Engine battery dead. Swift Kon-tiki 3.0.

[Encantador]

MOT due tomorrow at 9am, stupidly left it today to check it would start OK having not been started for a few weeks.

Jump leads from car get the dash lights on but not enough to start it.

The panel above the habitation door appears to give the option to send power from the habitation to the engine battery, when pressing this button on panel a red light comes on (next to a picture of the cab). The display now appears to be suggesting 7.20A is being sent to the engine battery.

When I first checked the panel, it was saying hab battery was 13.1 and engine battery 0. Both now saying the same. I appreciate that the engine battery is nowhere near being charged yet, but this suggests something is happening.

As it is on hook up outside the house, will this charge the engine battery enough to start it (eventually)? or will it cause problems with the hab batteries?

I am not too concerned about getting it started for the morning as I can re=arrange the MOT.

Also, for the future, I have been looking at getting a mains charger, this one suggests it can charge pretty much anything ......
Röhr Battery Charger 45 Amp 12V / 24V DFC-50P Intelligent Turbo/Trickle with Battery Repair, Maintain and Jump Start Technolog).

(Will not seem to allow me to post a link for some reason.

Would this be a good choice, or is there anything better at a reasonable price out there??

Thanks

 

[pappajohn]

Put the jump leads back on, start the car and leave it at a fast idle for 20 minutes or so to but some charge in the dead battery, then attempt a start with the car still running.
The battery needs some charge to help the booster battery.

The dead battery will almost certainly be scrap but doing the above should get it started then go for a 1/2hr drive.... WITHOUT STALLING IT.

 

[Eggs]

And use some decent leads. You'll be surprised what you can jump start from a small car using the above advice.

 

[pappajohn]

Battery charger.
If your battery was showing 0 volts it doesn't matter how many amps the charger is capable of it won't start charging.
Unless it's an old analogue fixed rate charger it needs to see a reference voltage, usually above around 8 volts to recognise it as a 12v battery.
Below the reference voltage it will see it as a fully/overcharged 6 volt battery and won't charge

I looked at that Rohr charger last week but figured it would never need to deliver 45 amps and was pointless.
I opted for this instead and does everything the rohr does but cost £100.

Can't add a link for some reason but search for
Einhell CC-BC 15 M 6 V/12 V Car Leisure Battery Charger - Red

 

[Ivory55]

We are told at work if jumping a motor after connecting the the jump leads turn the headlights on , on the motor that’s running. This is meant to get the alternator to see it needs to pump out extra power as it might not recognise the other flat battery. How true I don’t know.

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[Encantador]

Put the jump leads back on, start the car and leave it at a fast idle for 20 minutes or so to but some charge in the dead battery, then attempt a start with the car still running.
The battery needs some charge to help the booster battery.

The dead battery will almost certainly be scrap but doing the above should get it started then go for a 1/2hr drive.... WITHOUT STALLING IT.

Thank you. This got it started. Will hopefully get it in for MOT now and they can check the battery.

Thanks

 

[JockandRita]

OK having not been started for a few weeks.

Is there an active vehicle alarm, whilst the MH is laid up, or in storage for weeks?
Do you have solar panels fitted?

Glad to know that you managed to get it started.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Encantador]

Is there an active vehicle alarm, whilst the MH is laid up, or in storage for weeks?
Do you have solar panels fitted?

Glad to know that you managed to get it started.

Cheers,

Jock.

Yes, have solar panel. Also had gadget from ebay fitted about 5 years ago which I thought was to keep engine battery topped up from hab batteries if required. Maybe no longer working.

Alarm was not activated, but red light on top of dash in front of driver was flashing.

 

[Reallyretired]

Modern smart chargers won't charge a completely flat battery.
I have an ancient charger, probably older than me that will. Basically just a transformer and metal rectifier.

 

[JockandRita]

Yes, have solar panel. Also had gadget from ebay fitted about 5 years ago which I thought was to keep engine battery topped up from hab batteries if required. Maybe no longer working.

If you mean the BCM12 then the LED should illuminate green, when the charge is being applied to the starter battery. I've had the same for nearly 10 x years now, and it's working fine. Once on EHU, you'll soon know if it's applying a charge to the starter battery. Either way, you'll need a new starter battery anyway.

Alarm was not activated, but red light on top of dash in front of driver was flashing.

Mine only flashes when the alarm is set, or flashes a code when the alarm is deactivated, to indicate which area has been activated or tampered with.

Good luck with the MOT.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Encantador]

If you mean the BCM12 then the LED should illuminate green, when the charge is being applied to the starter battery. I've had the same for nearly 10 x years now, and it's working fine. Once on EHU, you'll soon know if it's applying a charge to the starter battery. Either way, you'll need a new starter battery anyway.


Mine only flashes when the alarm is set, or flashes a code when the alarm is deactivated, to indicate which area has been activated or tampered with.

Good luck with the MOT.

Cheers,

Jock.

Thanks Jock, no not that one but preumably something similar. I will have a look at it later to see if I can tell if it is working.

MOT at 11, luckily I checked this morning....lol

I left the button pressed on control panel that sends power from hab to engine battery, did a good job as starter much more lively this morning. No real change to hab batteries either, so it appears I have a built in battery charger when on mains hook up, only had the van about 6 years