Word of warning

Fisherman

Fisherman

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I have just got back from a three day trip. The first two days were WC with no EHU. We had problems with the batteries losing power rapidly. 12.8 to 12.1v in 20 minutes. They are quality Varta 95AH AGM batteries only 3.5 years old. At first I thought the batteries were done, but then I thought that’s unlikely both batteries surely not.

Well I have just got home and after removing the adaptor below putting on the avtex 21 inch tv the batteries have hardly dropped 12.78 to 12.76 in 90 minutes. These problems started 2 months ago right after fitting this adaptor. It was a cheap £7.99 unit bought on eBay, I have learnt a lesson here. One thing that surprised me is this unit did not overheat.

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93BF5F32-508F-47ED-AADF-16DD2F6598C4.jpeg
 
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How do you reckon its drained the battery so fast though Bill? I think those ones with USB sockets can draw a little power when nothing is plugged in but Im struggling to understand how it would drain so much especially as it wasnt hot.

I have a few of these. I must admit, I dont trust them that much either and only plug them in when required. I could do with a better four way one than the one we have which is plugged into a single (good quality) 12v socket which I ran from the load outlet on the solar. I tend to never leave anything like that plugged in when we are not in the van.
 
barryd said:
How do you reckon its drained the battery so fast though Bill? I think those ones with USB sockets can draw a little power when nothing is plugged in but Im struggling to understand how it would drain so much especially as it wasnt hot.

I have a few of these. I must admit, I dont trust them that much either and only plug them in when required. I could do with a better four way one than the one we have which is plugged into a single (good quality) 12v socket which I ran from the load outlet on the solar. I tend to never leave anything like that plugged in when we are not in the van.
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The problems started when First used it out WC after I installed it. We were watching TV and much to my surprise we got a low voltage warning on the avtex TV. We had to turn the TV off and watch TV on our iPad. I put this down to me not observing battery status. But then on Saturday night the same again. We gave up on the TV until we got to Lochore with EHU. Before leaving and after being on EHU for almost 24 hours I left the TV on after disconnecting the EHU prior to leaving. Well the voltage started to plummet. I then realised that this adaptor was the only change I had made. When I got home the batteries were reading 13.54V. I removed the unit. Virtually no solar 2W. I turned on the TV and as normal after about fifteen minutes the batteries were at 12.8V, but started to stabilise at 12.78. I left the TV on for 90 minutes and the batteries had only dropped to 12.76V. I have just turned the TV off and the batteries are now 12.94 Yes thats the one thing I don't understand, why no heat from the unit.
 
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Fisherman said:
The problems started when First used it out WC after I installed it. We were watching TV and much to my surprise we got a low voltage warning on the avtex TV. We had to turn the TV off and watch TV on our iPad. I put this down to me not observing battery status. But then on Saturday night the same again. We gave up on the TV until we got to Lochore with EHU. Before leaving and after being on EHU for almost 24 hours I left the TV on after disconnecting the EHU prior to leaving. Well the voltage started to plummet. I then realised that this adaptor was the only change I had made. When I got home the batteries were reading 13.54V. I removed the unit. Virtually no solar 2W. I turned on the TV and as normal after about fifteen minutes the batteries were at 12.8V, but started to stabilise at 12.78. I left the TV on for 90 minutes and the batteries had only dropped to 12.76V. I have just turned the TV off and the batteries are now 12.94 Yes thats the one thing I don't understand, why no heat from the unit.
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How were you testing the battery voltage at each of these times Bill? Are you sure it was not maybe a false reading and the dodgy socket was maybe sending that reading awry somehow? It does all seem bizarre.
 
barryd said:
How were you testing the battery voltage at each of these times Bill? Are you sure it was not maybe a false reading and the dodgy socket was maybe sending that reading awry somehow? It does all seem bizarre.
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Victron app, I also have a victron temperature/ voltage reader with Bluetooth fitted to the first battery. I don’t go by what the panel says. The sensor gives voltage at the battery for more accurate reading than the App.

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I have had exactly the same problem with cheap multiway adaptors, I think the spring in the end contact forces itself out of the socket to the point where it’s making a high resistance contact. I think most of the cigarette lighter plugs aren’t upto the job and you would be better off replacing them with the Hella variety which has a much better contact arrangement and won’t force itself out of contact.
 
Fisherman said:
I have just got back from a three day trip. The first two days were WC with no EHU. We had problems with the batteries losing power rapidly. 12.8 to 12.1v in 20 minutes. They are quality Varta 95AH AGM batteries only 3.5 years old. At first I thought the batteries were done, but then I thought that’s unlikely both batteries surely not.

Well I have just got home and after removing the adaptor below putting on the avtex 21 inch tv the batteries have hardly dropped 12.78 to 12.76 in 90 minutes. These problems started 2 months ago right after fitting this adaptor. It was a cheap £7.99 unit bought on eBay, I have learnt a lesson here. One thing that surprised me is this unit did not overheat.

