Battery problem

  • Thread starter Deleted member 12051
  • Start date
in h said:
The voltage you see on the battery is only an indication of its actual state of charge after it has rested for several hours, with no charge current or discharge current.

The voltage you see when it is being charged is really what the charger has decided it should be.

As the battery is charged, a good charger takes it through three or four charge stages: at first (or second for some chargers, that start very slowly), it pushes power in as fast as it can, and the voltage will go from about 12.0v slowly rising through the 13v range, then when the battery voltage reaches about 14.54v, it controls the charging at that voltage for a while. Some chargers have a fixed time for this phase, some measure the current needed to maintain the voltage at that.
Either way, when the charger is satisfied that the battery is full, it then backs off the voltage to about 13.7v. Some even have a further "back off" phase, dropping to about 12.8v after a few days

So even if all that made your eyes glaze over, the takeaway is that the battery is fully charged when its charger lets the voltage reach 13.7v, but only the SECOND time it reaches that voltage, on the way DOWN from 14.54v.

After the battery is full, if you disconnect the charger and the load, the battery should sit there at around 12.8v for several weeks or months. Unless it is faulty, or unless something is taking power from it, the battery should be 75% charged after six months doing absolutely nothing.

The starter battery normally powers the radio in the dash, the alarm (and maybe the ECU if it is a newish van), so it could possibly run down after a month or two, even if nothing is actually switched on.

In general, the old Zig chargers used to cook batteries if left on all the time, but modern hookup chargers or modern solar charge controllers shouldn't. If the battery is being left at 13.7v or maybe 13.8v when the solar has filled it up, that's fine and I'd leave the solar panel connected.

If you join the two batteries together with your magic fuse, the solar controller will look after both of them.
Click to expand...
Thank you so very, very, much h.
A smiley face on reading the above this morning and logged in my file. I have taken all of this on board with your easy to follow info. Also, the fuses arrived and voila!!! you were right. Once the 2x 25amp fuses placed back in fuse panel the onboard monitor is now displaying the battery percentage.
 
rottytara2004 said:
Thank you so very, very, much h.
A smiley face on reading the above this morning and logged in my file. I have taken all of this on board with your easy to follow info. Also, the fuses arrived and voila!!! you were right. Once the 2x 25amp fuses placed back in fuse panel the onboard monitor is now displaying the battery percentage.
Click to expand...
Oops forgot to ask.....do you predict my van passing it’s MOT on Monday - a smile for you this morning Ha ha!!
 
rottytara2004 said:
Oops forgot to ask.....do you predict my van passing it’s MOT on Monday - a smile for you this morning Ha ha!!
Click to expand...
You have a current MOT and it is due to be done on Monday? Have you checked that it has not already been extended until November?
 
wildebus said:
You have a current MOT and it is due to be done on Monday? Have you checked that it has not already been extended until November?
Click to expand...
Hi Wildbus. November?? Are you saying I don’t need for it to go through this on Monday? How did you know I still had my MOT running?
 
I think it was a question rather than stalking 😀
If your MoT is current then you have an automatic extension.
This doesn't stop you getting another on Monday but if it fails it fails.
Technically if your van has a defect that would fail an MoT then it's not roadworthy and might be considered dangerous.
 
Markd said:
I think it was a question rather than stalking 😀
If your MoT is current then you have an automatic extension.
This doesn't stop you getting another on Monday but if it fails it fails.
Technically if your van has a defect that would fail an MoT then it's not roadworthy and might be considered dangerous.
Click to expand...
Didn’t take it as stalking Mark Lol. Just wondered how Wildbus gto that information. Anyway on your comment I’ll cancel down. Not that it’s needed as nobody is going anywhere these days. Better to have this grace and it suits me to have the MOT at end of year time. Thank you
 
I'm
rottytara2004 said:
Didn’t take it as stalking Mark Lol. Just wondered how Wildbus gto that information. Anyway on your comment I’ll cancel down. Not that it’s needed as nobody is going anywhere these days. Better to have this grace and it suits me to have the MOT at end of year time. Thank you
Click to expand...
You have a dashcam that is internet enabled I think? By the way, I would use less butter on your toast in the morning ;)






Yup, the "?" at the end of my first line gave it away, it was a question/supposition :D
 
rottytara2004 said:
Didn’t take it as stalking Mark Lol. Just wondered how Wildbus gto that information. Anyway on your comment I’ll cancel down. Not that it’s needed as nobody is going anywhere these days. Better to have this grace and it suits me to have the MOT at end of year time. Thank you
Click to expand...

