Brambles Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I think what has happened is the older of the two banner batteries has failed. As you do not know the history of it before you got it then it could be a number of reasons but most likely allowed to discharge for too long or maybe run low on water. Anyway I suspect it failed with a shorted cell and it has prevented the charge voltage rising enough to its fold back to the trickle charge state from the charger. As the voltage has stayed high for long periods not quite making it high enough the newer battery has overcharged and gassed consuming water.. I would suggest the newer battery is actually now OK since you topped it up. So unfair to blame banner when there is large unknowns for the original battery. This is why you should not pair up a new battery with one over a year old or unknown history. No where does Banner state their Energy Bull is no maintenance, it states it is low maintenance which is completely different. Banner are good batteries if used as designed, but unfortunately it is very easy to abuse them by leaving to self discharge, not topping up or overcharging. Heavy loads below a certain charge level will also damage them as with all lead acid batteries. But with Banner who use antimony technology ('old fashioned' technology which many rave they wish they had again) shorted cells are a common mode of failure, where modern calcium cells generally do not fail short circuit but high resistance. Just throwing in my pennies worth in rather than sit quietly in the background groaning. Take it or leave it for what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veletron Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 Tracker - 2016-09-15 8:59 AM We installed a special multi purpose device in our motorhome for tea making - we call it a 'kettle' and it works off of the magic of a thing called 'gas'. It was cheap, works every time and never lets us down - what's not to like? There are some things that you can't work on gas and an inverter is needed if you can't live without them, but I do find it hard to understand why anyone would work the batteries harder than they need to? Convenience, I could choose to boil water on the stove at home as well, but I dont because it is not as convenient as a leccy kettle. Not had any issues with my new Exide batteries as yet, although they are currently only 3 months older than my expired banners! On the old van, I used the same inverter for the kettle too without issues. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veletron Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 Regarding the members failed banners, hot to the touch, it does indeed sound like a cell short has discharged the other battery. Hard to protect against this TBH as your fuses need to be rated to allow domestic discharge, but blow on a cell short which wont catch all battery failure modes. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Just an update, since disconnecting the HOT battery, the newer of the 2 Banners is behaving fine, holding a charge, not gassing and not losing fluid, same for the vehicle battery, So it looks like the charger is OK. Replacement will have to wait until we get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Brambles, clearly what you have said has been shown to be true, so good advice. You are right that Banner don't claim the batteries to be maintenance free, their website states Water will be lost and topping up required. But it is in the 'small print'. Many of the retailers claimed, until recently, that banner Wet batteries were maintenance free. Roadpro amongst them. I have a recollection of a big advert in MMM from a couple of years ago where this was expressed. At one point Bailey were stating in the sales literature that the Banners were zero water loss and didn't need topping up. I know that is the fault of the retailers in not understanding what they sell, but surely Banner bears some of the responsibility for either not clearly presenting the product to the retailers or keeping tabs on what their 'representatives' are claiming for the product? In an age where we have come to accept that the battery under the bonnet of our Cars doesn't need topping up, a battery that does have a big appetite for water should be expressly noted on the label, particularly so for a Motorhome battery where some of the locations make 'topping up' almost impossible. This isn't an attack on you, a sort of back handed request to get your support for better battery labelling. The much hoped for NCC approved battery scheme doesn't even list water loss as a credible characteristic. A readable date stamp would also be a good idea? You are a man of great expertise, do you not have any influence anywhere for greater clarity on battery labelling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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