Twizzle Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 My wife & I purchased a new Elldis Autostratus 500 last June and find that the vehicle battery has to be charged before starting, if it is left standing for 3 weeks or so. The dealer states this is normal, Elldis say the chassis and engine are nothing to do with them and Peugeot Customer Care say all of their technical information is lodged with the local dealers, who in turn say they don't have that information but as an informed guess would say 3 weeks is probably about right. They suggest removing the battery connection but this would disable the alarm and thereby invalidate the insurance. There is a Phantom Tracker fitted but this should be drawing no more than 20 milliamps; othere than this there is the Peugeot fitted alarm. Can your experienced Motorhome users please tell me if this info. is correct or am I being fobbed off and if correct how do they manage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Vehicles vary enormously. Remember the alarm is also drawing current as well as the tracker. Do you switch off the control panel when parking up? My car (a Citroen Xantia) was regularly flat after 2 to 3 weeks. When, eventually, it needed a new battery, all was suddenly well and it will now restart after 5 weeks or more. So you may have a less that perfect battery. The solution is to get a battery charger of the type that monitors the battery voltage and automatically switches off when fully charged and on again when the voltage drops. This avoids a continuous charge current that will eventually gas the battery dry - and set off the alarm!! Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 If your tracker takes 20 milliamps it will flatten a fully charged battery in three weeks: three weeks equals 21 days @ 24 hours per day equals 504 hours. 0.2 amperes mulitplied by 504 hours equals 100.8 Ampere hours. Perfectly normal. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 None of which explanations will exactly resolve your flat battery problem. If you have access to a hook up, or can arrange this say once per week, I'd suggest you explore the possibility of installing a charger for the starter battery. I believe Elddis may not include this in their standard equipment, although some other makes do. If you can't get a hookup to the van for a few hours weekly, you may have to explore a solar panel, possibly with feeds to both batteries. However, that will prove much more expensive than a built-in charger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Hi Twizzle- If you leave your van standing for up to 3 weeks, you need to have it on trickle charge. Do you have it at home and able to get mains power to it? If this is possible then connect up and your leisure battery will be kept healthy and if your van as a form of electric relay switch to feed the starter battery, all should be well. If you find you do not have one already fitted, this is easily achieved and can be done by your dealer, or obtain one from C.A.K. and fit it yourself. I did this and have had no further problems with either battery. Regards chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Dave, Sorry to be a pedant, but 20 milliamps is surely 20/1000 amps (milli=thousandth) which is 0.02 amps. Isn't it? Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Sorry Mel, you're absolutely correct, I claim a senior moment 8-) . D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 We have an Elddis Autoquest 100 and experienced a flat battery in February. Received advice to make sure the radio was switched off fully as some radios just switched off at the ignition can draw enough power to flatten the battery when the vehicle is left standing for some weeks. Never had the problem since though I did also buy a Tronic T4X charger which I used a couple of times in the colder weather just as belt & braces. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twooks Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 GJH - 2007-05-18 6:36 PM Never had the problem since though I did also buy a Tronic T4X charger which I used a couple of times in the colder weather just as belt & braces. Graham Is that a smoggie thing - most people just use ordinary belts n braces - don't bother with the electrical type *-) *-) B-) ps missed you on the argument thread :-> :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 twooks - 2007-05-18 6:44 PM Is that a smoggie thing - most people just use ordinary belts n braces - don't bother with the electrical type *-) *-) Can't be, I'm only an immigrant to Smoggie-land. Still not naturalised enough to have been able to visit the Top Deck :-D :-D twooks - 2007-05-18 6:44 PM ps missed you on the argument thread :-> :-> Who? Me? Argumentative? Not on this forum, only get upset by people on a certain other forum :-D Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twizzle Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 Many thanks for all your input. I'm going to park the Elldis on our drive (it's currently in storage) and have an electrician connect an external mains hook up (switched from indoors) and check with the dealer whether or not this will charge the batteries safely, or whether I'll need a relay fitted. Thanks again Twizzle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Our Elddis is kept on our drive where we can use mains hook-up if required. However, that only charges the leisure battery, not the vehicle battery. I have to use the Tronic charger if I want to charge the vehicle battery. