Light issues (1 Viewer)

Ianbr999

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Dec 4, 2016
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Hi

I'm totally new to all of this. I have just bought a camper conversion (Nissan primastar). When the engine running the led roof lights are really bright, however when I turn it off they go very dim. The camper has a leisure battery. Do you have any idea what this could be? Thanks for any advice
 

pappajohn

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Certainly sounds like a knackered leisure battery.....
With the engine running the alternator is providing power to the lights via the battery but the battery can't accept the charge so without the engine it shows a flat (very flat) battery.
Probably no acid/water in it but it's had it anyway...renewal is the only option.

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Ianbr999

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Thanks guys. I have a button (very hard t describe and you can tell I'm new) you twist it and it turns on a small display with a numerical reading e.g. 14.7. I'm not sure what this represents...any ideas...
 

EX51SSS

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No idea but these will help on here.
welcome animated smiley3.gif
 
Jan 8, 2013
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Thanks guys. I have a button (very hard t describe and you can tell I'm new) you twist it and it turns on a small display with a numerical reading e.g. 14.7. I'm not sure what this represents...any ideas...

It will mean that the alternator is connected and is charging the leisure battery. It will drop to 12V something when you turn off the engine.
If the battery reads less than 12V and old - its Knackered. Buy a good Named battery.
 

jollyrodger

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Don't know what part of Devon you are but Plymouth battery center .sugar mill est match any Internet price if you need a new one (y)
 

WynandJean

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Hello and welcome from West Midlands.

.... p.s. To get the most from the forum you will need to subscribe. It's well worth £15 and will allow you to continue posting as well as letting you into areas that non members can't access.

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Ianbr999

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Here are two pictures. One to follow. 14 is when engine on. 12 when not on. Strange this thing is when I plug van electrics into mains (with engine off) lights still very dim.
 

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Ianbr999

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Pic on 14

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Ianbr999

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Dec 4, 2016
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Thanks for the welcomes. I'm very new to all of this, so just learning as I go. Thanks Ian
 
Jan 8, 2013
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The lights are only getting battery 12V. When you plug in there might be a 240V charging circuit but its not apparent.
The battery is going flat with the lights on. Bright lights only when the alternator is charging at 14+V.
 
Apr 27, 2016
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Sorry to say it, but that Ansmann charger is just not up to the job of charging leisure batteries. It will supply only 600mA to a 12V battery. It's intended for motorbike and alarm batteries, I presume.

Ansmann say it's good for up to 24 Ah batteries, but I imagine your leisure battery will be in the 80 to 110 Ah range. As a comparison, my charger is rated at 18 amps, which works fine for me, but some on this site would say it's a bit under-powered.

Don't throw it away, it'll be useful to keep the battery topped up when the van is standing idle for a long time. But for charging up a low leisure battery it's not really powerful enough.

No criticism of Ansmann, I have an Ansmann brand charger for my AA and AAA batteries, works fine.

And I agree with the other doomsters, sorry funsters, that battery's probably had it.

If you get a new battery, make sure you also get a better charger, because long periods in low state of charge will soon ruin even a new battery.

Maybe get the charger first, and see if you can rescue the battery. But realistically there's not much chance of that.

Oh, and welcome to the club. We've probably all been there and done that.

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