Fried leisure batteries

[PJGWiltshire]

I am following a group of Funsters who are lucky enough to be in Spain and Portugal. One of them has just posted to their blog a little tail regarding his pair of leisure batteries, less than a year old now being totalled and failing to hold a charge. He has worked out that he believes that the cause of damaging the said batteries is as a result of being on EHU over some time that turns out to be on reverse polarity. I have ended being on reverse polarity a few times without issue, Can anybody confirm if using Reverse polarity over a long period would cause damage to batteries through the Sergeant on board charging unit

 

[Techno]

No it won't.

 

[MikeD]

Whats the age of his van?

Mine is only a couple of years old and the "intelligent" charger is meant to protect from that sort of thing.

It would not allow a "charge" to occur. I wonder if his is similar and his batteries have now totally discharged.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

No it won't.

I knew you would know, thanks I did't think it would cause the problem, I understand the batteries are about a year old and the van is about five years old

 

[Techno]

Unless sargent have designed something no one else in the world has.
The AC side of a charger has not a care in the world about Line & Neutral as long as it gets both

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[PJGWiltshire]

Andy, I have passed your comments on to the blog, many thanks

 

[Techno]

"fried" would indicate overcharging. The charge rate is not affected by polarity, it is more likely that the charger is faulty or it is overcharging due to a battery fault. People tend to never admit to flattening their batteries once or twice and there is the damage that causes charging problems

 

[pappajohn]

No it wont cause any problems except safety related ones.

Hundreds of posts on the forum.

AC mains voltage......its in tHe name ALTERNATING CURRENT.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

Not to sure re the term 'Fried' It appears that both batteries are now flat whilst being hooked up for four weeks on reverse. I have sent him the details of this posting so hope he comes and has a look and if he is a member he can explain more.

 

[Techno]

If he's not a member he should be

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[hilldweller]

Unless sargent have designed something no one else in the world has.

Now there's a thought.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

If he's not a member he should be

A bit like the AA, wouldn't leave home without it.

 

[pappajohn]

It appears that both batteries are now flat whilst being hooked up for four weeks on reverse.

Sounds more like a failed charger or break in circuit between charger and battery to me.

 

[Techno]

Now there's a thought.

A paranoia removal circuit

 

[Don Quixote]

Not a chance of it being reverse polarity, I have used many sites across Spain without problem and at home here in Spain my MH is on EHU 247 365 and batteries are fine.

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[JeanLuc]

If the batteries are just a year old but the van is five years old, has he changed the battery type when buying new ones, but failed to have the charging regime of the Sergeant unit changed to match? E.g. a switch from gel to flooded lead-acid without adjusting the charger might cause problems. On reading about the Sergeant unit (I have no experience of them) it appears that one is advised to go to a dealer to get the unit re-profiled if switching battery types. It may be a simple job of moving a switch (as it is on a German Schaudt system) but the Sergeant website suggests otherwise. I'm sure someone with experience of the charger can advise if indeed, this is your friend's problem.

 

[gozomike]

Not sure what is fitted to the van in question but one possibility:- I understand some solar panel controllers are duel voltage (12 & 24) and default to 24 volt. I have been told they need connecting to the battery to sense the voltage BEFORE they are connected to the panel otherwise they will default to 24 volt and overcharge the battery. Whilst this is technically possible I fail to see why anyone would make, let alone fit, such a unit as it would just need the battery disconnecting and re connecting to cause a problem.

 

[Don Quixote]

Sounds like a case of RTFM.....