Buccaneer cruiser - battery level problem
Hi everyone,
First post for us, Rob and Chrissie !
Like most people, we have not been out since early January, however when we checked the battery level recently, we were very surprised to see it registering at 5.6. Usually when we have not used the caravan for a while the level is usually over 11, and this time it was significantly lower.
All of the usual checks were made when the caravan was put away for the winter, would anyone have an idea what we might have overlooked?
We would be grateful for any help!
Thanks, Rob and Chrissie.
Comments
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That needs a serious charge PDQ from a decent multi-stage charger although I suspect that your battery has gone the way of the famous Norwegian Blue Parrot. The drain may have been from an alarm or tracker device.
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If you are talking about volts remaining in the battery then you should aim to maintain 12.4 volts to avoid sulphation and battery demise.Our MH has been laid up in my garage since mid March awaiting replacement: aircon radiator,main radiator and front grille due to a suicidal pheasant flying into it.The prolonged unavailability of parts means that I am forced into using my Honda generator for trickle charging the batteries in order to keep them healthy.Lead acid batteries will self discharge, even without the on board kit fitted to most modern vans drawing on them.I charge mine up to 12.6 and two days later they are down to 12.2.If you have let the battery get too low it may have suffered irreversible damage and it may no longer hold charge.
I hope that this is not the case but past experience of batteries giving up the ghost during Winter lay up has taught me to keep a watch upon the battery levels.
Sorry to be a Job's Comforter.
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Usual suspects are:
You left the master turned on.
The Fridge was not turned to off.
The TV amplifier left on.
The alarm.
12v charger (phone type) left plugged in.
5.6v is really discharged but sometimes recoverable, leave the charger on for a long time (weeks) unless you have a smart charger.
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It seems like your indicator is not actually showing voltage which should be around 12.7 volts fully charged and shouldn’t be left to get below about 12.4 volts. A tracker or alarm will drain the battery but, irrespective of that, battery manufacturers recommend a top-up about once a month. I used to have a spare and swap them over every month or two, alternatively, a small solar panel will keep the battery charged.
Check that the fridge light is not on. It’s good to leave the door open but sometimes the 12 volt supply is not isolated.
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BEFORE YOU APPLY A CHARGER :--
Is the battery a lead / acid beastie with access to top up the cells ?? if so remove the caps of which ever sort, then with a torch, NOT A NAKED FLAME, check the acid level on each cell - it should be just covering the top of the plates. top up if required { with distilled water if available } -- then and only then apply the charger & keep a careful eye on the item !!
Sorry if it seems I am trying to teach you to suck eggs but batteries and acid as well as elektrikery are a truly evil combination
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Correct ABM , i didnt check battery levels one year , moving sites ( on hook up ) battery was red hot , could have been tragic .
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It would have to be an ancient battery to have flooded cells. All leisure batteries are sealed for life nowadays.
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<Panto> Oh no they're not</Panto>
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It’s behind me; I can’t see it!
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Hi,
Thank you all for your useful comments and suggestions. We have finally found the fault and it is now rectified,
The battery is 11 months old and we have a solar system attached, so it should have been O K, as it should have trickle charged.
I noticed that one of the leads into the solar charger was lower than the others. Upon investigation I found, that although it appeared to be screwed in tight (and looked correct), the lead was loose, so was not charging. Having adjusted this and checking thoroughly it is now working fine.
We recharged the battery (luckily no damage)
Thank you once again for your help and comments.
Rob & Chrissie
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Thanks for the feedback.
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