Leisure battery advice/explanation (1 Viewer)

Tezza

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Sep 6, 2008
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Benimar Mileo 286
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around 26 years
Good morning all

Just had my 2nd year habitation service and the leisure battery was reported to be "not in good health".

At 100% charge it was showing 30% health and on hook up it rose to 33%

The service center suggested it might just need a good charge, the van is used everyday, we have a solar panel, we had a weekend away on EHU just two weeks ago, but since we've had it I can occasionally smell like a sulfa smell, I queried could it be the solar panel over charging the battery but was told probs not but keep an eye on it.

The lights on my control panel are showing full as are the engine battery so not understanding the term not in good health, if the battery was dying wouldn't the charge be dropping and so showing less lights on my control panel.

can anyone explain please.

I will call the center this morning to ask them about it, as the wife took the van so I wasn't there to ask yesterday, do I need a new battery?


Tezza
 

mike mcglynn

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I had the same smell and when I checked my leisure batteries one was very hot to the touch, so I carefully turned everything off and let the batteries cool down as the smell is hydrogen sulphide and is very dangerous and can explode your batteries its time for new ones I think.
 

two

Aug 4, 2011
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I don't know how they measure "30 or 33% health" but never mind. It sounds as if your battery has had it. Is it only 2 years old, or was it already quite old when you acquired it?
It could be that it's been overcharged. If you can check the electrolyte, see what level it is (too late to do much about it now, but it would confirm the overcharging theory). There's a lot to be said for getting wet flooded batteries which allow you to check the electrolyte levels. If you've been leaving it on permanent hook-up, try changing your regime to once a month, for 24hours a time.

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funflair

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Dec 11, 2013
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Sorry I am not sure what % health means, you said at 100% charge so that is fully charged, are they saying it only has 30% capacity remaining that a 110ah battery is now just over 30 ah storage capacity.

Do you notice a problem with it not holding charge.

EDIT didn't read the "smelly" straight away got hung up on % but for sure it sounds like something is overcharging it, also check the vent tubes if its a vented battery as these should go outside. Its most likely dead but make sure all is OK so you don't kill the next one.

Martin
 
Feb 9, 2008
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The smell ! is the most concerning thing in your post IMO. This could be an indication that one or both of your batteries are faulty and possibly dangerous due to gassing. Martin has raised a valid point about venting and you need to investigate a little further to nail this problem down. You do not say what type of leisure batteries you fitted and how old they are which would help with the diagnosis. You should also check your charger is set for the type of battery you have fitted as this could be one of the causes of your battery gassing. I would be prepared to change one or both batteries if you can identify which one/both is gassing and establish why they are gassing to prevent the same error being introduced with the replacement batteries.
 

two

Aug 4, 2011
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(I'm now pondering on my own "% of heath"!)

If you have more than one battery, change them all together.
Batteries in a bank should be identical in every way, including 'life experience', to ensure a a good match and balance. Adding a good battery to a poor bank will deny you the full performance of the good one, as it will be affected by the poorest in the chain. To squeeze the last drop of service from a bank, you could remove a failed battery and continue with the remainder but, given that winter is around the corner and cold reduces capacity, I'd replace all. If one has gone, the other will be on its way. In simple terms, think of the remaining life of a bank as that of the weakest in the whole 'team'.
As said above, see if you can determine the cause of this. It could simply be 'old age' (it happens to all of us) but replacing the battery(ies) is addressing the effect and not the cause. If you don't find the cause, it'll simply happen again.
Ask more if anything's not clear enough.

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Lenny HB

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Oct 18, 2007
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I don't know how they measure "30 or 33% health" .
By a CCA tester for testing starter batteries it gives a percentage readout at 30% they have certainly had it, generaly the test is not much use on a leisure battery.
When on my last van the Banner AGM's failed the only test they would accept for warranty replacement was a CCA test they came up with 79% so they wouldn't replace them. My own tests on them one battery was giving 10A/H and the other one 11A/H before the load voltage fell to below 10.5v and the Elektroblock tripped out.

For the OP any sulfa smell disconnect the batteries immediately, if they are gassing off with a sulfa smell when on charge a good chance they could explode and it's not a pretty site.
 
Last edited:
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Tezza

Tezza

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Sep 6, 2008
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Thanks everyone, the battery (Only one) came with the van which was a new van 2 years ago 65 plate.
The van is used every day but not on EHU until we go away.
The engine battery was checked at my engine service and is OK.

I have no idea what battery is fitted as it is under the seat, but I am thinking after the two habitation services I have had I would like to think the vent pipe is fitted correctly.
As to the charger being suitable for the battery as the van was new, again i would like to think all is correct.
If i need a new one I can get a 110amp Lucas battery from my local motorfactor factor £110 or £120 from caravan dealer.

I'll take the seat out on the weekend and see what i am dealing with.
 

Lenny HB

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Oct 18, 2007
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I would like to think the vent pipe is fitted correctly.
As to the charger being suitable for the battery as the van was new, again i would like to think all is correct.
You live in hope, if the biggest manfacturer in Europe can get it wrong, I'm sure they are not the only ones.:)

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OP
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Tezza

Tezza

Free Member
Sep 6, 2008
243
70
South Wales
Funster No
3,966
MH
Benimar Mileo 286
Exp
around 26 years
For the record I can only smell the sulfa when driving only, no smell when stationary or on hook up.
Called Marquis this morning for an explanation, I didn't real understand what he was saying, he said the charge state was 30% when the van arrived and 33% when service finished so he said it was going in the right direction and maybe just needs a good charge.
He then went on to say if I can smell something then change it.
 
Feb 9, 2008
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For the record I can only smell the sulfa when driving only, no smell when stationary or on hook up.
Called Marquis this morning for an explanation, I didn't real understand what he was saying, he said the charge state was 30% when the van arrived and 33% when service finished so he said it was going in the right direction and maybe just needs a good charge.
He then went on to say if I can smell something then change it.
Have you considered it's the exhaust gassess your getting a little wif off when driving. Odd you're not getting anything when stationary and on hook up. Also, if your vehicle and battery are only two years old and you only have one leisure battery, I suspect you may well have an AGM battery fitted and if so might be sealed ??? and I also now suspect it may just need a right good charge. Before removing seat and battery, why not make sure it's on hook up, being charged and no smell coming from battery. If this is the case continue to charge for at least 24 hrs then disconnect if possible and let it stand for a few hours then check voltage and you will get an indication of battery state. If you do change batteries , change like for like.
 
May 29, 2013
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There are plenty of threads on the forums regarding best type of leisure battery and where to get best prices. I'd recommend reading a few of those before parting with any cash.

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Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,710
147,676
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
For the record I can only smell the sulfa when driving only, no smell when stationary or on hook up.
.
I would check the alternator output, the regulator could have failed and is overchargingingbatteries, it should be approx 14v no more than 14.4 with the engine running at road speeds (2000 - 3000 rpm).
If it is faulty I would be inclined to replace your starter battery as well, as that will have been overcharged.
 

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