Dead battery; Ford Tribute T720 motorhome!

[Col49]

Hi

I have a Tribute t720 sport motorhome 2 years and one month old! Since I have had it serviced about 2 weeks ago the battery has been going totally flat! The first time two days after the service! Surprisingly; after the engine just clinking; I left it 10 minutes and tried it again; this time the engine started! The next time a few days later the same thing happened! It seemed totally flat; even radio needed resetting, but then started about 10 minutes later! Then last Wednesday after driving to my local town centre about 10 miles away; after returning from shops 30 minutes later the battery was totally flat! The AA came out and started the battery! Two days later I drove down to Lincoln motorhome show (50 miles), where I was on leisure battery for two days! When I came to start the engine on my return it was totally flat! The AA came out again this time using various testing equipment. The engineer told me that it was 12.4; which he said should be enough to crank the engine! He then put his meter on the battery terminals and just turned on the ignition key without turning the engine. The meter dropped right down to 7! I was given a print out of the results to take to my dealer; Danum Leisure in Doncaster saying that a replacement battery was needed!
The response I got was that the AA always say that; but that they would need to do a drop meter test to see if the problem was caused by me overcharging the battery on mains hook up; or whether it was a genuine faulty battery! They said; besides that the battery is only guaranteed for two years; and mine is two years and one month old! If the Ford battery can go that quickly; ( I also have a solar panel on the roof which is supposed to keep both batteries topped up); I am reluctant if I have to pay for a new battery to fit a Ford battery; when Halfords can do a replacement with a 5 year guarantee! My main question is; is there any way of me knowing if a drop test will indicate if the damaged battery is my fault, or whether it is just a faulty battery? Also even though it is just out of warranty might I still claim that it is so close to the end of the 2 year warranty that the battery should be replaced free of charge? AA said that there are no loose connections and alternator is ok!
Many thanks,

Col49

 

[Deleted member 13867]

As your 'van battery (i assume) is under the drivers seat i suspect the AA tested the voltage under the bonnet rather than taking the drivers seat out and testing the battery itself. This means that any slightly high resistance at the battery terminals or anywhere between the battery and the testing post under the bonnet would cause this type of problem. I would take the drivers seat out (a mixture of allen and torx screws usually) and clean and tighten the battery terminals and check both at this end and the under-bonnet end for loose / poorly crimped / corroded terminals. As this happened after a service it looks like some connection or other may have been disturbed. don't forget the earth connections too. Or the battery has failed and its just coincidence, I take any warranty on battery's with a pinch of salt as they can always find a way out with excuses like its been fully discharged and left, its had too many cycles, or a poor charging regime. Remember the only way to test a battery you need to put the voltmeter on the actual posts of the battery not on the connectors.
There is no test that will differentiate with any certainty that you have damaged your battery or if its a manufacturing fault but the dealer will likely say its your fault anyway.
Hope you get it sorted
Dave

 

[Neckender]

Hi

I have a Tribute t720 sport motorhome 2 years and one month old! Since I have had it serviced about 2 weeks ago the ; Danum Leisure in Doncaster saying that a replacement battery was needed!
but that they would need to do a drop meter test to see if the problem was caused by me overcharging the battery on mains hook up; ,

Col49

I regularly leave my van on hook up and have done so on all my vans, and as far as I'm concerned you can't overcharge your batteries with inbuilt charger.

John.

 

[Teutone]

As your 'van battery (i assume) is under the drivers seat i suspect the AA tested the voltage under the bonnet rather than taking the drivers seat out and testing the battery itself. This means that any slightly high resistance at the battery terminals or anywhere between the battery and the testing post under the bonnet would cause this type of problem. I would take the drivers seat out (a mixture of allen and torx screws usually) and clean and tighten the battery terminals and check both at this end and the under-bonnet end for loose / poorly crimped / corroded terminals. As this happened after a service it looks like some connection or other may have been disturbed. don't forget the earth connections too. Or the battery has failed and its just coincidence, I take any warranty on battery's with a pinch of salt as they can always find a way out with excuses like its been fully discharged and left, its had too many cycles, or a poor charging regime. Remember the only way to test a battery you need to put the voltmeter on the actual posts of the battery not on the connectors.
There is no test that will differentiate with any certainty that you have damaged your battery or if its a manufacturing fault but the dealer will likely say its your fault anyway.
Hope you get it sorted
Dave

I second this. Totally the right thing to do first. I had loads of battery trouble related to a corroded earth strap!

Keep the battery on the charger for a few days once you are sure it isn't faulty. The more I read about batteries and charging, the more I am suspicious of all these "intelligent" chargers. I bought one (ok a Lidl one....) and found that it switched the charge off far to early to really really fully charge a battery.
I read through all of this HandyBob's Blog « Making off grid RV electrical systems work and think the man talkes a lot of sense.

 

[Deleted member 3057]

Not sure from your post if its your starter battery that is flat or your leisure battery.

By dealer, do you mean Ford dealer or motorhome dealer.

If its the starter battery then all ford vehicles are guaranteed for 3 years bumper to bumper.

I have a Ford Transit mk7 motorhome.

 

[Tompa]

Hi
Ford motorhomes with base vehicles sourced outside the UK(most European MHs use base vehicles direct from Ford, Turkey) are all guaranteed for 2 years. The 3 year warranty only applies to British sourced base vehicles. The warranty on batteries is subject to fair wear and tear type rules. I have had mine changed under warranty when the vehicle was only a few months old. the problem was the van was sourced in late 2011 but not sold until Aug 2012, by which time the battery was US. Tompa