Help please... being a newbie to motor-homing... I’m struggling to work out how to charge the leisure battery...

[Alexandra]

I own a eldiss autoquest 140 my leisure battery is flat. I’m plugged into mains but it’s not charging... can anyone help please ?

 

[The Simpsons]

Have you got the charger switched on

 

[MikeD]

Is the on-board charger switched on?

Is the charger set to charge the leisure battery, some have a panel switch to change where you want the charge to go?

Is there any voltage reaching the leisure battery - it should show above 12v - probably nearer 14v?

Have you checked the fuses?

 

[The Simpsons]

You will have something like this image with a charger switch

 

[Alexandra]

I have a switch which is set to aux ?

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[The Simpsons]

Do you have image of it

 

[Two on Tour]

Elddis normally put a 25 amp fuse in the cable between the battery and the power distribution unit, check that fuse has not blown.

 

[MikeD]

I have a switch which is set to aux ?

"Aux" is generally the leisure battery Are you getting any voltage to it?

 

[Alexandra]

 

[Alexandra]

Hi I think I have sorted it...

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[Two on Tour]

At that voltage the charger is working.

 

[Two on Tour]

Hi I think I have sorted it...

How ?

 

[Alexandra]

main switch was off. Still unsure of what the button needs to be set on to when plugged into mains. Aux or vehicle?

 

[Two on Tour]

Alway leave on AUX which is your leisure battery, VEH is your vehicle starter battery and if you run that right down the you are likely to be truly bugger as your EHU charger will not charge that battery.

 

[MikeD]

I assume that the picture is showing the "charging" voltage.

At just over 13 volts that battery should be fully charged. If it was flat would not the charge voltage be higher?

Two on Tour Also why will the charger not charge the vehicle battery?

1. When the battery voltage reaches 14.4 volts this begins the absorption charge step. This is where the voltage is held at a constant 14.4 volts and the current (amps) declines until the battery is 98% charged.
2. Next comes the Float Step. This is a regulated voltage of not more than 13.4 volts and usually less than 1 amp of current. This in time will bring the battery to 100% charged or close to it. The float charge will not boil or heat batteries, but it will maintain the batteries at 100% readiness and prevent cycling during long term inactivity. Note: Some gel cell and AGM batteries may require special settings or chargers.

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[andynkim]

on all the vans I have had the charger will charge whichever battery is selected so in this case AUX selected hab battery charged, VEH selected vehicle battery charged as long as charger is switched on.

 

[Two on Tour]

@Two on Tour Also why will the charger not charge the vehicle battery?

For one, my Elddis does not charge the cab battery on EHU when switched to the VEH position and I had this confirmed by Elddis themselves when I was having problem which I thought was the BCA PDU and the wording on the Autoquest 140 handbook that the OP owns would indicate this as well.

 

[Alexandra]

Thank you for your help. Alex

 

[Khizzie]

on all the vans I have had the charger will charge whichever battery is selected so in this case AUX selected hab battery charged, VEH selected vehicle battery charged as long as charger is switched on.

And mine.

 

[peterc10]

In both of the motorhomes I have had the charger kept both the habitation batteries and vehicle battery topped up, both on EHU and using solar. It ain't rocket science, but it seems some UK converters think it is.