2022 Ducato Battery Voltage. Help for friend

[jezport]

My friend has a 2022 (new dash version) Ducato.
He told me his voltage display for the cab battery was showing 18V. He reported it to his dealer who said it was normal!
I told him AFIK the highest voltage AGM battery should charge at is 14.7v He took the dealers word rather than mine.
A few weeks later he now tells me the stop start has stopped working and now thinks I may have been right and the cab battery is damaged. He did go away a month leaving it in storage for over 6 weeks and the battery was flat on his return.
Has anyone else seen 18V on the cab battery? If so what was the reason?

 

[Coolcats]

Start stop may not work for a number of reasons all of which are normal. For example if the systems are needing more energy. This happens on our Golf and Transporter etc. Refer to the hand book before blaming the battery.

 

[andyman]

Whats make is the conversion. The voltage display on my Pilote always show a lower voltage than the actual battery voltage.
The stop start not working could be a few things. On the BMWs we have had over the years the newer ones are nothing like the first ones we had with stop start.
The older ones the stop start always seemed to work, Lynn’s new one needs all its ducks in a row to work. To big a temp difference betwwen outside and the set cab temp it doesn’t work. Headlights on it doesn’t work and so on. I’d drop a volt meter over the battery.

 

[Coolcats]

Whats make is the conversion. The voltage display on my Pilote always show a lower voltage than the actual battery voltage.
The stop start not working could be a few things. On the BMWs we have had over the years the newer ones are nothing like the first ones we had with stop start.
The older ones the stop start always seemed to work, Lynn’s new one needs all its ducks in a row to work. To big a temp difference betwwen outside and the set cab temp it doesn’t work. Headlights on it doesn’t work and so on. I’d drop a volt meter over the battery.

Exactly that, it’s ‘Enviroment’ conditions of the vehicle which enables or disabled the stop start along of course with a MoHo being in storage and the battery not fully charged.

 

[Lenny HB]

Smart alternators often charge at 17v so if the display is reading a bit high it could be normal.

Sounds like a backward step like when cars had dynamos with electrical mechanical regulators they charged at 17v and you were doing well if the battery lasted more than 2 years.

Stop Start not working is more likely due to low battery rather than high. On my car Stop Start stopper working at 2 years old still on the same battery 10½ years old.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jezport]

Should the battery be 18v all the time?
Its an Etrusco (cheap hymer)

 

[Lenny HB]

Should the battery be 18v all the time?
Its an Etrusco (cheap hymer)

Voltage should go up after starting but once battery is up to I think 80% alternator output drops to 12.4v.

 

[Pausim]

Should the battery be 18v all the time?

If it is a digital display and shows 18V all the time perhaps the display is broken. Stick a meter on the battery to check the real voltage.

 

[royandsharont]

My 22 Ducato shows 18V too, but I rarely ever view it so cannot say if it changes. I find it when I’m looking for the AddBlue and oil levels

 

[Peregrinator]

Typical AGM absorption voltage range is around 14.4 to 15.0 volts, typical float voltage range is 13.2 to 13.8 volts, they need 14.6v to 14.8v to give full charge, 18v is too high, depends on the Amps, 100 AH battery should be charged at between 10 and 15 Amps, so check the amps.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Typical AGM absorption voltage range is around 14.4 to 15.0 volts, typical float voltage range is 13.2 to 13.8 volts, they need 14.6v to 14.8v to give full charge, 18v is too high, depends on the Amps, 100 AH battery should be charged at between 10 and 15 Amps, so check the amps.

I agree with you but car Manufacturers don't. They often charge them at 17v.

 

[SpeedyDux]

18v on older Ducatos would fry the sensitive airbag ECU module.

 

[Lenny HB]

18v on older Ducatos would fry the sensitive airbag ECU module.

Anything frys that ECU.

 

[Blofeld]

My friend has a 2022 (new dash version) Ducato.
He told me his voltage display for the cab battery was showing 18V. He reported it to his dealer who said it was normal!
I told him AFIK the highest voltage AGM battery should charge at is 14.7v He took the dealers word rather than mine.
A few weeks later he now tells me the stop start has stopped working and now thinks I may have been right and the cab battery is damaged. He did go away a month leaving it in storage for over 6 weeks and the battery was flat on his return.
Has anyone else seen 18V on the cab battery? If so what was the reason?

I don’t think the display is anything other than an indication. Mine has a digital dial with a range from 10v to 18v but I think it moves in 2v blocks. Mine has stayed in the centre whether the engine is on or off which suggests 14v but isn’t.

 

[Peregrinator]

I'm not not sure which charging system you lot are talking about now?, I thought it was about the leisure system
A good alternator should produce about 13.5 to 14.5 volts, with the engine idling and with nothing on, no higher, if it's over 15volts then you could have a problem with the alternator, take a reading with a meter.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

I'm not not sure which charging system you lot are talking about now?, I thought it was about the leisure system
A good alternator should produce about 13.5 to 14.5 volts, with the engine idling and with nothing on, no higher, if it's over 15volts then you could have a problem with the alternator, take a reading with a meter.

Smart alternators can charge at up to 17v I don't know what Ducato's are set to.

