Xplorer leisure battery had it?

[Wisewoman]

Hi all,

So just over 3.5 years ago i fitted an alpha batteries leisure xplorer battery - think its this one: https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/88-ah-xplorer-leisure-battery/

Anyway - I just went away in my van - and my zig unit flicked on to a red light warning for my leisure battery - something I hadn't seen for over 3 years. My lights and pump carried on working but with some dimming and slight slowness to the water pump.

My question to you - is this likely to be a leisure battery on its way out given the amount of time ive had it? Obviously, being in a campervan, its not used regularly over the winter (maybe once a month during colder time, although in the warmer times, the van goes out at least every 2 weeks.)

I have never removed it and charged it up using a battery charger and have relied on the simple split charge system on the van to do its job.

Or, do you think I should have got a lot more life out of this leisure battery?

Also, could it have been draining my main battery in some way as, this weekend, i had to jumpstart the van as my main van battery (replaced only a year ago) had lost power?

Anyway, I have both batteries off the van now and will be charging them *both* up using my charger. If either battery is on its way out, will its voltage drop significantly say over the next week after I charge it up? Is that the conclusive test for whether it's any good or not? My intention is to charge them both up and then monitor their voltage using my multimeter, over the next week.

Thanks,
Melissa

 

[trevskoda]

Is you van charger up to the job,many built in chargers are rubbish,charge with a smart charger to 14.4v and then put a load on it after standing for 24 hrs,a bulb will do and time how long it takes to drop to 12.2v ,then test again after a rest with a v meter and if it rises to 12.4 to 12.7 or close its ok.
Next time buy a varta silver power frame battery,im running two 90ah batterys and i think you battery is to small.

 

[Wisewoman]

Hi Trev,

Thanks for the tip about the bulb.

I have people tell me that my split charge system is rubbish - to be honest though, this 30 year old beast is a steady drip of money as it is and as I've had over three years without any problem with the leisure battery, so I'm not thinking of replacing the charging system at the minute.

My leisure battery only operates a few lights and my water pump - I dont have any TV or anything like that and I dont think I could get a bigger one into the compartment in the engine, along with the main van one anyway!

I guess in the back of my mind I'm wondering if I may have an issue with the charging system - but if I understand the system correctly, i guess I can check that by checking the Voltage reading on the *leisure* battery goes up, when the engine is running and when the main battery is meant to be passing some charge to the leisure battery?

I tend to overthink things though so I suspect , the battery is simply weak and these colder nights have made it start to fail. Anyway, hopefully I'm doing the right thing in order to troubleshoot this!
Cheers,
Melissa

 

[trevskoda]

Two simple volt meters or a plug in cigy type may help keep an eye on things.

 

[Wisewoman]

Two simple volt meters or a plug in cigy type may help keep an eye on things.

Those are very cool - I guess one of those would help me easily monitor my *main* battery - as I'm fairly sure my solitary cig lighter socket is being run from the main battery as it would have been originally before she turned from VW T4 to VW T4 campervan. For the sake of a few quid, it will certainly help me understand the voltage and how it changes on the main system - which would actually interest me!! lol

Melissa

 

[trevskoda]

Yep i have two built in on dash,left for service and right for starter battery,i also have a cigy one to test plugs around the van,very handy.

 

[Deleted member 5816]

Mellisa whilst both batteries are off the van when you have charged them get them tested before refitting it looks more than likely a charging problem but batteries don’t like standing about in cold weather.

Alf

 

[Wisewoman]

Hi Alf - I shall call Halfords and see if I can get some free battery test help there

What was it about my original post that makes you suspect the charging system? I think the main component of it is a small square box which has a relay in it - They are probably only a few quid so i could possibly easily and simply replace that as a matter of routine - i have no idea how long they last and its quite possibly original to the van conversion so *could* be nearly 30 years old! (Ps that sounds like I know what I'm talking about - but I dont really -I only know about this relay box as my mechanic mentioned it once - there may be other parts of a charging system i have no idea about! lol)

Cheers,
Melissa

 

[harrow]

Hi Alf - I shall call Halfords and see if I can get some free battery test help there

