Leisure battery

Gingerbeard
Gingerbeard Forum Participant Posts: 7
edited August 2020 in Motorhomes #1

Recently bought a six year old, low mileage motor home. On the EC400 PSU I have the charge switch permanently on, as advised. After a run, the control panel shows the leisure battery at about 13v. After about 20mins the level shows 10v with a red light indicator and the PSU shows 10.7v sometimes down to 10.5v.  Am I looking at a battery that is well past its prime. AND is this something the seller should have checked and replaced. Are they liable for a replacement if it is unserviceable.  As the mileage is low ie. below 20,000, I suspect little use has been made of the vehicle and therefore, the battery may well be the original. 

 

Comments

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
    500 Comments
    edited August 2020 #2

    From what you say the battery is old and tired. If it is the original it is past its normal working life. 

    Disconnect the battery and measure the voltage after you have charged it, it should be 12.5 to 13v ish.

    Connect it up and use some power, switch the habitation lights fan or anything else for 15 min that has a load. Disconnect and measure the battery. Disconnect and measure the battery again, if it has dropped below 12v then its finished.

    Alternatively borrow a battery tester this will confirm. 

    If you bought it from a dealer then I would certainly complain.

    Also, at 3k miles a year from new the vehicle battery needs a load test as well as it has had a hard life.

     

     

  • derekcyril
    derekcyril Forum Participant Posts: 408
    100 Comments
    edited August 2020 #3

    Leisure batteries need to keep at least 50 percent charge .I suggest its been left and not maintained . A lot of people put van away for winter , come spring cant understand why battery wont hold charge

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited August 2020 #4

    I would just buy a new battery because it sounds as if its too far gone. My choice would be a sealed marine battery. My one year old motorhome has a Banner battery but it seems to require regular topping up which can be forgotten.

    David

  • Gingerbeard
    Gingerbeard Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited August 2020 #5

    Thanks for replies. I'll get it checked at my local motorhome garage, get them to say its  no use and then contact the dealer. It was checked ok on the pre sales list so they should be liable for a replacement. 

  • robj7744
    robj7744 Forum Participant Posts: 8
    edited August 2020 #6

    I have a CTEK battery charger which has a recondition mode which will recover deeply discharged batteries. I have used it many times on old batteries, and it will restore them, not quite as good as brand new, but certainly to make them usable again. The model I have is very old and no longer current. The equivalent model now is MXS 7.0 UK. See https://www.ctek.com/uk/products/car/mxs-7-0-uk 

    However, these are expensive. You sometimes see them much cheaper, but they will be copies, so beware of any deal that looks too good to be true.

    CTEK are not the only company making advanced battery chargers. If you search for "battery reconditioner desulfator" you will find plenty of other options.

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