# Batteries not charging



## johnoil46 (Mar 10, 2012)

Hi
I have been following the forum for a while but so far any questions I have had, have been answered already. However whilst we are away this time a problem has arisen and I am sure the forum can come up with the answer.

We are currently in Gloucestershire but we live on Mull and there aren't any auto electricians there.

We have a 2006 hymer b564.
The leisure batteries are new.
There is a solar panel.
We do not use a tv etc.
We do use the water pump, some lighting, mifi,toilet flush.
We usually move most days, engine running for perhaps 3hours a day average.
The AES fridge does change over to 12v and I think it does work ok.

The problem is that the leisure batteries slowly loose charge. 
I think:
1) the batteries are not being charged by the engine.
2) the batteries are not being charged by the solar panel. The panel has an output but this drops off, I presume because it is not being fed into the batteries.
The vehicle battery is always good.

If I plug into EHU the batteries will recharge and the readout in the van goes from - to + .

Does this mean:
1) the vehicle charging system is working but not switching over to the LB?
2) the solar system is working but not charging the LB. Does this system go through any switching?

Where should I be looking?

Thanks in advance. JA


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

johnoil46 said:


> Hi
> I a day average.
> The AES fridge does change over to 12v and I think it does work ok.
> 
> ...


Is the radio draining the battery if so you could fit an in line switch to isolate it


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

First thing is to ascertain that there is no charge at the leisure battery from the engine alternator or solar panel.Try putting a voltmeter across the leisure battery terminals and starting the engine,there should be an increase in voltage when started up.

Do the same with the solar panel,if there is a fuse for the solar panel then take it out or disconnect at the regulator,then replace the fuse or reconnect with the meter across the leisure battery terminals whilst watching the voltmeter.If it is sunny then there should also be an increase in voltage.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

There will be a fuse for solar input on the EBL. There should also be a fuse inline between the regulator and the EBL if you have a Schaudt 1218 solar regulator fitted.

If you just have an ordinary solar regulator, it should be fused between the regulator and the battery/batteries.

Check that these are OK.


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## johnoil46 (Mar 10, 2012)

Thanks for the replies.
Evs54. I don't think it is the radio draining the system.

Wakk44. Ok I can try this. Perhaps I can borrow a meter or I might have to wait until I get home. I will come back when I know.

747. The EBL fuse is good. And the other fuses are also good.

Are we thinking that it is not a common cause for both systems?

Thanks so far.

JA

Ps after EHU batteries are now showing 100% full


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

Good morning  

I have a similar van also fitted with solar. You need to do some basic fault finding to determine exactly what's going on.

If you consider a fully discharged battery to be approx 11.6 volts & a fully charged battery to be 12.6 V The voltage may be higher than this if the battery has recently been charged. I would take a few base-line measurements after you've been using the leisure battery. Make a note of these.

Disconnect the solar charger & with the help of an assistant, start the van up & measure the voltage again at the leisure battery terminals. Stop the engine & carry out the same test on hook-up.

Carry out the same test using the solar panels.

WARNING. Read the instructions for your solar reg & panels carefully before making or breaking any connections. Disconnecting the battery from the panels & solar reg whilst under load may damage the regulator.

To recap. We need to know all of the voltages requested. We need to know which solar reg you have & if it is connected into the Electroblock.

This would be a good start.

D.


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

HI.

With the engine not running and the solar panel disconnected check the leisure battery voltage. It should be 12 to 12.6 volts may be a little higher.

Next start the engine and voltage at the leisure battery should go up to a max of around 14.2 volts. 

Stop the engine and over the next 10/15 mins the voltage will fall back to about 13 .5 volts. May be a little lower.

Next connect the solar panel back up on a sunny day and the voltage should rise again to 14.2 volts. Do this on a sunny day. Make sure the solar panel is connected to the leisure battery and not the starter battery.

Hope this helps.

steve & ann. ------------ teensvan


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## johnoil46 (Mar 10, 2012)

Davesport. Thanks for your reply. I think I will have to wait until I return to base before I carry out all those tests and as I live in Scotland the solar tests might be a challenge (tongue in cheek). We will manage ok for the next week and be back to you all after that.
Thanks for all your input so far.

