# Leisure battery with no charge



## Dazcooper (Jan 27, 2013)

Recently purchased a swift bolero 680FB 2007 model, having used it up until November last year everything was fine until we left it for 3 weeks. Tried to use it last week to find the cab battery flat we have subsequently change the alternator and things seemed to be ok. 
We have now noticed that the leisure battery is showing 0v even after having the motorhome plugged into the mains for several days, any suggestion would be greatly received.

Thanks Daz


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

HI Daz
I wonder why you decided to change the alternator just because the cab battery was flat. If the alternator had died then this would not have happened in storage and would have happened the last time you used it. THis woould have shown a warning light in the dash.

Its not uncommon for the cold weather to knock a battery over but usually a jump start and a run will revive them.

0 volts off the battery is a bit mystifying as even with the deadest of batteries you will get something. If it says 0.000 then make sure the meter is set correctly and the leads are in good order. If you measure the battery with the charger on then you should see 13.5 volts or thereabouts. if you cant then try another meter.

Phill


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

It is also worth checking if there is a fuse protecting the battery which has blown so giving the 0v report. Have you checked the voltage at the terminals themselves?

If the terminal reading is 0v it would lo9ok as if it is not getting a charge - check again withe voltage on the leads when the EHU is switched on - it should give you a reading of around 13v or so to show that a charge is going in.

If thee is no charge check fuses as I said and also check whether you have a setting on your control panel which means all the power is going to and coming from the vehicle battery.

If after all these things have been checked and the battery will still not accept a charge (you could even remove it and try charging it on a separate charger at home - that will show whether there is a fault with the vehicle charger) then the battery may have died - it only takes it to go flat and there is often damage which stops it working.

You presumably do not know how old the battery is? They do have a restricted life, and if it was the original battery a five year life is not unreasonable - replacements are readily obtained, we used a company called Tanya who are superb.

But check first and only replace if everything else is checked out OK but the battery is dead - you may otherwise replace everything and still have the same problem if it is due to the battery alone.

Dave


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## Dazcooper (Jan 27, 2013)

Thanks for the info, when the motorhome is on EHU then the leisure battery shows over 13.5V on the pannel, when you remove the EHU then the pannel goes of, if you use the cab battery to power the panel and look at the voltage of the leisure battery it show 0v.

I have checked all the fuses and they seem to be ok.

Will try and take the battery of tonight and charged it on a seperate charger.

Thanks


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

If the unit is showing 13.5v that is the current being supplied along the wire but does not mean it is actually getting to the battery terminals.

If you have a multi-meter check actually at the terminals whether a. the 13.5v is getting there and b. whether with the EHU turned off there is any voltage in the battery.

If you haven't then this one is cheap and would do what you need;

http://www.maplin.co.uk/domestic-multimeter-37279 £7.99

If the battery had no voltage i.e. 0v then it could not power the panel at all - even enough to give a reading. There has to be power coming from somewhere to allow you to turn the panel on.......

Dave


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## Dazcooper (Jan 27, 2013)

We chose the cab battery to power the pannel to give us the reading.

Thanks


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Dazcooper said:


> Thanks for the info, when the motorhome is on EHU then the leisure battery shows over 13.5V on the pannel, when you remove the EHU then the pannel goes of, if you use the cab battery to power the panel and look at the voltage of the leisure battery it show 0v.
> 
> I have checked all the fuses and they seem to be ok.
> 
> ...


Perhaps a starting point would be to check the battery terminal volts with a meter firstly with the charger Off and then ON. With the charger ON is the 13.5v getting to the battery? If not why not?


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