Leisure Batteries
Hi Everyone,
Very new to this so any assistance would be much appreciated. We had to change the battery on our motorhome after the winter shutdown - we never trickled charged it and it is about 4.5 years old - no problem. We have hardly been out in it too since we got it.
I connected the motorhome up as the leisure battery was around 8volt although it was okay until we changed the main battery (do not know if this is related). It has a solar panel that tops it up.
I came down this morning and noticed the gas detector in the van going off. It stank of bad eggs and looking into the leisure battery compartment, one of the batteries was hot and making a noise. I presume it is knackered! In your experience would this be just unfortunate and new leisure batteries are needed ( I would get 2 as the other one maybe on its way out) or could be the way they are bring charged - we never had an issue before for the few times we did go out in it.
Also I have a solar panel regulator (vechline) but the instructions are hard to understand - not sure what setting it should be on. The previous ownver said it should top up the Motorhome engine battery too but this hasn't happened. Anyone use this make and what setting do you have it on? I have moved to to "0"
Thanks for your help in advance
John
Comments
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Cannot help regarding the vechline regulator other than to say if you are replacing the batteries, make sure the regulator settings match the battery type.
It very much sounds like your leisure batteries have had their day and you would be wise to replace both. Once you have done that, I would check the system both on and off charge. On charge you should see an excess of 13 volts across all batteries and when fully charged and off charge 12.8 volts. You should never discharge lead acid batteries below 11.2 volts.
peedee
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I would agree you clearly need new batteries. As understand it if you have two leisure batteries its good practise to replace both so you have a two batteries in the same condition. With regard to the solar panel you could check that it is actually wired up to charge the cab battery, mine wasn't! If both batteries are wired to be charged there should be two pairs of wires coming from the output side of the controller. Even when the cab battery is set up to charge from solar it is often only set at 10% of the total charge. If you don't use the van much over winter that might not be enough to keep the cab battery sufficiently charged. Good Luck.
David
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Sondardo
"I connected the motorhome up as the leisure battery was around 8volt although it was okay until we changed the main battery (do not know if this is related). It has a solar panel that tops it up."
Sadly, the solar panel far from "tops it up", or probably it could have been a case that it could not..
The 8 volts spells trouble and relates to the battery overheating, most likely one of two things.
First a cell has gone short so what had been a 6 cell battery was only an 5 cell battery, but then each cell was severely abused by the charger treating it as a 6 cell battery; over charging.
Secondly it could simply have run down so low that that has in itself wrecked the battery, the longer it was in such a low state the more severe the damaging effect would be.
Whatever, the battery is now wrecked and has to be changed, it's unwise practice to change just one of a matched pair. Then, once replaced it is vital that the charging systems are checked to ensure they now function. The issue in the first place might have been they were not functioning so the battery suffered, however the overheating of the battery itself could have damaged the charging system so it needs checking.
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If you are replacing two leisure batteries you might want to consider lithium. We changed our one lead acid battery for a larger capacity lithium and besides additional energy we had a weight saving. You might also want to try and work out what size solar panel you have. Ours is 120w and has trickle charged the battery for most of the winter, so far. You also need to keep a regular check on battery voltages.
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When considering going to lithium you also have to consider whether the rest of your system is up to the job of keeping a different battery in tip top condition. Can your battery charger and solar power regulator be set to efficiently care for lithium and is your alternator also up to the job of getting the best out of a lithium battery.
peedee
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Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the feedback - I will get some new batteries. I will leave the investment for Lithium for another day. Just one more thing - if you can help - the picture attached shows the module for the solar panel, it has various numbers in the digital display. The manual does not explain very well what the numbers mean and I have put it to "0" - not sure if that is correct.
Anyone else have this type?
Thanks again
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I had a look at the manual online and it didn't make much sense to me. On my Truma controller I can set the type of battery, I can set what percentage of the charge goes where but that seems missing from your controller. Perhaps you need a new controller as well as batteries?
David
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Hi everyone,
I have changed the leisure batteries (and as David has suggested will possibly change the solar controller). When charging off the main or whilst the van its running they are showing 14volts (whilst charging) - does that reading appear to be okay or excessive?
Thanks yet again
John
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That should be fine. The voltage should drop to a trickle or float charge from you battery charger as the batteries become charged. make sure this is less than 13.7 volts and should settle to about 12.8 volts when off charge with no load.
Re your regulator, I haven't seen a handbook but from the photos you displayed there may not be any adjustments for battery type. Your table may be a display for an auxillary function, I am guessing for powering a light from the solar panel and battery?
Has this auxillary function been connected to your engine battery?
peedee
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