Swift Command, solar charge and Battery Low alarm (1 Viewer)

[GeeCee]

Not this week, but the two weeks previous I have received a Battery Low alarm from Swift Command. The first occurrence was a week after I'd put the van (Swift Kon-Tiki 574 S) into storage following a long trip away. And I got the same again a week later. Fair enough the weather had been poor - cloudy and rainy most of the week, both weeks, so perhaps the solar panel was not generating enough charge. And when I went to check, the battery was indeed very low, so I connected the EHU for 24 hours. But as this is a new van and its the first time it's been in storage I had assumed it would retain sufficient charge to last at least a week regardless. One thing I wasn't sure of was whether I needed to do anything on the Swift Command control panel, other than make sure the fridge and heating were off before I left it in storage. Any thoughts on whether a week in poor weather is about the limit, or whether there's anything else I need to do before leaving it in storage?

 

[PhilandMena]

RTFM

 

[bridgedino]

If you have a multimeter you could check the battery voltage, at least you would know if the command unit was reporting correctly or not. The van may be new but the battery may not be.

Hope thats a more helpful reply

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[GeeCee]

If you have a multimeter you could check the battery voltage, at least you would know if the command unit was reporting correctly or not. The van may be new but the battery may not be.

Hope thats a more helpful reply

No I don't have a multimeter but I do suspect the battery might be old. It's a 2020 model but was built in 2019. Not sure what the dealer does to keep the battery charged if they've had it a while.

 

[DaveandJen]

First it's worth having a read up of the handbook and double checking your control panel to make sure the input from your solar panel is going to your habitation battery and keeping it charged as the normal default is to look after the engine battery so you can start the vehicle. The habitation battery fitted to most Swift motorhomes (and others from new) is of the lowest quality class and designed to be recharged very often from the inbuilt charger when visiting commercial sites with 240 volt power supplies not wild camping for days on end which requires a more expensive battery than those factory fitted. Three years from a standard fit (new well looked after) motorhome habitation battery seems to be the norm so you have probably got it right in your post above,

 

[Jim]

RTFM

What sort of a reply to a thread is that? Take a month out and when you come back, remember where you are. Thanks.

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[GeeCee]

First it's worth having a read up of the handbook and double checking your control panel to make sure the input from your solar panel is going to your habitation battery and keeping it charged as the normal default is to look after the engine battery so you can start the vehicle. The habitation battery fitted to most Swift motorhomes (and others from new) is of the lowest quality class and designed to be recharged very often from the inbuilt charger when visiting commercial sites with 240 volt power supplies not wild camping for days on end which requires a more expensive battery than those factory fitted. Three years from a standard fit (new well looked after) motorhome habitation battery seems to be the norm so you have probably got it right in your post above,

Thanks DaveandJen. I have checked that it's going to the habitation battery on the control panel. And I've looked at the manual in detail but it doesn't make it clear how long you can expect to run it for from the solar panel alone (with everything switched off). I think it's going to be one for the dealer to sort out as it's still under warranty. Reason I posted was to see if anyone else had experienced similar, given that the dealer is now closed due to Covid.

 

[Suzukikettle]

Hi Gee Cee if you get to the Sargent control panel and select the setting mode, hold your finger on the button and the system will enter the the setting menu you can then scroll over to the charger setting .
Think from memory its top row far right select either habitation or van battery.
This will then supple all the solar output to the selected battery you will see after a few days if your selected battery has charged at all.
Hope this helps good luck.

 

[Suzukikettle]

On the sergeant control press and hold the setting option from there you can select the option whether to have the solar panel to only charge the measure battery not the measure and engine battery check after a few days check if the leaguer battery ha any charge in it

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[KD]

Ours (standard batteries and single solar panel) - OK slightly different Swift model but I would assume similar electrics - will last way longer standing than a week on solar at this time of year. Only times we seem to need to do top ups are during December and January.

 

[GeeCee]

Not sure why I'm suddenly getting responses to this but it relates to a problem I had in 2020 which was fixed long ago by the advice I received at the time.