Urgent help needed - no power in 12v system (1 Viewer)

[Touchwood]

Help!!

We're going on our first trip of the year tomorrow. Just picked up the van from storage, checked the 12v system and zilch - couldn't get any habitation lights on at all.

The van has been in storage but I've been giving it a 10 mile run every couple of weeks, and just last Friday we had a run to Whitby - around 60 miles round trip I guess - and didn't use the aux battery at all. The engine battery seems fine.

I've taken the auxiliary battery out and put it on charge - I got a reading of 8 volts from it on my meter - I know this is low but I would have thought enough to raise a dim glow in the habitation lights? I'm concerned something else may be wrong - perhaps a fuse?

Any advice welcomed - even if I don't get sorted we're going anyway, we'll be on EHU so I'm assuming habitation lights will work when we have mains power on - but if not we're in trouble. Difficult to check beforehand, I have an EHU lead with an ordinary mains plug on but it's difficult where I live to get it plugged in without trailing wires across the pavement.

Looking forwar to you invaluable assistance

 

[hilldweller]

If you haven't got a charger that will recover it it's kaput. Probably kaput anyway.

 

[icantremember]

I would think if it was down to 8v it is probably kaput

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[aba]

hi in some cases the hab control panel wont switch on unless the battery is above 12 volts dont know if this is the case in yours but i do know that a lot are like this.

 

[mikkidee]

If ya battery is showing 8v then it will probably need replacing

 

[mikkidee]

Don't know where you are in the NE but there must be somewhere to buy another battery.
It'll sa e ya weekend
Mike

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[Phill D]

"No probaly about this" i am sorry to say 8volts its dead and burried.

 

[Touchwood]

Thanks all - I do have another auxiliary battery, in the van but not wired up. I'll check that out if the old one won't recharge.

What's caused it to go kaput? Is it that I haven't kept it charged? I had a leisure battery on my boat that held charge all winter with no problem.

 

[Phill D]

if a battery goes flat and is left flat then depending on the lenght of time you can kill it off. how old is it? if its nothing special and over 3 years its probably on borrowed time anyway.

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[hilldweller]

I had a leisure battery on my boat that held charge all winter with no problem.

Presumably something is discharging it or else plain old age and self discharge.

Maybe an alarm or radio. You need to try an ammeter before you connect both terminals when you re-install.

 

[Touchwood]

Now I'm more puzzled, after just 20 mins on battery charger battery is now showing 13v.!

Any ideas?

Off to check spare battery.

 

[callumwa]

Might be worth dragging the mains cable out over the pavement and make sure everything is still ok on hook up as well.

You don't want to go away and find nothing is working on either of the 12v or 240v systems.

Callum

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[Touchwood]

All works fine with spare battery, so will manage with that for the weekend. I'll try reconnecting the old battery when we come back. Still puzzled as to why it now says 13v. I'll check it again in the morning - if it's down to 8v again I'll know it's dead.

 

[Phill D]

Hi again,, seems strange as you say . but 8v to 13 in 20 mins is somew going check the voltage in a couple of hours to see if it is dropping as quick as charging.

 

[GJH]

If the voltage meter in your van is the same as we had in our Elddis then it might be telling lies. I never had the battery down as low as 8 volts on the meter but on a couple of occasions it was showing a low reading even though the indicator was still green. So, checking after you come back will be well worth it.

If you do have to buy a new battery both Hadrian at Thornaby and Autoplus at Norton have reasonable prices. The only other place I know locally for leisure batteries is Teesside Caravans but I've never had occasion to check their prices.

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[Touchwood]

Graham,

I wasn't using the voltmeter in the van, I was using my multimeter. The voltmeter in the van wasn't showing anything at all, I assumed that as no power on it wasn't working.

Thanks for the advice on where to get a new battery, looks like I might need to invest - I'll be seeking advice on that as well in due course.

 

[harryoxford2]

If you get a desuphater charger you can probably throw the build up on the plates off and it will accept a charge.

I have recovered 3 batteries that way. It takes about 48 hours to recover the battery to tip top.

If you go this route Ill send you the link. The desulphater charger has to be big enough to cope with the amp/hours of your battery as if the charger is too low an amp/hour rating then it will only trickle charge.

 

[ramsthom]

If was only 8volts after a 60 mile run last week i would suspect the inline fuse near the leisure battrey has blown. This sometimes happen if the battery discharges when in storage. When the motor is started the chargling amps to the leisure battery is too high, blowing the fuse. I think its 20 amp rating.

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[GJH]

Graham,

I wasn't using the voltmeter in the van, [HI]I was using my multimeter[/HI]. The voltmeter in the van wasn't showing anything at all, I assumed that as no power on it wasn't working.

Thanks for the advice on where to get a new battery, looks like I might need to invest - I'll be seeking advice on that as well in due course.

Too technical for me. I just crossed my fingers and plugged in the EHU

 

[geoff1947]

Replacement Bty

Mine may need replacing too but will have to see an "Expert" to advise me. The Elecsol 100 amp carbon fibre bty has been recommended and at a price of £93 seems a bit high but it has a 5 yr guarantee so probably worth it Anyone have one off these and what are your views etc

 

[Phill D]

Hi Ravenmad, i have an Elecsol 100 Amp as you desribe but only had it a year. good compact battery and so far so good.

PS.. do you know the definition of an "Expert"/

Ex as in HAS BIN
Spert as in drip under pressure.

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[geoff1947]

Expert

sounds a bit like me there then ohhil

 

[Phill D]

were all EXSPERT at sometingoh: