- Nov 4, 2020
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Hi everyone my Leisure battery loses about 0.2 volts every week - so my question is this normal ? Just for info I do remove the battery to charge at home but just seems a lot ? Anybody ?
Battery discharge rates .
- Thread starter Baron Von Greenback
- Start date
- Nov 16, 2015
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My 5 year old battery will last about 6 to 8 weeks before getting to 12.4 volts totally disconnected. So in winter I bring it home, and charge it for 24 hour every one or two weeks. and just take it to the van if we go away.
Typical self-discharge for a lead-acid battery is often given as 1% per day, which would mathematically convert to 0.008 volt per day, or 0.056 volt per week - which suggests it's not normal and you have a battery drain.
- Nov 4, 2020
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thats what I thought - I am going to check the same without it connected - to confirm if van or battery - the other question if it’s the battery then it’s a Halfords one boughtAugust 2020 it will still be under warranty but I have no receipt - would theyswap it out ?
- Nov 11, 2009
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Best to check it when disconnected then you know there’s no drain on it. Halfords may have a record of sale as often stores ask for customer details. Do you have a bank or credit card statement showing the transaction.
- Jun 16, 2020
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If it’s a Halfords labeled product with the date stamped or etched on it I think you may be lucky. Also. You could perhaps check with whatever method you use for payment as there may be some proof of purchase there.
But as you said. First test it totally disconnected over time. You may also put an ammeter in the circuit to see if there is a small drain.
Halfords may do a drop test on it which can show up faults.
John
- Nov 4, 2020
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I was thinking alarm when on van but I have taken the battery from that and took fuse out it - anyway thanks will let you know the outcomes
- Nov 16, 2015
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In our caravan, coachman 560/4, even with the master switched OFF, the fridge 12 volts, the radio, and the Antenna booster are all still powered.
It can be very easy to check if there is a drain into the caravan, by inserting a little tool into the battery's fuse. assuming the van uses a blade fuse.
I use one of THESE, they can be purchased in the standard or mini blade form.
It replaces the fuse, which is ten fitted back into the side mount of the probe. It can be left switched off using the circuit as normal, switching it "on" then gives the current flow.
If the van features a solar panel, it will show what that is putting into the battery, or even what it drains from the battery during darkness. To check the van's drain where a panel is fitted, you really need to include a check at night.
With this tool in place you can then explore by removing individually the distribution fuses, where the various drains are, and that could lead to taking action to avoid some drains.
I use one of THESE, they can be purchased in the standard or mini blade form.
It replaces the fuse, which is ten fitted back into the side mount of the probe. It can be left switched off using the circuit as normal, switching it "on" then gives the current flow.
If the van features a solar panel, it will show what that is putting into the battery, or even what it drains from the battery during darkness. To check the van's drain where a panel is fitted, you really need to include a check at night.
With this tool in place you can then explore by removing individually the distribution fuses, where the various drains are, and that could lead to taking action to avoid some drains.
- Nov 4, 2020
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- Jul 18, 2017
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If you leave the 12v switched on the fridge will continue to drain the battery even if the fridge is switched off. Never knew until told this by the dealer.
- Jun 20, 2005
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Is the OPs battery dropping voltage in or out of the caravan? I thought he’d left it in. As a rule of thumb I always remove mine over the winter months and give it a trickle charge as described earlier by Hutch.
- Jul 18, 2017
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On many modern caravans probably not a good idea to remove battery as one of the stipluations could be that when insuring is an alarm or maybe even a tracker must be working depending on value of caravan.
- Jun 20, 2005
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Interesting point. The alarm and tracker on mine uses an independent psu. I stopped paying the Tracker fee some years ago. CAMC insurance now only requires two Al-ko wheel locks and a hitch lock, yet still insured on a new for old basis.
- Nov 4, 2020
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So to be clear on a eldis with a modern fridge - alde heating etc - even if you turn off master switch ie at the panel there will be drain if the battery is left in circuit ? Even if I disconnect the alarm
- May 7, 2012
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The discharge looks high to me. Our battery has been in the caravan since early September due to other things meaning we could not get away but is still fully charged. Once it starts to drop I will put the solar charger on it. I have left batteries in caravans over winter before with no ill effects despite warnings against this.
- Jun 20, 2005
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Assuming you have tested the battery as described in earlier posts and it is healthy then check the gas locker. Is there a small light stuck on? Check the towing plugs . Do you use 13 or two 7s? Is a mover fitted ? Correctly turned off? Looks like your multi meter will be in good use😉. Hope you track it down
- Jul 18, 2017
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If you turn off the master switch i.e. 12v there will still be a small drain for alarm however if you have a solar panel fitted it should not make any difference.
- Nov 4, 2020
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Ok just charged the battery it’s in shed at 12.97 v - will update this thread with the readings . Thank you everyone - for all you reply very useful . My old Bailey was never as bad draining battery as this eldis though I love the van I have spent many lovely weeks away this year - I might get a solar panel on it to stop me fretting what sort of wattage 80?
- Jul 18, 2017
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Our Buccaneer has a 100w solar panel. We have a normal controller fitted however a MPPT controller is better. You can buy complete kits Online for about £100-£150.
Expect this to rapidly drop to about 12.7 though that depends on the specifics of the battery including alloying in the lead, some it will sit at 12.8 volts.
This initial drop is completely normal, * fret not at that, it is what happens as the weeks roll by that are telling.
* it is dissipation of a "surface charge", very evident with lead acid batteries and there will be loads on this online.
- Nov 4, 2020
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- Nov 11, 2009
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I am a tad surprised it has held up at that, though certainly not worryingly, the surface charge usually dissipates in 24 hours.
It however promisingly indicates the battery itself has no real drain lugging things down.
Some of the alloying used in modern batteries, does in fact lead to way higher "fully charged" voltages that the text book 12.7, or the 12.8 I gave earlier, some might even be as high as 12.9.
This all also indicates the voltage measuring kit needs to be quite accurate to talk precise figures on battery state of charge, something a lot is not, but most will be consistently repeatable enough to show trends. It also shows classical tables of Voltage vs SoC , can be anything but a rough guide, as battery technology advances; if available the battery makers info is way the most accurate.
As said earlier, it will be what happens into the weeks on that will be the telling, but even holding that 12.9+ really is promising that you have no nastily high parasitic drain, within the battery.
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