Battery woes...

Ricko · 2022-01-21 19:47:02

Hi everybody.
I'm falling out of love with my van.
Its had a new battery and alternator about two years ago.
It keeps losing charge, there must be a parasitic drain or something.
I'm going to charge the battery and leave it disconnected, measuring the voltage over a few days to see how it stands up.
I'm going to disconnect the radio and connect the battery and see if the battery drops over time.
Failing that I'll have to do the old connecting an ammeter and removing fuses investigation.
Loved it when she was working properly...

JohnDragonMan · 2022-01-22 03:44:51

yeah, mine has had a new battery (and bigger than it should have) last year but it does loose charge rather fast. like if its parked for just a few days.

i need to pull fuses and do the old amp meter across the connections to see what it is.. trouble is i have that much stuff now.

i do have an after market alarm which has been fine in past vehicles (yes i take the alarm with me when i sell a car) so i am thinking of disconnecting the factory central locking.

trouble is, i bought it with a "battery going flat fault" which i think i fixed... but then added a load of other electronics. have 3 seprate trackers in it (to keep them active so they dont get disconnected) my old phone is hidden in it too and it has 24hr cctv which is nice but does use battery. thankfully most of that runs from the 2x leisure batteries. i also have a hidden lithium pack which charges via a solar panel and when the engine is running just to keep the tracker running for some extra time (like 10 years lmao).

yeah.. i need to fit an isolated "starter only" battery.. the AGM i have on it is good but its not liking the winter.
i am on the lookout for a larger alternator.. got me wondering if the HDI mk4 Mondeo uses the same alternator bolt pattern for the alternator as i am sure that was 130 amps on the car with electric power steering.

i mean, i would love to fit a 24v alternator then just use a buck to drop the voltage down to 12v for the ECU. however that may be a little excessive. honestly after the lorry.. i cant understand why every car is not 24v now days.

hmmm...

Casper · 2022-01-22 13:41:05

Says here

There are a few things that constantly draw power in a vehicle, such as the clock on the radio, so it’s normal to have a reading between 20 and 50 milliamps

https://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Parasitic-Battery-Drain

vaz2121 · 2022-01-22 17:04:34

Some circuits are controled by relays...............
Being used as a camper and can be a high humid enviroment although a relay might appear to be working it could be cruddy and still pass a little voltage it can go both ways i.e. more likely stop when meant to work ...........................
A clean up like an old set of points can work wonders .............

Like that's what you wanted to hear .....................

I'm hopeless with electrics and loathe them..................
I've NO JuJu/patience in what needs doing ... a black art.............

Zog · 2022-01-23 22:47:33

Ricko wrote:

I'm going to charge the battery and leave it disconnected, measuring the voltage over a few days to see how it stands up.

Sounds like a good first thing. Are you going to update this thread? smile

Ricko · 2022-01-26 22:28:16

8

Zog wrote:

Ricko wrote:
I'm going to charge the battery and leave it disconnected, measuring the voltage over a few days to see how it stands up.
Sounds like a good first thing. Are you going to update this thread?

I ended up using the van to commute this week to see if would stand up to daily use...
...which it has done so far.
35 minute commute each morning with lights on, and return.
Starting fine, although it might benefit from glow plugs.
Hell, I might even take a trip in a few weeks time...
...probably Dumf & Gall, just for a change!!

Casper · 2022-01-26 23:23:18

Got a Maxus for a work van. The 90Ah battery is old and would only last three days if not in use. Back had a chair lift so its wire was still there. Stuck in a 110Ah to act in Parallel and buy god it starts on the key. I thought i wanted glow plugs also i just wanted more power. My Convoy book says 75Ah but come winter it struggles with that even new. We all on out Facebook page stick in at lest a 90Ah or like me 100 but its the CCA you want. You got to think what driving you do also. If lots of stop starts especially this time of year its not getting a chance to fully charge. This is why i put a 40Ah solar in the screen but may upgrade that to 100Anh on the roof if i have any more trouble.

