Battery problems.

[jacquigem]

So we ha e 2010 autotrail mohawk . Last summer new 180 watt solar panels And victron controller with 2 new lead acid 110 amp batteries . All working well especially in Portugal sun . Limited use, just tv and lights.
Parked op for 5 nights longer than normal . Noticed engine battery volts dropping to 11 volts . Went to sargent ec500 panel and turned off leisure engine switch. Sargent showed immediate voltage improve.ent to 11.5 on engine battery . Went out for a couple of hours and sargent showing 12vts on engine battery. We do have a small solar panel plugged into cigarette lighter but I am confused. Why won't the sargent send some of the solar to engine ?

 

[trevskoda]

First unless you have a regulator on the panel plugged into ciggy socket its not going to work, it may drain the battery, second I would have fitted a votronic regulater which puts 1ah to starter battery.
You should have a dedicated ciggy plug to the victron input for the we panel, or its own regulater connected to the starter battery if you wish.
The other way is a cable through a relay with a dash switch to divert current from the hab battery or regulater utput to the starter bat.
I have a heavy duty battery cable and 200ah relay with a switch which links my les bat to the starter one for emergency starts, very very handy.

 

[molly 2]

My guess engine battery on its way out .

 

[trevskoda]

My guess engine battery on its way out .

More than likely, hence the emergency start sys i have, iv seen batteres work one min and die the next, my car did this 2 mths back.

 

[molly 2]

My engine battery is over eight years old still spot on , but going in the bin this week .

 

[jacquigem]

My guess engine battery on its way out .

That is quite possible thanks.

 

[jacquigem]

First unless you have a regulator on the panel plugged into ciggy socket its not going to work, it may drain the battery, second I would have fitted a votronic regulater which puts 1ah to starter battery.
You should have a dedicated ciggy plug to the victron input for the we panel, or its own regulater connected to the starter battery if you wish.
The other way is a cable through a relay with a dash switch to divert current from the hab battery or regulater utput to the starter bat.
I have a heavy duty battery cable and 200ah relay with a switch which links my les bat to the starter one for emergency starts, very very handy.

Too technical for me Trev but thanks for replying think I will try changing engine battery first , but what I fo find strange is that it appears to be in better health when not linked to solar ? I would add that I have always used "proffessionals" to sort out my solar but not so sure now.

 

[RichardHelen262]

We have just had a problem with our batteries whilst in Spain but the other way around it was our leisure battery that died we too have the Sargent ec500.
But you seem to be running a lot more through the Sargent system than they recommend as the highest they recommend is 100w solar and 100ah battery but do say that it could take 120w solar and 120ah battery max.
Which is what I have put on mine,
I would have liked to put more but it would have meant bypassing the Sargent system with a different system and at the time I just didn’t have time to do it, and have never managed to get around to it, but we are not heavy power users so mostly especially abroad it has met our needs.
Infact the only battery that we could get hold of quickly whilst in Spain was a 100ah but this seems to be performing better than the 120ah battery ever did and as it has given up the ghost at only 18 months old it has made me wonder if it was faulty from new.

 

[jacquigem]

We have just had a problem with our batteries whilst in Spain but the other way around it was our leisure battery that died we too have the Sargent ec500.
But you seem to be running a lot more through the Sargent system than they recommend as the highest they recommend is 100w solar and 100ah battery but do say that it could take 120w solar and 120ah battery max.
Which is what I have put on mine,
I would have liked to put more but it would have meant bypassing the Sargent system with a different system and at the time I just didn’t have time to do it, and have never managed to get around to it, but we are not heavy power users so mostly especially abroad it has met our needs.
Infact the only battery that we could get hold of quickly whilst in Spain was a 100ah but this seems to be performing better than the 120ah battery ever did and as it has given up the ghost at only 18 months old it has made me wonder if it was faulty from new.

That's interesting Richard, nobody had mentioned that before , will take it up with the guys who have worked on my van . Our 2 100 amp leisure batteries do seem to be working well with the victron controller so will look at replacing engine battery I think which is a few years old ,maybe 4 plus. See if it starts in an hours time !

