# Leisure battery dosn't last very long



## cole (Aug 5, 2007)

We went to the Lakes for 5 nights recently and wild camped the first night using 12v leisure battery as no hook up. We watched a bit of tv had the heater on and the lights and it was fine. The next 3 nights we hooked up on sites. The last night we wild camped but after only watching an hour or so of the tv with the heater on the power went off. I was wondering if that was normal and if you can buy some sort of charger to attach to it to ensure it never runs out at a crucial moment :? 
Also our engine battery has been flat the past couple of times we have been to it. We thought it may have been the cold weather. We couldn't jump it with leads and had to call the RAC. Is there a way to prevent the engine battery going flat? And what could we get it going with? a heavy duty pair of jump leads?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

1) Was your mains charger charging the leisure battery on hookup? (And HOW do you know?)

2) Starting a large diesel engine with a dead vehicle battery needs thick copper expensive jump cables, NOT "booster" leads.

3) How long was your vehicle battery left with alarm, immobiliser and possibly radio connected to power?

Dave


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## cole (Aug 5, 2007)

Hi,

Yes, when we are hooked up we have an option on our control panel to charge leisure battery or engine battery. We opted to charge the leisure battery. We have a Swift Voyager 695EL if that is any help? Maybe i was running too much off it.... ??

I will buy some heavy duty leads incase we get a flat engine battery again...any recomendations as to where to get them from?
We only moved the motorhome a week prior to going back to it flat. Nothing was left on either, we always do a thorough check.

Thanks for your help


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## Mick757 (Nov 16, 2009)

If your engine battery is failing in the feezing weather, its either being undercharged through very sparse use (the alternator would keep a good battery going in any conditions if its being driven enough), or the battery has low electrolite or a dead cell. Thers nowt like feezing nights to pick out the so-so batteries from the good ones!
Or, the leads may want a clean and re-fixing?

edit - im assuming the alternator is good!


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## airstream (Jan 7, 2009)

*Flat Batts*

Hi, 
If you look through the Swift forum there are several threads regarding flat engine batteries on the new Ducato 
Fiats answer is to disconnect the neg lead on the battery if you do not use van on a regular basis, Fiat fit a q/d connector on the neg lead to assist this 
I fitted an isolation switch to my Ducato and it now fires up every time despite infrequent use -prior to fitting flat battery after 10 days or so 
Cold weather will not help 
Regards Ray


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## Mick757 (Nov 16, 2009)

It sound like either something is drawing the juice, or the battery they are fitting is just not big enough (amps). It takes a hell of a kick to spin a big diesel lump in minus temps! The oil will be like treacle first off!

I had a battery fit on a tranny one spring - supposed 'correct' one. Come winter, it just didnt want to know. They checked it and said it was A1 - just didnt have the whack when it mattered. So they put a heavier one on - and it spun it like a top no matter how cold the weather got


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

You could estimate your power consumption in the habitation area and compare that with your leisure battery capacity, Alan.


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

You dont say what size battery, but a standard 85ah battery running A TV at 40w and halogen lights at 10w each, then heating fan on full + water pump etc will soon drain down. However I would still expect more than an hour if the battery is fully charged.

Our van battery lasted 2 1/2 days over new year we had the tv and sat on 2hours the heating on all the time (as it was below freezing most the time), cooker hood 1hr, lots of LED lights on for many hours + pump etc.
But we have a 230AH battery


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## cole (Aug 5, 2007)

Hi,

I am going to buy some good heavy duty jump leads. Disconnect the neg from the battery when its left for a while. 
Also i will check to see if leisure battery is 85ah and if it is I will buy a 230Ah one which i assume will give me a lot more power will it??

Can anyone recommend where to buy heavy duty leads from?


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## cole (Aug 5, 2007)

Will these do the trick http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/800-AMP-SUPER...temQQptZUK_Recovery_Tools?hash=item53df185c34


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

i use 200 amp jump leads to start 2.8 diesel and they work no probs


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## airstream (Jan 7, 2009)

*jump leads?*

Hi, 
Started my Duc today after mot being used for 8 weeks - no problem - just turn on battery master switch (£5 off ebay) and away she fires only set back is resetting the clock 
Jump leads are great if there is another vehicle nearby , Father Christmas brought me a "PowerStation PS5000EU" via COSTCO this rather large 12volt booster pack started the 3.1 litre DI engine on my boat last week at -4 no problem and also has a light/air comp/12v sockets/usb socket all for under £60 so if you have the space and can cope with the weight its a great tool 
Regards Ray


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## wp1234 (Sep 29, 2009)

cole said:


> We couldn't jump it with leads and had to call the RAC. Is there a way to prevent the engine battery going flat? And what could we get it going with? a heavy duty pair of jump leads?


You might want to invest in a decent booster pack

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=141354

This one for petrol vehicles up to 3000cc and diesel vehicles up to 2400cc. - handy to have in the back


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