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I installed a brand new AGM battery into my 2023 Bailey Unicorn but the solar controller will not work unless I set it for flodded lead acid. On the AGM setting all lights flash to indicate 'Wrong battery type'. I'm concerned because the wrong setting could ruin the battery. Has anyone else experienced this or have knowledge of subch an issue?

Newly 2005 motorhome and have checked out the leisure battery. The label on the battery ,see photo, shows month and year grid to be marked when fitted but unfortunately it hasn`t been marked. Does anyone know if the label numbers , 0 to 9, would represent 2000 to 2009? If so this could be a very old battery , any help with this type of labelling would be appreciated.

At the NEC last week there were a number of stands selling and advocating the use of Lithium based batteries. All well and good and we are aware of the potential advantages for those of us that go off grid. i.e lighter weight, greater usable power, and quicker charging (with a suitable charging unit). Prices for a nominal 100 amp Lithium ranged from £899 to over £1000. All saying theirs was the best etc. When asked direct questions like ' Will my built in Battery charger in my Bailey ' be compatible with the lithium battery the answers were like 'platting fog' i.e ranged from 'Yes to should be, to No, you need one of our chargers.' Ditto when asked if said built in charger would actually charge the Lithium to full/near full capacity. Or conversely would it harm them. We could not get a straight answer that we felt confident with. Now the price of Lithium batteries has tumbled in the last year or so and they are now being advertised at much lower prices than those at the Show E.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultramax-Lithium-LiFePO4-12V-100AH-Leisure-Battery-for-Leisure-Marine-Range/122423724952?epid=1437452568&hash=item1c8105cb98:g:HCAAAOSwA29Y3jxT and https://www.countybattery.co.uk/leisure-batteries/tn-power-lfp-12.8v-100ah-lithium-leisure-battery/ and https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiFePO4-LITHIUM-BATTERY-Leisure-Off-grid/dp/B01BDP4T0C Has anyone actually tried one of these cheaper batteries and if so what is your opinion. At this price then it becomes an interesting if expensive option. Those at the NEC were as far as I could see essentially the same, but twice the price ? and if you have got one. What do you think of it.

I have a 2017 swift challenger 590. Recently I have noticed issues with the battery charger. Initially it works fine then it seems to stop and the battery voltage drops. When I switch it off and pull the fuse, refit it and then switch back on the charger works correctly. It seems to happen after the solar charging has operated. Has anyone else seen this issue or have any ideas what may be wrong? Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey Folks, I'm hoping someone can assist, I'm after a new battery after just recently purchasing this twin axle sprite and finding that the battery was dead and I need a good one to run the motor mover. I've been told I need a 115 ah battery , but I'm not sure what size to get - I wonder if anyone knows the dimensions of the battery compartment size or know a battery that would fit my van - as listed in title, it's a Sprite Quattro FB also known as a Sprite Super Sport FB 2010 Actually , I might have just found the answer : Thetford battery box The Thetford Battery Box is intended to accommodate an auxiliary battery in your caravan. The Battery Box has a CE socket to connect to a 230 V power supply. Inside the Battery Box there is the option to fit several sockets and outlets. Warning: • Use precaution when mounting the battery, as batteries contain acid liquids which can cause severe injuries and damage when handled incorrectly. Refer to the instructions on the battery. • No smoking is allowed in the area of the Battery Box! • Please note that the CE socket has a max of 16 amp. • The Thetford Battery Box is designed for use with foot mounted batteries. These are recognisable by the rim around the bottom edge of the battery. This rim will locate against the back wall of the Battery Box and the angle metal bracket, which is screwed into place when the battery is fitted. The depth of the battery including rim should be between 173mm and 175mm. • The maximum battery size that can be fitted is 190mm x 175mm x 350mm. • This product meets the latest version of the EN 1648 part 1 and 2 standard. Before placing the battery inside the Battery Box, the battery should be placed into the Soft Tray and rested on the ground adjacent to the Battery Box. Carefully connect the electrical wires (the red cable attaches to the + pole and the black cable to the - pole of the battery).