 

[jacquigem]

Would nit start , but managed with jump leads and a kind neighbour . New engine battery, old one was at least 4 years old and all well......for now ! Just wondering if to turn the leisure / engine switch back on in Sargent control panel ?

 

[r4dent]

Went to sargent ec500 panel and turned off leisure engine switch.

Do you mean "Leisure battery switch ?"

 

[r4dent]

We do have a small solar panel plugged into cigarette lighter but I am confused.

Some cigarette lighters (including mine) are only connected to vehicle when ignition is switched on. This means the small solar needs to be wired direct to battery or OBD.

Or it could be this small solar is connected to vehicle battery and the ec500 is detecting this voltage and thinking the vehicle battery is fully charged.

 

[trevskoda]

My engine battery is over eight years old still spot on , but going in the bin this week .

Keep it charged for emergency jump start.

Too technical for me Trev but thanks for replying think I will try changing engine battery first , but what I fo find strange is that it appears to be in better health when not linked to solar ? I would add that I have always used "proffessionals" to sort out my solar but not so sure now.

90% of so called pros are in fact dipsticks and con men, read books/internet teach your self.

 

[trevskoda]

AS far as sargent sys goes id tend to dump it and do it simple single sys way.

 

[jacquigem]

Do you mean "Leisure battery switch ?"

No the switch that I was told keeps charge balanced between engine and leisure batteries ?

 

[Wooie1958]

My engine battery is just over 5 years old and starting to get a little sluggish when starting so a new one is here waiting to be fitted.

EA1000 Exide Premium Car Battery 12V 100Ah - 017TE

EA1000 Exide Premium Car Battery 017TE Exide are one of the leading battery manufacturers companies in the world and have been delivering quality in the automotive and infrastructure sectors for more than 130 years! Exide premium car batteries are Exide's leading wet lead acid battery range...

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As soon as god give us a break in the weather i`ll pop it on, we go to some very very remote places abroad so i do not want it letting us down

Similarly the 2 x 110ah Xplorer leisure batteries are now 7 years old and not lasting as long as they should so 2 x 110ah Lead Carbon ones arrive today

12V 110AH Expedition Plus Lead Carbon Gel Ultra Deep Cycle Battery (EXP12-110C) - Alpha Batteries

Ultra Deep Cycle Lead Carbon GEL Battery

www.alpha-batteries.co.uk

 

[jacquigem]

My engine battery is just over 5 years old and starting to get a little sluggish when starting so a new one is here waiting to be fitted.

EA1000 Exide Premium Car Battery 12V 100Ah - 017TE

EA1000 Exide Premium Car Battery 017TE Exide are one of the leading battery manufacturers companies in the world and have been delivering quality in the automotive and infrastructure sectors for more than 130 years! Exide premium car batteries are Exide's leading wet lead acid battery range...

www.tayna.co.uk

As soon as god give us a break in the weather i`ll pop it on, we go to some very very remote places abroad so i do not want it letting us down

Similarly the 2 x 110ah Xplorer leisure batteries are now 7 years old and not lasting as long as they should so 2 x 110ah Lead Carbon ones arrive today

12V 110AH Expedition Plus Lead Carbon Gel Ultra Deep Cycle Battery (EXP12-110C) - Alpha Batteries

Ultra Deep Cycle Lead Carbon GEL Battery

www.alpha-batteries.co.uk

Very sensible, what surprised me was how fast it deteriorated from having no problems to not functioning at all after a five day stop. I usually Check battery voltage daily.

 

[trevskoda]

Very sensible, what surprised me was how fast it deteriorated from having no problems to not functioning at all after a five day stop. I usually Check battery voltage daily.

Some times a plate breaks where its thin, working one day and dead the next, thats what happened to my car starter battery.

 

[jacquigem]

Keep it charged for emergency jump start.

90% of so called pros are in fact dipsticks and con men, read books/internet teach your self.

Good advice, trying to pick things up from this forum. Perhaps a separate knowledge bank ?