Leisure Batteries going flat

[Cockers]

Well I’m sitting at home getting bored, so I’ve started playing with various things on the van, could be a mistake. I’ve fitted two new solar panels 175w each and a 712 Victron battery monitor and MPPT 100/30 charge controller and the leisure batteries are showing a current draw of 2.6A and -38w I’ve switched everything off and plugged in the mains and it’s still the same and showing a time remaining 2day 8hours when before its showed infinity when plugged into the mains hookup. Does anyone have any ideas what is done wrong or what’s decided to stop working. The little light on the sergeant battery charger is showing green. The van has a cat 1 alarm but I can’t believe it would draw that sort of watts. I have unplugged the old solar panel wiring from the back of the EC500 so there is no confusion for the control panel. According to the sergeant battery charger instructions it can charge batteries from 80 to 220amps. ANY HELP GREATLY APPRECIATED

 

[TerryL]

No decent alarm system woul draw that much. You need to check everything is switched off (don't forget things like items on standby, the light in the garage etc.) The fact that the mains charger is showing the same as the solar seems to confirm you've got a serious loss somewhere.

If you're sure there's nothing drawing current then to me the obvious problem is the batteries are at the end of their lives, or at least one of them is and bringing down the other(s).

 

[Lenny HB]

Try disconnecting the solar regulator to check nothing silly going on.
When reconnecting, disconnect the panels then connect the regulator to the batteries before reconnecting the panels. This lets the regulator set it's self up for 12v.

 

[Cockers]

Thanks Terry, I’ve even switched the main power button off and the Battery monitor is still showing the same. The batteries are only a couple of months old and when I put a multi meter on them they register 13.7v

 

[Cockers]

Thanks Lenny I’ll give it a try

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[DaveandJen]

Last summer when waiting in the service reception of a large motorhome supplier I got talking to the owner of a nearly new two week old motorhome who had been suffering the same problems as you and the factory had wired up the solar panel incorrectly - so probably best to double check any wiring you have carried out. Other than that if you have recently upgraded the leisure battery fitted as standard I’ve read in the past that sergeant charging systems can have problems. Good luck sorting out the problem.

 

[Cockers]

Thanks Dave, I’m going to try fitting the old battery and switch everything off and on again to see what happens.

 

[Stealaway]

Is the TV aeriel amplifer still switched on?

 

[Cockers]

No Alex I unplug it, one of my first thoughts as I could see the little light glowing
Graham