# Leisure battery problems



## cadi-1 (Jan 24, 2009)

I have been having problem with the leisure battery not keeping it's charge and a message saying it is dangerously low. We have just travelled to the south of France 11.2 [fair] I would have thought that it would have charged up whilst we were travelling. If we charge it up from a electric hook it still does not charge up either.
We started having this problem after changing our battery earlier in the year. [ the the other battery exploded] has anybody any idea what is going on, i have an Autotrail Cheyenne 2009.
thanks 
cadi


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

My leisure battery doesn't charge from the engine battery. (Or rather, it didn't used to charge from the engine battery until I had a bridge fitted). It's possible your leisure battery and your engine are completely separate from one another.

When you are on the electric, is it working? Do your 13 amp plugs work? Do you have a light on to show you that it is connected? 

Sometimes with mine I find that if I used too much electricity (especially in France where the amps are lower) it trips the trip switch and the electricity then doesn't work at all. Maybe check all your trip switches are right and that all your fuses are working, and maybe that'll help.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

WHY did the other battery explode ??????

Sounds like a fairly serious issue to me. I would suggest you have a chat to the nice man at Sargent who produce all the electrics for Autotrail. They really are VERY helpful and I am sure will give you all the help possible.

Have you tried contacting the dealership?? If its a 2009 it is still under warranty is it not??


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## cadi-1 (Jan 24, 2009)

no idea why the old battery exploded, we were charging it up at the time and hooked up at home and when we checked it had just exploded and the acid was every where, it had just cracked open.
Yes I might get in touch with Autotrail. 
Thanks


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I agree with Mr Plodd, you need to get this checked out. My first guess is that the batteries are not both correctly connected.
Are these batteries compatible? Same type and same amp hour value.
Why on earth did the last battery blow up? This is serious!
Please pay an auto electrician to check this out. If you are in France you could phone your dealer to arrange a visit to a French auto-electrician under warranty or if not under warranty go anyway.
My personal experience of French auto-electricians has been excellent.
Alan


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## cadi-1 (Jan 24, 2009)

thanks Alan, I will give them a ring tomorrow to see what they say. Not sure if this will be covered by the warranty, either way we need to sort it out.


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## Knockluts (Oct 17, 2009)

Hi, 
We had a similar experience this autumn whilst touring France and Spain in our late 2009 Autotrail Cherokee. We cooked our leisure battery, replaced it in France and avoided using the charger for the rest of the trip. During the recent hab service it was discovered that there was no charge going to the leisure battery whilst the engine was running and also a few other simple electrical problems that all added up to the Sargent unit failing. 

As stated by someone else, I can confirm that Sargent are very responsive. 

Regards, 
Mike.


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

I am assuming that the old battery was in situ and being charged via the mains/charger unit at the time. The usual cause of explosion is overcharging (I am discounting the possibility of naked flames near the battery here). I suspect that if this is the case then it may well have boiled your new battery dry. Have you checked acid level?

Do you have access to a voltmeter at all? Anyone friendly Brit got one? If so check out the voltage at the battery terminals when on charge. Shouldn't be more than about 14.5v

JohnW


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi cadi, there are a couple of simple checks that can be undertaken as to what is going on, if you have a multimeter then this may help but if not then we can use the display on the control panel?

If you call our support people on 01482 678981 or email them with your contact number on and they will call you whilst you are in the vehicle.

Best regards

Ian Sargent


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## cadi-1 (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks Ian, 
I had a word with them yesterday, made a few checks, switched everything off as they suggested and will leave it charging for a few hours more and then see how long it will keep it's charge. 
if we still have a problem I will get in touch with Autotrail as we have an extended warranty on the MH.


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