Testing your battery
Comments
-
My caravan has 13 pin socket dose that mean it will charge the battery.
It means "perhaps". The wiring in the car and in the caravan needs to be correct, complete and no blown fuses. I can't tell from here if that is the case.
The earlier 7-pin connectors were also meant to charge the battery but often were let down by someone skimping on the wiring.
Write your comments here... thanks for your help it just shows how little I know. Ok in the caravan there's a control panel that shows a symbol of a car and battery.
Which I assume is the charging circuit if I switch it on. Is there anyway to know if it's charging
Take care
Andy
0 -
....
My caravan has 13 pin socket dose that mean it will charge the battery.
Take care
Andy
It will if your car's wired up to charge it
Plug your caravan into your towcar, get your multi meter & set to 12 volts DC as described above, put the probes onto the terminals of the caravan battery (doesn't really matter which way ... you'll get a minus reading if 4rse about face), get your better
half to start your car and the meter should show around 14 volts. If it stays at 12.7, and a rev of the car makes no difference, then your car's not wired to power your fridge or charge your caravan battery.Write your comments here... thanks in understand that as long as I understand how to use the meter correctly
Take care Andy
0 -
........ thanks in understand that as long as I understand how to use the meter correctly
Take care Andy
Try on your car's battery first ....assuming it's easily accessable. If you set the meter to a higher DC voltage first & progressively turn it down until you get a sensible reading.
I've just had a very quick look and there are loadsof tutorials on Youtube
0 -
Write your comments here...
Thanks for your help I've set my meter to the Voltage setting with the solid line and the 3 dots. At this point the meter showing 3 naughts Do I test the battery now
Andy
Write your comments here...The solid line with the dots underneath (broken line) means Direct Current which the 12 volt system is. My meter when turned to the 20 volts DC position doesn't show three zeros, touch the battery terminals (posts) with the meter
probes and see if you get a reading, red to red, black to black0 -
Is it just me or has all this got rather complicated? Doesn't Andy have a control panel facility to see the state of his battery? My van reads both caravan and car battery levels (if plugged into car). The button to check battery has a "tick" symbol.
Unless it's an old Sprite from the 1960s of course. I have a multi meter but never used it for the leisure battery. I was thinking of fitting a second battery but just replaced the old one last year so that is a spare for emergencies. I don't need the
mover to patk at Home but unless the rally was on the doorstep I would expect the journey home would recharge enough. Solar panels are great for rallying.
0 -
Is it just me or has all this got rather complicated? Doesn't Andy have a control panel facility to see the state of his battery? ...
The voltmeter, if fitted, only tells you the voltage in the battery, it doesn't tell you anything about a battery's ability to retain that charge.
0 -
Hi all Ive tested the battery and got a reading of 12.82. When the wife gets back i'll try it with the car hooked up.
Take care
Andy
0 -
Hi all
Battery reading was 12.82 then connected the car and it went up to 13.5
Take care
Andy
0 -
Andy, For your first Rally you might wish to check your battery condition at the begining, middle and end of the Rally to see how your style of caravanning affects it, but I am sure you will soon stop worrying. If you flatten it you might want to think about supplimenting it, or carrying a spare. See how you go.
0 -
Hi all
I'd just like to thank everyone who has helped on this its much appreciated.
Take care
Andy
0 -
Buy a ACT battery tester, this unit will tell you the battery voltage and the Amp Hour capacity of the battery by putting a load on the battery. These testers are pretty accurate and will give you a near accurate reading on the battery Ah. Just disconnect
the outgoing cables and clamp on the crocodile clips at least you will know when you get home if you have enough energy to use your mover.0 -
I understand what everyone is saying but can't help the feeling "that if it ain't broke ....." I rely on my caravan servicing to cover proper checking of the battery so I guess I could be saving money.
100 percent agree. Unless you suspect you have problems leave it to an approved workshop to check. It used to be easy to check lead acid batteries with a hydrometer costing £3 to 4 from Halfords until they introduced maintenance free ones.
peedee
0 -
Battery capacity testing procedure here:
This allows you to compare the current (pun!) Ah capacity with the original. if the capacity gets too low then you will need a replacement.
e.g. for a 110Ah battery you should get about 88Ah out of it when new, the capacity will drop over time. If it gets to, maybe 50 Ah then I'd be considering a change - it may do for lights etc but if you have a mover it may let you down?
0
