How long on battery? (1 Viewer)

[Pechris]

Hello, I am new to this so bear with me. Bought a Chausson motorhome recently and had our first weekend away plugged into mains conextion, no problems. Last week were away for few days on grass pitch no mains. First night was cold so turned on heating. (Gas powered blown air system) after only about 90 minutes everything shut down and battery monitor said flat. My question is, how long would be normal for the battery to last in these circumstances? Do you think my battery has had it and needs replacing.
Also, is it poss to connect two batteries together easily to give me longer usage.
any advice would be gratefully received.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Yes you can connect 2 batteries together in parallel quite easily, 2 x12 v ,.for your existing battery you really need to charge it up and then check it with a multimeter when it's been on for a short time..your existing battery doesn't sound too good if only run for 90 mins on a fan blower ,but depends what else you have on,lights,TV etc.

 

[pappajohn]

90 minutes sounds like either the battery wasn't fully charged or its seen its best.
Connecting a pair of batteries is easy.
Keep them as close as possible and connect positive on one to positive on the other.... Same for negative.
Use a heavy cable to reduce volt drop and fit a fuse in the positive cable.
Don't connect a new battery to your old one as that will reduce the overall capacity and possibly damage the new one.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Eddystone]

Need to ask lots of questions but I'll start with two.
What size battery do you have?
What did you have switched on?

 

[two]

I think you're right. I'm sure you would've started with a fully charged battery (?).
Best to replace it with a new one and see how you get on with that. Now is a good time to test because the drain is higher (lights, TV, heating, ...). One may be enough (and save on payload). If not, it's easy to double-up (with an identical one).
The time to drain a battery is as long as a piece of string and depends on the battery's capacity.
The capacity will deteriorate quickly if maltreated (eg left in a low state of charge).
Measuring the voltage will indicate the state of charge, but is not that accurate.
As above, there are many questions to ask and answer to be particularly helpful...

 

[tonka]

Assuming it's a used vehicle you can never be sure how the battery has been treated. Dealers I think just leave originals and don't make any effort to change unless the buyer complains.
If you did buy off a dealer put a claim in and see how it goes.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pechris]

Hello eddystone, battery is 100 amp your and we had just one light and the heating on
Thanks.

 

[Pechris]

That should read 100 amp hour!

 

[pappajohn]

Worst case scenario, your heating fan may draw 10amps per hour so 15amps....in reality a lot less as the fan slows as the heating reaches temperature. One light would be maybe 1 to 2amps hour max.
1½hr total 18amps.....a lot less than the usable 50amps from a 100amp battery

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[two]

That should read 100 amp hour!

Thanks for the clarification.
Computers are supposed to help us, yet we had to dump imperial measure for them
and now we have to fight the **** auto-correct!

100Ah is a good capacity (when new) and should cope with normal demand for a couple of days (depends on the demand). 100Ah is 50Ah max in practice (5A for 10hours, 2.5A for 20hours...)

 

[ambulancekidd]

 

[The Coops]

If up to scratch and not watching TV for more than 3 or 4 hours a night about 3 days max, if with a 120w solar panel about 4 and a half days subject to light! Get the battery checked and if need be replaced

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Bonkers the Dog]

Yup, claim on the dealers account. If your usage is minimal and your battery is draining then you've probably had their best. I bought a van off a dealer and the batteries were knackered. I got two new batteries delivered to me from them and they can go on indefinitely with the solar charger and economic use. However I find I can only really do two days off grid as the jobby box is the limiting factor! 2 adults and 2 children produce a lot of sh...…!

 

[HugoBNB]

Welcome

 

[Jev88]

Probable duff battery but beware of the fan on the blown heater. How old is it? Does it make a high pitch whine?
My 1999 one was developing a fault on my old system and pulled more amps as the fan was for want of a better description dragging as the bearings were worn. It pulled the extra juice from the system and in turn emptied the battery a lot faster. Otherwise three nights with some heating, bit of TV, charging phones and water pump usage was achieved before I added solar .

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[The Wino]

Are you sure you have a gas heater most Chausson have a diesel heater and it will sound from outside particularly a bit like a small jet engine!. They use quite a bit of battery especially starting up.

 

[Pechris]

Hi, yes it is gas I know the newer ones have diesel. Mine is 2012 model.

 

[Boris7]

Where about s are you?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pechris]

We are just outside Daventry Northants.

 

[Boris7]

Then your a very lucky boy, I’m in nether heyford and I’ve got a supply of batteries free

 

[Pechris]

Hi, are you saying that you can supply me. some then?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Boris7]

Pm sent

 

[Vipar]

Then your a very lucky boy, I’m in nether heyford and I’ve got a supply of batteries free

How generous a true Funster