website.

 

[Zigisla]

Ebl 99 handbook is in the resource section.

 

[scotjimland]

The Hymer has battery fuses mounted beside the batteries..

Pull the battery 50A in-line fuse(s) . there should be three.. this isolates the batteries.

Remove the negative cable .. then the positive.. from both batteries and remove..

When reconnecting the new batteries, reverse order.. i.e. positive connected first..

Then replace the fuses..

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[SandraL]

The Hymer has battery fuses mounted beside the batteries..

Pull the battery 50A in-line fuse(s) . there should be three.. this isolates the batteries.

Remove the negative cable .. then the positive.. from both batteries and remove..

When reconnecting the new batteries, reverse order.. i.e. positive connected first..

Then replace the fuses..

Sorry but when schaudt solar regulator is fitted the instructions are clear. You MUST disconnect solar panel before disconecting battery, and replace solar panel connection after battery has been reconnected. See schaudt instructions for lr1218. If another solar regulator has been used this may not apply. As lr1218 is about £80 ........

 

[scotjimland]

Sorry but when schaudt solar regulator is fitted

my mistake.

I missed the part where the OP said he had a Schault solar regulator fitted ...

in fact he said "solar connected to ebl 99 ."

I have also, via a stand alone regulator..

 

[Abacist]

As I understand it, regardless of your system, you should always disconnect the solar panels first as they can generate far more than 12volts so you need to cover them up before even doing that. Some regulators can be either 12 volts or 24 volts so should always be re-connected to your batteries first so the regulator knows the system voltage and afterwards connect the solar panels back into the controller.

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[pappajohn]

LION batteries ?

Do you mean LION brand or LI-ON technology ?

Never heard of a LI-ON car/leisure battery.
Mostly small appliance batteries...phones etc.
LION brand will probably be a low quality rebadged battery

 

[wigster]

Thanks for the replies everyone

The old ones were cheap lion brand ones pappajohn.

I will be changing them early next week.

 

[JeanLuc]

Just back from 10 days in Pembrokeshire and noticed this thread. I think everything has been covered, but in case not, here is the correct order.

1. Switch off the EBL on the front panel (large black rocker to the left side).
2. Disconnect the +ve cable from the solar panel where it connects to the solar regulator.
3. Pull out the fuses next to the leisure batteries (50 amp and 2 or 3 amp).
4. Disconnect the lines to the leisure batteries, negative first. Note that Hymer use brown for negative and black or blue for positive.

Reconnect and switch on in the reverse order. Note that when you switch off the EBL the Truma frost protection dump valve will open and the step will no longer work. Having completed the job, when you switch the EBL back on, you will need to operate the 12v switch on the control panel (above the door?) off and on again, to reactivate the EBL.

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[emjaiuk]

Having recently purchased a 2012 Ford based Hymer exsis-i 562, I've discovered the single Banner battery is kaput. The van is fitted with a solar panel (and LR1218) and we didn't realize the battery was so bad until we tried to use the TV after dark! I need to do something before Malvern.

I've almost decided to replace the Banner with one or two Varta LFD90 batteries fitted in parallel.

Am I right in thinking the Varta doesn't require venting to outside air? I'd like to fit one in the original location under the passenger seat (LHD), and the other in an adjacent seat locker.

To balance the batteries I intend to run the negative lead from the EBL99 to battery No 2 and keep the positive in it's original position. Is it relatively easy to replace the existing negative lead from the EBL with a longer one?

The EBL99 instruction book advises not to change from GEL(AGM) to lead acid, why? I've emailed Udo Lang but he is on holiday.

I've noted Jean-Luc's disconnection/ re connection sequence above.

Malcolm

 

[wigster]

Changed leisure batteries today . Everything working fine.

Thanks for all the help everyone

 

[JeanLuc]

Having recently purchased a 2012 Ford based Hymer exsis-i 562, I've discovered the single Banner battery is kaput. The van is fitted with a solar panel (and LR1218) and we didn't realize the battery was so bad until we tried to use the TV after dark! I need to do something before Malvern.

I've almost decided to replace the Banner with one or two Varta LFD90 batteries fitted in parallel.

Am I right in thinking the Varta doesn't require venting to outside air? I'd like to fit one in the original location under the passenger seat (LHD), and the other in an adjacent seat locker.

To balance the batteries I intend to run the negative lead from the EBL99 to battery No 2 and keep the positive in it's original position. Is it relatively easy to replace the existing negative lead from the EBL with a longer one?

The EBL99 instruction book advises not to change from GEL(AGM) to lead acid, why? I've emailed Udo Lang but he is on holiday.

I've noted Jean-Luc's disconnection/ re connection sequence above.

Malcolm

The Varta batteries should ideally be vented. I have two and have vented them but it was easy as they sit next to each other in a battery tray sunk into the floor.
The battery connection terminals on the EBL99 are on the back. Before touching these, switch off the EBL and pull out the two fuses next to the starter battery - a 50 amp linking it to the EBL terminal on the back (referred to above) and a 20 or 30 amp one that supplies the fridge whilst driving.
Depending on the distance between your Varta batteries, you may need to put a 50 amp fuse at each end of the positive link.
Don't forget to switch the EBL battery selector switch to 'blei-saure' (lead-acid). The EBL99 and all but the most recent EBLs don't work well with many AGM batteries. The charging programme is not optimised and there have been many reports of Banner AGM having short life in motorhomes. There are very few onboard chargers that's will charge AGMs properly - the latest EBL being one that can.

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