Leisure battery

[Julie_374364816]

Hi,

This is our second season with our Bailey Pageant bretagne (2006)last year we had no problems with our 12v supply, using it abroad for 16 nights without any loss of power for lights, pump etc. This year it's a different story. It has gone "flat" twice when on site - just using the odd light and pump, with the extractor on for perhaps 5 mins total. We've charged it fully, and have even this last trip resorted to taking the charger with us...good job as it was needed.

I don't have a "choice" switch that I'm not aware of? between mains, mains/battery and battery. A few of our fellow caravanners have said that their van's have them. Or do I just bite the bullet and buy a new one...the power on my battery lasted 2 nights (we were out all day and so had no appliances running) The battery is now 26 months old and went totally flat over the winter store up.

I hope someone might be able to help as we're still relatively new to caravanning.

Thanks julie

 

[Damian]

Julie, it sounds like your battery has died.

To test, measure the voltage at the terminals without the charger on, then with the charger on, there should be a difference between about 12.8 without charger and 13.6 or even 14 with charger on.

If that is looking ok, switch off the charger and switch on all 12v electric appliances, as if on a no hook up site and see what the voltage on the battery terminals drops to, it should remain pretty constant at 12.8, if it drops low, the battery is useless and needs replacing

 

[Julie_374364816]

Julie, it sounds like your battery has died.

To test, measure the voltage at the terminals without the charger on, then with the charger on, there should be a difference between about 12.8 without charger and 13.6 or even 14 with charger on.

If that is looking ok, switch off the charger and switch on all 12v electric appliances, as if on a no hook up site and see what the voltage on the battery terminals drops to, it should remain pretty constant at 12.8, if it drops low, the battery is useless and needs replacing

thanks, I'll try that next weekend.

Julie