Help. Van won't start. totally dead (5 Viewers)

[hogger]

Hi Campers

Not been on for months as we've managed a weekend in van since we got it last September. I went over today and it's totally dead. No lights, alarm, central locking...nothing.
I was going over each month to pay the storage rent and starting it up and running for a while, I brought it home and hooked it up overnight before Christmas too.
I realise it's not ideal to leave the van all that time without a good run. Van's a hymer 568. fiat ducato. I'm not sure where the cab battery is on my van but I found a battery under a panel in cab floor so hooked up a battery booster pack. Nothing.
I think I'm going to put in a new one, any ideas on brand/cost ?
I'm going to have to call Green Flag tomorrow to try and get it going and take it to a local repair place.

any advice welcome and thanks in advance

 

[Podney]

I would guess it’s simply a flat vehicle battery. First you need to find said battery. Then if you have a multimeter you can test it.

You could buy a battery charger and recharge it,they are not too dear and a good investment the way you are storing the van.

How old is the battery? If it’s been flat flat for a while it might now be jiggered.

Just running the engine for a while will not have recharged it enough,and won’t have done the engine much good either.

 

[Stealaway]

I'm still amazed by how many people are still surprised that their batteries have gone flat over winter ------- without ever charging them

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[Landy Andy]

This is the battery that I would be fitting, and they are also a very good company to deal with.

EA1000 Exide Premium Car Battery 12V 100Ah - 017TE

EA1000 Exide Premium Car Battery 017TE Exide are one of the leading battery manufacturers companies in the world and have been delivering quality in the automotive and infrastructure sectors for more than 130 years! Exide premium car batteries are Exide's leading wet lead acid battery range...

www.tayna.co.uk

 

[hogger]

I am glad your sorted, but can’t really understand the outcome.

So you have a switch in the rear of the motorhome that isolates the battery?

If so doesn’t that just isolate the habitation battery, so they don’t go flat. But the van starter battery will still go flat without use. If the switch turned off the van battery you wouldn’t be able to lock it with remote, arm the alarm, when leaving it.

Sorry if I misunderstood

Not sure what the switch at the rear does, if it isolates just the leisure battery or all electrics. I'm waiting on delivery of a new battery tomorrow so will be able to check. I can't remember what happened when I flicked the switch. You would think I'd notice if alarm armed or not and central locking operated or not wouldn't you!
I've got the old battery on charge here at home but the charger is an old one and I'm not sure whether it is actually putting a charge in or not. It's a pretty basic one apart from it's age.
I'm tempted to take the old battery over to the van and refit it. Turn the isolator switch back on again and check everything comes on again but seems a waste as the new battery will be here tomorrow.
I say this because I've been looking up some videos in which they say some old basic chargers won't charge a deeply discharged battery. There's nothing on the charger to tell me how much charge the battery is supposed to be at.
I'm waiting on a multi meter arriving or I could check now. I think a decent charger is the next purchase and another poster mentioned Ctek

 

[Anjistar]

After fitting a new battery when ours died in the last lockdown because of a faulty step, we did two 40 mile round-trips and on the third, the airbag light came on. It might not be connected, but apparently is known to happen - I think someone has already mentioned airbag ECUs. With ours, it's not just a case of resetting, but a whole new unit.
When you have your new battery fitted and all is working, take a few shorter trips before you set off on a long one!

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[hogger]

I would guess it’s simply a flat vehicle battery. First you need to find said battery. Then if you have a multimeter you can test it.

You could buy a battery charger and recharge it,they are not too dear and a good investment the way you are storing the van.

How old is the battery? If it’s been flat flat for a while it might now be jiggered.

Just running the engine for a while will not have recharged it enough,and won’t have done the engine much good either.

Thanks for replying. I'd need to take the battery out and bring home to charge it? I'm assuming the battery I found under the panel in cab floor is the starter battery. It looks a bit complicated.
Why is it not good to run the engine without driving?

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Just check out the other threads on here re flat batteries,don't jump start it immediately when hooking up to a jump start.you may damage the ECU system particularly the air bag module ,best to let it charge up a little to equalise the cab battery before jump starting.

 

[Odd job]

I would get the breakdown people to get it going they know what they're doing, it's easy to damage modern vehicles jump starting

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[AndyPK]

Thanks for replying. I'd need to take the battery out and bring home to charge it? I'm assuming the battery I found under the panel in cab floor is the starter battery. It looks a bit complicated.
Why is it not good to run the engine without driving?

