Batteries and electric hookups!

mariesnowgoose

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Engine battery on camper was dead as a dodo when we came to start it this morning, Neil tells me it was only reading 2 volts.

We've got it on charge now and it's up to 9 volts and still climbing.
Thing is, what has caused it to suddenly go flat overnight?! 😵

I was checking the Carver fanmaster 4000 gas (and mains electric) fire yesterday to make sure it worked.
Tried it on 240 mains electric as a fan heater with the hookup and it seemed to be working fine.
Switched off the 240 supply to the van (control unit for this is in the back of the wardrobe - I'm paranoid about using the electrics correctly) and then checked that the heater also works fine independently on gas, which it did.

However - when I came back into the house the house fuse box had been tripped 😱😳
The only thing that could have suddenly caused this was the electric hookup when I was firing up the carver heater... ?

Whatever, I think we need a competent carver gas engineer to give it all the once over.
Been looking up one or two engineers in our area who are qualified for caravan and LPG equipment servicing , will see if any of them know what they're on about and can give it a safety check/service.

This shouldn't have anything to do with the engine battery though, should it...? :unsure:

It it's not one bl**dy thing it's another! 😡 🤬 ☹
 
A couple of things spring to mind Marie

Put the van on hookup nd see if the fuse box trips again.....it could be coincidental.

The internals shouldn't be connected to the Hab side...it could be that the battery was on its way out and the temperature drop has knocked it out.
 
There very expensive for batteries,does you van not charge the engine battery on hookup.
The leisure battery seems fine (gas heater definitely working off the leisure battery). It was the main battery that was so low - now got it on charge & its up to over 10v at the moment.

A few weeks ago we got a new circuit board for the gas heater because the previous one was causing our house fuse to go (when hooked up). Now its done the same with the new one. The low voltage on the main battery may be coincidental - or there may be a general problem (short circuit?) somewhere that's affecting everything?
 
Engine battery on camper was dead as a dodo when we came to start it this morning, Neil tells me it was only reading 2 volts.

We've got it on charge now and it's up to 9 volts and still climbing.
Thing is, what has caused it to suddenly go flat overnight?! 😵

I was checking the Carver fanmaster 4000 gas (and mains electric) fire yesterday to make sure it worked.
Tried it on 240 mains electric as a fan heater with the hookup and it seemed to be working fine.
Switched off the 240 supply to the van (control unit for this is in the back of the wardrobe - I'm paranoid about using the electrics correctly) and then checked that the heater also works fine independently on gas, which it did.

However - when I came back into the house the house fuse box had been tripped 😱😳
The only thing that could have suddenly caused this was the electric hookup when I was firing up the carver heater... ?

Whatever, I think we need a competent carver gas engineer to give it all the once over.
Been looking up one or two engineers in our area who are qualified for caravan and LPG equipment servicing , will see if any of them know what they're on about and can give it a safety check/service.

This shouldn't have anything to do with the engine battery though, should it...? :unsure:

It it's not one bl**dy thing it's another! 😡 🤬 ☹
If the house breaker tripped, make sure with the recent heavy rain we have had that none as got into the sockets that might be a little exposed being external - that can easily happen as water gets into the tiniest of holes and cracks even in "waterproof" plugs and sockets.
I used to have this happen a few times after extended rain - in the end drilled a small drain hole in the bottom of the "waterproof" plug to let the water that snuck in the top drip out instead of fill up inside.

Ref the battery - no chance maybe of leaving any side lights on or the like? used to have this problem with the VW T4 ... the light buzzer only worked on the switch onthe drivers door, and as I used to usually use the slider to get in and out I wouldn't notice the lights left on.
Made any changes to anything? fitted a new radio maybe which is always powered up (doing this on VW Transporters is a favourite cause for flattening the engine battery)? Worth checking this lot as you don't want the new battery to go the same way!
 
Halfords used to do price match, Aout 7 years ago I bought a leisure battery for my last MoHo from them and got £50 off the marked price. Battery still doing service in my son-in-laws T5.
 
theres some big battery sellers on fleabay that do nextday delivery on batteries....just put the code nos from the battery into the search and check what comes up is right size and terminals.
 
Think you are better buying a battery locally if it has a warranty issue it could cost a small fortune sending it back - eurocarparts always have a code on offer but there is normally more than 1 outlet for batteries locally
 
Think you are better buying a battery locally if it has a warranty issue it could cost a small fortune sending it back - eurocarparts always have a code on offer but there is normally more than 1 outlet for batteries locally

Thats the advantage of buying from halfrauds that they have many stores around the country :)
 
If the house breaker tripped, make sure with the recent heavy rain we have had that none as got into the sockets that might be a little exposed being external - that can easily happen as water gets into the tiniest of holes and cracks even in "waterproof" plugs and sockets.
I used to have this happen a few times after extended rain - in the end drilled a small drain hole in the bottom of the "waterproof" plug to let the water that snuck in the top drip out instead of fill up inside.

Ref the battery - no chance maybe of leaving any side lights on or the like? used to have this problem with the VW T4 ... the light buzzer only worked on the switch onthe drivers door, and as I used to usually use the slider to get in and out I wouldn't notice the lights left on.
Made any changes to anything? fitted a new radio maybe which is always powered up (doing this on VW Transporters is a favourite cause for flattening the engine battery)? Worth checking this lot as you don't want the new battery to go the same way!
Wildbus had been reading my mind again.
socket.jpg
 
However - when I came back into the house the house fuse box had been tripped 😱😳
The only thing that could have suddenly caused this was the electric hookup when I was firing up the carver heater... ?

Earth leakage circuit breaker OR miniature circuit breaker ?

So is an earth leakage fault OR a circuit overloaded too many amps ?
 
You said your battery is now ten volts how long has it been on charge ,it can take ages to fully charge a battery say about ten hours to 3/4 charge and another ten to put the last 1/4 to fully charge ,I Have been told Halfords are very good good at changing duff batterys but you do pay a premium price ,
 
You said your battery is now ten volts how long has it been on charge ,it can take ages to fully charge a battery say about ten hours to 3/4 charge and another ten to put the last 1/4 to fully charge ,I Have been told Halfords are very good good at changing duff batterys but you do pay a premium price ,

It went from 2 volts to 9 volts after 20 minutes of charging.
Don't know how old the current battery is, obviously it came with the van, but the voltage reading has always been good until now.
 
You said your battery is now ten volts how long has it been on charge ,it can take ages to fully charge a battery say about ten hours to 3/4 charge and another ten to put the last 1/4 to fully charge ,I Have been told Halfords are very good good at changing duff batterys but you do pay a premium price ,
I can only assume I somehow read it wrong at first. Its charged up to nearly 12v now.
 
I can only assume I somehow read it wrong at first. Its charged up to nearly 12v now.
6hrs charge to barely reach 12v is not right but if it's being charged whilst connected to the vehicle then seems like there's a drain. I'd disconnect and charge it.
 
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With the cold weather coming I would change the battery, even if you have a parasitic drain the battery will be no good now, change the battery and check for a drain, there was a good youtube video put on here or motorhome with instructions for checking, I will see if I can find it
 

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