Growler strike back help please

Belledog

Belledog

Joined
Apr 1, 2020
Posts
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69,740
MH
Zefiro 696
Exp
I’m a newbie
Hi guys
been in touch with vanbitz re problem with alarm and blue led light not lit. No idea if this is important or not. Just waiting on them getting in touch. But in the meantime been reading lots to see if I could figure it myself. I’m not very technical tho.
I have been to the garage to have the engine battery checked which is dead so new one ordered. Is this what is causing problems with the alarm do you think.
also, do I need a b2b or something else so that the alarm doesn’t flatten the battery again. Or with a new battery will it flatten. Or won’t it. The guy at the garage, a family member, is building his own vw crafter pvc and has just bought one for £300 plus vat. He’s recommending one also.
so guys
what do I need to do.
karen.
 
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Belledog said:
Hi guys
been in touch with vanbitz re problem with alarm and blue led light not lit. No idea if this is important or not. Just waiting on them getting in touch. But in the meantime been reading lots to see if I could figure it myself. I’m not very technical tho.
I have been to the garage to have the engine battery checked which is dead so new one ordered. Is this what is causing problems with the alarm do you think.
also, do I need a b2b or something else so that the alarm doesn’t flatten the battery again. Or with a new battery will it flatten. Or won’t it. The guy at the garage, a family member, is building his own vw crafter pvc and has just bought one for £300 plus vat. He’s recommending one also.
so guys
what do I need to do.
karen.
Click to expand...
Hi Karen
The strikeback alarm runs from the starter battery. if this is dead then the alarm will not function.
 
Upvote 0
TCG said:
Hi Karen
The strikeback alarm runs from the starter battery. if this is dead then the alarm will not function.
Click to expand...
Is the starter battery the engine battery. 🤦‍♀️ Sorry for been thick
 
Upvote 0
Belledog said:
Hi guys
been in touch with vanbitz re problem with alarm and blue led light not lit. No idea if this is important or not. Just waiting on them getting in touch. But in the meantime been reading lots to see if I could figure it myself. I’m not very technical tho.
I have been to the garage to have the engine battery checked which is dead so new one ordered. Is this what is causing problems with the alarm do you think.
also, do I need a b2b or something else so that the alarm doesn’t flatten the battery again. Or with a new battery will it flatten. Or won’t it. The guy at the garage, a family member, is building his own vw crafter pvc and has just bought one for £300 plus vat. He’s recommending one also.
so guys
what do I need to do.
karen.
Click to expand...
If the engine battery is dead, the blue LED's won't work.

Drop us a email at info@vanbitz.com with your contact details and someone will get back to you

If you have already emailed us and don't think we have replied check your spam or junk folder

Every email has been answered during the lockdown

Mind you its been getting harder to remain professional and courteous the longer the lock down has gone on! This is the answer to a complex question emailed in overnight


"OK lets try the basics

Who are you?

Are you our customer?

What is your account number?

What is your vehicle registration number?

Anything basically that would allow us to check what we did and how we did it?

Thanks
VB"
 
Upvote 0
eddievanbitz said:
If the engine battery is dead, the blue LED's won't work.

Drop us a email at info@vanbitz.com with your contact details and someone will get back to you

If you have already emailed us and don't think we have replied check your spam or junk folder

Every email has been answered during the lockdown

Mind you its been getting harder to remain professional and courteous the longer the lock down has gone on! This is the answer to a complex question emailed in overnight


"OK lets try the basics

Who are you?

Are you our customer?

What is your account number?

What is your vehicle registration number?

Anything basically that would allow us to check what we did and how we did it?

Thanks
VB"
Click to expand...
Hi eddie
i did email yes, but said wasn’t open until 12th and will get back to me then. I will send another and put all the info down. Thank you.
 
Upvote 0
I will be picking up the new battery this afternoon and will see what happens. In the meantime I will email vanbitz with the details to see if I need to add something to protect the battery. Thank you all again.
 
Upvote 0
If you want to extend the length of time you can park up and not have problems starting the engine then you will possibly need something like Battery Master (other products available) If we emailed you and suggested that you contact us when we are allowed to reopen, it was because there could be other solutions, but we would need to know more? For example do you keep the van plugged into the mains? could this be done, in which case it could be that your system would automatically trickle charge the engine battery or could be set to trickle charge the engine battery

However, if you want a fully automatic belts and braces solution and the best one (in my opinion on the market ( it was my invention) and are happy to install it your self or get your garage mate to fit it for you, the cheapest place to buy a Battery Master is

 
Upvote 0
Ultimately any alarm system will draw a little current from the vehicle's battery system, even though the vehicle is switched off (that blue LED light is a clue something is using power). There can be other things using a trickle of power too, even though all appears off. Understanding all those hidden drains can become challenging. The standard lead-acid based starter / engine batteries will also lose a bit of their energy or standing charge over time - as will a standard type leisure / habitation battery.

Bottom line, if you aren't using your MH, as has been the case during lockdown for the majority, the batteries will get run down, and unless you plugged into an EHU (electric hook up), or have solar, nothing was going to be putting that energy back. Hence an empty starter / engine battery. Simply replacing the battery isn't going to prevent that happening again.

