# Battery charging



## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

A really basic question so don't laugh ! I have a new mercedes sprinter automatic. Autosleeper Suffolk. We've moved house and it's been sat on the new driveway for 8 weeks unplugged. I have a solar panel but I think that only charges the leisure battery, is that right ?
Anyway, the leisure battery is showing as good at 13.3v but the vehicle battery is showing poor 3.3v and I can't unlock using remote key, can't start engine, can't use electric step etc. I am now plugged into the mains but that isn't lifting the vehicle battery.
I have a normal battery charger but don't know where the vehicle battery is !! So question is, where is it, don't want to confuse it with the leisure one and cock things up. And could I then just plug the charger into a socket in the van, as I'm hooked up, and charge it with that, presumably leaving windows open. All advice welcome


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Your battery is probably terminally flat and beyond recharging. To get some charge into a battery as flat as that will require quite a powerful charger, your on board one may not have the punch to begin charging it. A fully charged battery and a fully discharged battery both have a high resistance so a low powered charger may not cope, Alan.


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## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

Yipes, does that mean a new battery ! What about using jump leads from my car ?


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

I am sure that your Suffolk will have a Sargent EC325 power unit and this will/should automatically charge both batteries if the solar panel has been fitted correctly and the panel can "see" the sun. If the leisure battery is at 13v+ and the vehicle battery is flat then it certainly sounds to me as though the Solar Panel has not been fitted using the built in Sargent control unit...so you may have a claim against the fitters ( as long as you asked them to fit it using the Sargent EC325 unit :wink: )

Unfortunately as has been already suggested your "new" vehicle battery may now be past the point of resurrection and is headed for the bin ... this may have been a very expensive lesson in battery management.

It will , of course, before replacing it ( very expensive!) be worth trying to get a charge into the battery and now that you have the van on a hook up the Sargent unit will attempt to charge it if you select the correct battery on the control panel. ( I think the Sargent has a multi stage 25amp charge so if it cannot put some charge into the battery after say 24hrs then it is most likely knick knacked)

You will find all the details about the power unit , battery charging and using the control panel in the Autosleeper Handbook that came with your Suffolk.

If you do not have one you can download one from here:-

http://www.auto-sleepers.co.uk/customer-service/handbooks

Mike


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## Touchwood_RV (May 1, 2005)

Hi suffolkmerc

Sounds like the chassis battery is dead big style, as erneboy says this will take one heck a punch to charge it.

“Sat on the new driveway for 8 weeks unplugged”
That sounds to me that the chassis battery has taken a beating from parasitical loads, such as clocks, stereo, alarm, air suspension if you have it and so on. The worry is the depth of discharge down to 3.3 volts!!

“I have a solar panel but I think that only charges the leisure battery”
I believed on your vehicle the solar should charge both, need to have that checked out

“the leisure battery is showing as good at 13.3v”
That will to me provide a massive pointer the solar panel is working and only holding the house battery

“where is it (the chassis battery)”
2002-2006, the chassis battery is under the hood on the driver side. 
2007-2010 the chassis battery is under the driver side floor board. Pull the floor mats up and remove a panel to access. 

“could I then just plug the charger into a socket in the van”
Yes but I would do two things first:
1) Disconnect the battery for the van as incorrect or massive load charging will damage the WSP unit & possibly sometimes the ECU unit too, when the chassis battery is completely discharged as yours
2) If the current battery is not a sealed unit (which I doubt), pop to a good auto accessory shop and buy a pack of “Batt Aids” and pop them in

But sorry to say this, my money is on the battery being beyond economical revival and a new one is the only sensible way forward.


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## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

Thanks to everyone so far, sounds like bad news.

Does anyone else have an opinion on Mike's suggestion below, that my solar panel should have been fitted in a way that ensured charging of both batteries ? I didn't ask them to fit it using the Sargent unit as I'm new to this so would have had no clue or reason to do so.



> "Hi
> 
> I am sure that your Suffolk will have a Sargent EC325 power unit and this will/should automatically charge both batteries if the solar panel has been fitted correctly and the panel can "see" the sun. If the leisure battery is at 13v+ and the vehicle battery is flat then it certainly sounds to me as though the Solar Panel has not been fitted using the built in Sargent control unit...so you may have a claim against the fitters ( as long as you asked them to fit it using the Sargent EC325 unit Wink )"


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## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

And what about using jump leads from my car, a 4.2 litre jag ? Or would that just ensure that it's knackered !


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## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

> "Sat on the new driveway for 8 weeks unplugged"
> That sounds to me that the chassis battery has taken a beating from parasitical loads, such as clocks, stereo, alarm, air suspension if you have it and so on. The worry is the depth of discharge down to 3.3 volts!!


As far as I know, the only things running were the vehicle alarm, nothing else, which is why I'm surprised at this end result.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

A vehicle alarm can flatten a battery in a couple of weeks. 

Normally one would expect a solar panel to run through the system in the van. In this case it seems as though it may go directly to the leisure battery which is very amateurish. Not what you would expect from a competent person. If that is how it is connected.