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 I brought a couple of Hafrauds small chargers (about £18) that can be permently connected to the battery. Each charger is connected to the battery with a perment connection which is made with a quck release snap fitting. ( included with the charger) Along with a 7 day time switch I give both batteries about a 4 hour charge every other night. being automatic, the batteries are charged fully and then go onto a conditioning voltage. I leave them connected when the M/home is not in use, and just disconnect and remove the chargers ( 2 min job) when we take a quick jolly. Works for me (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 So guys in this instance can I ask what runs down you leisure battery when sitting for three weeks or more . only friend have just again found theirs nearly flat again on sunday ....So had to sit with it ticking over. What pulls on the leisure battery? Please 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Or fit a reasonable sized solar panel? If is big enough to give you self sufficiency in the summer it will be big enough to keep the battery topped up during winter layup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Cheers Clive , ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 michele - 2007-05-21 9:43 PM What pulls on the leisure battery? In our case (we think) the radio not being completely switched off. In others possibly (as people have mentioned) the alarm. Could be anything which is still drawing current. Apart from items (as above) "legitimately" drawing current, a short circuit might have developed somewhere. A couple of years ago a friend had a problem with his car battery going flat. Turned out that the glove box light circuit had developed a fault - and, of course, wasn't obvious as you only see the bulb lit when the glove box is open. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Engine management computer as well. If you disconnect one for an extended period it has to re-learn it's tricks, so must presumably also take some small "keep alive" current. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Thanks Guy's We are tending to think that something is loose on the battery because last time this happened they tightened up the wire but maybe not enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Some years ago I had a Compass Drifter motorhome on the old Talbot chassis. The vehicle battery on that certainly 'died' after about 3 weeks of 'non-use', and in the end I bought a heavy duty 'Gunson' charger/starter, which could simply be plugged in to the mains for an immediate start -up if necessary. That was of course in the days when there was a 'pre-ignition' warm-up period, so a heavy charge was taken on starting the engine. I then had a Battery Master unit fitted by Vanbitz which charged both batteries when on mains hook-up, and with the Rapido a simlar unit was standard. In fact, I think untimately you did not even need to be hooked-up and there would always be enough power to start the motorhome. I am about to puchase a Burstner Marano, and my understanding is that the main hook-up only chareges the leaisure battery. It seems I shall need to go back to having a BAttery Master fitted again - anyone with experience of the Burstner charging systems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tp002c784tp002c784tp Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 I Had a 80w solar panel fitted at Peterborough show and with the Battery Master already fitted I am fnding that I never have any trouble starting and on the battery gauge on the Zig panel both batterys are always showing fully charged. But one thing I did notice after returning from the Peterbourgh weekend and after stripping the van of clothing and food etc on our old Motorhome we used to leave the Fridge door open with a tea towel on the bottom to allow for de-frosting, but with our new vehicle the light inside the fridge is on with the door panel and this is with all switches turned off on the zig panel Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Baron Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 A related but slightly different issue. I too have had starting problems this year with my 2004 Autocruise Vista (Peugeot Boxer 2.2 HDi base). Fortunately, I have been able to start after putting it on charge for 1/2 hour via the on-board system. But I have been investigating replacing the battery and this is where the fun starts! The standard Boxer battery is an 88 aH, but the motorhome chassis are fitted with a 100 aH version (I am told by my local caravan workshop that is because of the split-charging relay). This is true for my 'van and a friend's Autosleeper Nuevo, so I assume it's general. If you go to a Peugeot dealer or someone like KwikFit they say they can't help as they only list the smaller battery. I have spoken to Autocruise (who referred me to Peugeot) and to Peugeot (who referred me to a dealer), so no help there, then. I am now awaiting a response to an e-mail enquiry to Peugeot. Has anyone out there got any wisdom or experience of replacement batteries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 Hi, We also had a similar problem with the battery until we read the manual that came with the Dometic Fridge/Freezer as it stated quiet clearly that it incorporated a anti condense heater fitted and that it should be switched off when not on a electrical hookup, the switch could be found on the underside of the contol panel. Just though I would mention it ?? as it may help some one ?? Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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