# Leisure battery discharging whilst driving



## 96897 (Dec 6, 2005)

Hello (again)

I was having electrics problems which we thought we'd sorted out, but...

It seems that when I drive the leisure battery is discharging. Therefore I leave a site nicely charged up and arrived in a wild camping spot with a discharged battery - the longer the run, the less power. So much so that in the recent icy weather after having to stop for the night prior to reaching destination, after 7hrs the battery was so flat there was not even a glimmer of light, let alone a loo flush or water pump working. Still better off than the poor souls in cars though!

Any thoughts would be much appreciated, and a Happy New Year to you all.

Jo


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

It may be worth disconnecting them, charging them, then leave them for a day or so to check that they are holding there charge


Alan H


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

So what happens to the leisure battery when it's not connected to hookup and you are NOT driving?

Do you have a multimeter (only a fiver from Maplins)?

Dave


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

At the risk of being thought daft, have you checked the output from the alternator, if it's not charging any lights wipers, indicators will run it down FAST, also starting will do the same, and if the engine battery is linked to the leisure battery it'll drag that down too.

Or it could be something else.

hope you sort it though.

Kev.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

This very cold weather soon shows up a failing battery, I would check that the leisure battery is actually holding its charge.charge it up and let it stand for a few days then check the voltage again.making sure of course tht nothing is left on.
The only other possibility is that the fridge is pulling power from the leisure battery whilst driving instead of the cab battery.maybe wired up wrongly.But this would have happened before.

my money is on a duff battery.

cabby


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Or it could be something else.


 :? :? :? :? :?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Well it could. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Kev.


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## 96897 (Dec 6, 2005)

Yes, the multimeter says that the battery is now fully charged (which it should be having been on EHU overnight). The battery, both batteries, are recent. I shall try the disconnection and seeing if it holds its charge - but it has done all summer, it's worked a treat wild camping and being charged only whilst driving for weeks upon end. This is a recent electrical problem, I'm sure of it


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## 96897 (Dec 6, 2005)

Sorry, lots to take in here. 

Dave - if the leisure battery has charged, not on EHU, and not driving, then it performs fine. Or at least it did very recently. I find it hard to fault the battery - it was new in April and has performed superbly all summer. I have disconnected and reconnected both batteries before this problem - I'm wondering if I've put a connection wrong somewhere. My father thinks it might be a short, but we did go all through the wiring connections a month ago when we had the other major problem... I'm off a cliff if this isn't sorted, it's a bit much on top of the water ingress!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

From your symptoms you are looking for a moderately heavy load that has recently appeared on your leisure battery

The sort of thing it could be is a recent change to the wiring (as suggested involving your fridge)

a failure of a mechanised step switch (motor being permanently energised)

a radio/cctv/sat dish being left on

discharge through a solar panel after regulator or blocking diode failure. 

however do the disconnect test as advised as batteries have been known to suddenly fail.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Its gotta be daft,
If you were close I would have a look.
Are you near Devises over the New Year? We are!

C.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

As you have a multimeter what is its series current reading at the leisure battery when engine and EHU off?

Dave


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## Zuma (Apr 29, 2006)

I had this problem with my van, A/S Exec. My problem was a blown fuse located near the engine battery.

Mark


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## ladyrunner (Feb 2, 2008)

Can you checked if your leisure battery is charging when the engine is running? 

The reason I ask this is because I had this problem on my Autosleeper in the Summer when I was driving and using my fridge on 12v. Arrived at site and tested the battery and it was very low - had no EHU to charge battery.

The next day I had a look under the bonnet and moved a few wires connecting the two batteries, and tested and repositioned a few fuses and the leisure battery was charging again when the engine was running.

I have since narrowed the problem down to one of two fuse connection blocks which link the engine battery and leisure battery, which I must replace when the weather is warmer as I still have this problem occassionally.

Best way to test if the leisure battery is charging when the engine is running is with a multimeter.