Regards JA


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## johnoil46 (Mar 10, 2012)

Teens an. Thanks see above.
Thanks to all.
JA


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## johnoil46 (Mar 10, 2012)

This is an update on the batterie charging situation.
We called in to see my brother in Cumbria and to have the van serviced and MOT,d. As I drove out of the garage and turned left the indicators failed or at least I felt a bulb had failed. After a little investigation it turned out to be a little more complicated. The van came with a previously fitted rear 12 pin socket for a scooter tail lift. A relay in a box to the socket had failed. Brother knew an auto electrician in the village and he agreed to come and have a look. After tea and crack he was 15 minutes in fixing it by removing the unwanted relay from the system. Great.
I then mentioned the non charging batteries. He said " that Elektroblok thing is in that cupboard isn't it" and the next thing it was out and he was checking over it. He found a wire out of a connector. This turned out to be a an earth. Nothing else showed up and we put everything back. I started the engine and with a meter across the batteries, which were pretty full, it did look like it was charging.
The habitation readout on the van was saying that the battery was only 9% but that was clearly not true? But when I ran the engine the readout went from - to + charge and that has not happened for a while. Everything works but it never went above 9% after 200 miles. When we arrived home I plugged the. EHU and after 30 minuets the batterie was showing 100%. !!
I have run the batteries down a little and they now show :
12 .6v standing. This was in the evening.
Later the next afternoon the readings were:
13.22 standing charge.
13.82 With the engine running.
13.70With the EHU.
I had removed the solar fuse from the Elektroblok to ensure it did not recharge the batteries. BUT I now can see that the solar is not wired through the EB and therefore the readout is not responding to the solar input?
The solar reg is a Sunware Fox-350

My conclusion is that the batteries are being charged:
1) by the engine but whilst it shows as a + on the readout it doesn't alter the % on the batteries (never went above 9% after 200 miles.
2) by the EHU 9%. To 100% in 30 mins!
3) by the solar but not through the Elektroblok.

Confused (at 10amp) JA


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

> 1) by the engine but whilst it shows as a + on the readout it doesn't alter the % on the batteries (never went above 9% after 200 miles.
> 2) by the EHU 9%. To 100% in 30 mins!
> 3) by the solar but not through the Elektroblok.


Everything looks normal to me, although outwardly I can see why you're concerned. If you cut of the power to the Electroblock & the display, it can give spurious readings for a while. Plugging into the hook-up as you've done is the normal response & again what you've witnessed looks normal. I've had exactly the same after disconnecting my battery. I'd give yourself a bit of time to get used to what the display is telling you. It sounds like it's working to me.

The solar reg is a separate issue. I don't know why people decide that wiring the solar to avoid the Electroblock is a good idea. Schaudt provide a reg that fully integrates the solar input to the electroblock. This allows the vehicle battery to be charged & for you to monitor things on the display panel.

You've got a few choices with the solar. The first thing to do is find out if the panels are producing any power. You'll need a multimeter or your auto electrician friend to check for you. Once you know that the panels are producing a few amps you could simply reinstate the the fuse to the reg. If everything is working your leisure batteries will take a charge from the the solar input. However your display panel isn't going to reflect accurately what's in the batteries. For less than a £100 you could buy the Schaudt reg & have all the additional functionality that this brings.

Over to you.

D.


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## johnoil46 (Mar 10, 2012)

*batteries not charging*

davesport.
Thanks for your reply.
I think you are right about giving myself some time and I have to say that only the misled display thought there was anything amiss.
The solar fuse I removed from the EB didn't stop the solar charging the batteries yesterday (I think) as the standing charge went from 12.6 to 13.22 as a result of the solar connected direct and not through the EB
Yes you are right about the readout in the van not knowing the true state of the batteries until I plug in EHU. It all feel right now I think I understand what's going on.
I will consider changing to the Schault unit when I have time, perhaps a winter project.

Thanks again JA


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

The "solar" fuse on the Electroblock is only used if you're using the Schaudt reg. IE it's not connected to anything.

D.


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