Hmmmm. Worried.

[Fatmrsgeorge]

So. First night without hookup. Gas heating working beautifully. Leisure battery fully charged.
Have only used the water pump for like 30 secs. One light on in lounge for an hour. Tv on for five mins.

Vehicle battery which was brand new in January is two green lights away from the amber lights.

No.idea if this is OK.or not. According to mannie when we bought the van, we don't have to switch anything over - it will automatically choose the best source. Heating is defo on gas only.

 

[denisejoe]

Have you checked that your fridge is on gas assuming it's a 3 way one?

 

[Nanniemate]

You'll be surprised how much us used by the fan that circulates the warm air.

I went to go out in my van today, irs not been used since returning on 27th Jan. It did not want to play. I fitted a dashcam before Christmas and I think that's been draining power . Its in hookup now and dashcam unplugged. It may start tomorrow ....

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

Have you checked that your fridge is on gas assuming it's a 3 way one?

Fridge is off because I was not sure we would have enuff gas for heating and fridge. Think I am just panicking. Lights have not changed in last hour.

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

You'll be surprised how much us used by the fan that circulates the warm air.

I went to go out in my van today, irs not been used since returning on 27th Jan. It did not want to play. I fitted a dashcam before Christmas and I think that's been draining power . Its in hookup now and dashcam unplugged. It may start tomorrow ....

Ah ! Good shout re the fan ! You have saved me from a rabbit hole of parasitic draw that I only partly understand......

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[GeoffnDee]

You can confirm that you are using the leisure battery for habitation power , the battery being used (which can be altered) will be shown on the control panel display when you press view levels (on the Motorhome logo)

 

[AdrianChen]

If there is a draw on the leisure battery while you are checking the voltage (green lights etc), the reading will be low - if you were to turn off the 12v loads (heater fan etc) the voltage will slowly go back to the batteries resting voltage, which is the only time that type of gauge is accurate, so have another look when the batery has had 30mins without charge or any 12v loads.

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

You can confirm that you are using the leisure battery for habitation power , the battery being used (which can be altered) will be shown on the control panel display when you press view levels (on the Motorhome logo)

If there is a draw on the leisure battery while you are checking the voltage (green lights etc), the reading will be low - if you were to turn off the 12v loads (heater fan etc) the voltage will slowly go back to the batteries resting voltage, which is the only time that type of gauge is accurate, so have another look when the batery has had 30mins without charge or any 12v loads.

Thankyou. Fatmrg is telling me he knew this already and phew nothing to worry about . However. I know his worried face and it has been front and centre for the last 60 minutes....

 

[Landy Andy]

So. First night without hookup. Gas heating working beautifully. Leisure battery fully charged.
Have only used the water pump for like 30 secs. One light on in lounge for an hour. Tv on for five mins.

Vehicle battery which was brand new in January is two green lights away from the amber lights.

No.idea if this is OK.or not. According to mannie when we bought the van, we don't have to switch anything over - it will automatically choose the best source. Heating is defo on gas only.



View attachment 1014521

You say “two green lights from amber”. If you mean the LED that doesn’t have a number by it. Then that is ok as it is the resting voltage of the battery. The resting voltage of the battery will be below 13v once it has settled.

 

[Jabstatt]

This post is asking about the Starter battery????

Surely. If you read post one?

Tony

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[AdrianChen]

This post is asking about the Starter battery????

Surely. If you read post one?

Tony

Ooops!

I wonder if it has a smart alternator then!

 

[Larby]

I can choose on my Sargeant panel which battery to use or even charge.
Do you have a panel that allows this? Are you drawing from Starter battery rather than Leisure Battery?

 

[Landy Andy]

This post is asking about the Starter battery????

Surely. If you read post one?

Tony

I know that, and comment was based on that, but what difference does that make??

The resting voltage of a 12v battery is about 12.7v. So two lights above amber is indicating an ok amount of power.

 

[rb62]

This post is asking about the Starter battery????

Surely. If you read post one?

Tony

Yes but the things he is talking about should be running off the leisure battery, if he has one and there is the possibility that he hasn't got the right source selected and you don't want to wake up to a flat starter battery!

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

Thanks everybody. Once we got the info from GeoffnDee and AdrianChen we realised we were OK. We need to do some homework and actually READ the manuals to figure out how it all works. We don't have the battery master thing but it still seems to draw from both batteries. Anyway. Had a great night with the lights oot and our head torches on...can't get away from our old habits from the Ford transit with no leisure battery !

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[GeoffnDee]

Fatmrsgeorge , Information about the smart charging system you have can be found on page 2 in the Manuals for Motorhome stuff section of Resources (in the menu) , It is listed as Autotrail smart charging EC400-450-500 but is the same as your system and may help with understanding its operation.

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

Fatmrsgeorge , Information about the smart charging system you have can be found on page 2 in the Manuals for Motorhome stuff section of Resources (in the menu) , It is listed as Autotrail smart charging EC400-450-500 but is the same as your system and may help with understanding its operation.

Thankyou so.much. I don't know what we would do without the fabulous functors helping us ! Most appreciated.

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

Funsters not functors.

 

[nicholsong]

Thankyou so.much. I don't know what we would do without the fabulous functors helping us ! Most appreciated.

So are you less worried now?

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

Yes. Now I know how to read the battery levels properly. Not lying awake wondering if the van will start tomorrow !

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[Hymer Tony B]

Thanks everybody. Once we got the info from GeoffnDee and AdrianChen we realised we were OK. We need to do some homework and actually READ the manuals to figure out how it all works. We don't have the battery master thing but it still seems to draw from both batteries. Anyway. Had a great night with the lights oot and our head torches on...can't get away from our old habits from the Ford transit with no leisure battery !

We fitted a victron smart shunt last year. Only have a 95ah Gel leisure battery. Just done 2 night stay with no EHU. Gas blown heating, fridge on gas, TV via 10inch Tablet. Lowest battery state of charge was 68% after second night. Found smart shunt far more reassuring than internal meters on motorhome.

 

[Jake Royd]

We wild camped for 24hrs last week when very very cold.
My heating ran for about 12hrs quite happily , which gladdened my heart. Truma set on about 5.
Voltage (under load) dropped to about 12.2
I have 200w of solar but that would have been doing nothing on that day (grey cloud)
Have alook at this table for conventional lead acid batteries.
Note , this is the voltage at rest.