Autotrail Cheyenne 696g leisure battery not charging.

locksmith

Guest
We have been away in the motorhome ( Mandy and I had a great time :) )and didn't have a problem running the motorhome off the mains, I tried to run a light and the radio from the leisure battery and it was flat within 1 hour ( bells and a flashing light warning) and saying vehicle battery dangerously low, I was able to start the van seemed full of power, I then drove the van 30 miles expecting this to charge the battery but it didn't, not even enough to power the radio when driving.
I was later able to connect to mains overnight and it did charge a little but only enough to get about an hour running a single light and the radio again.
The vehicle battery seems OK although the panel when running van off just leisure battery soon warns of a dangerously low vehicle battery and everything cuts off but I'm able to start the van no trouble,
I thought it may be the leisure battery so I bought a new quality 110 amp but this ran down after a couple of days, I now run the two batteries side by side and it seems a little better but still not what it should be giving about 2 hours of power.
I feel although I'm not the expert that the charging side is at fault both from running the van and from the mains.
Any thoughts ? waiting for Brownhills to come back to me.
 
Hi Locksmith,

It sounds like you have a problem. If your van is brand new, it cannot be a faulty battery. The fact that you bought a second one as well leads me to think that there is a fault in the charging system. A 30 mile run would not put too much back in the battery but it should not have been flat prior to that.

There may be a switch you have to position for using the leisure battery off hookup, so check your handbook. The recharging is automatic when driving. I think you need an auto electrician to check it out. Brownhills should sort you out. In the meantime, put a multimeter across your leisure battery, check the voltage, start the engine and check again. You could do the same but plugging in to the mains instead of starting the engine. You should see a big difference in voltage both times. If not, it is a warranty repair job.

I hope it did not spoil your holiday.
 
New batteries do go faulty....but

It can be the battery as I had a faulty battery on a one week old car....however as you purchased a new battery, I am inclined to think it is the charging system.... or relay....:confused:
If it is under warranty, I would get it to Brownhills asap....
 
Hi Locksmith,
Maybe a daft question but is your charging unit switched on in your wardrobe ? is right at the back and red light should be lite on switch.
regards keith.
 
wilthebeast said:
Hi Locksmith,
Maybe a daft question but is your charging unit switched on in your wardrobe ? is right at the back and red light should be lite on switch.
regards keith.
Click to expand...

Hello there,
yes it is switched on and when it's on everything seems perfect but switch it off and run anything off the leisure battery's and in a short while the warning lights are flashing and then dead, while the charging unit is on the battery readings are all very good.
The battery's are both new and the same make although one is an 85 came with the motorhome and I added a 120. I have run them side by side 85 first then the 120
would it be better 120 then 85 ??

P+ to P+ and N- to N- as always
 
I'm with maingate on this one. Definitely sounds like a charging fault. If still under warranty take it back and get them to fix it.
 
locksmith said:
Hello there,
yes it is switched on and when it's on everything seems perfect but switch it off and run anything off the leisure battery's and in a short while the warning lights are flashing and then dead, while the charging unit is on the battery readings are all very good.
The battery's are both new and the same make although one is an 85 came with the motorhome and I added a 120. I have run them side by side 85 first then the 120
would it be better 120 then 85 ??

P+ to P+ and N- to N- as always
Click to expand...
Hi locksmith
Above your habition door there is a control panel (imformation panel) that will tell you the state of your system i.e state of charge of your leasure battery and also your vehicle battery ,plus other imformation . if you have the manual for this it may guide you in the right way to sort this problem i.e check the state of charge in your leasure battery before and after a run and check the differance , If after a run and the battery charge as not gone up then there is a fault with the charging system
 
wilthebeast said:
Hi locksmith
Above your habition door there is a control panel (imformation panel) that will tell you the state of your system i.e state of charge of your leasure battery and also your vehicle battery ,plus other imformation . if you have the manual for this it may guide you in the right way to sort this problem i.e check the state of charge in your leasure battery before and after a run and check the differance , If after a run and the battery charge as not gone up then there is a fault with the charging system
Click to expand...

Without wishing to state the obvious, I thought he said he'd taken it for a run and it hadn't charged. In fact everything mentioned points towards a charging fault. If under warranty I wouldn't fiddle with it, let them sort it - that's why you have a warranty.
 
I had a similar problem a few years back when I was in Germany. It was traced to the battery running down where the current was going into the chassis. I know nothing about electrics, but was told It could have been an earthing issue.
 
David & Ann said:
I had a similar problem a few years back when I was in Germany. It was traced to the battery running down where the current was going into the chassis. I know nothing about electrics, but was told It could have been an earthing issue.
Click to expand...

Indeed! It's important anything electrical is earthed correctly.
 
caspar said:
Without wishing to state the obvious, I thought he said he'd taken it for a run and it hadn't charged. In fact everything mentioned points towards a charging fault. If under warranty I wouldn't fiddle with it, let them sort it - that's why you have a warranty.
Click to expand...

Your right, Brownhills are sending a new control panel so we will see if that is the cure ??
mmmmmmmmm ? not confident but that's a start.
 
HI Locksmith,
I did send you a PM but i dont think you got it Re the control panel as we had a problem with ours and all it needs is re:::booting, but really glad that brownhills are trying to sort it for you , the eyes of wild camping are whatching on out for the outcome
regards
keith& wendy
 
Keith & Wendy

Hello,
Sorry I missed your PM, I'm still answering the hundreds of emails I got when I had the BrownHills are Downhills saga, the nice thing about the emails is they all enquire about the health of my wife rather than the motorhome problems.
I have re-set the panel and done several different things whilst being instructed over the phone by an engineer from Brownhills, he feels the panel may have a fault and is sending me another, if this does not work then the van will need to go in and they will change the PSU.
 
All Fixed By Brownhills

Took the van into Brownhills and their electronics engineer had a chat with me, I told him the problems and two hours later I was driving home with my fixed motorhome.
Fantastic service. :D
 
Nice of you to ask.

Tbear said:
So how is Mandy ?
Click to expand...

Mandy is very tired at the moment and on anti biotic's with a kidney infection a side effect of other medications.
She is very positive and looking forward to her appointment on the 23rd November where they will take blood test to see if her treatment has upset the function of the pituitary gland, then they will prescribe medication to get it up and running correctly and this will hopefully make her feel better than she does now.

Thanks for asking.:)

Andy
 
Hi locksmith
did brownhills say what they did to rectify the probrem ?
So glad that Mandy is feeling positive
all our love
keith&wendy
 
wilthebeast said:
Hi locksmith
did brownhills say what they did to rectify the probrem ?
So glad that Mandy is feeling positive
all our love
keith&wendy
Click to expand...
Hi there. They said there was a blown fuse caused by a wire that was loose. the fuse had not blown whilst I had the van but I think it blew when they discovered the unattached wire in the PSU Box. this is all I know, The loose wire would explain why it seemed to work sometimes. Batteries are all fully charges and I left all the lights on in the van last night and I can see out the window they are all on and strong this morning,
I will pass on your thoughts to Mandy and thank you.
 
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