Dethleff Trend, no power from leisure battery

[$ammy]

Hello
I would be very grateful if anybody had any advice.
I have a Dethleff Trend 3yrs old and getting it ready to use in the next few weeks, I’ve plugged it into the mains to essentially charge the leisure battery how ever when I unplug the mains there’s nothing coming from the leisure battery.
And nothing coming on from the panel, it has flashed red a couple of times with 1 light on but generally there’s nothing.
I’ve checked the leisure battery with a multimeter and everything seemed fine, I’ve also checked some fuses and everything seems ok.
Any ideas
Thank you

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

how long was it left without any electric top up?
How long was it on charge?
Is there any solar input?
Is the starter battery working?
Do you know of any parasitic loads, alarms, trackers ect ?
At 3 years old, AGM batteries may well be not holding any capacity if they've been run down beyond the recommended levels [ 50%]. Others will be along shortly with more detailed analysis.
Mike.

 

[$ammy]

Thanks Mike really appreciate the reply and help.
It was left probably to long with out any electrical top up
It’s been on charge for days.
There’s no solar back
The stater battery is working fine, it struggled when initially starting back up, the panel does also show full starter battery power when not hooked up.
The only power it will be using will be for the alarm.
I actually thought that I might of ruined the leisure battery by not keeping it topped up but when I put a multimeter on it shown full battery
Thanks

 

[DavidCh]

First step is to put a meter on the leisure battery directly without the EHU connected after it has been resting for about an hour without EHU and check the voltage, if its below 11.5v the battery is probably dead. Then check it with the EHU connected, if its not above 13v then the charger is not working

 

[$ammy]

First step is to put a meter on the leisure battery directly without the EHU connected after it has been resting for about an hour without EHU and check the voltage, if its below 11.5v the battery is probably dead. Then check it with the EHU connected, if its not above 13v then the charger is not working

Thank you,
I did borrow a meter off the neighbour but I really should get one for myself, any recommendations of which one I should get please.
And once it’s here I will let you know how I get on.
Again thank you

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[Spriddler]

Something around a tenner will be more than adequate for battery voltage and fuse and circuit continuity checking..
This type of thing........

 

[DavidCh]

For regular use if you don't mind paying the extra then one that can measure current as well on a motorhome is much more useful to see what is going on with discharging and charging. Something like this

Amazon product ASIN B08FD9Q1Q5
Amazon product ASIN B07Z398YWF

 

[pappajohn]

but when I put a multimeter on it shown full battery

The voltage you're reading is the float voltage.
If the battery has had it the battery can't hold this voltage for long.
Check again with a meter a couple of hours after charging.
Also, there may be a master fuse near the battery.....usually a large 50 amp.

 

[DavidCh]

The voltage you're reading is the float voltage.
If the battery has had it the battery can't hold this voltage for long.
Check again with a meter a couple of hours after charging.
Also, there may be a master fuse near the battery.....usually a large 50 amp.

You are correct of course. If it will only run with the EHU connected then it is quite possible there is no connection between the leisure battery and the motorhome electrical system (which could obviously be a fuse). To test that you would need to find the connection into that unit and see if there is voltage. If the electrical unit is integrated with the charger it may well run, mine does very strange things in this situation.

 

[$ammy]

You are correct of course. If it will only run with the EHU connected then it is quite possible there is no connection between the leisure battery and the motorhome electrical system (which could obviously be a fuse). To test that you would need to find the connection into that unit and see if there is voltage. If the electrical unit is integrated with the charger it may well run, mine does very strange things in this situation.

I don’t think it’s a fuse because it at times it does come on flash on the 11 volts then go off or doesn’t even come on at all.
Again thanks

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[DavidCh]

Does sound terribly likely its the battery I am afraid. One thing you could do (and I am sure this will be frowned upon), assuming your starter battery is now working OK and charged after driving the van then disconnect the leisure battery and use some jump leads to connect the starter battery to the connections for the leisure battery. Only do this as a quick test as you don't want to flatten the starter battery. If everything works that pretty much proves it and its off the the shop Dont do this with the leisure battery connected as the starter battery will just try to charge it at huge current

 

[$ammy]

Well the multi meter turned up and here’s what the reading was on the battery which hasn’t been in charge for a few days
The 2nd picture is with the EHU turned on.
The control panel came on , then straight off again.
So from reading the advice seems like the battery is ok?
Again I really appreciate it
Thank you

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

So in essence you have no 12v function at all?
Might be worth checking that big 30 amp fuse.
Also the braided earth strap to chassis, I had one earth like that go bad on my van.
On hook up is what's working, sockets, heating?
Is there any 12v at the Schault box , under the passengers seat, or under a hab seat in the back?
Mike.

