Leisure battery problem (1 Viewer)

Jul 2, 2019
50
5,626
Funster No
62,110
MH
Pilote 626D
Exp
Since 2018
Good morning everyone. Our 100A/hr L35 Lead acid leisure battery has been a tad unreliable lately. We have a 100W Solar panel on the roof which, until recently was able to keep the battery up to about 13.6V.

We are away at the moment at Twinwood Festival with no EHU. The lack of sun so far has meant that the battery charge level has been hovering between 12.5 to 13 volts. However, last night, according to the habitation control panel (which turned red!) the battery voltage dropped to 10.4v and nothing worked, not unexpectedly! I got out my voltmeter and physically checked the battery voltage. Yep, 10.4v. This morning at about 9 a.m I touched the control screen and to my surprise it lit up. I immediately checked the Hab battery voltage, 13.0v!!!

What could have happened? Sounds like a connection problem somewhere. Plates inside the battery? Anywhere in the wiring system. The battery seems most likely as it was certainly only reading 10.4v on my voltmeter last night, prongs held tightly directly on top of the battery posts. Any ideas, theories, suggestions, would be most welcome.

Thanks in anticipation
Nutrocker Pat
 

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,684
147,592
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
The 13v is the output from your solar regulator you can only measure the battery voltage accurately with everything turned off and no solar input.
Sounds like your battery has had it, if everything is working the battery voltage should rise to 14.4v before dropping back to 13.8v.

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Riverbankannie

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 11, 2016
10,432
60,970
Bristol
Funster No
41,967
MH
IH 630 RL PVC
Exp
12
Battery is about 2 1/2 years as they had electrical problems when they bought the MH, then bought the new battery which didn’t fix it. Then had a new control panel and had solar panel fitted at Shepton Mallett show, I think in September 2019.
 
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OP
OP
N
Jul 2, 2019
50
5,626
Funster No
62,110
MH
Pilote 626D
Exp
Since 2018
Thanks very much for your replies. The battery is only 2 years old so I might have to find the paperwork and see what warranty came with it! The next few days here could be interesting but it seems that as long as we get a bit of sun during the day we might be ok. 👍🏻😊😉
 
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ManTheVan

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 11, 2020
1,447
2,747
South Devon, UK
Funster No
67,952
MH
Rapido C class
Exp
Yottie convert
It does sound as if there might be a dead cell in the battery, which might account for the reading of of 10.4v instead of 12.6v if all 6 cells were working. It might be worth checking that all cells have enough electrolyte in them before condemning the battery, as one cell might be v low, halting the ion exchange in that cell. If all electrolyte levels are fine, then it could be time for another replacement.

Highly recommend looking at LiFePO4 if you can stretch to it, but you’d need to have a mains charger and B2B which had lithium profiles, ideally.

Good luck!

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OP
OP
N
Jul 2, 2019
50
5,626
Funster No
62,110
MH
Pilote 626D
Exp
Since 2018
Thanks MantheVan, I’ll see if I can see the electrolyte levels. Sounds a reasonable theory. I’ll be very happy if that is the reason and a top-up cures it!

I’ll also check out your recommendation.
Cheers
Pat
 
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OP
OP
N
Jul 2, 2019
50
5,626
Funster No
62,110
MH
Pilote 626D
Exp
Since 2018
Hi again,

At home now, in a bit of a panic because we’re going to the show at Shelton Mallet in just over a week’s time, so I ordered a new battery just in case. It was a good price and it’s being delivered today. I can’t help having a nagging feeling though, that the two year old battery is not the problem. It’s just a hunch, based on the fact that the previous battery was not very old when I replaced it. A very good friend of mine who worked as foreman of a garage where this van was previously serviced expressed surprise when I told him that I had replaced the battery not long after I bought the vehicle. He said that they had replaced it the previous year! It was through this friend that I got to know of and bought the motorhome, an Autosleeper EK based on the Peugeot Boxer chassis.

When we were in Twinwood (until Tuesday) the battery was always between about 12.5V and 13V and I checked the “Hab Battery Drain” via the electronic control panel and it never showed any drain at all whilst we were there. Since coming home and parking the vehicle on the drive the battery is reading 13.7V and this morning the “Hab Battery Drain” is showing a drain of 1 to 2 blocks out of a 7 block scale! So…..when it’s fully charged with nothing switched on (Control Panel for habitation supply switched off) something appears to be using the leisure battery power. I am not sure how the vehicle alarm is wired (you might have guessed that I’m no expert when it comes to electrics!) but we have had some problems with that and recently had a new solenoid fitted to the habitation door. (The old one had seized up due to water ingress).

When the new battery arrives I will fit it and see whether it makes any difference. If it doesn’t I might have a brand new Yuasa L35/115 for sale if anyone is interested! 😁
 
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OP
OP
N
Jul 2, 2019
50
5,626
Funster No
62,110
MH
Pilote 626D
Exp
Since 2018
70DC707A-DCD9-4A04-9214-F42621FD428E.jpeg

Solar controller
 
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OP
OP
N
Jul 2, 2019
50
5,626
Funster No
62,110
MH
Pilote 626D
Exp
Since 2018
Hi Lenny

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OP
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N
Jul 2, 2019
50
5,626
Funster No
62,110
MH
Pilote 626D
Exp
Since 2018
The red writing was written by the previous owner. I disregarded the spurious advice given and have replaced with a 20 A fuse when I replaced the complete fuse holder.
 
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