Something is draining my battery - but how do I check what it is?

[brissle]

Hello,
How do I check (using a simple volt meter) whether anything is taking current from my battery when the van is no attached to an EHU?
I'm not technical and would be grateful for instruction on how to do this.
I have a 2009 Coachman VIP 545/4 which is kept at a secure storage without electrical hook-up.
It is fitted with a Phantom tracker.
I have installed a nearly new 100Ah Elecsol battery which is fed by a trickle charge from a 4.8v solar panel.
Previously, on this forum, people have been very kind in advising me how to check that the battery is in good condition and that it is being charged whilst on site and that the solar panel is providing a charge. I had been having problems with the battery draining very quickly and this has happened again - within 3 weeks of returning from holiday, the battery was completely flat. I have brought it home and fully charged it and intend to re-install it tomorrow (Friday 31 August). When I visit the van, I'd like to know whether it is possible to check what (if anything) is drawing current.
The van is always left with everything switched off, including the master switch. The radio front is detatched.
Phantom assure me that the tracker takes virtually no current.
Help !!
Thanks

 

[Sproket]

I do hope that your solar panel is not 4.8v

With out getting complicated one of the easiest ways to find current draw is to use one of these as every thing that you have on the van will go through a fuse on the main fuse board, you simply remove the fuse from the board & insert it into the side of the tester & then plug the tester into were the fuse came from.
You will see below how it works when items are switched on.

If nothing is draining power from a circuit it will show 0.00A......

 

[SirRogerFFS]

A good place to start is to remove the front of the radio there is high drain to keep up the memory.
Sir Roger.Sorry ignore my post forgot to read previous post properly

 

[brissle]

Thanks - I've ordered one of those to collect on the way down to the caravan tomorrow.
Looks like just what I need and even I should be able to use it....

I expect my solar panel is 4.8w - was working from memory and I said I wasn't technical....!!
Thanks again

 

[JTQ]

With out getting complicated one of the easiest ways to find current draw is to use one of these

As a result of frequently recommending this neat little device to caravanner etc we have enabled Maplin to feel able to increase its price by 30%

 

[Sproket]

30% increase

Good point, must ask for commision for all of the extra sales i send them

 

[brissle]

Thank you sprocket - that's a very useful device.
It's easy to use and even I understood what I was doing.
BUT I'm no further forward. All the fuses except for the alarm fuse showed zero reading. The alarm was registering between 0.01 and 0.03 amps, so if I understand correctly that's too small to have any noticeable effect on draining the battery.
I rang Phantom and they confirmed that theit Tracker takes no current directly - it is fed by the alarm. The figure I quoted was said to be perfectly normal.
So I've reconnected the fully charged battery, have double and treble checked that everything is switched off and will keep my fingers crossed.
I will drive down there again next Friday (7th September ) and check the state of charge of the battery. The reading on my voltmeter this morning was 13.5v when I put it in the van.
If it's lost charge after one week, I will have to assume that it's a second duff Elecsol battery. I don't think anything else is left.
Thank you for all advice so far.

 

[JTQ]

I will drive down there again next Friday (7th September ) and check the state of charge of the battery. The reading on my voltmeter this morning was 13.5v when I put it in the van.
If it's lost charge after one week, I will have to assume that it's a second duff Elecsol battery. I don't think anything else is left.

You are aware that the 13.5 volts you measured is a "false value" in that it is raised by an effect that lead acid batteries recently taken off charge exhibit?
With no drain at all it will back down over several hours to something around 12.65 to 12.8 the actual voltage depending on" impurities" that may or may not be delibriately put in the lead alloy. Somebody on here might know what the Elecsols full charge steady state voltage is , I dont use that make so cant help you.
So on your next trip dont panic if you see something like 12.6 .
Note your measured 30mA discharge still amounts for a not inconsiderable 22 AH discharge over a month, so at least monthly recharging is essential to retain the battery in even a reasonable condition.

 

[xtrailman]

Thank you sprocket - that's a very useful device.
It's easy to use and even I understood what I was doing.
BUT I'm no further forward. All the fuses except for the alarm fuse showed zero reading. The alarm was registering between 0.01 and 0.03 amps, so if I understand correctly that's too small to have any noticeable effect on draining the battery.
I rang Phantom and they confirmed that theit Tracker takes no current directly - it is fed by the alarm. The figure I quoted was said to be perfectly normal.
So I've reconnected the fully charged battery, have double and treble checked that everything is switched off and will keep my fingers crossed.
I will drive down there again next Friday (7th September ) and check the state of charge of the battery. The reading on my voltmeter this morning was 13.5v when I put it in the van.
If it's lost charge after one week, I will have to assume that it's a second duff Elecsol battery. I don't think anything else is left.
Thank you for all advice so far.

If problems persist i would use the multimeter in amps mode, disconnect one lead from the battery and put one lead of the meter to the disconnected lead and the other to the battery terminal its just come off.
This will give the total battery discharge current.
If the current doesn't tally with the alarm current, then you have a current drain elsewhere.
If you battery has a local fuse adjacent then you might be able to remove the fuse and put the ammeter across it.
I once had a battery discharge through a faulty charger!

 

[TD42]

You will not get a true battery reading until the float charge has disippated after the battery has been charged,this takes about 12 hours, a fully charged battery should read 12.8v dc. Remove the red wire from the battery. set your multi meter to 10Amp connect the red wire (+) to the battery post & the black(-) to the red (+) battery wire you should then see if there is any draw from the battery
MAKE SURE THE EHU IS DISCONNECTED FIRST THOUGH

 

[waffler]

I had exactly the same problem with my 2009 235. The problem is the sony radio. Even with the front off there is a live feed for memory settings. Contarary to teh handbook it is impossible toswitch it off. Two solutions- remove the whole radio or fit a switch in the feed wire- 20 amps was suggested. I took mine out and had no problem since. The fridge has a permanent live as does teh alarm but since removing the radio no unexpalined power loss.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

I had exactly the same problem with my 2009 235. The problem is the sony radio. Even with the front off there is a live feed for memory settings. Contarary to teh handbook it is impossible toswitch it off. Two solutions- remove the whole radio or fit a switch in the feed wire- 20 amps was suggested. I took mine out and had no problem since. The fridge has a permanent live as does teh alarm but since removing the radio no unexpalined power loss.

hi, it is not nessasary to remove the whole radio to stop the feed to the perminant live for the memory, even though this could well be where the battery drain is comming from, the wires are easily acessable from the back of the cupboard,
either the perminant live can be cut and taped (no station memory) or a fuse fitted that can be pulled out when the van is in storage,
either way the radio can still then be used when is service.
all caravans lose some battery power while been stood through the alarm and tracker (if fitted) when in storage it really depends how long it is being left, a small solar panel could help or regular recharging, although the discharge is quite small it can be signifacant over a few months if left unattended,

edit. ah just read the whole thread and not the last couple of posts

it appears the OP has a solar panel that is working correctly this should be enough to keep the battery at a reasonable level. so given that there is no other power drain save those allready mentioned I would be looking at a duff battery given that 4.8W should do the job nicely.