Micky Salty Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Hello, this is my first time on this. I am having a big problem with my engine battery going flat and it's not even 2 years old. What is the best type of battery charger to buy please ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 CTEK chargers have a good name and if you haven't got a decent automatic charger then go for a charger first. But your starter battery may well be the problem, especially if it was a cheap one and persisting with a failing battery can easily damage a charger so be careful. Disconnect the battery and then charge it for 24 hrs, then leave it to stand for another 24, then measure the voltage. If it is above 12 volts check again every 24 hrs and note the result. A good battery should hold the charge and if the voltage decays scrap the battery and buy a decent one. A Varta LFD from Alpha batteries is regarded as a reliable bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 Ok thanks, my battery is the one originally fitted to my Peugeot Boxer base in 2017. I got jump started on Friday and took it to a garage on Monday who then tested it and said it needed replacing. Since then I have been told it needed to be fully charged before testing, is that right ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 I should add this is my first motorhome and my knowledge of engines is very poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirou Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 First step should be properly charging it (as mentioned above would be a good starting point). A description of your motorhome electrical system would also help in figuring out the next steps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 Okay thanks very much. Not got a clue on my electrical circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 A 2017 Peugeot Boxer should still be under warranty so head to your nearest Peugeot commercial dealer and ask for help. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 Thanks I'm doing that. Problem is the battery only has a 12 month warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirou Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Micky Salty - 2019-01-02 7:53 PM Okay thanks very much. Not got a clue on my electrical circuit. Did you get an instruction manual? Anything that mentions charger, elektroblock etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Hi, I do have the Peugeot and Elddis handbooks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Keithl - 2019-01-02 7:27 PM A 2017 Peugeot Boxer should still be under warranty so head to your nearest Peugeot commercial dealer and ask for help. Keith. I don’t know how up-to-date the information about Peugeot warranties on the following link is https://www.sgpetch.co.uk/media/pdf/peugeot_warranty_terms_and_conditions.pdf but Page 3 states what the 2-year contractual warranty does NOT cover, and this includes "the replacement of parts subject to normal wear linked with the use of the vehicle, its mileage or its geographic and climatic environment, if this replacement is not due to a fault. This concerns the following parts in particular: brake pads, shoes and discs, tyres, clutch, BATTERY, belts, dampers, wiper blades, plugs, bulbs, BATTERIES and fuses, etc.” The starter-battery factory-fitted to a 2017 Peugeot Boxer still ought to be able to cope with the vehicle standing idle for (say) a couple of weeks without ‘going flat’. This assumes, of course, that the battery has not been abused by allowing it to go flat (eg. by leaving lights on) and/or that there is no significant constant load being placed on the battery (eg. by a poorly-fitted alarm system) when the vehicle is standing idle. If Micky’s Elddis motorhome lacks the capability to charge the Boxer’’s starter-battery via the motorhome’s on-board charger, then buying a separate battery-charger and using this to charge up the starter-battery every few weeks makes sense. In fact (in such a circumstance) it would be essential to do this if the motorhome were not to be driven regularly. But if the starter-battery now needs to be replaced as the garage has diagnosed, then trying to maintain its charge-state by using a separate battery-charger won’t properly address the ‘going flat’ issue and would just be asking for trouble. I’d tell the Peugeot commercial dealership that the starter-battery suddenly went flat, that the motorhome had to be junp-started and that a garage has diagnosed that the battery needs replacement. I’d ask for a new battery to be fitted free-of-charge under the terms of the Peugeot warranty on the basis that the reason the battery went flat was due to it having developed a fault. How resistant to that approach the Peugeot agent might be is anybody’s guess, but if the present battery actually does requires replacing (because it became faulty or allowing to to go flat has damaged it) then that needs to be done now not later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Thanks for all your help. The dealer is now going to fit me a new battery and test for any unusual drain. Would anyone still recommend me purchasing a trickle charge thing and if so what one ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 My 2015 Elddis 115 with a factory fitted alarm last's just about two weeks before being unable to start the engine. I just take it for a 30 -40 mile run every two weeks down the motorway and back along the side roads, seems to do the trick. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Thanks, do you not use a trickle charge ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 No, just take it for a good run every two weeks. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 I think our van can manage a month before the battery gets too low, it's kept under cover so the solar panel can't top it up, and getting mains power to it wasn't very practical (now sorted), my answer was a solar panel placed on outside of building, this worked very well for several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Using a CTEK I have always charged my engine battery every 2 to 4 weeks until it registers 'fully charged' or 12 to 24 hours.....(Meter reading prior to charging about 12.2 to 12.4v) Charger connected to battery in situ. With alarms etc draining the battery 2 to 4 weeks is the normal 'run flat' time! Have never trickle charged and batteries tend to last 7 to 9 years ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 I also directly charge my motorhome’s starter-battery every 4 weeks or so. I use a CTEK MXS 5.0 5Amp battery-charger (that I’ve owned for years) and a CTEK “Comfort Connect” flylead that’s bolted to the Ducato’s starter-battery terminals, allowing the battery to be charged in situ without removing the large plastic cover in the footwell or the carpet above the cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 My Van's parked on the road so no cables across the busy footpath and Being disabled I couldn't cope with battery removal. It's the bitter cold wind driving through the van at this time of year that knocks the battery down Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Thank you all very much for your help. This has been very useful. How do I close this forum down now ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 You can't.....which is the normal situation on all forums! ;-) PS. It's normal for all threads to stay open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Micky Salty - 2019-01-03 4:18 PM Thank you all very much for your help. This has been very useful. How do I close this forum down now ? As has been said the site is open for your use at any time. You will need to log on again so remember your details. To get the best results when asking questions please indicate your van name and type with its age date or the date you bought it. Look at the headings of those who use the site most as it will give you ideas. Everyone then knows what they are dealing with and possibly are using or have used a van of the same type, Remember any answers will only be as good as the information you provide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Micky Salty - 2019-01-03 4:18 PM Thank you all very much for your help. This has been very useful. How do I close this forum down now ? As has already been said, you don't, BUT it is always appreciated if you would come back and post a conclusion when you do get sorted. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Salty Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Okay thanks all and will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique.hubrechtsgm Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 That engine battery is charged by the engine generator in basic form. You can option for a larger capacity. On RV they also requested to charge everything connecting to it by wire. The discussions on this site are endless and boring to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.