corny Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Hello, We've recently bought a second hand elddis autostatus 1998 and we've been having a problem with the leisure battery. The battery that came with the van ran flat even after charging off the mains, the garage said it was a dud, so we replaced it with a brand new 110a battery. We attatched it and tested with the volt meter which read 12.5 so we hooked up to the mains overnight. In the morning there was about a small cupful of acidic water in the battery box and it appears to be dripping from the little "spout" on the side of the battery. Its not just water because the drip pool on the ground has gone crusty white. Why is this happening with a new battery? Our first thought was that we had a faulty charger however the volt meter on the battery when hooked up to the mains reads 13.9, which is as it should be. We are therefore stumped and your thoughts would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 It might have been overfilled when you got it. Some battery chargers will keep charging albeit at a lower rate even when the battery is fully charged, this will cause gassing which will cause a small electrolyte loss even with a new battery. So, check that the electrolyte level is correct, (just covering the plates) and this can be done even on a "low maintenance" or "maintenance free" battery. Only use a modern "intelligent" charger that will shut down when the battery is charged and just monitor voltage, cutting in again as the voltage drops. This type can be left on permanently and won't damage the battery. By the way you may need to check the specific gravity of the electrolyte and have it topped up by your battery supplier, if you have lost acid just adding water will dilute the mix. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 If your battery box is steel you better get in there mighty quick and clean it out or the bottom may drop out in a year or two. Remove all the moisture and coat with grease, plus the underside.of the box too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 It could be a faulty charger the voltage could be OK but it could be charging at too high a current. Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 It could also be a faulty battery - just because it's new doesn't stop it being a dud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coach2000 Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 I bought a new Lucas Battery and it was faulty, it would not stay above 11volts when charged. I took it back and they drop tested the voltage and changed it straight away. Clive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corny Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 Thanks for your help, it seemed to be overfilled, so we're going to run it down a bit, re-charge and see if it does it again. Then take it from there. Thanks for the analysis'. :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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