Guest carol hodgson Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 A couple of weeks ago, the engine battery was flat on our Peugeot Boxer (Elldis Elite). It had only sat for 4 days since last being out for the weekend. I was taking it to Brownhills at Newark on the Friday to have the gas water heater looked at, so after getting a jump start from the recovery man, I drove it up there from Grantham (20 miles) and left it with them with the request to have a look at the battery - while I took advantage of the leisure facilities there, I collected it later and stayed the weekend, I must have used the radio twice - you and yours on Saturday morning and the Archers on Sunday morning, came to leave on Sunday - battery totally flat. So left it there for the week! Went to pick it up the following Saturday 12th Nov - they had charged the battery, checked it and the charging system - did a drop test (whatever that is) and pronounced it ok. We went to France last Friday 19th Nov, good trip down to Dover, then over to Dunkerque down to Le Touquet, stayed overnight there, then started back up to Pernes-les-Boulogne, stopped for 5 mins to look at the map - battery flat as a pancake - called the recovery, jumped it - drove to campsite, started (just) the following morning but we had only done about 10 miles since the jump start. Drove up to Cite de Europ, (to buy a battery) but nothing open as it was Sunday, battery flat again, got a jump from another driver - drove up to Couderkerque, stopped to look at the map, the engine stalled, battery flat! By this time I was close to tears, made a cup of tea and rang the breakdown yet again, decide to stay were we were for the night (wild camping or what:). Got yet another jump Monday morning and we followed the recovery man to an auto electrician in Dunkerque, new battery fitted. And we got home safely last night. Rang Brownhills this morning, aftersales could not have been more apologetic and have offered to pay for the new battery. Said just run it and see what happens...... I am at a loss - any suggestions how a supposedly good battery became a 'duff' within a week. Or what it could be? I worked out that we had started the camper 14 times since leaving Brownhills on the Sunday to the battery being flat on the following Saturday afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neal Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Carol It seems it can only be one of three things or a combination of some/all of them: 1. Faulty battery 2. No charge from the alternator 3. Circuit load flattening battery All of them could and should have been checked at Brownhills. They are all very simple tests. Perhaps that is why they were so apologetic? Regards Neal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PeteC Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Most probably item 1 above However it takes some 50 to 60 mins (as a min) running to recharge a battry that has had to be started via a jump start 10 miles is just about enough to replace to energy used to start the engine normally Much depends on the way the battery was checked at Brownhills Checking the VOLTAGE off load is not much good The only "drop Test" that I have heard off is From a Great Height We used to call it(what I think they mean) A LOAD TEST but doubt if Brownhills have the gear to do such a test It involves fully charging the battery. Then applying a load (constant output) and timing how long it takes to reach discharge Used to test Aircraft Batteries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PeteC Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Look up this web site www.uuhome.dde/william/dauden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Hi Carol, I'm not an electrician, but this sounds like a problem a friend of mine has just suffered. I lent a good battery out of my 'van but that didn't cure it. It turned out that the alternator ceased to charge when the engine reached 2000 RPM. Something to do with the regulator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carol hodgson Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Thanks for all the replies. That battery web site was a mine of information I now know a lot more about batteries:) And as my mum used to say 'knowledge is never wasted'. I think Brownhills did a 'parasitic load test' which was well within the norm. When the 1st recovery man came out in France he reved the 'guts' out of the engine, while I stood there grimacing - but he turned the engine off and then on and it started, and this may be why it started the following morning albeit a bit of a struggle. So perhaps the battery is only being charged at a higher rev rate than is achieved during normal driving - but there again the auto electrician put his meter across the new battery while it was idling and I presume that told him there was a charge going in - well only time will tell! Thanks again everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John S Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Pete C _ I tried www.uuhome.dde/william/dauden out of interest but it was not recognised. Please repeat website - I may have mis read it. regards John S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 John S: No, you never had a chance - the correct address is www.uuhome.de/william.darden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John S Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Thanks Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carol hodgson Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 the web address didn't work for me either so I just did a search for uuhome and found it that way Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Hi, we had a similar problem with our battery three months old.Had to buy a new one in France, called breakdown out on Fiat/AA warrenty. Still waiting for Swift/Fiat to pay for new battery. This was after our dealer having said that their was not a problem with the battery on a previous occasion. I still think there is a problem with our electrics re mains connection. But that is another matter. If its not sorted I will name and shame. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tony Norton Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 Hi Carol Can I suggest you do the following, or get someone to do it for you 1) Disconnect any mains supply. 2) Check battery no load voltage. If it reads anything near 13V this is probably because it has just come off charge. Wait for about 3 or 4 hours after which time it should be about 12.8V. 3) Switch off all van electrics, lights ignition etc. 4) Disconnect the earth lead from the engine battery. 5) Connect the negative terminal of the battery to the earth lead via an ammeter and check to see if any current flows. A few milliamps should not be any worry and could be accounted for by the on-board digital clock and/or any "keep alive" demands such as the radio. Any draw of 1 amp or more probably indicates that a bulb somewhere is still alight. Likely culprits are glove locker and under bonnet lights. If removing the bulbs from these does not reduce the current draw to well under 1 amp then I think you may have exhausted any home resources and the services of an auto-electrician may be called for. Don't just go to a "garage", and particularly not to a "motorhome dealer", look in your Yellow Pages for a specialist "Auto-Electrician". Good Luck Tony N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 I've been having trouble with my battery going flat when the M/H is stood on my drive, Nobody yet has been able to find out why.Sometimes it takes about 3-4 days and sometimes a couple of weeks.I can charge it up no problem and it stays charged over any distance.One thing that did worry me though was that I couldn't lock it up once it was flat.How can one overcome that problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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