Hi
I have just purchased a elddis slipstream :xl 2000
this is our first family caravan and am very confused about the how to run off the leisure battery when not hooked up to mains.
Basically when I'm hooked up to mains every light, radio etc have power and needle on the metre goes into the green.
But when I disconnect the needle dropped into the red and nothing has power.
I have flicked all switches and checked the battery terminal which seems ok.
Is there something like a isolation switch or something I'm missing.
I've been looking online for answers all day but can't figure it out.
Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks
Jim
Quote: Originally posted by trog100 on 25/5/2015
your battery could be shot.. when hooked up you are running 12 volt stuff off the mains battery charger and not the battery..
a dead (knackered) battery would cause the symptoms you have..
trog
I assume that's what's happening yes, once the mains is unplugged nothing works at all.
It has been hooked to mains for 4 hours, am I right in thinking that it should have charged a little in that time?
its knackered you need a new one.. its been left dead flat for too long and has built up a hard sulphate layer.. it wont ever take a charge ever again.. buy a new one..
what you have now is a house brick that just looks like battery.. he he
Quote: Originally posted by colin51 on 26/5/2015
As a precaution before replacing the battery I would check that the habitation relay connections are sound and that the contacts are good.
If it's a yr 2000 caravan it should have one and it's there to disconnect many of the domestic 12v services when hooked up to the car.
Do you have a multimeter to check voltage at the battery?
Colin
I don't have a multimeter but sure I can find someone who will borrow one to me.
I will check all the connection to.
try everything on the planet you will still end up buying a new battery.. he he
the mains charger is connected up to the battery everything works when its on nothing works with no mains.. van just acquired its been stood for an unknown time.. the battery has been left with zero volts in it for several weeks at least..
this will 100% destroy a lead acid battery.. this is what has happened to the battery in your van.. you could if you are into such things try prayer but it still wont help.. he he
its just something odd that happens to a lead acid battery.. material moves from the plates to the electrolyte when the battery is being charged and goes the other way as it runs down..
if a battery is left for some time with zero volts in it all the material is on the plates.. when in this condition the material goes hard and the transfer process stops happening.. the result one totally dead battery that will never take a charge again..
if there is some charge in them they seem to be okay but if any small drain takes then down to zero faults they wont survive this condition for very long.. two or three weeks left like this can kill them off.. the time varies but they will all die in the end..
It hasn't yet been established that the battery is flat, just that none of the 12v works on the battery - hence my previous post re check with a meter at the battery.
If the battery is not flat then the battery fuse and habitation relay would be the next obvious faulting sequence.
It may well need a new battery but we don't know that yet and if faults exist elsewhere then a new battery won't resolve those faults.
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Topic: how to switch to 12v