Good luck
Julie


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Hi,
When you start the engine the Leisure battery starts charging and the fridge is fed 12 volts from the alternator, if there is a blown fuse or bad connection you have the fridge drawing current from the leisure battery, I suggest you check that the alternator output is reaching the leisure battery/fridge. If the alternator was faulty your starter battery would be flat. The relays controlling the charging/fridge will be energised by the alternator starting to charge or the ignition being switched on, this will connect the engine battery to the leisure/fridge circuits but if there is no actual supply of charge the fridge and leisure battery are connected together and the battery will run down.
Regards,
Chris.


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## 96897 (Dec 6, 2005)

Crikey, thanks all, what a response.

Ok, I'm off in the miserable drizzle to check fuses etc. 

Correct to guess that if it's the fridge causing the problem, if I switch to off (i.e. not on 12V) whilst travelling then this won't occur? There's never any food to speak of in it anyway, so I don't mind not having it switched on. Not really a solution, I know, I know, but I'm clueless with electrics.


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Hi,
Try putting the meter on the leisure battery and then start the engine, the voltage should rise showing it is getting a charge from the alternator, if it drops try switching the fridge to off, if the voltage stabilises then you know alternator voltage is not reacing the relays from the engine battery, start by checking and wobbling fuses in the connection from the battery, there is possibly a connection under the bonnet from the battery with an in line fuse, 
good luck
Chris


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Well you are streets ahead of most as you have a multimeter and are not afraid to use it. However, there is a logical sequence to follow in order not to waste time and idle speculation. 

Hence my earlier post. You claim the discharge is only when driving. So when it is charged, confirm no discharge as I suggested with engine off, no EHU (and no solar, fat chance says he!).

If insignificant, THEN you can start to check charge going IN.

Dave


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## 96897 (Dec 6, 2005)

Thank you all, now (kinda) sorted.

To be quite honest, Dave, the multimeter is my father's (camped at parents for Xmas), and, although I'm not afraid to use it, I just have no clue how to use it! Slightly wiser now.

It was a blown fuse on the leisure battery - I know it seems obvious but all these were checked just recently when we did the last 'sort out' of electrics. So it seems that the van on 12V might be playing up. Just going to drive it switched off, who needs the fridge on in this weather anyway. Once I stock up on 35V fuses I'll have a play around.

By-the-by, the leak into the bed seems to have been caused by a long barely-noticeable crack on top of the luton, which upon close inspection seems to have been very neatly filled and painted over in the past. I normally wash the van roof lying flat out on the top, so had not noticed this - one needed a tall ladder to approach it from the bonnet end. The last leak into the bed was caused by the luton lights.

Just when you think you've learnt, a new problem will crop up, won't it? I daren't swap the van now, at least I know what it MIGHT be!

Thank you all, I have kept the print-out of problem-solving and am sure that it will be referred to time and time again in the future!

All the best for winter to you all, and a New Year free of water ingress and other annoyances.

Jo


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"It was a blown fuse on the leisure battery"

Glad you are sorted, though I can't then make sense of your previous:

" I leave a site nicely charged up "
"the longer the run, the less power"
"the multimeter says that the battery is now fully charged"
" Dave - if the leisure battery has charged, not on EHU, and not driving, then it performs fine. "

You can see how remote diagnosis through an intermediary is a nightmare! 

Dave


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Removed because in the time it took me to type out the answer someone else had replied.


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## 96897 (Dec 6, 2005)

Well, all the above quoted statements were true, so it might not all be fixed... :? In the current cold/wetness (and with Brighton Caravan Club site having a midweek discount) I'll not be wildcamping for more than a few nights!!


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## ladyrunner (Feb 2, 2008)

Typingjo,

Look out for my Autosleeper with a yellow MHF sticker in the window as you might see me if you are coming down to Brighton. 

Enjoy your stay,
Julie


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