[Jump Starting Again !]

Yes, replacing the Starter battery the minute it showed signs of having an issue, would have saved a lot of money.

I think he paid the Dealer nearly £800, new Bosch Alternator unit, Lucas Starter battery with fitting and VAT. He still had to replace the Starter battery anyway.

Because it was all so rushed, he was on his way to us and then on to the Ferry for France, he didn't get any say on the Starter battery that was fitted, which turned out to be low quality and was nearly a year old according to the dates.

I wouldn't be surprised if the poor replacement battery meant he went full circle inside 3 years.

 

 

So it isn't just about the jump start itself risking the habitation electrics, the web page documents the reasons why there is a risk to the Alternator following the jump start. Sometimes immediately, sometimes down the road.

Unless the radio or lights have run a new battery flat, the battery has usually discharged because of an internal failing, which along with it being very dead may load up any charging system massively.

 

 

The web page documents better, and cheaper (in my opinion) ways than the traditional approach of jump starting a flat battery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jump Starting Again !]

pepe63 - 2018-05-31 1:09 PM

 

So, rather than just - "Don't jumpstart a motorhome" - would there be any benefit in disconnecting the hab' battery (and maybe pulling a fuse or three) before the process takes place?..

 

If there would be, then maybe there's some merit to installing hefty switches in the system?..something that would isolate the base vehicle from the caravan plonked on top?

 

..or is that just overly simplistic?

 

(obviously, the above may not avoid the risk of damage to the "jump-er's" vehicle?...)

 

 

Pepe63, Yes if you know how to 'break' the wiring from the Starter battery to the Power Controller (like maybe removing the big Red 50a fuse that is sometimes next to the Starter battery on Hymers) then it is that simplistic.

 

Likewise installing a switch is practical if you know how.

We know someone who has installed a complex switching system that switches out the habitation system and at the same time switches in a direct heavy duty cable connection between the Starter battery and the habitation battery. This enables the Habitation battery to be used as a back-up jump start source.

He did this because he didn't have a great starter battery and didn't want to replace it. As a result it got worse and he relied more on the habitation battery to start the engine.

 

Which was fine as far as it went, but he had forgotten the load on the charging systems which were working flat out continually charging up a rubbish battery that quickly discharged.

 

First the poor 230v mains charger failed and 2 days before he was due to see us, the Alternator gave up the struggle.

 

 

 

[Jump Starting Again !]

Had quite a few damaged Power Unit Controllers or Vehicle wiring issues following 'Jump Starts' this Spring, so may we once again advise caution?

 

This example email about a Sargent ECxxx problem is typical.

 

 

"My EC100 is showing green and charging habitation battery ok, but red and alarm when not charging the Cab battery. The starter battery was low so I jump started it, not worked right since. New battery now fitted, old one was was knack+@?d.

Leisure side seems fine please advise.

G".

 

 

Turns out that during the Jump start, the Starter Motor had drawn power from the habitation battery burning out the in line fuse so the Sargent charger no longer had a path to the Cab battery.

Not a costly fix in this case, but shows how the habitation battery can get unexpectedly involved during a jump start.

 

See our webpage "Jump Starting a Motorhome : Why you should think twice" : http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/jump-starting-a-motorhome.php

 

 

 

 

 

[Jump Starting Again !]

Hello, Allan has asked me to point out it is much more complicated than just risk to the battery. The Alternator and Habitation electrics are a potentially much higher cost if things don't go to plan, along with damage to the donor vehicle..

See the webpage : http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/jump-starting-a-motorhome.php

 

Natalie.