dawki Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Hi all Went away at the weekend but after a couple hours of running a couple of lights and the tv the Sargent 325 control flashed to show batteries at 9.6v despite being fully charged a few hours before. I had a pair of 3 year old banner 95751 energy bull batteries and I always have the van on charge at home When I returned last night I checked the batteries and they was bone dry, I filled them with 7 litres of fluid and have put them on charge but I guess it's a waste of time I have to admit I have never checked them as I always thought they maintenance free(silly boy) Do they normaly check battery levels at habitation service? Time for new batteries? Any advice much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Sounds as though you might have been overcharging your batteries. I would have the system checked before you put in the new ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I have just had an identical experience with a pair of four year old AGM batteries. Have been told that quite a few batteries do not take kindly to being on permanent charge as I have been doing through a hookup at home. I assumed the charger would cut out when fully charged but it seems it is possible to overcook them. Did not check fluid levels as after four years often without hookup when away I expected it was a permanent collapse. Replaced with Varta which are a bit cheaper than Banner though 85 rather than 100 amps.. Only time will tell if this is a false economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Unlike Banner's "Energy Bull" batteries that have removable caps that allow the electrolyte-level to be periodically checked and, if necessary, be topped up, AGM (and gel) batteries are, essentially, 'fit and forget'. So, even if you had wanted to make a fluid level check, you would not have been able to do so. Having a battery permanently on charge means that one does have to rely on the battery-charger working continuously as the charger's manufacturer intended and hope that the battery does not develop a fault. Plainly, if a battery's electrolyte-level can be checked, it makes sense to do so regularly as this may provide a warning of a problem that it might be possible to rectify before damage results. I don't know if an electrolyte-level check is a normal element of a habitation service. If a battery (leisure or 'cab' type) is located inaccessibly (eg. beneath a swivelling cab-seat) and significant effort is needed to carry out the check (eg. removing/replacing the seat) it's a fair bet that no check will be made even if the battery has been identified as being a type that can be checked/topped-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I fear that your batteries are completely beyond recovery, so you need to choose new ones. It would also make sense to check the final votage of your MH's hooked-up charging system, in that is part of the problem. My MH stays hooked up in the garage when not in use and the Schaudt Electroblok maintains a (displayed) 13.6 volts, which with my Exide Gel Batteries seems to maintaiin full charge without losing electrolyte. The batteries are the originals, dating from 2006, so eight years old. Assuming your charging system isn't feeding the batteries much more than 13.6 volts and you plan to keep your MH for a while, the extra cost of Exide Gel (or similar) replacement batteries might be worthwhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Gel batteries are totally sealed, so cannot lose electrolyte and cannot be 'maintained'. They have certain technical advantages over other types of battery when it comes to slow/deep discharge applications but, generally, for a completely maintenance-free leisure-battery, have been superseded by the AGM type. My (albeit limited) experience of gel batteries is that there can be very little warning between the battery working OK and the battery failing completely. As the optimum charging regimen for a gel battery differs from that of an ordinary wet-acid battery, a system comprising multiple gel batteries presents potential replacement challenges if one of the batteries fails. If a leisure-battery can be vented and its electrolyte-level be readily checked, it's probably best to stick with the ordinary wet-acid type like Banner's "Energy Bull". If a leisure-battery cannot be vented or checked, an AGM battery would be preferable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawki Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Many thanks for your replies I put the batteries on charge out of intrest and the won't go above 11.6v so it's time for them to go. The batteries are in a easy accessible outside locker so I will probably get wet batteries again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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