Flat Caravan Battery

[Notmyvan]

Took my Caravan out of storage yesterday and the battery was totally flat.
I am used to putting tractors of a JCB away in November and getting them out again in the spring and expecting the things to start without having to charge the battery.
Put my car next to the caravan, connected Jump Leads and ran the car for an hour, and it had not taken a charge.

I know when I put the caravan away last November that I made sure that everything was switched off, and the overhead "Master Switch" over the door was "off"
But there is also the panel where the fuses are located and there is a switch there which I could have switched off ,
So should I have switched that switch off.

And in hindsight should I have disconnected the battery terminals. Its a Leisure Battery and when I bought the caravan last may the battery was supposed to be new.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Hutch]

In my caravan, with all of the switches to OFF, there is still power to the Fridge the radio (front panel removed ) the TV antenna booster, and the caravan alarm, the alarm battery is linked to the caravan battery. I removed the battery and take it home if I am not going to use the van for 6 weeks.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Unfortunately in UK caravans it seems that "off" doesn't always mean disconnected. The only certain way stopping the sytem sipping power is to physically disconnect the battery.

Leisure Batteries as used in caravans do not take kindly to being left discharged, and they can become permanently damaged if left discharged over any significant time.

 

[Hutch]

There is also the possibility of if there are USB sockets powered by the battery, they have a parasitic drag on the battery, as I found on my motorcycle, battery would drain down to 12 volts in a week on non use, ok only 10 amh. Disconnect the USB and the battery is fine for weeks.

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

I'd have thought you'd do better to take the battery out and try and charge slowly at home on a proper charger rather than try and do it with the car.

 

[Buckman]

On some caravans disconnecting the battery causes insurance issues as the battery powers the alarm or tracker.

Maybe time to consider installing a solar panel. On our Lunar with just an alarm, the battery would drain in about 6 weeks in the winter period.

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

On some caravans disconnecting the battery causes insurance issues as the battery powers the alarm or tracker.

Maybe time to consider installing a solar panel. On our Lunar with just an alarm, the battery would drain in about 6 weeks in the winter period.

Hmm, but the battery isn’t powering the alarm if it’s flat but of course I imagine that is common sense and probably irrelevant to insurers so I get your point.

 

[Hutch]

Fitting a solar panel, would be no good in my case as the caravan is stored under cover.
The best thing to do is to isolate everything apart from the Alarm, and then work out how many weeks the battery would last before having to recharge it. In my case it's 8 weeks.

 

[Mel]

In Swift Caravans there is a black button on the Sargent power unit ( with the fuses etc under the front seat). This is recommended to be off during storage as it kills all power from the battery. The solar panel and alarm still work. Don’t know what van you have, so unsure if this applies
mel

 

[Notmyvan]

I'd have thought you'd do better to take the battery out and try and charge slowly at home on a proper charger rather than try and do it with the car.

When I went to the caravan for the first time this year it had just been taken out of indoor storage so I did not expect to find that the battery would be totally flat. However as I had a garage for 25 years I always carry a battery voltage tester and a set of jump leads which is why I tried to jump it. I would mention that when I bought the caravan last year the battery was supposed to be "New" and when I took delivery I put a tester on it and it was already down to 10 volts. I wondered if when the dealer bought the caravan they put a new battery on it then as it would never do to be showing a customer a caravan and the battery was flat.
I have since removed the battery and its on charge at an outher Caravan Dealer.

 

[Dustydog]

10 v when you bought it is not good😢😢

 

[Hutch]

When I went to the caravan for the first time this year it had just been taken out of indoor storage so I did not expect to find that the battery would be totally flat. However as I had a garage for 25 years I always carry a battery voltage tester and a set of jump leads which is why I tried to jump it. I would mention that when I bought the caravan last year the battery was supposed to be "New" and when I took delivery I put a tester on it and it was already down to 10 volts. I wondered if when the dealer bought the caravan they put a new battery on it then as it would never do to be showing a customer a caravan and the battery was flat.
I have since removed the battery and its on charge at an outher Caravan Dealer.

A dealer would not in my opinion put a new battery in prior to a sale, they would probably hookup the caravan and show you around it, and then on the sales talk after the purchase put a new one in, a lot. Of caravans are sold with a " Starter Pack" new battery, aqua roll and waste. Master, and even an awning.