Battery problems

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Hi All

I have a Lunar Roadstar on a 2.8jtd Fiat 2007 reg. but old model, I have an 80wat solar panel and two 85amp leisure batterys, I also have a battery master fitted. The problem I have is only when I go to rallies, the first time it happened was at last years Peterboro show, booked in from thursday until Monday, always very spareing with usage of the batterys most lights I use are LED have a Cello TV that was sold as very litle juice compared to most TV's, but we still do not watch it all night, I find that the solar panel keeps the batterys charged for most of our needs. When we decide to leave the show on the Monday the Van battery was flat I managed to get a jump start and awaqy we went, we stopped for abreak about 100 miles up the road and it started ok. I had no trouble for the rest of the year although we use hook up for our main holidays. when we went to the Lincoln rally we stopped the same time Thursday to Monday and used the vehicle the same and come Monday morn main battery flat called out AA and he said main battery was in his words Knackered, he got me started and once more stopped on the way home abot sixty miles towards home and again it started no bother each time this ha shaqppened we have found the 20amp fuse blown on the slpit charge relay fuses the one that feeds the leisure battery. I was not convinced that the battery was duff, the vehicle has not done many miles since then and every time I go out to start it does not mater what the weather or tempreture the vehicle starts no bother.

I check the state of the batterys on my panel and they both leisure and main battrey show readings of 13.4 to 13.8 on a really good day for sun I had 14volts.

 

This week I decided as the Peterboro show is pending I would take of the battery and get it tested by an Auto electrician and he passed the battery as been tip top, The main Battery is an original one that came with the Motorhome as are the lesiure batterys and I have owned the Motorhome from new.

 

I was always under the impression that as long as you had the caravan switch on you would not be using the main Battery.

 

Sorry this is long winded but can any member suggest a cure .

 

Terry

[StuartO]

Buy yourself a new starter battery! If your MH is 2007 and it's the original, stop kidding yourself before it let's you down at a bad time or in a bad place.

 

If your leisure batteries are originals too, they probably need replacing soon too.

 

[aandncaravan]

I find it hard to believe that batteries at 9 years of age can be in, "tip top" condition, as my interpretation of 'Tip Top" is like new and that is scientifically unlikely at 9 nine years of age. The best are likely to be only 80% at 6 years old.

 

The voltages you are seeing on the display seem to be the voltage at the battery, not the battery voltages themselves. If the Solar panel is active and charging the batteries at 13v, that 13v is what you will see on the panel. The actual battery voltage could be 11v. The display just shows the highest voltage it 'sees' on the cable.

 

I would suggest the Auto Electrician saw how awkward it was to replace the battery, and told it was good so he didn't get the job of replacing it!!

 

 

 

[Keithl]

Terry.

 

It sounds as though your split charge relay has welded closed. ie both batteries are permanently connected together.

 

When your MH is in storage there is no load on either so all is then OK when you come to start it.

 

At a rally you are running both leisure and starter batteries down equally until you cannot start the engine BUT the act of trying to start the engine is probably blowing the split charge fuse.

 

Once you have some charge back in the starter battery from driving for an hour or so then the starer battery can easily restart the now warm engine.

 

Test your split charge relay before going any further.

 

HTH,

Keith.