Battery charging

[19481986]

Advice please. I have removed my leisure battery and connected it to a Streetwize smart charger. I have connected positive to positive and negative to negative, but the charger will not come out of standby mode despite my pressing the mode button to try and set the correct mode for an 85 amp hour battery. Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong or what could be wrong would be appreciated.

 

[Sproket]

Please tell us a bit more about the charger make output and model number ....
Ideally you need to check the battery voltage with a multimeter, if the voltage is too low the charger might not start ... the other reason is that the battery is fully charged ....

 

[Jaydug]

I've had that happen when the battery has been left in a discharged state too long. What is the present voltage reading?

 

[19481986]

Thanks for your answers. The charger is a Streetwize Model SW1BC5 Intelligent Fully Automatic Car and Motercycle 12v 3.8 amp. I am using it on the setting recommended for 85 amp batteries, ie the car setting. The battery has been out of the caravan for four weeks, before which it was fully charged I think due to the small 20 watt solar panel on the van and because it is always used on hook up. I have not got a voltmeter.

 

[Sproket]

With out having a multimeter to check the voltage, I would try it on your car battery to prove that the charger is working, if it works on your car and charges the battery, I suspect that your caravan battery is possibly faulty and that is the reason that the charger won't start supplying power to it.....

Or you could take the battery to a motor accessory shop or / motor factor and they will check it for you.

 

[SirRogerFFS]

From Experience I can tell you that if the battery has drained down to below 9 Volts the smart charger wont pick it up.Im guessing you have a charger similar to those of which come from Aldi. They are good, like an alternator wont pick up a flat battery.May I suggest you charge your battery up with a normal charger this wont do any harm and just charge for an hour and I think if you put your smart charger back on it will change ok
Good Luck
Sir Roger

 

[19481986]

Thanks Sir Roger, I'll try to get hold of a charger and give it a go.