You will very probably be able to jump start it because there would be enough power coming from your car but you still have the problem of how to get some charge into your battery which an alternator is not very good at that when a battery is very discharged, it's the problem I outlined earlier. No harm trying but even if you run the van for several hours I would not expect it to put much charge into the battery. A few minutes will be a waste of time, Alan.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

suffolkmerc said:


> Does anyone else have an opinion on Mike's suggestion below, that my solar panel should have been fitted in a way that ensured charging of both batteries ? I didn't ask them to fit it using the Sargent unit as I'm new to this so would have had no clue or reason to do so.


There is a very good chance Mike is right. (_He usually is, or he doesn't offer an opinion if he's unsure_.)

We have a Sargent 325 and when I was thinking of getting a solar panel (_decided against for now_) I was pleased to learn that the charger unit is set up to accept a solar panel, and will then automatically charge both batteries. (_Would have saved a few quid_. :wink: )

Your problem would seem to indicate either incorrect fitting or possibly a faulty Sargent charger - but I would think the latter is unlikely.

I would also expect whoever fitted your panel to know about the features of the (not many) different types of charger fitted to vans. The Sargent 325 is quite common, and should have been familiar to them.

Hope this helps a bit.

Dave


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

hi suffolkmerc,

we had the same problem,our solar panel charged the leisure battery but not the van. the strike back alarm seemed to have drained the batteries during winter and damaged the solar panel control unit. when we had the new control unit and new batteries fitted we had it linked to the car battery- expensive mistake especially since our van is on the drive and easy to keep on hookup

hey ho
aldra


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## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

Will speak to the fitters of the solar panel and see where we go, will let you all know, thank you for your replies


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

I did read somewhere that if you have a battery charger with a 'pulse' function, you stand a better chance of reviving a flat battery. It's long term life may be compromised however but it could get you through the summer.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

The EC325 system lets you select which battery to use and charge. Leisure is the default but you can select the starter battery from the control panel. Its to the right of the ON/OFF button. Do this and the EC325 will charge your starter battery. As has been said its probably cream crackered but its worth a try. Don,t jump start it from your car because the inrush current could be a tad dramatic as its only 3.3 volts the your car battery with the car engine running will be 14 volts..

Once you have the battery sorted (replaced if necessary) then the simplest way to ensure that BOTH batteries get charged by the solar panel when the van is laid up is here :-
http://www.motts.org/BRIDGING FUSE.htm

Take care

C.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I would just like to add that modern vans all have a sort of computer that controls the electrics on the vehicle through an interconnection system known as CAN bus. This never truly switches off in normal use (although at 3,3V it probably has by now  ) So all the time the vehicle is standing it is discharging the vehicle battery outside of your control.


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## Daedalas (Nov 12, 2009)

Good Morning SuffolkMerc

Quote
A really basic question so don't laugh ! I have a new mercedes sprinter automatic. Autosleeper Suffolk. 
UnQuote

Does new mean bought from the manufacturer in the last 12 months? Or is it new to you?

If the former then is there not an argument that the vehicle battery should not go flat to 3.3v within so short a time and the supplier should replace it for you as it was not 'fit for purpose'?


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## Perseus (Apr 10, 2009)

Is it safe to leave an engine battery on hook-up for months on end(during the winter lay-up, for example?

Cheers, John


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

I had a similar problem at Christmas and posted about it.

I hadn't drive my van for 3 weeks and then only for a short hop about town. 

I went out to the van and the engine battery was dead. Everyone said that things like a little red light on the camera could drain it, the tracker, any other little lights. 

I got a company to come out (I didn't know where my engine battery was either) and they found it and gave me a new battery.

I took the old battery into the house, bought a charger in Halfords and charged it up. 

So now I have a spare engine battery which I can put into the van whenever I need to. 

I don't take it away with me, because if I'm away, I have driven, and thus charged up the engine battery.


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## Touchwood_RV (May 1, 2005)

suffolkmerc said:


> And what about using jump leads from my car, a 4.2 litre jag ? Or would that just ensure that it's knackered !


Just one thing to note with a battery that flat jumping it could cause the ecu to shut down and will require dealer intervention to reset or worst still replace it.

There are many warnings on the internet about jumping flat batteries, here is one:
"Warning: Jump starting can damage your vehicle electronics.
Check the vehicle operating manual. If the failed battery is open circuit*, then do not attempt to jump start. If your vehicle is fitted with electronic components, ensure that a set of surge protected jumper leads are to be used.
*Open circuit batteries can be detected by:
Battery volts reading zero immediately a high rate discharge test is applied 
When the battery will not accept a charge. 
Also battery that are dead flat or very low"

In my experience an alternator will never charge a battery properly from flat even if you do get it started by jump leads, you will risk damage to the alternator if you use it to charge such a flat battery. Why? Because of the amount the alternator will have to output to charge it, modem alternators are not truly designed to provide that vast output for such prolonged periods of time, only in short bursts.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I hope this may help.
While I was out of the country for a month, I left the radio switched on, which totally flattened my battery.
From Halfords, I bought an intelligent charger for less than £50 and over a day and a bit it rectified and put new life into my battery. They talk about sine waves and some form of special discharge but the bottom line is that it worked.
Using my vast experience and education, I managed to do the same again but this time left my side lights on for six weeks. Once more the battery charger saved the day (I did not deserve to survive twice).
   
So, I do not know how or why it worked but it did.
Alan


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