mackrnorton Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 I have a brand new Benimar T494 on a ford chassis from Marquis on which I am at the end of my tether. Two days after collecting the vehicle I had to call the AA out as the engine battery was flat. The next day the battery was flat again and the vehicle was returned to Marquis who fitted a new battery. Fine for a trip out. (I should state I am a pensioner and I am disabled, unable to walk other than a few steps and a recent widower for which the M/H was to be my get away/escape) Having experienced a site with a sloping pitch, on the advice of Marquis I had levellers fitted from a firm they recommended. Upon attempting to collect the M/H from storage some three weeks later, again the vehicle and this time the leisure batteries as well as the engine battery were completely flat. Marquis came out and managed to start it and took it back to their depot Immediately before lockdown at x-mas 2020 I was advised the levellers had drained the batteries and they were fitting a isolator to switch off any power to the levellers whilst the vehicle was parked up. The lockdown came on and I was only able to get the vehicle back recently. Marquis told me to trickle charge the batteries whilst in storage, except they failed to tell me the levellers control panel memory would be erased if there was no power to it, which it did. I only discovered this when I took the M/H for a long week end last week. Not being able to set the levellers and spent the first night on a sloping pitch next day I contacted the people who installed the levellers and from the conversation in my view, they implied the battery problems was not as a result of their levellers, however they were able to talk me through a control panel reset and I was able to activate the levellers and enjoy my week end. On my way home, I stopped at a motorway service station for a comfort break and only after about ten minutes I started the vehicle but felt it was sluggish as if the battery was low again. (the isolator was in the off position) When I got home I checked the control panel inside the habitation area and discovered the engine battery had one green bar showing, meaning it was charged to only 50%. The leisure battery indicated a charged of over 90%. I connected the M/H to my electricity hook up, so not using the batteries and again next morning checked the control panel again, only to see 'again' the engine battery was till at 50%. I am at my wits end. I want to do the Scottish 500 when all restrictions are lifted but I am concerned I could be left stranded in the middle of the nowhere with a flat battery and with no phone signal if the fault is not put right. Does any one know anyone who can properly diagnose the fault on my M/H. I don't care how far I travel to have this problem rectified or a legal firm specialising in claims about M/H's suppliers? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Area you live in might help, any good auto electrician should be able to check for current drain with everything turned off,and voltage at both batteries whilst engine is running. With modern alarms and immobilisers if you have no solar or mains hook up a lot of vans batteries will run down over three weeks. A battery mate may help keep the engine battery’s state of charge up for a bit longer but solar would help. But the priority is to check for current drain. I am surprised Marquis did not suggest and check for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Mack. This link advises on rejecting a motorhome https://www.clerksroom.com/downloads/697-Consumer-Rights-for-Motorhome-Owners-and-Rejecting.pdf and in mid-2020 there was a forum discussion about this that may be of interest to you. https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Reject-new-van/55626/ Marquis is responsible for getting the ongoing battery-draining problem resolved, but it will need to be established whether the cause lies with the the Ford chassis or the Benimar conversion or the levelling system that was retro-fitted, or a combination of those factors. Your posting indicates that you obtained your motorhome sometime last year. Since the starter-battery was replaced by Marquis, hopefully you’ve kept an accurate record of when the problems you’ve mentioned subsequently occurred, what communications you’ve had with Marquis (emails etc.) and what actions Marquis has taken. If not, you should start a ‘log’ of what’s happened and carefully maintain this from now on. As weldted has said, where recommendations for expert diagnosis are concerned it might help to know the area in which you live (Dorset?) But - as your motorhome is under warranty - care needs to be taken if 3rd-party work is to be carried out on the vehicle without this first being approved by Marquis and/or Ford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefitz Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 The Ford has a so called ,'smart alternator' so needs a specialized charging system to charge the leisure batteries when the engine is running. If this system is faulty or has been installed incorrectly it could drain the engine battery. Its also possible there could be a fault on the Ford side of the electrical system, something totally separate from the motor home electronics. This should be covered by Fords warranty so a visit to a Ford commercial dealer may be useful. Its a relatively easy task to determine if its a charging problem or an excessive drain on the engine battery and a Ford workshop should quickly discover what is causing the flat battery. Since Marquis seem unable to solve the problem consider using a mobile automotive electrical technician to investigate the problem, an internet search or yellow pages should find someone local. Even if they are unable to fix what is causing flat batteries they should be able to verify if it an issue with Fords electrical system or a problem with the conversion side of the electrics. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainsomill1982 Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Hey Mack, it sounds like something is draining your battery at a much faster rate than it could ever be charged. Where abouts are you located as this could help with recommending an auto engineer? Lew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Just to point out I was not suggesting any work should be carried out by anyone other than Maquis or a Ford agent simply to discover if there is a problem caused by a fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackrnorton Posted June 22, 2021 Author Share Posted June 22, 2021 Thank you all for the very useful information concerning my problems, truly appreciated. I actually live in North Dorset and purchased the vehicle from Marquis at Poole. I viewed a smaller model and they recommended the bigger T494. It was delivered to them there from another depot. Whilst I do not have written permission to have had the levellers fitted, it was their service depot who recommended the company who fitted them. When the batteries failed and the M/H was collected I did write to Marquis asking for a full refund as well as compensation for the £6000 I had paid out for the levellers. Their manager promised they would get to the bottom of the problem and then of course said it was the levellers that had caused the second failure and that they had fitted the isolator hence where I am now. At this time I am waiting for Marquis service to get back to me as I have emailed them explaining the leveller failure due to losing the memory as the vehicle is already booked in for its annual habitation service on Wed 30th. (I need to book a taxi to get me home if they choose to keep the vehicle - no reply yet). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 I'm sorry to add to your woes but by adding the weight of levellers, I don't think you have got any payload left. If you get it back in running condition, I would recommend you get it on a weighbridge immediately. It only has a 300 kg payload when empty which is nothing by the time you add your essentials, fill some fresh water and fill the fuel tank. I know you will be travelling solo but it is still borderline. My advice is try to get your money back, see a Solicitor. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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