 

[GeoffnDee]

$ammy That is the starter battery that you are checking in the photos , what voltage are you getting at the leisure battery ?

 

[$ammy]

$ammy That is the starter battery that you are checking in the photos , what voltage are you getting at the leisure battery ?

Hi Geoff
I was presuming that was the leisure battery which is infront of my the passenger sir and the starter battery was under the drivers sit.

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[DavidCh]

It’s definitely the starter battery

 

[$ammy]

So in essence you have no 12v function at all?
Might be worth checking that big 30 amp fuse.
Also the braided earth strap to chassis, I had one earth like that go bad on my van.
On hook up is what's working, sockets, heating?
Is there any 12v at the Schault box , under the passengers seat, or under a hab seat in the back?
Mike.

Hi Mike
Yeah there’s absolutely nothing coming from the 12v I get a glimpse on the control panel then off.
I’ve also checked the big fuses and they are fine.
On hook up everything works perfectly.
I’ve looked at a the Schault box and the battery is in the Batterie Ein position and all cables look fine.
Thanks for the reply

 

[Lenny HB]

Hi Geoff
I was presuming that was the leisure battery which is infront of my the passenger sir and the starter battery was under the drivers sit.

No that is the starter battery the leisure battery is under the seat.

 

[$ammy]

It’s definitely the starter battery

Ok thanks,so the leisure battery is under the drivers seat then?
I’ll get to that tomorrow now.
Thanks for comfirming my stupidity

 

[$ammy]

Think I’ve found the culprit!
What a nightmare getting the seat out was!
Thanks to everybody who helped out, really appreciated it Thank you

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[Lenny HB]

That's beyond dead.

 

[$ammy]

While it’s hooked it it’s showing this reading

 

[$ammy]

Just gonna leave it in charge for a few hours and see what it goes upto.
Just to make sure it’s actually being charged

 

[Lenny HB]

Not worth the effort charging it, at that voltage it will be totally fecked.

 

[Spriddler]

While it’s hooked it it’s showing this reading

View attachment 720836

That's the output voltage from the charger, not the battery voltage.

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[MichaelT]

Well the multi meter turned up and here’s what the reading was on the battery which hasn’t been in charge for a few days
The 2nd picture is with the EHU turned on.
The control panel came on , then straight off again.
So from reading the advice seems like the battery is ok?
Again I really appreciate it
Thank you

View attachment 720469 View attachment 720470

That looks like your engine battery?

 

[Spriddler]

That looks like your engine battery?

We've already been there. Do try to keep up.

No that is the starter battery the leisure battery is under the seat.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Thanks Mike really appreciate the reply and help.
It was left probably to long with out any electrical top up
It’s been on charge for days.
There’s no solar back
The stater battery is working fine, it struggled when initially starting back up, the panel does also show full starter battery power when not hooked up.
The only power it will be using will be for the alarm.
I actually thought that I might of ruined the leisure battery by not keeping it topped up but when I put a multimeter on it shown full battery
Thanks

Now that's established it's time to think about preventing a rerun of this on the new battery replacement.
As such, Solar is your friend, tirelessly harvesting sunlight FOC, minus purchase and installation.
A really easy fix is a folding solar panel [ 100/120 w] in the windscreen either hooked to the hab battery, or wired direct to the Schault. The latter option gives the ability to monitor through the on board infrastructure the state of charge. It will come with a cheap controller. It's worth thinking further down the line and buying a quality controller that allows both battery's to be charged at the same time, and most quality MPPT controllers will do this.
You could also just skip this phase and go straight for a roof mounted panel, circa £400/500.00 plus installation, unless you're comfortable doing this yourself, and there are many old installation threads to be looked at and learnt from.
You may also want to consider taking the opportunity to future proof with a Lithium option, much dearer, but works well with off gridding, if that's your ambition.
Mike.

 

[pagey]

Just to the front of the battery where you can see the yellow plug do you have 2 fuses one is 50 amp and one is 2 amp check those