Better double check that your MOT has been extended here:

www.gov.uk

Check the MOT history of a vehicle

Check the MOT history of a vehicle from 2005 onwards, including if it passed or failed, its mileage and why it failed, download MOT test certificate
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
Morning all
Contacted inspector at Mot station.His reply to cancelling my mot with this 6 months grace was not as clear cut as people think.
He stated that unless it is parked on a drive or road side and not travelling the grace is effective. If you are found to be travelling I.e. supermarkets, pharmacies etc, you have to have your mot up to date. No concessions by police will be wavered In the event. On this note, if I need repairs or advisories on failure of mot I will be able to travel to a garage freely legally.
 
I'm afraid that he's spinning you a line presumably to keep the business.
Here's a link to Gov.uk website

www.gov.uk

Getting an MOT

When you need an MOT for your vehicle, what it costs, what happens if your vehicle fails, and how to get mistakes on the MOT certificate fixed.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

It's quite clear that your MoT extension is fully valid and you can check that on the link already provided by others.
However if you use the van and it is found to be dangerous you could be fined - but that's no different to anytime.
Personally I think that unless a roadside defect is something you could check yourself like tyres or lights that a police officer would use discretion - as they do now.

The link I've provided explains that police will accept the MoT extension and you can retax.
Your MoT man is just plain wrong!
 
Oh dear! Well, it looks like by reading the rules I don’t need to take it In tomorrow. He convinced me it’s was necessary as I stated above. Why oh why do people (even an inspector) take advantage of being female??? I’m now bloody raging and will be calling with the governments guidance. He emphasised, travelling would land me in trouble without an up to date Mot unless it was deemed urgent. I agree with you mark he must need the business!!!
 
He probably does and if you are a longstanding loyal customer you might be inclined to give it him as I will with my MoT man if he's open when I need mine.
But it doesn't sound as if you are feeling generous 😀
 
rottytara2004 said:
Thank you so very, very, much h.
A smiley face on reading the above this morning and logged in my file. I have taken all of this on board with your easy to follow info. Also, the fuses arrived and voila!!! you were right. Once the 2x 25amp fuses placed back in fuse panel the onboard monitor is now displaying the battery percentage.
Click to expand...
Once again it’s me. I have monitored the starter battery and over 4 days it has remained the same....yes more shoes not having to replace, me thinks ha ha!
Is it prudent to say I am now able to put solar switch back to on to keep charging?
Overall I have everything working, unless you can advise any other points I can take care of? I value your knowledge wholeheartedly - even the switch thingy lol!
I am now concentrating having a birthday party (Saturday) with all the trimmings - not forgetting the champers, blasting out AC/DC ( no neighbours around) a sleepover in comfort with contentment.
TO ALL OP‘s ON HERE.........So many thanks once again for making a due birthday complete inside my van.
 
I've got a Peugeot boxer motorhome have the same problem there's a plate that clips onto the battery and battery terminal. What I did was loosen the clamp lift the plate wedge it clear of the battery and put a battery charger on overnight the clips on a charger are a lot smaller and fit
 
Mickrick said:
I've got a Peugeot boxer motorhome have the same problem there's a plate that clips onto the battery and battery terminal. What I did was loosen the clamp lift the plate wedge it clear of the battery and put a battery charger on overnight the clips on a charger are a lot smaller and fit
Click to expand...
Not looked to see if I have clips on top. Will inspect later on. Thanks Mick
 
rottytara2004 said:
Morning all
Contacted inspector at Mot station.His reply to cancelling my mot with this 6 months grace was not as clear cut as people think.
He stated that unless it is parked on a drive or road side and not travelling the grace is effective. If you are found to be travelling I.e. supermarkets, pharmacies etc, you have to have your mot up to date. No concessions by police will be wavered In the event. On this note, if I need repairs or advisories on failure of mot I will be able to travel to a garage freely legally.
Click to expand...
Simply not true. If your MOT has been extended, it has been extended. Simple as that.
I would suggest that when it does need an MOT you take it to somewhere that doesn't try to mislead you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top