# Arto problem starting



## rrusty

My battery is not starting the MH, I have to take it to Fiat main dealer to test the battery.

Question -Is the battery the same size as a commercial Ducato if not, do Fiat main dealers have the proper sized battery to swap if my one is a dud or do they have to order one?

Rusty


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes

You only need to go to a Main Dealer if the van is still under warranty.

Have you tried charging the battery. what are the symptons?

Peter


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## rrusty

Got it 4 weeks ago 2010 model, and it started playing up about 2 weeks ago I have been having to jump start it but after stopping it for say a couple of hours it is dead again, just makes a clicking noise.


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## b16duv

Rrusty,

I had this with my Arto when new - have a sneaking suspicion battery was gubbed due to being left standing off hook-up for long periods. eventually had a new battery fitted by supplying dealer.

HTH

David

ps i think (?) it was a standard ducato battery


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## rrusty

Thanks David thats what I am hoping for so as its one visit only.


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## cabby

contact your dealer, as this is warranty.they might allow you to get a battery elsewhere if you are a long way away. matter of interest who are the dealers.
Let us know the outcome please.

cabby


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## rrusty

Travelworld - and they organised the garage through warranty.


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## Wizzo

rrusty said:


> My battery is not starting the MH, I have to take it to Fiat main dealer to test the battery.
> Question -Is the battery the same size as a commercial Ducato if not, do Fiat main dealers have the proper sized battery to swap if my one is a dud or do they have to order one?
> Rusty


It's almost certainly the same as on the base Fiat vehicle. No reason why it should be any different. The dealers may well carry a replacement but even if they didn't there's plenty of battery suppliers who would supply one to them within hours.

JohnW


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## rrusty

Got a new battery fitted on Friday under warranty, we were away on Friday till Sunday on EHU so before I went on EHU I checked the engine battery and it was 12.8 according to the control panel and I kept checking all weekend and it went down to 12.4 but it did start ok on Sunday, so is this normal?

Rusty


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## b16duv

mine seems to drop quite low too, but has always started the van (touch wood).

Glad you're sorted .

David


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## zulurita

It might be a good idea to see what is running off the vehicle battery when not being driven.

I had to make sure my entertainment switches where all off in my auto trail mh. Also the radio had a red light when engine turned off, so take front panel off.

The best solution is to have a solar panel and a battery master so that your leisure battery receives a charge and the vehicle battery gets a trickle charge.

If you have a Fiat base, the Canbus system also helps drain the vehicle battery.

With my solar panel and battery master I have not had any starting issues and have left the mh for 4 weeks during the bad weather.


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## rayc

rrusty said:


> Got a new battery fitted on Friday under warranty, we were away on Friday till Sunday on EHU so before I went on EHU I checked the engine battery and it was 12.8 according to the control panel and I kept checking all weekend and it went down to 12.4 but it did start ok on Sunday, so is this normal?
> 
> Rusty


Did you have the charger on whilst on EHU and if so does it charge the cab battery in addition to the habitation one? [Your meter reading indicates that it wasn't on charge].


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## rrusty

rayc said:


> rrusty said:
> 
> 
> 
> Got a new battery fitted on Friday under warranty, we were away on Friday till Sunday on EHU so before I went on EHU I checked the engine battery and it was 12.8 according to the control panel and I kept checking all weekend and it went down to 12.4 but it did start ok on Sunday, so is this normal?
> 
> Rusty
> 
> 
> 
> Did you have the charger on whilst on EHU and if so does it charge the cab battery in addition to the habitation one? [Your meter reading indicates that it wasn't on charge].
Click to expand...

Yes I did have the charger on and I dont think it was charging the cab battery.
According to the handbook it states that when the engine is running it charges the cab & leisure battery and this shows on the control panel but it does not say if when on hook up if the cab battery is getting charged and does not show on the control panel.


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## rayc

Then it appears that your 12.4v from the cab battery at the end of the weekend is to be expected. In any event it would be the on load voltage that I would be interested in but this seems to be ok as it started no problem.
A Battery Master would appear to be a good investment if you cannot charge the cab battery from the on board charger or solor panel if fitted.

http://www.outdoorbits.com/battery-master-p-32.html

http://www.campervanstuff.com/shop_stuff/index.php?mod=product&id_prd=976


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## erneboy

I had a new van a few years ago, same thing happened first weekend away. It was probably the first time the van had not been going for a few days since we picked it up. I think, as already stated the van had sat around at the dealers for several months without charging, probably needed a charge there to start it, I don't know. It was OK as long as we were driving it, when we stopped for a while it lost the charge quickly due to having been knackered prior to our collecting it. The cure was a new battery, Alan.


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