If you don't use your MH for a few weeks at a time a B2B (battery to battery charger) won't help you. A B2B replaces the more basic relay chargers sitting between your alternator and the leisure/ hab battery to make the charging of that battery more efficient (higher amperage, subject to wiring, battery type, and other limits). It will do nothing for your engine/starter battery which still gets charged off the alternator as standard.

You can put your MH on EHU. However many vans are only set up to recharge the leisure battery when on EHU. You'll need to link a trickle charge back from the leisure battery to the starter battery. Luckily Vanbitz thought of this problem and have a handy little gadget called a "battery master". An alternative to EHU is a solar panel (in the midst of winter it might, just, not cope if it's horrible weather for a few weeks), and again combined with the battery master should keep you ready to go, or some solar controllers do have a split charge system so you can trickle the starter battery whilst main charge goes to leisure.

edit - Eddie too efficient with the "sales patter" just beat me to it ;)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Belledog said:
I will be picking up the new battery this afternoon and will see what happens. In the meantime I will email vanbitz with the details to see if I need to add something to protect the battery. Thank you all again.
Click to expand...
Just to put your mind at rest you have a very good system and Van blitz is a good company to deal with but you may find once you have a new battery your issue will go away.
I've had my system from them for 20 years with no issues but I hope I've not jinks that by saying so.
If you leave your van on with the alarm on it will eventually flatten you main battery you will need some way to keep it charged
Edit: others have replied while I was typing
 
Upvote 0
eddievanbitz said:
If you want to extend the length of time you can park up and not have problems starting the engine then you will possibly need something like Battery Master (other products available) If we emailed you and suggested that you contact us when we are allowed to reopen, it was because there could be other solutions, but we would need to know more? For example do you keep the van plugged into the mains? could this be done, in which case it could be that your system would automatically trickle charge the engine battery or could be set to trickle charge the engine battery

However, if you want a fully automatic belts and braces solution and the best one (in my opinion on the market ( it was my invention) and are happy to install it your self or get your garage mate to fit it for you, the cheapest place to buy a Battery Master is

Click to expand...
Haha then that is what I shall buy Eddie. Our van is in storage so not hooked up. We have solar and that’s it. I will ring you on the 12th to order.
 
Upvote 1
john-A said:
Just to put your mind at rest you have a very good system and Van blitz is a good company to deal with but you may find once you have a new battery your issue will go away.
I've had my system from them for 20 years with no issues but I hope I've not jinks that by saying so.
If you leave your van on with the alarm on it will eventually flatten you main battery you will need some way to keep it charged
Edit: others have replied while I was typing
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. I know so many people rate the alarm on these forums as do the insurance company which is also a bonus. I didn’t realise the battery was so poorly. At least we are getting it sorted now as I hate not having the alarm on.
 
Upvote 0
Kannon Fodda said:
Ultimately any alarm system will draw a little current from the vehicle's battery system, even though the vehicle is switched off (that blue LED light is a clue something is using power). There can be other things using a trickle of power too, even though all appears off. Understanding all those hidden drains can become challenging. The standard lead-acid based starter / engine batteries will also lose a bit of their energy or standing charge over time - as will a standard type leisure / habitation battery.

Bottom line, if you aren't using your MH, as has been the case during lockdown for the majority, the batteries will get run down, and unless you plugged into an EHU (electric hook up), or have solar, nothing was going to be putting that energy back. Hence an empty starter / engine battery. Simply replacing the battery isn't going to prevent that happening again.

If you don't use your MH for a few weeks at a time a B2B (battery to battery charger) won't help you. A B2B replaces the more basic relay chargers sitting between your alternator and the leisure/ hab battery to make the charging of that battery more efficient (higher amperage, subject to wiring, battery type, and other limits). It will do nothing for your engine/starter battery which still gets charged off the alternator as standard.

You can put your MH on EHU. However many vans are only set up to recharge the leisure battery when on EHU. You'll need to link a trickle charge back from the leisure battery to the starter battery. Luckily Vanbitz thought of this problem and have a handy little gadget called a "battery master". An alternative to EHU is a solar panel (in the midst of winter it might, just, not cope if it's horrible weather for a few weeks), and again combined with the battery master should keep you ready to go, or some solar controllers do have a split charge system so you can trickle the starter battery whilst main charge goes to leisure.

edit - Eddie too efficient with the "sales patter" just beat me to it ;)
Click to expand...
He’s good At the sales patter too 😆
 
Upvote 0
Belledog said:
Haha then that is what I shall buy Eddie. Our van is in storage so not hooked up. We have solar and that’s it. I will ring you on the 12th to order.
Click to expand...
You don't need to order it from Eddie he's supplied you a link to where to order it.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
eddievanbitz said:
If you want to extend the length of time you can park up and not have problems starting the engine then you will possibly need something like Battery Master (other products available) If we emailed you and suggested that you contact us when we are allowed to reopen, it was because there could be other solutions, but we would need to know more? For example do you keep the van plugged into the mains? could this be done, in which case it could be that your system would automatically trickle charge the engine battery or could be set to trickle charge the engine battery

However, if you want a fully automatic belts and braces solution and the best one (in my opinion on the market ( it was my invention) and are happy to install it your self or get your garage mate to fit it for you, the cheapest place to buy a Battery Master is

Click to expand...
Ordered. Thanks for your help Eddie.
 
Upvote 0
Belledog said:
It says it’s dead easy to install. is that the truth 😃
Click to expand...
yep..
[Broken Link Removed]

1617885003254.png
 
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