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[hercules]

looking at the cream box I would say that's your alarm and its the autowatch 650 with back up battery inside(the lid is hinged and held closed by 2 screws one either side)I have known after disconnecting everything the lights still on in the van and it was from that back up battery which could explain why everything still worked although it shouldn't have for long cos its a low amp battery

[Terbs]

Thanks mate....
I have checked the charger with two multi meters, one digital, and one non digital, and my reading is 13.59 volts

All 12v stuff still working when called for, lights, pump.....everything else is switched to 240 volts. I am checking now through paperwork to see if battery is recommended size. 75 AH fitted, but some people are saying that seems a bit small for my van.

[the alarming man]

13.59 on a 12 v battery is fine....just a duff battery then?

[hercules]

75ah should be fine for standard use ie lights/ pump/blown air fan for your heating and such esp when your on mains hook up,you only need bigger batteries when your gonna be using the mover and rallying ie no mains hook up which neither of them your doing so it just looks like duff battery.out of interest how old is the battery and was it a cheapy and looking at the caps on top which look like you can top up the cells did you ever check it cos no one ever does 

[Terbs]

Ah...Herc....you may have me there. The battery was around £70 but swmbo can't find the receipt. I am guessing around 18 months old.
Also, I was not aware that modern batteries could be refilled The inspection hole is black, no green in sight.

You are a very clever fella I have been trawling through the paperwork and the systems you name are correct. You have my awe.
As I said earlier, I have never used the mover. The van is stored here, and is pulled in and out of the compound by tractor and sited. All we do is is plug in the mains, drop the legs, turn on the gas, and get on with life
So by your advice, tomorrow, I shall get another battery 75 AH, check the charger rate again and hope for the best.  I have learnt a lot from your replies, and thank you very much

[Terbs]

 

Just been out and looked at the battery....on the back is a note says..Top up electrolyte after every 6 months.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhh

Based on that fact....do you think its too late to fill it now, being as it stunk.

[05omegav6]

I would start fresh with a new battery(s) and a couple of bottles of distilled water

[hercules]

yeh the fact its stunk and its dry and its been hot its buggered  ignore and I got this from a sales rep the green indicator theyre a gimmick haha and yes some batteries still need checking,£70 sounds pricey for that size battery but there was a spell a few years back when the prices rose and then came back down again at least its a simple fix and with a new battery your safe again that's the main thing 

[05omegav6]

Even GM batteries can be topped up

[hercules]

Ah...Herc....you may have me there. The battery was around £70 but swmbo can't find the receipt. I am guessing around 18 months old.
Also, I was not aware that modern batteries could be refilled The inspection hole is black, no green in sight.

You are a very clever fella I have been trawling through the paperwork and the systems you name are correct. You have my awe.
As I said earlier, I have never used the mover. The van is stored here, and is pulled in and out of the compound by tractor and sited. All we do is is plug in the mains, drop the legs, turn on the gas, and get on with life
So by your advice, tomorrow, I shall get another battery 75 AH, check the charger rate again and hope for the best.  I have learnt a lot from your replies, and thank you very much

can I call this my good deed for the day and get myself a beer 
if any advice I have given has helped then that is thanks enough 

[Terbs]

You can indeed have a beer....in fact, I shall have one with you.

Not only have you helped me, but the site manager here has battery problems, and I told him your info......we checked..and his battery is a fill up jobby too.

So you may have two beers

[The Sheriff]

Horses for courses...and Daz knows his vans 


He's a big, ugly bastard though. 

[Taxi_Driver]

Terbert -
You may want to try Halfords for a leisure battery, especially if you have a Trade card for them....About 4/5 years ago I picked up a 110AH leisure battery for £60....the price without trade card was £110 

Hercules -
Are the battery chargers in caravans just basic chargers then?
I would have thought they would have been 'ctec' or 'intelligent chargers' that monitor the battery and switch off charging once the battery is fully charged 

[05omegav6]

Surely that would make no odds if the battery was essentially dry...

[Taxi_Driver]

Surely that would make no odds if the battery was essentially dry...

terbert said the battery was only 18 months old....it must have been on charge for considerable lengths of time and quite a high current going through it for the electrolyte to evaporate.

Rule of thumb for leisure batteries is charge current no more than 10% of the rating of the battery....so in terberts case no more than 7.5amp charge current.

My 110AH leisure battery is about 4/5 years old and I use a cheap ctec charger on it....when the battery is pretty flat the charger puts about 5amps through the battery and as the voltage increases its steps down the charge current until its happy the battery is fully charged then turns off. It can take it 2/3 days to fully charge it from a discharged state. Ive never had to top up the electrolyte 

The faster you charge a lead acid battery the faster the electrolyte will evaporate if its not a sealed unit...and mine isn't either