# Hymer s550 battery ?



## matthillier (May 29, 2016)

Hi guys , can anyone advise me on the location of a Hymer s550 starter battery ? my 550 here has 2 x leisure batteries next to the left hand drivers seat but wheres the starter battery ? sorry if thats an insane question but the hymer wont turn over properly ( battery is near flat due to being unstarted for a month or so and not run much previous to that ) on the internal panel its showing full voltage / charge for the 2 batteries so i am a bit bemused 

cheers

matt


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

I took delivery of a Hymer this year and was confused not to find a starter battery under the bonnet. It turns out mine is under the floor at the feet of the passenger side (near side) seat. 

I have not done an excavation to check, but am unsure how this would impact on the process of jump starting the vehicle.

My leisure battery is in a locker behind the near side passenger door.

Hope this sheds a little light on your problem.

Davy


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Most Mercedes have a jump start facility under the bonnet (battery under floor), it will be a red plastic disc (near to the air filter) which when pushed back gives a contact point to attach the positive lead of starter cables and use a solid metal part of the engine for the earth black lead.
.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Thanks for that info John, although my van is on a fiat engine. Logic would say that there must be a similar set up on mine.

Davy


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

If it's a Fiat/Citroen/Peugeot post 06, then it should be under the floor in front of the left hand seat, jump starting is done for positive via rippled tag under the (std) bonnet to the right under a small cover, I never did see the correct place to put the negative clip though so just attached it to an engine bolt.

If it's an A class, I don't know if they have modified it's position.

This is the standard positive connection point









Ha, I Googled it and it's a Techno100 picture, still helping us.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Thanks Kev,

We got the van at the start of the year, an A class. It is a quantum leap from our old 2006 Transit. I drove transits in my job so was reasonably familiar with them.
Getting familiar with all of the newer fitting such as the fridge, Truma heater and water heater etc all take time. Add to that a new base vehicle and there are always things to be checked on.
The potential for jump start was one item on the list. Since your post I have taken the van round to the filling station for gas and diesel top ups as we head off on Wednesday. This gave a good opportunity to check the jump start process .
The positive is still as you describe it and the base vehicle hand book identifies a suitable chassis point for earthing.
Thanks for the photo and description.

Davy


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

TeamRienza said:


> Thanks Kev,
> 
> We got the van at the start of the year, an A class. It is a quantum leap from our old 2006 Transit. I drove transits in my job so was reasonably familiar with them.
> Getting familiar with all of the newer fitting such as the fridge, Truma heater and water heater etc all take time. Add to that a new base vehicle and there are always things to be checked on.
> ...


I hope you did not try the 'process' on a filling station forecourt - the spark while attaching the second lead could be lethal if there were the correct mixture of petrol fumes around. There are usually signs prohibiting 'Naked Flames', which would include a spark.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Hi Geoff,

No didn't do it that way. To open the bonnet is awkward in our drive way, the release lever sits in the recess of the door jamb so is impossible to access as the door is too close to the wall of the house to open.

I simply meant that having gone to fill for the trip, it allowed me to access the engine bay on my return home before parking in the usual location.

I did not jump start the vehicle either. Every thing is in tip top order and it would be tempting the gods to actually carry out the process. I simply wanted to locate the clip on points in the light of a sunny day rather than start my research on a dark wet night by the side of a busy road.

Davy


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It is a bloody stupid place to put the lever, if yours is on the left end of the dash too, why not move it, it could go anywhere as it's on the end of a cable.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

TeamRienza said:


> Hi Geoff,
> 
> No didn't do it that way. To open the bonnet is awkward in our drive way, the release lever sits in the recess of the door jamb so is impossible to access as the door is too close to the wall of the house to open.
> 
> ...


I was hoping the answer was like that, but in case somebody else did not realise the danger of jump-starting on a petrol forecourt I thought I should post.

Geoff


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Hi Kev,

Curiously I regard the difficulty in opening the door as an extra little item in the defence armoury. Not that I am paranoid, but, 

1. I park close to the house wall, so passenger door is difficult to open. This helps protect the engine bay from easy access.
2. I turn the wheels towards the house. The gates are diagonally to the right, so difficult to winch or pull out of the drive.
3. The steering lock is engaged, and a crook lock fitted for visibility and extra obstacles for bad people.
4. I had a 'strikeback' alarm installed as soon as I took delivery.
5. The cars park parallel to the van and overlap the front of the van.

I don't think that is paranoid, do you? My wife says I have too many other issues to worry about mere paranoia.

Davy


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

TeamRienza said:


> Hi Kev,
> 
> Curiously I regard the difficulty in opening the door as an extra little item in the defence armoury. Not that I am paranoid, but,
> 
> ...


Thought of axle stands? And take one or more wheels off?

Saves pressure on the tyre sidewalls too.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Well I suppose that is an option, but surely that is one step away from a mobile home. :serious:

The reality is more likely to be, as you know, the forced door or window when you leave the van unattended. :frown2:

I would say that when going off for a cycle or explore etc whilst on a trip, the van is always in the back of my mind. However we just get on with it and keep our fingers crossed having taken reasonable steps to reduce the risk.

I dare say I am no different to many other owners. :smile2:

Davy


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

TeamRienza said:


> Hi Kev,
> 
> Curiously I regard the difficulty in opening the door as an extra little item in the defence armoury. Not that I am paranoid, but,
> 
> ...


Not in the least, just aware and security conscious


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

TeamRienza said:


> Thanks for that info John, although my van is on a fiat engine. Logic would say that there must be a similar set up on mine.
> 
> Davy


Sorry for that Davy, not being particularly "up" on Hymers I wrongly thought the "S" class models were on Merc bases.
.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

you are correct, John. S Hymers are mercs, I had joined in the thread as I had recently discovered where my Fiat battery was after a lot of head scratching and staring into the engine bay. I thought imy info would give the OP another place to investigate, then the thread drifted off.
The drift probably did not matter as the OP posted and never returned. But I gained some useful info.

Davy


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