Here’s the link to this item to avoid
www.ebay.co.uk

4 Way Dc12v Multi Socket Car Cigarette Splitter Lighter Adapter Plug Charger for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 4 Way Dc12v Multi Socket Car Cigarette Splitter Lighter Adapter Plug Charger at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk

View attachment 114765
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When you unplugged it, did the voltage recover again or did it stay at that low voltage?

I would have suspected the batteries have had it, but you have eliminated that.
For a battery to have that kind of drop so quickly would involve a high load and something getting hot, but you have said this is not warming up and nothing plugged into it was getting overwarm. It doesn't really make sense that the voltage drop could be down to this as the current involved should blow any fuse fitted to a 12V socket or the fuse that is fitted in the 12V plug in the device.
Have you tried this again and repeated the same symptoms? wondering if it is a spurious error on the Victron SBS?
 
wildebus said:
When you unplugged it, did the voltage recover again or did it stay at that low voltage?

I would have suspected the batteries have had it, but you have eliminated that.
For a battery to have that kind of drop so quickly would involve a high load and something getting hot, but you have said this is not warming up and nothing plugged into it was getting overwarm. It doesn't really make sense that the voltage drop could be down to this as the current involved should blow any fuse fitted to a 12V socket or the fuse that is fitted in the 12V plug in the device.
Have you tried this again and repeated the same symptoms? wondering if it is a spurious error on the Victron SBS?
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Can’t see it being the victron David, as both the MPPT controller and the temperature sensor were around the same. I to am mystified at this. But the tv was on for over two hours when I got back with only a 0.3 drop in voltage when I removed this adaptor. I cannot see this being the batteries as that would not have been possible with dud batteries.
 
That happens to all 12v tv, mine does the same, way round it is use a voltage buck unit lifting the 12.7 output to around 14/15 volts, when it drops a tad it wont shut the tv down.
I would however fitt a proper usb/ cigy outlet, i do have one of your units in a cupboard for chraging usb torches/ phones out of sight.
usb a.jpg
4 way panel.png
 
trevskoda said:
That happens to all 12v tv, mine does the same, way round it is use a voltage buck unit lifting the 12.7 output to around 14/15 volts, when it drops a tad it wont shut the tv down.
I would however fitt a proper usb/ cigy outlet, i do have one of your units in a cupboard for chraging usb torches/ phones out of sight.
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The only thing is that what you are going is dealing with a localised voltage drop at the socket, but what Fisherman was seeing was the actual battery apparently dropping 0.6V, which is a big drop. The load of a TV should cause minimal battery voltage drop (probably less than 0.1V) on the battery itself.
 
I have a similar multi gang charging unit as the OP, but we only use it in the cab so never an issue as it goes on and off with the ignition, any hab chargers are fused and wired individually and I use plug in USBs as they seem less likely to fail and can be moved to a different socket.
 
Doesn’t sound right, as said something should be hot if it’s the adapter. I would also have said battery’s. Do a proper capacity test on them
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I have a similar multi gang charging unit as the OP, but we only use it in the cab so never an issue as it goes on and off with the ignition, any hab chargers are fused and wired individually and I use plug in USBs as they seem less likely to fail and can be moved to a different socket.
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Yes I have the same in the cab for reverse camera monitor and sat Nav. Not had any problems so far but I guess quality can be variable
 
I prefer to have my reversing camera/monitor feeds hard wired, I have one for sale on ebay right now that I bought but don't need as the one I have now has mended itself.
 
Nabsim said:
Doesn’t sound right, as said something should be hot if it’s the adapter. I would also have said battery’s. Do a proper capacity test on them
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About the only thing I am sure of here is the batteries are fine Nabism. Yes as I said why is nothing hot. And the voltage reading was confirmed by the Victron MPPT app, Victron temperature/Voltage APP, the control panel, and the Avtex TV voltage warning system. Its a bit of a mystery, but if the batteries were dud they could not have ran a 21 inch TV for two hours with hardly a drop in voltage, as they did yesterday. I used to install batteries into Alarm systems if they failed a load test, or when they were 5 years old I replaced them. I have seen batteries reading 13V then when put on load dropping to 6-10V almost immediately, these were duds.
 
wildebus said:
The only thing is that what you are going is dealing with a localised voltage drop at the socket, but what Fisherman was seeing was the actual battery apparently dropping 0.6V, which is a big drop. The load of a TV should cause minimal battery voltage drop (probably less than 0.1V) on the battery itself.
Click to expand...
My voltage drops from 12.7 to around 12.3 when the tv is on for more than 5 mins causing the sound to stop, after looking into this I have found that the tv factory 230v to 12v transformer puts out around 14v and not 12v as it says on the back of the tv, so a voltage buck is going in shortly.
AS for our friends unit it will either be dud batts, thin wires or poor earth im thinking.
 
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