Flat Battery..... (1 Viewer)

[old-mo]

I have not started the motor home for a good few weeks... probably a couple of months or more...

Went to start it this morning and nuffink..... flat as a nun`s wotsits...

Now I have what looks like a solar panel..... (I pressed the button to tell the state of the hab battery and it shows just over 14 v...

Does the solar panel ONLY charge the habitation battery or is it supposed to charge the vehicle battery as well...

Normally I leave it on EHU.... which I assume will charge both Engine & Hab battery...

I am guessing the panel only charges the hab battery...

And because the tracker and alarm are alive... this is why the engine battery has gone flat...

Or am I missing something or is there something not right or working...

Help
Thanks..

PS I have just put the engine battery on charge, so will try in a few hours and see if the engine starts..

Whoever thought of placing an engine battery under the floor in the cab...

 

[MC 55 FUN]

@old-mo
Our Moho is similar to yours & when on ehu it only charges the hab' battery, you can charge the cab battery by accessing the easy charging / jump starting + & - terminals under the bonnet - no need to dismantle the cab

 

[phil1946]

As far as I know, unless you have a B2B or similar, the solar panel and EHU only charge the hab. bat. The only thing that usually charges both is the engine - when it starts!!!! Good luck with the charger, hope you have not damaged the battery by letting it discharge. Unfortunately, when we are busy, the time flies by and it is very easy to allow things like batteries to suffer - I seem to buy an inordinate number of batteries for my motorbikes for this very reason.

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[Lenny HB]

Even without the tracker without charging engine battery will only last 2-3 weeks.
Sounds like you need to change the solar regulator for a dual output one or fit a

 

[Larrynwin]

When my solar panel was fitted by dealer there was a connection added to send a small charge to the engine battery, not a difficult addition.

 

[PhilandMena]

If on hook up why not connect another charger directly to the cab battery and then you can forget! Simple solution assuming you have another charger to hand.

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[PhilandMena]

Forget my last! misread your first post .

 

[andy63]

Mo . I'm sure all you need fitting is a battery master type device.. it will provide a charge to your start battery when the hab battery voltage is high enough... it very simple to fit.. and there are a number you could choose from...
Van bit battery master .sterling's device and the b2b off ebay..
They all have a slightly different priority for keeping the start battery trickle charged and slightly different charging rates but any one would do ..
Andy

 

[icantremember]

I agree with @andy63 ... our solar charges all the batteries without being on hookup.

I think this is due to the battery master which I believe was fitted by @eddievanbitz when they installed the inverter.

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[two]

BatteryMaster, or the like, will look after your starter battery. It's a simple fitment between the hob and starter battery and will triple charge it from EHU as well as solar.

 

[old-mo]

. All for your advise....

I have just been out and tried to start it....... turned the key and away it went...

I shall just leave it on trickle charge for the night...

Hopefully no damage has been done to the battery, and I will get one of them duel battery thingmejigs fitted as soon as possible...

Thanks again...

 

[Riverbankannie]

Why do the MH manufacturers and dealers sell the vans like this? They know very well that it is likely to be left for a few weeks or more without driving. Once again there is a simple solution and relatively cheap solution to a problem all vans have and yet it wasn't built in. A bit like fridge vent fans.

I want to move this into the annoying things thread from yesterday

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[SuperMike]

I have just been out and tried to start it....... turned the key and away it went...
Thanks again...

Should have bought a Winnebago



.

 

[two]

Seems that the circuits used in motorhomes are a closely guarded secret.

 

[Dorset Diver]

Seems that the circuits used in motorhomes are a closely guarded secret.

You mean they haven't got a clue either .

Strangely my SP as fitted charges the cab battery as well but the hab batteries have first dibs on the power.

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[cornish boy]

on certain Sargent control panels it makes a difference to the solar charging/battery charging if you switch off the Power Supply Unit (PSU) or leave it switched on when not in use.

If you have a Sargent PSU it is worth checking the manual as it may just be as simple as small change to the way you leave the panel to ensure the both the vehicle and Leisure batteries get charged.

 

[denisejoe]

our euramobile when the hab batteries are charged the control panel shows the linking of hab to engine batteries and charging both

joe

 

[daveandsan]

http://leisurelines.net/battery-charge-manager-leisure--main-battery-3334-p.asp
@old-mo just get yourself one of these, job done.

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[Neckender]

Mo if you fit what @Lenny HB has suggested it's very easy to fit, 3 wires, one goes to earth, one goes to leisure battery positive and one goes to positive on cab battery.

John.

 

[chopper602]

I have a solar panel on the roof which charges just the hab battery, but I have supplemented this with a smaller panel which I can stick on the dashboard and connect straight to the cab battery terminals under the bonnet. Seems to equalise the minimal discharge from the vehicle alarm as I've never had a problem since I started using it

 

[Mikey RV]

Use it won't go flat then.

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[old-mo]

Use it won't go flat then.

I am tomorrow....

And I might just open my grey waste as I am driving past the junction that leads to your neck of the woods...