As it’s diesel, you’ll clog-up the DPF without running hot enough and long enough to burn the particulates away......

 

[IRHP]

As it's a Fiat base yes the battery under the floor is the Cab starter battery. The fact that it's absolutely dead, no lights etc means it's probably knackered and needs replaced. If it were me I'd just get a new one. make sure it's charged, take it with you and put it in.

 

[Campervan_man]

If it's a Fiat Ducato there are 2 points under the bonnet to attach jump leads { POSITIVE and NEGATIVE } or to a 12V booster pack. No need to remove the cover under the passenger's feet to jump start the van.

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[hogger]

Thanks for your help everyone. The battery's are the original and van is five yrs old so I think I'll fit a new one. Just found a video how to do that. Looks easy enough to do apart from the weight of battery and access

 

[hogger]

If it's a Fiat Ducato there are 2 points under the bonnet to attach jump leads { POSITIVE and NEGATIVE } or to a 12V booster pack. No need to remove the cover under the passenger's feet to jump start the van.

yes found info on that. Going for a new battery tomorrow. Hope they come with a decent charge in them

 

[Googlebot]

yes found info on that. Going for a new battery tomorrow. Hope they come with a decent charge in them

If it hasn’t got a decent charge in it, take it straight back and exchange. They should be stored full at all times otherwise it breaks them.

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[Campervan_man]

Re:- Ducato 2007 +
It's easier to lift the engine battery out of the battery well by standing directly above it and using your legs muscles.

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

If it's a Fiat Ducato there are 2 points under the bonnet to attach jump leads { POSITIVE and NEGATIVE } or to a 12V booster pack. No need to remove the cover under the passenger's feet to jump start the van.

Interesting!
Where are these please. Any photos?
Thanks

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Thanks for your help everyone. The battery's are the original and van is five yrs old so I think I'll fit a new one. Just found a video how to do that. Looks easy enough to do apart from the weight of battery and access

Around 20 kgs for a good one

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[XxAnthxX]

Interesting!
Where are these please. Any photos?
Thanks

This should be where they are on an x250 Ducato

I think the x290‘s negative is on the top middle near the scuttle.......

 

[XxAnthxX]

I'm still amazed by how many people are still surprised that their batteries have gone flat over winter ------- without ever charging them

Don’t you believe in battery fairies? Like a battery master but with with wings

 

[Reallyretired]

Apart from not being good for the engine, starting it and only running for a few minutes will take more out of the battery than you are putting in it.

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[rbescape]

When we parked ours up for the winter (or any length of time > a few weeks) we've needed to isolate the battery. On our ducato there's a position on the ignition key to do this.

 

[autorouter]

Is there any chance of a mains hookup for a few hours at the storage site? There are various alternatives, including generator, jump starter power pack, or solar panel on the roof or propped up inside near the windscreen.

 

[Spriddler]

There are various alternatives, including....... jump starter power pack,

I found a battery under a panel in cab floor so hooked up a battery booster pack. Nothing.

Nothing with a booster pack 'aint good..........

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[autorouter]

I'm not sure where the cab battery is on my van but I found a battery under a panel in cab floor so hooked up a battery booster pack. Nothing.

Are you sure it's the starter battery not the leisure battery? I thought they were both under the cab floor somewhere.

 

[hogger]

I'm still amazed by how many people are still surprised that their batteries have gone flat over winter ------- without ever charging them

Not surprised at all. Now I've learnt a bit I'll be taking mine home to charge in future. I'm new to this and didn't even know where the starter battery was till now. Then there is the question of which one to buy... a minefield by the looks of it after reading a few posts on other sites

 

[hogger]

If it hasn’t got a decent charge in it, take it straight back and exchange. They should be stored full at all times otherwise it breaks them.

cheers, just learnt that from other posts too

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[hogger]

Apart from not being good for the engine, starting it and only running for a few minutes will take more out of the battery than you are putting in it.

Yep, kind of knew that. Same problem with the bike parked up in a lock up with no power. Needs to be taken out a good run.

 

[hogger]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I've decided on a new battery but which one? on reading posts on other sites it can be complicated.
I'd always buy the best I can for the van. I spoke to a repairer yesterday and he mentioned something about doing a campaign on owners going to lithium.
I don't know what is in the van at the moment so no idea if it's AGM or lead acid. I've read so much on it my brains befuddled now

 

[hogger]

Are you sure it's the starter battery not the leisure battery? I thought they were both under the cab floor somewhere.

There's another battery halfway back in the van which is accessible from a hatch outside the van so I'm assuming that's the leisure one?