# Sprinter 616 cab battery?



## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Oh dear, checked van (parked in a cousin’s farm yard due to snow). All wet systems and areas ok! Leisure batteries OK! Engine battery dead as a dodo! Won’t even operate the central locking, less than 10 volts on meter.

Got it on charge with an intelligent CTEK charger that has great claims for recovery. Time will tell if it will live for another day.

My worry is am I going to have probs if and when it charges (CPU, start error etc.)? 

For the future, is there anyway that I can ensure this does not happen again? There is no alarm, can’t think of any reason for total discharge. Admittedly been v cold but had only been standing 10 days and no hint of probs previously. I have 120 watts of solar through electro block, any chance of using some of this to keep it topped up or does this purely do the habitation batteries?

Base vehicle is a 2004 sprinter 616 and there was a beeping noise from behind dashboard when it tried the central clocking that stopped after I inserted the ignition key and turned on and off. Conversion Hymer s740.

Would it have keep charged on a hookup?

Dick


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## soundman (May 1, 2005)

This happened to me on my last van (S820) with three leisure batteries fitted and a 80 watt solar panel.
I presume it was the tracker and immobiliser that took the batteries down over time.
After charging the batteries normally through the vans own charging system everything was OK
I fitted a battery mate to keep the vehicle battery topped up during normal summer use and kept the van on hookup during the winter months to keep the leisure batteries topped up after that.
Soundman


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## PeterandLinda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi

Our Hymer Electroblock will certainly use the solar panel to charge the vehicle battery, but if it is under a few inches of snow, the panel won't supply any charge at all.

We spend virtually the whole year in the van and even in the south of Greece, the solar panel struggles to supply more than an amp or so, which is why we bought an Efoy so we can keep going off grid if necessary - but even the Efoy has a limit. In cold weather the batteries will fail if not recharged, so it looks like you need a hook-up.

P&L


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

soundman said:


> This happened to me on my last van (S820) with three leisure batteries fitted and a 80 watt solar panel.
> I presume it was the tracker and immobiliser that took the batteries down over time.
> After charging the batteries normally through the vans own charging system everything was OK
> I fitted a battery mate to keep the vehicle battery topped up during normal summer use and kept the van on hookup during the winter months to keep the leisure batteries topped up after that.
> Soundman


Yep, the same here too, although I fitted a BCM 12 CAK Tanks - Electrical - Page 81

Cheers,

jock.


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

How new is the vehicle battery? If it has done a few years' service, it may be time for a new one. Ours died last May and it went very quickly. Having said that, cold weather, alarm etc., may be the cause of the run-down.

Not sure which EBL your Hymer has (it's a bit posher than ours which has a model 99), but when on hookup, the EBL will keep the vehicle battery trickle-charged. In order for the solar panel(s) to charge the vehicle as well as leisure batteries, if connected via the EBL, you need to use a Schaudt solar regulator LRS1218 or one with similar properties. This has a specific output that is connected to the vehicle battery as well as a connection to the EBL for the leisure batteries.
See this website for some advice - click the link for the data sheet next to the details of the LRS1218
http://www.aireandsun.co.uk/index.php

Of course, whatever connection setup you have, the solar panels were not going to do much charging during recent weather conditions.

Hope this helps.
Philip


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Thanks all for the replies and useful suggestions. 

After 24 hrs on CTEK charger it has a good healthy charge and engine started first time. Brilliant BUT I am still concerned as to why a seemingly perfectly healthy battery should go down after only a couple of weeks.

I don’t have a tracker or alarm, just an immobiliser.

I notice that the light on the mileage (odometer?) panel on dash seems to be permanently quite brightly illuminated. I’ve only had the van a couple of months but have only noticed this since my battery trouble, don’t know if it was lit before.

Is this normal? Could this be why battery ran down? Why is it lit?

Puzzled Dick


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

Glandwr said:


> I notice that the light on the mileage (odometer?) panel on dash seems to be permanently quite brightly illuminated. I've only had the van a couple of months but have only noticed this since my battery trouble, don't know if it was lit before.
> 
> Is this normal? Could this be why battery ran down? Why is it lit?
> 
> Puzzled Dick


I think you may have left your fog light switch in the on position. This causes the panel lights to stay illuminated.

Philip


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Thanks Philip I hope it's that will go across and look in morning but could not see them on today. However as you say it could be 'cos something is left on, can't see immediately what it is though. Oddly when I started it today the parking sensor screen came on even though it didn't come out of Park ie reverse not engaged but I think they are totally automatic aren't they?

Dick


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

The fog lights will not be on - they should have switched off with the headlights. However, it is a quirk of the Sprinter that if you leave the foglight switch on (cannot remember whether it is in the up or down position for rear / front & rear - or either "on" position) that the panel lights up and stays lit even when everything else is off. The switch needs to be in the off position (centred in mine) in order for the panel lights to switch off automatically after a few seconds, once the ignition is switched off.

Philip


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

It's easy when you know how isn't it Philip? Thank you I'll check tomorrow. Thanks very much.

Dick


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I had the same problem just after I bought my MH (dash lights staying on) and it took me b   dy AGES to figure it out !!

Seems like a very odd quirk that all Sprinters (2003 316 in my case) have !!


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Sorted thanks to Philip! Great Forum, long may it flourish!!

Dick


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