camper battery

coolvale

do anyone know anything about "Sweeney camper & caravan repairs" cashel rd, clonmel ?
I have a battery / charging problem.
maybe someone know of anyone else.
I am in Waterford but will travel a reasonable distance.

thanks
tony

What's the problem?

coolvale

07 laika R718 on a fiat 2.8.

I got a new engine battery in January 06.
around this time last year I had problems starting after 2 to 3 weeks idle even on EHU.
I was told the battery was faulty & it was replaced free that was in January 17.
now less then 12 months i'm having the same problem again.
laika told me on EHU it should be putting in a maintenance charge of 2/3 amps per hr into the engine battery.

Easy enough check with a voltmeter.
If you get higher than 13.0V while plugged in it's charging, if not it's not.

coolvale

on the control panel when on EHU it is reading 13.8v.
I also had it checked, when everything is switched off it is not drawing anything from the battery.
is it possible to get 2 faulty batteries in a row ??????????????????????

tony

coolvale

coolvale wrote: »

on the control panel when on EHU it is reading 13.8v.

At the engine battery, the service battery or both?

coolvale wrote: »

I also had it checked, when everything is switched off it is not drawing anything from the battery.

How was it checked?

coolvale wrote: »

is it possible to get 2 faulty batteries in a row ??????????????????????

Unlikely one is a rarity. They're highly reliable.
Usually the battery gets the blame for a poor charger/over-zealous discharging/operator error/neglect.

The worst battery on the market should give you 150 cycles. If it was used 20 weekends a year it should last 7 years. Most people seem happy with 2 years.



Is there water above the plates?

coolvale

control panel - both engine & leisure batteries are reading 13.8. there are 2 leisure batteries fitted.

it was checked by a guy that services starters & alternators for a living with a volt metre.

we always switch off everything even only stopped for a few minutes.
the only time its charged separately (apart from EHU) is like now is when it goes down & wont start.

there is no water above the plates. the battery is completely dry all round.

the starter motor was overhauled last year.

coolvale

coolvale wrote: »

do anyone know anything about "Sweeney camper & caravan repairs" cashel rd, clonmel ?
I have a battery / charging problem.
maybe someone know of anyone else.
I am in Waterford but will travel a reasonable distance.

thanks
tony

i phoned sweeney camper & caravan repairs.
one of those b####y machines answered so left my name & number.
guess what no call back.

tony

Sounds like your charger killed your batteries. I'd replace the charger with a different kind that doesn't kill batteries and replace the batteries too.

spaceHopper

Get a isolator/ kill switch on the engine battery got one from this guy

http://www.adverts.ie/alarms-security/battery-cut-off-isolator-switch-car-tractor-digger-van/13946995

coolvale

would an isolator/kill switch prevent the built in charger from keeping the engine battery topped up ?

tony

'twould unless your charger bypasses it which is recommended practice. Your built in charger is a battery boiler though.

spaceHopper

coolvale wrote: »

would an isolator/kill switch prevent the built in charger from keeping the engine battery topped up ?

tony

It disconnects the ground from the battery, so all electrics are dead. If the battery is fully charged it should last months with out the battery going flat.

coolvale

i had to get a new starter.
so far so good.
tony