Pathfinder100 · 2022-01-31 18:41:35

A 100w panel on the roof is the end of any battery not being fully charged, issues. Had one on my old transit that did nothing but charge the vehicle batteries. Never had any issues with them after I installed it.

An alternative hack if you already have a solar panel up there charging a leisure battery. Most good solar controllers have a load circuit, most of the MPPT controllers will also let you program the limits for it. So hook a trickle charger to the load circuit and set the controller to cut out if the leisure battery hits say 12.5V. Wire the trickle charger to the vehicle battery using decent cable rated for the length you are running to minimise voltage drop. When the solar panel is active in the day it will feed a couple of amps to the vehicle battery.

Another dirty wiring hack can also be used with the above method, if you have a VSR installed. If you put a 4 way switch in, just before the VSR on the vehicle battery side and wire the trickle charger to that switch, you can change from using the VSR to fill the LB, to using the trickle charger to keep the VB topped up. Useful if you are parked up for a while or the van has been mothballed for winter.

Casper · 2022-01-31 19:51:56

Pathfinder100 wrote:

A 100w panel on the roof is the end of any battery not being fully charged, issues. Had one on my old transit that did nothing but charge the vehicle batteries. Never had any issues with them after I installed it.
An alternative hack if you already have a solar panel up there charging a leisure battery. Most good solar controllers have a load circuit, most of the MPPT controllers will also let you program the limits for it. So hook a trickle charger to the load circuit and set the controller to cut out if the leisure battery hits say 12.5V. Wire the trickle charger to the vehicle battery using decent cable rated for the length you are running to minimise voltage drop. When the solar panel is active in the day it will feed a couple of amps to the vehicle battery.
Another dirty wiring hack can also be used with the above method, if you have a VSR installed. If you put a 4 way switch in, just before the VSR on the vehicle battery side and wire the trickle charger to that switch, you can change from using the VSR to fill the LB, to using the trickle charger to keep the VB topped up. Useful if you are parked up for a while or the van has been mothballed for winter.

Got 400A solar on the roof of my Convoy Camperbus what have been looking after my 260Ah leisure and 100Ah start battery for well over a year now. Its down the borders in storage just now at a friends parents farm. Ill go get it back in another six weeks and i fully expect it to start first turn of the key

Pathfinder100 · 2022-02-01 03:50:29

Looks like you are well sorted Casper. Not to mention a very fine van.

Casper · 2022-02-01 18:33:34

Pathfinder100 wrote:

Looks like you are well sorted Casper. Not to mention a very fine van.

Its not bad a van. Plenty space what im not using to its full potential so come the end of the year its all getting ripped out and start again for a Croatia trip in 2023. Need to get engine sorted also as it keep loosing power mostly when hot. Everything is pointing to the pump what is a good 5/600 quid to replace then get it programmed into the van what in thinking Nah. Its a Mk6 Transit that is in it but only the 90BHP model. Transit had a 140BHP version and i could get an engine for that so ill look into buying that or a rotten Transit for the transplant. Only down side i need the Pump, ECU and Immobiliser with keys so aye, probably best find a rotten van whats about to be scrapped.

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#1 2022-01-21 19:47:02

Battery woes...

#2 2022-01-22 03:44:51

Re: Battery woes...

#3 2022-01-22 13:41:05

Re: Battery woes...

#4 2022-01-22 17:04:34

Re: Battery woes...

#5 2022-01-23 22:47:33

Re: Battery woes...

#6 2022-01-26 22:28:16

Re: Battery woes...

#7 2022-01-26 23:23:18

Re: Battery woes...

#8 2022-01-31 18:41:35

Re: Battery woes...

#9 2022-01-31 19:51:56

Re: Battery woes...

#10 2022-02-01 03:50:29

Re: Battery woes...

#11 2022-02-01 18:33:34

Re: Battery woes...

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