What was it about my original post that makes you suspect the charging system? I think the main component of it is a small square box which has a relay in it - They are probably only a few quid so i could possibly easily and simply replace that as a matter of routine - i have no idea how long they last and its quite possibly original to the van conversion so *could* be nearly 30 years old! (Ps that sounds like I know what I'm talking about - but I dont really -I only know about this relay box as my mechanic mentioned it once - there may be other parts of a charging system i have no idea about! lol)

Cheers,
Melissa

Melissa your more switched on than a lot of the men on here, a wisewoman indeed

 

[Wisewoman]

Yep i have two built in on dash,left for service and right for starter battery,i also have a cigy one to test plugs around the van,very handy.View attachment 75755

Hi Trev- I just noticed the BIG RED BUTTON - what is it, what does it do?! Eject your seat? Fire lasers? Take you off into space - Oh please let it be something exciting

EDIT: Oh I think I may have just worked it out - is it a sat nav holder?

 

[izwozral]

Hi Trev- I just noticed the BIG RED BUTTON - what is it, what does it do?! Eject your seat? Fire lasers? Take you off into space - Oh please let it be something exciting

EDIT: Oh I think I may have just worked it out - is it a sat nav holder?

Trev is in charge of Northern Ireland's nuclear button.

 

[trevskoda]

Hi Trev- I just noticed the BIG RED BUTTON - what is it, what does it do?! Eject your seat? Fire lasers? Take you off into space - Oh please let it be something exciting

EDIT: Oh I think I may have just worked it out - is it a sat nav holder?

Kills all electric on the bus,accident or fire,fitted from makers when new as a public service library bus.

 

[Canalsman]

Your vehicle will almost certainly be fitted with a split charge relay system.

Its operation is described here:

Split Charging Guide - caravans, campervans, motorhomes, boats, vehicles

Our guide to split charging for caravans, campervans, motorhomes, boats & commercial vehicles. A look at how it works & the various technologies available.

www.12voltplanet.co.uk

The Zig control panel is very basic by modern standards and the low voltage warning light is a crude device.

Your decision to remove the batteries and charge them from a mains charger is s good plan. If you are charging them indoors in the warm that's a bonus.

I hope your charger is a modern multi-stage device. Give both batteries ample time to charge fully.

Testing both batteries with a known load as suggested above is a much better idea than asking Halfords to check them.

Batteries are much less efficient when cold which may be a contributory problem.

The starter battery is not connected to the leisure battery in any way so if it's losing charge there must be another explanation.

I would consider getting the alternator checked.

 

[Wisewoman]

Hi there,

So this xplorer leisure battery has been on charge since 4pm yesterday but I think the battery must have had it because although the orange charge light initially comes on, after a few minutes it goes off . I periodically checked it and I didnt the orange charging light come back on at all, all evening. This morning, its the same - no orange charging light or green 'ready' light. I tested it with my multimeter and its measuring 11.95 V (buggered state!)

To test the charger itself, I have now hooked it up to my main starter battery - and that seems to be happily charging away with the orange light staying on so far (the last 20 minutes).

Would everyone be in agreement that leisure battery is definitely shot?

To test alternator - would it be a case of reinstalling both batteries, starting engine and seeing if the voltage rises appropriately on the main battery?

Thanks,
Melisa

 

[trevskoda]

You are on the money,les battery stuffed,well done you,more go than many men.

 

[Wisewoman]

OK great - thanks very much for the second opinion - i do need hand holding on this sort of stuff as I often doubt my own knowledge - believe me, sometimes I can be way off or forget something vital and cause all sorts of bungling mishaps ! lol

 

[trevskoda]

Your spot on,see how a few simple tools and some know how can make a big help when finding faults,more power to your elbow girl.

 

[Wisewoman]

Oh - one more thing - when reconnecting what order should I reconnect the positives and negatives on both batteries in order to not bungle it. I know you reconnect the positive first - but do i do both the positives first and then both the negatives and if so which negative do i connect first?

Thanks

 

[trevskoda]

I always put pos on first ,make sure all switched of so not to cause a spark when putting cables back on.

 

[Okta]

I had a Zig unit some years back and it was no more than a power supply with a fixed output voltage of about 13.6V. More of a battery destroyer than a battery charger. Hopefully their products have moved on a bit. If lead acid batteries are never properly charged sulphates build up on the plates.