# Vehicle battery charging...or not



## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I have a 2011 Swift Sundance that has a smart charger. It is on my drive with permanent hook up. Every so often the vehicle battery goes flat. We have had this checked out by both the dealer and Sargeant (and the AA), but they all say it is OK. 

I have noticed that the flat battery happens after a few power cuts (we get a lot here). Does this sound feasible? 

So 2 questions:
1. Will a car starter work? Or an external battery charger (I think it is too low for the smart charger to recharge it now). If so how powerful? It may be a useful thing to have anyway. Do you need to disconnect the internal charger?

2. Does a power cut affect the internal Sargeant battery charger?

Thanks all.


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

4maddogs said:


> I have a 2011 Swift Sundance that has a smart charger. It is on my drive with permanent hook up. Every so often the vehicle battery goes flat. We have had this checked out by both the dealer and Sargeant (and the AA), but they all say it is OK.
> 
> I have noticed that the flat battery happens after a few power cuts (we get a lot here). Does this sound feasible?
> 
> ...


You will need a HD battery charger for the main vehicle battery unless you start it on jumpers and take it for a good run

I would switch the internal control unit off whilst jumping it

I am not sure if you have a charger that auto switches between leisure and vehicle as required

Check all trips on control unit/psu


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

If you have a Sargeant EC325 control panel (and I suspect other Sargeant ones are similar) then you select on the control panel which battery (leisure or vehicle) will be the power source as well as which one will be charged by the charger. When the power is first switched on the leisure batter is selected by default. So in answer to your question, yes the power cuts are affecting things as the charger will switch to the leisure battery when power is resumed.

As for the vehicle battery running down, this is probably the alarm but could be the radio as well if it is wired off the ignition.


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Ah....yes it has defaulted back to leisure. So annoying as it has happened a few times. The AA get fed up if they get called several times don't they?
Are those jump start units any use.....needs to be a powerful one I suppose?


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Just thought....as a smart charger surely it should charge both batteries? Or all batteries as I have 2 leisure batteries. Could the 2 leisure batteries be affecting it?


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Unless you need to be driving the van in the next 48 hours why not switch the Sargeant panel over to charging the vehicle battery and see what happens?


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

4maddogs said:


> Just thought....as a smart charger surely it should charge both batteries? Or all batteries as I have 2 leisure batteries. Could the 2 leisure batteries be affecting it?


What smart charger is it and how is it connected?


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

The panel will not switch over to vehicle as the battery level is too low.... I remember last time it would not charge itself until the battery power was a certain level....higher than 2.2.

The smart charger is just the Sargeant EC something that is standard on the van so nothing fancy. It did the job until the power cut....I use it fairly regularly, but it has been unused for a couple of months....longer than usual. It has been left that long before and it was OK....no power cuts then, though!


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

I have the sargent 500 unit on my 2012 EKS and have been assured by Sargents that the unit will charge both leisure and vehicle batteries. If one gets a bit low then it switches to charge that one.


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Sysinfo....that is what I thought too. I wonder whether my unit is not working.......hope it is OK as this has been a recurring (although irregular) issue and it is now out of warranty!


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Looking at a Clarke 900 power starter. It is not too expensive at £56 on Amazon and seems to deal with 2.2 diesels. It might be a wise investment as it would also start the cars if necessary.


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

If the vehicle battery has gone to low the Sargeant charger will not recover it, they are there to cycle between batteries as required when all is well

This has come from Ian Sargeant himself, get your self a CTEK charger if you are not going to drive any distance and put it on the vehicle battery

CTEK are brilliant as many on here will testify.

hope some of this helps


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Sideways, I fear you are right. It should not have dropped down , but something is not right. Roadpro trip I suspect!
I am thinking that I should get the wiring between the 2 leisure batteries checked.......it might be interfering in some way although I have no idea why or how!
Time for a drinky methinks!


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I take it the vehicle is a Fiat, when jump starting the vehicle battery do not connect direct to the battery,as this can cause damage to the ECU. use the proper connections .

cabby


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Thanks for the help so far.

I am going to get the electrical connections/charger unit checked out and then consider a ctek charger. I understand that these maximise the charge whilst driving too.

I have 2 leisure batteries in line. Which ctek should i go for?

Thanks


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I bought a jump starter / battery charger on advice from Machine Mart...a Clarke. I left the MH on charge for about 30 minutes and it started with the boost. It has now been left on hookup and has fully charged.

The key fob auto retract on the step has ceased to work, however. It works OK when the engine starts or on the wall switch, just not on the key fob. The key fob works the central locking OK.

Still do not know why this has happened as the smart charger should have kicked in.....is there a disable function after a surge? 

I will ring Sargent's when they are bck at work.

I might well still invest in a ctek.....any recommendations, please?

Thanks
Julie


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

Hi

I would recommend the MXS 5 at around the £60 mark is ideal for your needs

Regards

http://www.ctekchargers.co.uk/ctek-mxs5.0.php


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Thanks Sideways. Roadpro are back at work soon so I will see what I can arrange....I would want it fitting.

I have solved the step issue. The PSU resets back to default on restarting so the default step position is off....it now works properly.

I just do not know why the battery failed to charge after the pwer cut as it is fine now.

Gremlins perhaps?

:lol:


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

I may be mistaken but I thought the problem had been identified as the on board split charger reverting to Leisure battery only, after a power fail?

If this *is* the case and you get so many power fails that this is a real problem (weekly check would prevent the vehicle battery going flat)... then you may want to use a simple independent mains charger, like an Optimate or similar, which will maintain your vehicle battery automatically even following a power cut.

I did this on a VW T4 I had which did not have a split charger and hooked it into the cig lighter socket (which was permanently "live")

Worked fine for years

Cheers

Dave


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

HarleyDave said:


> I may be mistaken but I thought the problem had been identified as the on board split charger reverting to Leisure battery only, after a power fail?
> 
> If this *is* the case and you get so many power fails that this is a real problem (weekly check would prevent the vehicle battery going flat)... then you may want to use a simple independent mains charger, like an Optimate or similar, which will maintain your vehicle battery automatically even following a power cut.
> 
> ...


That's what a CTEK is a charger conditioner.


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