# Dreaded Battery Drain



## colian (May 11, 2005)

Hi,

Yes its just happened to me. Drove the motorhome (Swift Bolero 680FB) last week and just gone out to it now to find the battery flat and have had to jump start it. It is currently not on electic hook up as its parked away from home (works car park).

I have heard talk in the past of batteries going flat quickly and wondered if anyone has also had trouble with this model of vehicle and if they have a fix. 

I have checked all round and other than the alarm being set nothing else appears to be on. I would not have expected the alarm to create this much of a drain in a week.

Any hints and pionteds most welcome, we have had it since April and this has only just happened.

Ian


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Is it based on a Fiat X250 chassis ? We had/have the same problem and now have to pay to keep our van on hook up all the time. 

There is quite a lot of correspondence about it in the archives along with suggested reasons for the drain which is said to be because of the canbus system.

Marquis, based on recommendations from Swift, modified our radio to reduce the current drain when the radio is off. Ours was a very early one so this should be standard now.

Fiat, in their handbook, recommend that you disconnect the engine battery if you are not going to be using your vehicle for a couple of weeks. They even make it easy for you to do so. This " works" but means you have no alarm - not a good thing !

G

Have you measured your current consumption with everything off ? A normal reading should be between 150 -200 mA


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

G

Yes I had heard a number of comments in the past but never had a problem, ours is the x250 chassis.

As it has only just started happening I think there might be a gremlin somewhere that is not fully switching off and causing a drain. Looks like I am going ot have to get a battery master system so that cab and habitation areas get a charge when on the drive where it is normally parked.

Ian


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## impala666 (Oct 26, 2007)

Batteries over 2 yrs old die easily. They also get thirsty !

If you leave your van parked up make sure the radio is switched off, and consider some sort of solar charging system to top up the battery. These come from £100 upwards.

Having spent over £1000 on an 85 watt solar panel and fitted two leisure batteries we can leave the van unused for a month, or stay on a site for over a week using TV and lights. The battery meter usually shows at least 95 % charged.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

colian said:


> Looks like I am going ot have to get a battery master system so that cab and habitation areas get a charge when on the drive where it is normally parked.
> 
> Ian


Ian...ours - also made by Swift- has a switch on the control panel that switches the charge to the engine battery when you are parked and on hook up. It switches the whole system through to the engine battery so you have to be careful that you do not accidentally run your lights, fridge etc off the engine battery.

We do not have a battery master or separate charger and simply plug the van in to the electric socket at the farm where it is parked as if we were on hook up on a site. we then leave it switched to charge the engine battery. It does not overcharge it and we have been doing this for over a year.

G


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

G
Thanks

I am going to be doing the same once I can get the workman to remove the skip from the drive now he's filled it up and finished the job. I can then get the motohome back to its rightful place and not the works car park.

Ian


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi Ian

The first thing I would do is test the radio.I had a problem with mine when I first got it where by the battery would get very low after 3 or 4 days,and it was eventualy found to be the radio.It was wired wrong from the factory apparently.A bodge was more like it.  I had an auto electrics guy test mine,which was paid for by my dealer.

steve


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi ian

I wrote my post as if your motorhome was new.Having re-read it i think this not now the case.  Dont think its the radio if you have had it a while.Good luck with it anyway.  

steve


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

Thanks Steve

Its just strange that its just started happening or there again has it taken since long drive aboout a month ago to drain. 

I shall have to watch it closely when back home, never had a problem in the past. It always sits on the drive plugged in. 

Our last motorhome a Swift 590 RL on a 2004 plate never had any problems. But then again new motorhome more electrics to go wrong I suppose

Ian


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## wilse (Aug 10, 2007)

Just a thought... if it was the radio couldn't you just drop the fuse out?

That way you wouldn't have to disconnect the battery.

You lot have me a little worried now... as I regularly leave my truck down at the compound, 6 or maybe 8 weeks, and have never had a flat anything.

I can't believe the manufacturer expects you to disconnect the battery if you are not using it for 2 weeks? That's not on.

w


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi Colian,

Just a thought, have you checked to see if the entertainment system is isolated, if I remember correct there will be a switch in the cupboard above the fridge.

Best Regards

Karl Hulse
Sargent Electrical Services Ltd


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

Karl,

Thanks for that I will have a look in there for any switches. I managed to get it home and stuck it on charge overnight, I will now keep a closer eye on battery levels.

Ian


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## AberdeenAngus (Jul 26, 2008)

Just had my new Bessacarr in for warrenty niggles - usual stuff.
On collection, went to start it - battery dead.
Had only been standing two weeks.

Luckily was at the dealers already so just gave the keys back to them.

They didn't seem suprised. Said something about the radio !


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## short-stick (Jul 23, 2007)

Hi Colian.
We have the Bessacarr version the same as yours on a 2008 chassis. My starter battery was going flat within 2 weeks max and I found it was the good old reversing camera problem. Do you have a reversing camera??
If so the power unit for it is located (probably) under the lidded storage area on the top of the dash on the passenger side. There are a couple of torx screws in the bottom of it that hold it in place. Remove the screws and the liner and underneath should be the power unit for the reversing camera. Theres a few notes on the swift part of this website telling you how to rewire this unit from a permanent live to an ignition live but your dealer should know how to do it (if you trust them), I did mine myself, it involves removing the radio to alter the feed in the back.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.

Our Bessacarr E 530 is now almost 20 months old and has had all the mods but still flattens the engine battery if left standing longer than 2 weeks. We have to pay an extra £10 per month to our storage place for an EHU to avoid this.

It's all down to the Fiat X250 canbus and Fiat even provide instructions for disconnecting the battery if you have to leave it and an easy to undo connection on the battery itself.

What they don't do is explain how you can then set an alarm if you have disconnected said battery.....

G


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the replies,

I am luck enough to have my motorhome on the drive so am now switching the control panel to charge the cab battery for a night every 2 weeks and will see how that goes. 

I will add it to my snag list when it goes for its first habitation service early next year.

Ian


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