Question on battery power needed for motor mover
We have a 2006 Abbey Freestyle 540SE. The last time we visited and used the van and hence, charged the battery was June of 2022. It's been in storage over winter. The leisure battery is 6 years old. We open up the caravan next week for the first time.
Can anyone share their thought on this - when we use the van next week, is there likely to be enough juice in the battery to power the motor mover to fine tune the position of the van on our pitch?
If not, could we plug in the van's twin electrics lead into the car, turn on the car ignition and turn on the battery charger in the van and charge the van's battery a bit from the car for an hour? Will there be enough charge transferred to the van in an hour or so to power the motor mover for a short burst?
Many thanks!
Comments
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I would suggest that - as you seem to be saying that the battery hasn't been charged for approaching 11 months - AND - it's six years old - that it will probably be well and truly goosed by now. Charging from the car isn't going to put much in it and it if is u/s, it won't hold that charge anyway.
Best thing I can suggest is to go to the van with a new and fully charged battery and swap them over.
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This is a case where a crystal ball would be a great help.
WM, why not visit the van in advance of using it and check the battery? That will take the guesswork out of the situation.
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I see similar comments on another forum. WM, get yourself a new battery.
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Your battery could be ok if the van is in a sheltered position e.g. in a barn, between 2 other vans. My battery sits in a seperate box inside the battery locker, it was 10 years old when i replaced it, i do normally keep it on trickle charge.
if initially you dont want the expense of a new battery and you dont need the mover to get the van out of storage and your drive to site is going to be a couple of hours or more, you could have sufficient power in the battery to do the last push onto the pitch, provided battery is not knackered, hopefully then, once you connect to the EHU is should charge quite quickly
Worst case scenario you arrive on site and find battery is totally knackered and you have to go out and buy a new one. Bound to be some heavy weights on site who will help you manouvre onto the pitch, word of warning, a new battery may not be suffciently charged to drive the mover, i think my mover requires the battery to be charged to at least 11.5v, anything less and it does not work.
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bought mine on line, but if you buy in e.g. Halfords, and i did look, i was not aware of any facilities to check the battery voltage, and the voltmeter on my caravan never measures above about 12.2v, (just a simple meter in the control panel) but never have battery problems.
So if you buy on line and it reads 12v when you connect up are you going to reject the battery and send it back ?
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as above, your battery will be FLAT .... you either buy a new one or perhaps take it to a local battery specialist (not Halfords) who might possibly be able to revive it.
Plugging your caravan into the back of your car will charge the battery .. no need to switch anything in the caravan (assuming all is wired to do so) The battery charger in the 'van is mains powered.
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