# Leisure battery losing charge.



## 117963 (Nov 3, 2008)

Hello all,

Hope someone can help me. We own a Rimor MH and the leisure battery seems to go flat very quickly even when nothing is on. Here are a few symptoms that may help.

1) Leave unattended for one week (in the summer) and battery comp. flat it wouldn't even turn on a light, and it was fully charged before then.
2) After parking up, and having 1 maybe 2 lights on, a few goes with the tap and the battery condition level lamps say it's nearly flat after aprx 15mins and the lights start to dim.
3) The battery is a proper leisure battery, and was new in Apr 2007. I have put on a spare vehicle battery, and the problem persists.
4) Nothing is being left on.
5) I can have it on hook up, and the battery level lights show it's being charged.

Please help, many thanks.
Kings


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Kings,

You are in the realms of guesswork without a multimeter. With one you can diagnose the problem in a few minutes.

Dave


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

You will need a digital multi meter (6.99 for two at Maplins).
Remove the battery and charge overnight with a a 12v charger. Next morning remove the charger leave for about 15min and test the voltage.
You should have >12.7v. Leave 24 hours check again:

>12.7 = 100%
12.4 = 75%
12.2 = 50%
12.0 = 25%
<12 = Discharged
If after 24hours it is less than 12.6 then the battery is suspect if it is under 12 months old take it back to your supplier and ask him to check it, some will give you a print out. If it is faulty they should exchange it.
If it is still ok after 24 hours leave a further day and keep checking for voltage drop. A battery fully charged left standing will loosed about 4/5% a week. If the battery is ok reinstall in the M/H do not put any load on the battery and check after 24 hours. If there is significant loss then there is probably a drain on it somewhere.

Graham


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## 117963 (Nov 3, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I do have a multi meter, and have been testing, but still not found anything.
The thing that is confusing me is that the problem persisted with a change of battery, so it appears to be something 'in' the camper. 
Also, and I should have mentioned this (sorry) when you connect the leisure battery, WITH EVERYTHING OFF, you get a biggish spark, so it looks as if something is either on, or at least drawing a current. I have checked everywhere to no avail - there is nothing that I can see is on (but something obviously is).

Thanks
Kings


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

With the multimeter testing you have done is there a load being drawn?

Dave


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Hi,
Try setting your meter to dc amps and then disconnect one battery terminal and put the meter in series (one probe on the battrey post the other on the disconnected terminal) and see what amperage is going out, note that the positive lead on the meter would have to be on the negative post of the battery if this is the one you disconnected. From what you say it would seem that you will still have a heavy discharge, possibly an invertor or tv amplifier which does not switch off, are you able to turn off the 12 volt systems with a master switch on the control panel, if you can do you still get a spark? Lastly, has anyone fitted any "extras" and have they fitted them properly or bodged them. Another "lastly just occured to me, if there is a problem with the fridge/charging relays it is possible that the 12volt fridge element is dragging current from the leisure battery when the engine is off, if your fridge has a 12 volt indicater lamp this shpuld be off when the engine isn't running,
Best of luck,
Chris


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