# Old underused campervans battery condition? (newbie alert)



## 124802 (Jun 19, 2009)

We are excitedly awaiting the arrival of our campervan (1985 VW LT 28 Westfalia Sven Hedin) that seems to be in excellent condition but...

The dealer has had it for about 7 months and taken it for a spin roughly once a month to keep things ticking over (not been on market until "the season" and a very small dealer who has been excellent otherwise, so I believe him).
However, the gent who had it before apparently bought it, got ill, kept it for a year, then part-ex-ed it with the dealer for a car.
A year of not being used followed by months of a short drive once a month strikes me as a bad way to treat a battery?

Is there any way to easily check the condition? Should I just assume that it will be totalled and get a new one? For a first test trip do I need to get it on a hook up for a day then disconnect and see what happens?

All a bit new so not sure if there is a tried and tested way of finding out.

Thanks in advance

Chris.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Take it to your local garage they can do a discharge test on it and then tell you the condition.


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## arh (Dec 8, 2007)

*underused battery*

Get the dealer you're buying it from to do a discharge test and if it's "iffy" get him to put a new one on. He'll do that to sell the van!!


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## 124802 (Jun 19, 2009)

Thanks hogan and arh, the van is already sold but getting them to check it is probably a good plan, I thought there might be a way with a multimeter or something to measure voltage it achieves but maybe not.
Would a normal garage be able to discharge test a battery? The dealer is not a campervan dealership so probably does not have access to anything specialist, although there is a caravan dealer nearby who might be able to do it, any idea of what they would charge to check one? Free if you buy a battery kind of deal?


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

Any garage worth its salt should have a battery discharge tester,that is the only sure fire way to check if a battery is ok.


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## boringfrog (Sep 22, 2006)

*Test*

Most garages or motorist discount centres should be able to do a discharge test. For a quality 75ah battery you should pay no more than about £75 (lead acid).


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## eribiste (May 1, 2005)

Most garages would have a discharge tester as they're a simple bit of kit. It's a pair of heavy probes bridged by a low resistance conductor and a high current tolerant ammeter. The probes are touched to the terminals for a brief time and the current flow observed. A substantial drop in current indicates a dud battery. 

before the test it is prudent to check electrolyte level, assuming it's a battery whereby one can get access to the cells, i.e. not low maintenance. At the same time, a hydrometer would be used to check electrolyte specific gravity to assess the battery condition. If the voltage across the terminals is still healthy (>12v) after a drop test then the battery is serviceable.

It all sounds a bit technical, but these are easy checks that any garage would be tooled up to do.

I've just had to replace the leisure battery in my Hymer and it cost about £80.


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## 124802 (Jun 19, 2009)

Thanks all, I hope you appreciate my thanks, cost me a tenner to tell you!
(I am sure the subscription will prove worth it though  )


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## roamingsue (Aug 23, 2008)

Congratulation on your new Van, it must be really exciting, and welcome to the forum!


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Tracker1972 said:


> Thanks all, I hope you appreciate my thanks, cost me a tenner to tell you!
> (I am sure the subscription will prove worth it though  )


Dont worry about the tenner,you will find in time that it is the best tenner you ever spent.


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

Hi Chris,

Everyones advice is fine. Just for your info it isn't really meaningful to test a battery with a multimeter as it doesn't load the battery. A flat nackered batter can still show 12v but die as soon as you switch the water pump on. A discharge tester draws a high current and measures the response of the terminal voltage under load. A much better test.

Bob


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## 124802 (Jun 19, 2009)

Right, roll on getting the van now, getting impatient, want to play 
Thanks all!


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

Tracker1972 said:


> Right, roll on getting the van now, getting impatient, want to play
> Thanks all!


Have you got it yet


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## vardy (Sep 1, 2006)

I had exactly this problem. I went to South Yorkshire Battery services at 283 Shoreham St Sheffield 0114 2727399 after a lot of messing about back to dealer and garages who didn't want to know my old van.

They tested the vehicle battery and explained the readings - it had hugely 'had' it! Checked the leisure battery and found it was an old car battery dangerously wired. They spent ages going through the prices to find me a good deal.

They also fitted both - making sure they didn't mark my van whilst getting it under the front seat.

I broke down near them a week later and they diagnosed my alternator problem. So if you don't know anywhere in Chesterfield they are worth a trip. - Good luck, - Helena.


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## 124802 (Jun 19, 2009)

Got it last night and drove it into school today, yesterday the "hows the battery" LED said amber and by the time I got home today it was green. Either it charges really well or we were really lucky and it was almost full. Will see soon enough I guess.
It is great to drive, sooooo relaxing and we are really looking forward to actually getting out and going somewhere in it!

Bit lumpy when it starts from cold on LPG, no idea on petrol yet, seems to think the waste tank is full, but nothing comes out when you turn the tap.

Looking forward to all the other new "discoveries" as they come.


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