LEISURE BATTERY

My motorhome has something that was fitted from new that others don`t seem to have ............................................ wing mirrors :)

Plus .................................... being an HGV driver from the 70`s i was taught to look all around me using them including the blind spots before i set off no matter what the situtation was, this also applies to the car :unsure:

Also ................................... and this might just be me but our EHU cable is Orange so it`s blatently obvious there`s a bloody great big Orange cable sticking out of the side of the motorhome before i set off when i look in the sticky out things called wing mirrors o_O
 
barryd said:
I have never heard that you should once a month remove your battery or hook it up and charge it. Sounds rubbish to me. As long as its isolated it should be fine. Least thats my experience. Had our van coming up 15 years and Im only just on my third battery. Its often left over winter for months. They generally last 6-7 years.
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3 batteries in 15 years? You're doing something wrong. Replaced the starter battery in my motorhome this summer; it was the original from 2008. :)
 
UPDATE
Well I took up Marchie’s suggestion and bought some rubber ramping which I covered with sticky hazard tape and although I say it myself it looked quite professional - I even considered wearing a high viz and hard hat going in and out of the van! I had it on charge for 24 hours and the leisure battery read at 13.5 on my plug in voltmeter. Switched on the heating WHICH WORKED, ALLELUJAH and reading went down to 12.5. Obviously I took it off the mains to do this.
My question is, what now? I’ve put it back on charge but how can I determine whether the battery is still viable?
I contacted Alpha to ask if I could come over and if they would test the battery for me, remembering that it’s still in warranty. Initially they said yes but then declined when I said it would mean removing the seat for access. They also said they do not fit batteries, only sales. However. After reading a comment on my thread where someone had gone to them, had a faulty battery tested, replaced and sent on their way, I reminded them of this. They then said to get in touch again when another worker would be back. I’m dubious as to what to expect from them as they’ve never acknowledged that the battery could be at fault and it’s an hour’s drive to Rochdale.
Your advice will be much appreciated.

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My batts get very lite use, the odd led lamp in the loo, water heater in there and usb charging of phones in the cab.
 
wildebus said:
If you fit the EHU plug (remember the bit that is fitted permenantly to the van is the PLUG 🔌, the hookup lead has the SOCKET that goes into the motorhome) so that it faces backwards, then when you drive away with the lead still attached (and the lead NOT wrapped around a towball!), you get no damage to any parts. You just get the 3 wires in the cable pulled out the socket connector, while the socket still remains attached to the plug.

I tested this on numerous occasions on my previous camper at home and it worked as above everytime (y)
The downside is that you end up with a live bare cable lying on the driveway, which isn't ideal ;) That is rectified by making a phone call back home once you realise you forgot to unplug and requesting the cable plug into the outdoor EHU feed socket is pulled before the cat 🐱 sniffs the bare wires. 🙀

Merls method of a short 'sacrificial' lead might be safer whilst also preventing damage :) (I might make a little lead like that as the current Motorhomes plug is fitted on the side and not at the rear)
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"I tested this on numerous occasions"
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
I'm Genuinely LOL!
 
Wooie1958 said:
My motorhome has something that was fitted from new that others don`t seem to have ............................................ wing mirrors :)

Plus .................................... being an HGV driver from the 70`s i was taught to look all around me using them including the blind spots before i set off no matter what the situtation was, this also applies to the car :unsure:

Also ................................... and this might just be me but our EHU cable is Orange so it`s blatently obvious there`s a bloody great big Orange cable sticking out of the side of the motorhome before i set off when i look in the sticky out things called wing mirrors o_O
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Bloody hell Wooie, your setting yourself up nicely there for a MASSIVE fail mate!;)
 
I have on occasion wrapped my EHU lead around the EHU bollard and the towbar because of all the nobheads tripping over the cable when they take the shortcut across a site and through your pitch and once they ended up pulling the cable out of the bollard.

I know that happened because i heard them shout as they went face first into the gravel on our pitch and the tv which was on mains went off, i shot outside to see the cable still wrapped around one of their legs, this was late at night and they were running to the toilet block.

A better time was on Abbey Wood CAMC when a woman from the row behind us tried to get through the hawthorn hedge to cut a corner rather than walk round it and end up in it, she required medical attention for all the cuts 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
 
Wooie1958 said:
I have on occasion wrapped my EHU lead around the EHU bollard and the towbar because of all the nobheads tripping over the cable when they take the shortcut across a site and through your pitch and once they ended up pulling the cable out of the bollard.

I know that happened because i heard them shout as they went face first into the gravel on our pitch and the tv which was on mains went off, i shot outside to see the cable still wrapped around one of their legs, this was late at night and they were running to the toilet block.

A better time was on Abbey Wood CAMC when a woman from the row behind us tried to get through the hawthorn hedge to cut a corner rather than walk round it and end up in it, she required medical attention for all the cuts 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
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"they were running to the toilet block"
Erm, you didn't finish up with a brown lead at that point??:):poop:
 
carol said:
UPD
Well I took up Marchie’s suggestion and bought some rubber ramping which I covered with sticky hazard tape and although I say it myself it looked quite professional - I even considered wearing a high viz and hard hat going in and out of the van! I had it on charge for 24 hours and the leisure battery read at 13.5 on my plug in voltmeter. Switched on the heating WHICH WORKED, ALLELUJAH and reading went down to 12.5. Obviously I took it off the mains to do this.
My question is, what now? I’ve put it back on charge but how can I determine whether the battery is still viable?
I contacted Alpha to ask if I could come over and if they would test the battery for me, remembering that it’s still in warranty. Initially they said yes but then declined when I said it would mean removing the seat for access. They also said they do not fit batteries, only sales. However. After reading a comment on my thread where someone had gone to them, had a faulty battery tested, replaced and sent on their way, I reminded them of this. They then said to get in touch again when another worker would be back. I’m dubious as to what to expect from them as they’ve never acknowledged that the battery could be at fault and it’s an hour’s drive to Rochdale.
Your advice will be much appreciated.

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If you can make an appointment when the other worker is back, then I think it's worth the drive over. I've found them very helpful in the past.

Just flutter your eyelashes and I'm pretty sure you'll be driving home with a new battery.;)
 
merl said:
Did you follow my first post (#11)? If you need clarification just ask. 🤗
Merl
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Hi Merl, thanks just re-read it. I don’t have a tv. I’m charging it again tonight so can try something tomorrow.
 
carol said:
Hi Merl, thanks just re-read it. I don’t have a tv. I’m charging it again tonight so can try something tomorrow.
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Hi Carol, I obviously don't know what electrical stuff you have in your van but I guess you've got a reasonable idea of how long you can run stuff without solar before the battery gets low? If so just do a sort of real time test using the items in a typical way. Then check your heater still fires up every hour (turn it straight off again afterwards) and see how long your stuff keeps working and that the heater keeps starting up ok. You'll then have a decent idea of how the electrics will hold up when you come to use it in earnest.
Any Qs just ask. (y)
 
carol said:
Bill, the days of me getting anything done by fluttering my eyelashes are well gone! 😂
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Reminds me of my step-sister and how she passed her driving test back in the 70`s 🤪

She`d failed 5 times ( and for good reason o_O ) so on the 6th attempt and on the advice of a friend who also did her make up she put on her shortest mini-skirt, tightest push-up bra and skimpiest top she had ............................. passed easily and she swears the examiner never once actually looked at the road :eek:
 
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