Starter Battery. (1 Viewer)

GRUMPY OLD GIT

Funster
Deceased RIP
May 8, 2011
115
227
Pembrokeshire
Funster No
16,315
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
Started in1974 with a converted London ambulance
My van is a 2003 Challenger on a Mercedes sprinter 316cdi and still has its original starter battery. Have noticed that if left in storage for 5/6 weeks it will not start. My loving and ever practical wife said l will buy you a new battery for your birthday! My question is should l replace it with a wet cell as original or an agm.? Are there any advantages or disadvantages?
Advice welcome.
Bob.
 
Jan 17, 2014
1,232
2,318
Wellington, Telford, Shropshire
Funster No
29,731
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
Since 1977
Get the existing battery tested first. It may only be an alarm or similar discharging the battery whilst in storage.

For a vehicle without 'Stop - Start' and regenerative braking a wet cell battery is quite OK. 'Stop - Start' and regenerative braking systems on modern vehicles usually hit the battery with sudden high current surges which an AGM battery is more capable of withstanding. Your 2003 Merc chassis is unlikely to be so equipped.

Rod

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canopus

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 27, 2010
6,110
10,187
rural Lincolnshire
Funster No
14,552
MH
Carado CV640 Pro
Exp
Since 2010
If you've had the battery on since 2003, use your loaf and buy a new battery, you've had your moneys worth. If its a Merc chances are it will be a Varta and have a MB part number on it.

With a starter battery its instant cold cranking which is required. AGM no good for that application.

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lee kelf

Free Member
Jan 7, 2018
16
10
Norwich
Funster No
51,885
MH
N+B Flair 7100i A Class
Exp
i,m a newbie
I recently had to re-charge the engine battery on our n+b flair it had given us no problems for the first 4-5 months when starting then after 2 weeks of inactivity it was completely flat.
We bought a new battery in case the original was done for. Since the recharge its been fine but on Monday after I started it up I left the inside control panel on/off with in the "ON" position.
Four days later the battery was completely flat again much to my frustration, I put the new battery on and it started again first time

Has anybody else experienced this issue with leaving the control panel on the engine battery will quickly drain?
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,202
48,792
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
If its a Merc chances are it will be a Varta and have a MB part number on it.
Mine (2007 Chrysler) is the original factory fit Bosch 019 with MB part number.
Chrysler built the 300C in Austria on the Merc chassis and running gear.
It's knackered too.
 

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
19,196
29,879
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
I recently had to re-charge the engine battery on our n+b flair it had given us no problems for the first 4-5 months when starting then after 2 weeks of inactivity it was completely flat.
We bought a new battery in case the original was done for. Since the recharge its been fine but on Monday after I started it up I left the inside control panel on/off with in the "ON" position.
Four days later the battery was completely flat again much to my frustration, I put the new battery on and it started again first time

Has anybody else experienced this issue with leaving the control panel on the engine battery will quickly drain?
Our Flair starter battery doesn't like standing for two weeks but not sure that control panel on or off makes any difference, we would be OK with solar except that it goes in a shed when we are not using it (which isn't very often) but we have EFOY and a battery master which keeps everything shipshape and raring to go.

Martin

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lee kelf

Free Member
Jan 7, 2018
16
10
Norwich
Funster No
51,885
MH
N+B Flair 7100i A Class
Exp
i,m a newbie
Thanks Martin ours is fitted with solar panels and does stand outside in all weather I usually go and start it every weekend when not in use, spoke to a mh and caravan service engineer who advised me to take the face off the radio as this is a common drain if left for long periods. For the past 5 weeks it’s been fine starting up after 7 days yet after I left that switch on on Monday the battery was flat on Friday, I guess being at minus freezing point all this last week if the battery is old that will kill it off .
 

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
19,196
29,879
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
Hi Lee

Does your solar go to the starter battery as well, if not it might be worthwhile or alternatively if the solar controller does not support this just fit a battery master, your CBE system will be the same as ours and looks after the starter battery but only when the leisure batteries reach 13.8v so in winter sun you may not manage that, the battery master works on a 0.7v differential between the two sets of batteries.

It's dead easy to fit to the Flair with CBE as in the connection box there are +ve posts for both leisure batteries and starter batteries and a common -ve.

Martin
 

lee kelf

Free Member
Jan 7, 2018
16
10
Norwich
Funster No
51,885
MH
N+B Flair 7100i A Class
Exp
i,m a newbie
Thanks again Martin I’m not entirely sure how the solar panels are set up, the previous owner only had it for 4 months so he wasn’t able to advise us at all. I have to arrange for service and mot in 4 weeks time so I’m going to get the service engineer to run me through everything. With the engine running on Monday the motor battery was charging at 14-4 v with the leisure batteries about the same.

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