Flat batteries!

We have 2 flat batteries! Charging the vehicle battery on a normal car charger, and have tried charging the leisure battery via the zig unit. Can anyone tell me how long it should take to charge the leisure battery through the zig, please? They both seem to drain within a couple of days. Will replace if need be, but don't want to get new batteries if we don't need to. We've only recently bought this Duetto, so we're still finding out all its little 'nuances'!
Thanks.  Val.

Hi there,

I suggest that:

o  You check the voltages of both batteries.

o  Remove them from the vehicle and charge them until the charger says that they are fully charged.

o  Take them off charge and after an hour check the voltage.

o  Leave them for 24 hours and check the voltage again.

There are three scenarios:

1.  The battery won't get to full charge because it is damaged (always assuming that the charger is working properly).  This can happen if the voltage of an ordinary lead/acid battery is allowed to fall below 10.4 volts.  If this happens the plates within the battery can buckle and touch each other and once this happens the battery is ruined.

2.  The battery gets to full charge but then loses its charge overnight.  In this case I would assume that the battery needed replacing if the voltage dropped to below 12.0 volts overnight.

3.  The battery holds its charge overnight and is reading above 12.4 volts.  Great news you probably don't need new batteries.

You may like to read the information contained on this site:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

With regard to the ZIG unit; if you check the Owners Manual for your AS it will give you the charging rate for the unit.

Hope this helps.   

Best regards,
 

If your battery is completely flat, the Zig will struggle to charge it as it is really a trickle charger that maintains charge before the battery is completely drained. I would suggest removing the leisure battery and charging with a normal car battery charger and then test as Dutto suggested. if they are losing charge within 24 hours it sounds as though you might be replacing them though. Once charged, I keep the vehicle and leisure batteries on a CTEK system which maintains their condition - other version & makes are widely available and these are designed to be left coupled to the battery whilst it is still connected to the vehicle systems.

Hi there,

Irony or what??

This evening the toilet flush jammed open in the house and we pumped about a ton of water down the loo from the rainwater system!

When I checked the battery in the garage it was down to +/- 6 volts!  The 35Ah battery is about four years old and has sat on "trickle charge" almost all of the time so:

o  The battery was flat because the trickle charger wasn't working properly. or

o  Pumping a ton of water flattened the battery because the charger couldn't maintain charge. or

o  The battery has reached the end of its useful life and isn't holding charge.

Despite the very low voltage I am hopeful that the battery may not be a write-off because disconnected and sat on the bench the voltage climbed to +/-7 volts before I switched the charger on.

Here's hoping.  

Best regards,
 

Thanks for the info on the batteries. Can you tell us where the fuses are on the Duetto.How to get to them. We put the battery onto charge yesterday via the zig unit (plugged into the mains), and none of the indicator lights worked. i.e. battery charge indicator or the green charging light. We thought maybe the fuse had gone, but we don't know where the fuses are situated. Thanks!
Just found the fuses!! No green 'charging' light is coming on, even though the zig is plugged into the mains But if you press the battery condition button, that light says that the battery is charged-even though we know it can't be. Getting to look like we may need a new leisure battery?

Hi there,

If it's the same as mine.

You will see a flat black bit on the right hand side of the charger unit and the fuses are at the back of this flat bit which can be gently prised open with a fingernail at the back of a little lip.

When the 12V switch is on:

o  Press the small button near the meter and it will show a green or red light that indicates battery charge.

o  The knurled knob is to set the meter.  Apparently, you fill the fresh water tank to overflowing and then press and turn the knurled knob to set the meter at 100%. It will then measure the fresh water level.  (We have never used it, preferring to wait until the tap starts spitting to let us know when we need to top up the tank.)

Hope this helps.  It's helped me because I've just remembered that we haven't any spare fuses!!   

Best regards,
 

Oh a quick PS.

Underneath the sink and the oven there are a couple of switches which need to be "ON" to get any power to anywhere!!

I have knocked them to "OFF" on a couple of occasions and spend a good hour trying to solve the mystery of my own stupidity!!    

Hi there,

It looks as if my luck is holding!

The battery was at 13.8 volts this evening when I disconnected the charger so now to wait until tomorrow.

It would appear that the trickle charger unit has expired.  I have to say that it has been good value for money; costing about £12 and switched on for almost all of the last four years.

I have ordered one of these as a replacement …..

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

….  and I have to say that the Gordon Hathaway Review is the best Product Review I have ever seen ….

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I appreciate that I am not using this for a motorhome battery but it is a product that I would definitely use for that purpose.   

Best regards,
 

Hi there,

I'm 95% sure that I have got away with it as the battery was still holding charge this morning and it is performing normally with the new Trickle Charger connected. 
(The charger arrived this morning so "Thank-you GPO 24hr Delivery"!)   

All I have to do now is wait at least 12 months and if the charger is still working okay I will be able to recommend it.   

Best regards,
  
Ian