dead battery

[chasthedagger]

Just gone to start up van and the engine battery is flat well registering 12.4v i replaced the battery in October and in the past when van is laid up i plug in the mains and it has charged up both the hab batts and the engine battery, has anyone any ideas why a new engine battery should be flat.

 

[Spriddler]

12.4v isn't flat.
For how long has it been left uncharged?

 

[pappajohn]

12.4v should be plenty to start it... Unless its usually a bad starter.
More likely a bad earth strap or if its doing nothing at all, an immobiliser fault. .

 

[chasthedagger]

i have a solar panel but we cover the van in the winter which we put on in November i have started it once in January and it seemed fine when the cover is on i connect the mains which i am sure will switch from leisure to engine batteries the van is a Hymer the immobiliser is switching off ok

 

[Speve]

The battery charger on the van will only trickle charge your van battery once the leisure batteries are full. It’s probably not getting enough charge?

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[wileyfox]

Although, not flat a good battery should stay above 12.6v.

 

[autorouter]

Does the starter battery voltage increase when you connect the mains. This should happen very quickly, not waiting for the leisure batteries to fully charge.

If not, usually on Hymers, in addition to the 50 amp and 2 amp fuses, there is a 20 amp fuse in the engine compartment near the starter battery. This passes amps from the mains charger to the starter battery when the engine is stopped, and amps from the alternator to the fridge when the engine is running.

 

[Markas]

Fancy alarms put a lot of draw on the battery. The instruction manual for my pvc recommends NOT setting the alarm if you lay the vehicle up over winter. Not sure how you'd square that one with your insurance though...

 

[Langtoftlad]

Fancy alarms put a lot of draw on the battery. The instruction manual for my pvc recommends NOT setting the alarm if you lay the vehicle up over winter. Not sure how you'd square that one with your insurance though...

That's an interesting thought...
Never thought of doing that - alarm off, but non-starter on.

 

[Markas]

That's an interesting thought...
Never thought of doing that - alarm off, but non-starter on.

Better still remove the starter battery if you've got security concerns and leave it on trickle charge somewhere indoors. I'd do that if the van was used infrequently.

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[eddie]

Fancy alarms put a lot of draw on the battery. The instruction manual for my pvc recommends NOT setting the alarm if you lay the vehicle up over winter. Not sure how you'd square that one with your insurance though...

What do you call “a lot”

The dash clock and radio memory draw more than some of our systems

 

[boxerdog]

hi just to let you know we had a simalar battery problem local garage did a test battery showing fully chaged he put a tester on battery drained in seconds turns out this is usual if a cell is u,s, looks charged and shows charged just a thought.................Ian

 

[chasthedagger]

Have been exploring the problem today i changed the engine battery in november but layed the van up soon afte,r and by chance i moved what looks like a fuse holder fixed to the engine bay wall at the rear just above the battery, the engine started i i checked the voltage in the battery before i did this and found it to be 13,2v after starting i checked again and it was 14.4v with the engine running.
I dont know what this connection does or what might be causing the non start if anyone has any clues i would be most grateful.