flat battery

Hi all,

norty campervan (trident 1998) keeps flattening its battery. i know it doesn't have a new one, but mechanics suggested that it could be due to damp or wet weather.

Can anyone tell me what battery to buy, any hint on what charger i would also buy, and is it likely that a new battery might get damp. i'm dreading the flat battery every time i want to take it out. so any information would be good.

thanks so much all

Diane

Hi there,

If it is the "domestic" battery then it could be a fault on the charger or (as happened 2days ago when I stuffed an extra pan into the cupboard) it may be switched off!

If it is the vehicle battery then ditto for faulty alternator.

Most modern lead-acid batteries will give at least five years of no problem service. After this time the constant charge/discharge cycle means that sulphates build up on the plates and the battery is "worn-out".

For "worn out" lead-acid batteries less than five years old the greatest cause is letting the voltage drop below 10.4 volts which tends to buckle the plates; which ruins the battery.

The most common cause for a battery to lose voltage when it is not being "used" (i.e. When the vehicle is sat on the drive) is that either something is switched on (e.g. Interior light or even the immobiliser) or damp conditions allow a current to flow and the battery slowly loses charge.

Another "battery killer" is failing to check the electrolyte levels - which again results in buckled plates.

So, my advice?

Check that the existing batteries are actually past their sell-by date. (Easiest way is to take them off the vehicle, charge them up in the garage and then see if they hold their charge.)

Check that the charging systems are working on the MH. (Take it for a two-hour spin with the lights full on and the fridge switched on and then check the voltages when you have finished.)

If you then need to get a new battery, buy the cheapest lead-acid battery that will fit into the space provided; and look after it!

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Dutto

hi there,

thanks so much, it helps immensely! thank god for this forum, i'd be totally lost without it. being a newbie and female poses problems, but i'm sure if i print out the reply and show it to a male, preferably a mechanic, i can have things sorted out.

so again thanks for the speedy response.

Diane

Diane1 wrote:Hi all,

norty campervan (trident 1998) keeps flattening its battery. i know it doesn't have a new one, but mechanics suggested that it could be due to damp or wet weather.
Diane

Good advice from Dutto but I am unsure how damp weather can flatten a battery


squip

I had this problem with my van -I drove to Halfords and a very helpful young man removed the existing tested it (US) and replaced with a new one - recommended for ladies who don't.

ty all, i'm looking at batteries online and notice they're a bit more expensive than car ones. need to get my head under that bonnet and check out the details, i'm not sure what it is. hopefully, nice bloke will change it for me. good species those blokes with mechanical knowledge!

squip wrote: I am unsure how damp weather can flatten a battery


squip

Hi there,

Condensation occurs in "damp" weather and a film of water combined with any dust on the wires and terminals acts as a conductor and can effectively "short-circuit" the battery.

I once had a Lada car that always refused to start during damp weather (in Aberdeen) due to condensation on the distributor head that diverted the current to the cylinder block rather than the spark plugs. Until I cured the problem the only way to start the car was to take the distributor head and HT leads off and dry them in the oven.

I cured the problem with a very exotic condom (modified to fit the HT leads) that I bought in a machine in a local pub. I sold the vehicle with the modification fitted and often wonder if the buyer ever tried to get a replacement via the Lada dealer!!

Best regards,

Dutto

Ramblingon wrote:I had this problem with my van -I drove to Halfords and a very helpful young man removed the existing tested it (US) and replaced with a new one . .

I am a born and confirmed cynic so my first thought was "Really?"

Hope the nice man gave you some discount for the old battery!

Best regards,

Dutto

I had a similar experience - battery was flat - removed and charged, replaced & all was well UNTIL I turned on the radio!! I'd forgotten that the radio requires the secuirtyu code to be re entered and being a numpty couldn't find the code. Luckily this forum came to my rescue but it could have turned into a painful experience! Moral is - have your radio code to hand when you disconnect/reconnect your battery.

Re Halfords service. I am not a great fan of Halfords but when my Symbol wouldn't start properly I went to our local Halfords - the battery was supplied to the previous owner by Halfords - the nice young man there, Dave, tested the battery on the van and proved it was OK and, by observation, found the problem. The fact that the battery was only a year into it's 3 year warranty may have something to do with it, but that's me being cynical!
Anyway, I would certainly consider Halfords for vehicle batteries, they seem to be competitive.