 

[bobandjanie]

First I would feel the battery and see if its hot.
Put a meter on it is correct.
I think probably the alternator or voltage regulator. Bob.

 

[Bramidan]

Look I will make my excuses first and I accept ignorance is not an excuse.
Before I purchased my motorhome and joined Motorhomefun I had no idea about all these issues!
Since I passed my test, when I was 17, I’ve just jumped into cars and got on motorbikes, started up with not a thought.
Sometimes I wonder if there are two many gauges to worry about, information overload!
Just a comment on the Fiat Ducatto ( non existent handbook ) I only found all those menus on the left hand side of the steering wheel when I was sitting in a massive jam!
Now I constantly worry about the amount of adblu I have!
Just to make it clear this post is supposed to be amusing!

 

[Spriddler]

Sometimes I wonder if there are two many gauges to worry about, information overload!

Agreed. It seems to me that those Anxiety Panels are a source of great anguish to the inexperienced.

 

[Peregrinator]

Smart alternators can charge at up to 17v I don't know what Ducato's are set to.

17v is way too high, you will boil cells, they will become dry.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

17v is way too high, you will boil cells, they will become dry.

Only quoting the spec that some smart alternator work at and I agree with you.

 

[MobyDick57]

I can see that you have a Fiat Ducato. The advice given to me by Fiat/Iveco York last year was that your Fiat Starter Battery is guaranteed for life (if not abused) However I personally found that when having roadside assistance, ensure the company replaces the starter battery with a recognised/approved Fiat starter battery (not another brand!) Another piece of advice given by roadside assistance was turn off the stop/start when starting the van to save wear/tear on the battery.

 

[jezport]

When I spoke directly to Duracell, I was advised 14.6v it the highest they advise to charge their batteries.
Not hearsay but direct information

 

[jezport]

I can see that you have a Fiat Ducato. The advice given to me by Fiat/Iveco York last year was that your Fiat Starter Battery is guaranteed for life (if not abused) However I personally found that when having roadside assistance, ensure the company replaces the starter battery with a recognised/approved Fiat starter battery (not another brand!) Another piece of advice given by roadside assistance was turn off the stop/start when starting the van to save wear/tear on the battery.

Where does it say you get a lifetime warranty on your battery?

 

[MobyDick57]

Apparently the info is somewhere in the literature So far in two years I have had three replacements!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jezport]

My friends van is now with a Fiat Agent, apparently there is a recall to do with the alternator and its software related. Will update you once he has collected it.

 

[VXman]

I can see that you have a Fiat Ducato. The advice given to me by Fiat/Iveco York last year was that your Fiat Starter Battery is guaranteed for life (if not abused) However I personally found that when having roadside assistance, ensure the company replaces the starter battery with a recognised/approved Fiat starter battery (not another brand!) Another piece of advice given by roadside assistance was turn off the stop/start when starting the van to save wear/tear on the battery.

I am not aware that the battery warranty is any different to the standard warranty on the whole van. It would be unusual if it did. The best batteries only have a 5 years warranty.

As far as I can recall the starter battery in my van is the same make as my leisures. (Had it from new 2 years ago) It's a Varta not Fiat.

 

[Coolcats]

I can see that you have a Fiat Ducato. The advice given to me by Fiat/Iveco York last year was that your Fiat Starter Battery is guaranteed for life (if not abused) However I personally found that when having roadside assistance, ensure the company replaces the starter battery with a recognised/approved Fiat starter battery (not another brand!) Another piece of advice given by roadside assistance was turn off the stop/start when starting the van to save wear/tear on the battery.

Battery’s are consumables with limited life spans the warranty ranges from 42 months to 36 for stop start. If you keep having to have batteries something is wrong. Fiat use Varta batteries this link will take you to their warranty page Varta are good batteries but no battery has a ‘lifetime garuntee’ as being suggested.

https://dusj4r71pmvop.cloudfront.net/3315/6801/4735/Varta_Warranty_Folded_v3.pdf

 

[Peregrinator]

I can see that you have a Fiat Ducato. The advice given to me by Fiat/Iveco York last year was that your Fiat Starter Battery is guaranteed for life (if not abused) However I personally found that when having roadside assistance, ensure the company replaces the starter battery with a recognised/approved Fiat starter battery (not another brand!) Another piece of advice given by roadside assistance was turn off the stop/start when starting the van to save wear/tear on the battery.

Of All Batteries we sold i.e. Yuasa, Varta, Bosch, Banner & Platinum, Yuasa were the only 5 year warranty that were true to their word every time, we did not have any Battery beyond the 5 year warranty, Also some Battery Manufactures deceive the customers into believing their product is a leisure battery, like certain Platinum products, when they are just a normal starter Battery, no matter what the print tells you, you must take it with a pinch of salt.
For instance do not take no notice of the NCC, they are sponsored by Battery Manufactures, and their reports rely on the Manufactures tests, they do very little testing themselves

 

[Lenny HB]

For instance do not take no notice of the NCC, they are sponsored by Battery Manufactures, and their reports rely on the Manufactures tests, they do very little testing themselves

A complete joke relies on manufacture submitted spec, and to claim 200 cylcles they only have to test a battery for 20 cycles.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}