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[Vamps]

Still want to know why the battery would cook !!!!! And how to cure it

Sounds like it has shorted or overcharged, I think you will have to replace it..........

[Terbs]

Just found a paragraph from STMO's link....interesting...

'The  inbuilt  charger  also  has  to  be   capable  of
running all the 12 volt systems even if there isn’t a
leisure battery connected'

So...it seems this must store power...or.....its storing elsewhere. And as you say, Mike...most batteries are accessable

[henryd]

Still want to know why the battery would cook !!!!! And how to cure it

Sounds like it has shorted or overcharged, I think you will have to replace it..........

Over charging would boil it hence the rotting egg smell,you need to check the charger output,should be around 13.5-14 volts,and there must be as second battery somewhere if its all working with battery and mains off.

[hercules]

how olds the van cos they had same charger for years then changed it then changed it again iirc,if you look under the n/s seat cushion is there a silver box screwed onto the back of the battery box ifso that is the charger and should be giving out from 13.6 to 13.9 they call it automatic but it isn't really all that happens when the battery is charged is it drops the volts going in but if the battery is faulty it just keeps pumping a charge in and cooks the battery boils it dry,the charger does work as a transformer but and will power the van without a battery but for how long it burns them out and in my experience this type of charger usually just packs in rather than over voltage to destroy a battery,its rare I come across these self levelling kits on vans but the one or two ive seen have been powered from the main van battery but if your van is working with batt off and mains off then there has to be a secondary battery and if say that one is faulty that could bring down the main battery by tricking charger into staying on giving out full charge(I have also known the caravan to carry on working running from the alarm battery when everything has been disconnected that's assuming you have the autowatch 650 alarm)in my experience never leave a caravan plugged in for long periods unless being used cos the charger comes into play as soon as mains is introduced to the van and once a month or twice plugged infor 24 hours is enough to keep a batt in good shape and over winter take the batt out and store it off the floor

[05omegav6]

And breathe...

Split charge system should have some sort of regulator between shore/site power and the battery

[MV6Gaz]

Most modern high spec vans have a tracker type system hidden in their construction, will function if no mains or 12v battery removed ( bit like power sounder with hidden supply), might be this that is powering the 12v, defo a problem with the charger if its cooked 2 batteries, should have been picked up at the last service, or repaired under warranty if applicable...

[hercules]

trackers are the size of mobile phones and some are stand alone units not connected to the vans 12v and some even communicate with the supplier ie host and tell them the condition of battery so to inform the customer

[Terbs]

My van is a 2004 vintage. Not sure of the make of alarm. I just put the key in the 'leg' keyhole, and I heard the computer click, which it normally does.
There seems to be (at this moment in time) nothing different with the van. The mains are reconnected and all systems are 'go'.
Will pull it apart later. Obviously, I will have to get a new battery, and we use the van a lot, about 4/5 months of the year. Are you saying, when we get here, charge for 24 hours then disconnect the charger. That would need careful checking, as there seems to be three or four wires to each connector (live and earth). I have a meter here, I'll rip the seats out, and possibly take some pictures

[hercules]

no its when in storage ie winter months when people park the van up on the drive and plug it in and it sits there for 6 months and I have known seasonal pitches where they allow you to leave power connected and the person comes most weekends to use the van and rest of time its sat there unused it doesn't do the batts any good,if your there using the van it does no harm to have the charger running and its doing what its designed for.you do need to check the output which should read about 13.8.modern chargers are dual and give out 14.2v and have cooling fans cos they can put 8 amps out of the transformer side,your charger im pretty sure is a powerpart p116 and is located on the back of battery box inside van and very easy to change if its at fault(the silver box is charger and you will also have a cream box with your fuses in to the right) is it a proper leisure battery your using

[hercules]

the black wire to charger is 230v the other 2 wires should go to a plug which you can disconnect the system from the charger to get the out put there

[Terbs]

Thanks for that info, mate. Yes, its definately a proper leisure battery. 75 AH. I have just checked it and its cold now. But as it smelled like rotten eggs, does that mean it is knackered anyway. I, pop some piccy's up, just as soon as I can get swmbo to shift her butt

[Terbs]

[Terbs]

So....and excuse my nievity...if I put my meter on the terminals (that are not connected to the battery now) in the battery compartment, and as the mains are now connected, I should get a readout of 13 amps or so, as if it was charging the battery

[the alarming man]

you need volts mate 

[hercules]

yes you should get the voltage output at the batt terminals but you are better off going to the plug that comes off the charger so your getting the exact reading and not a lower reading caused from any of the appliances pulling from it,there you have a powertouch model 4 twin axle single unit mover and an original phantom tracker which is the little black box on the floor to the right which may I say is fit totally wrong it should be hidden so it carries on transmitting location if stolen so where that is fit all you have to do is rip it off the floor and throw it out the window(when I fit them I don't even tell the customer where it is unless they push for it)they only pull milliamps to keep internal batt charged but that is an old unit and do you still have it subscribed