We're fairly new to caravaning but that's no excuse for my stupidity, that's down to not wearing my glasses !! After having charged the leisure battery at home, I connected it back up to the van the wrong way around - i. e. positive cable to negative terminal and vice versa. It was probably connected up like this for about 2 or 3 minutes before I discovered my error. Now I can't get any power to anything in the van, the battery level indicator shows empty but I know the battery is fully charged. - the motor mover still works but I'm guessing it's wired independently (sorry, I'm no electrician so that is probably the wrong terminology). Worst of all, the turning signal indicators aren't working correctly, a right signal is fine but a left signal makes the right brake light flash. I've checked all the fuses with a digital voltmeter and they seem to be ok. Break it to me gently, is this going to be a visit to Michael Jordan Caravans workshop and a house remortgage or is there something I can do myself with my limited knowledge - any advise would be gratefully received - thank you! The van is a 1999 Abbey Vogue 215 GTS - towcar Hyundai Sante Fe 2007 so I have the converter lead running from the 2 x 7pin caravan leads to the 13pin car hitch. Not sure if that's relevant fro the indicator problem.

I'm pretty sure my on board charger/PSU has failed me! I have a new 110ah battery just fitted. After a bit of research I was thinking of fitting a Victron Blue 15a smart charger (which can also function as a PSU): https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12v-victron-energy-15a-7-stage-smart-battery-charger-with-bluetooth-control/ My questions, do I just plug this into a three pin socket and leave it on? and also my battery has dual terminals so can I connect it to the smaller second terminal? Ohh one last question, these are pretty pricy so does anyone know of a more cost effective solution? Thanks

hi i have a 2004 abbey and the built in battery charger isnt the best. was thinking about hardwiring a smart battery to the lesuire battery. my idea is when ever the van is hooked up to the mains the smart charger will kick in rather than using the onboard battery charger. im planing on spur a socket of the wet locker socket and have it under the seating. then i am hopefully able to wire up the charger to the battery and leave it alone. has anyone else done this? will the smart battery charger be able to be switched on while the 12v in usage (lights, water, etc)? also the on board battery charge can be switched on or off. so in theory it wouldnt conflict with the new charger

Question about solar panels, I have a 2013 Swift Challenger Sport 546, it has a large solar panel fitted, will this charge my leisure battery without switching the battery charger on ? Thanks

Hi, Does anyone know where the battery charger is on our 2014 Bailey Pegasus GT65 Genoa please. We’re on site and our battery voltage has dropped to 10.7V. I’ve read that sometimes the plug can come loose so want to check it. Also does anyone know if it’s safe to use the van without the battery connected please?

I have a Bailey Madrid S2. I purchased a new battery and decided to install it. Switched off mains in van Slid out battery tray Disconnected negative lead then positive. installed new battery in reverse procedure I then switched on mains... nothing!!! I’ve changed both fuses at back of battery box... Nothing!!! Plugged in EMU 230v supply and only sockets appear to be working The independently fitted motor mover works 12v so power is getting to the van. I’ve also checked the fuses on main board inc. van battery...All ok Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? I can’t understand how a simple battery change has caused so much issues as this only leaves the main consumer box, the board inside it or the control panel itself. Please help if you can or if you’ve experienced the same issue Thanks

Hi I had my Tracker Monitor battery disconnected as I was told it had killed my leisure battery. I have rung Tracker about a replacement battery and they said it’s out of date and they don’t have batteries. They wanted to sell me a new system for £190. Does anyone have any information about this issue please ? Phil

We're new to caravanning this year. Currently away with the family and our CO alarm goes off early hours this morning. We ventilated the caravan and turned gas off. However, once we shut doors etc it then started to rise again. After some internet searching, we found it could be the battery overcharging. Husband said the battery was warm but not overly hot or bubbling as some report. We turned off the charger switch, ventilated again and everything was fine. CO alarm read at zero until morning. In the morning we turned on gas again and all was fine on the CO reader. Thinking all must be due to battery overcharging. We then noticed that our caravan is nolonger showing that it is connected to the mains electric. Is this because we don't have the battery on charge? Also what could the fault be? We want to try and rectify before dark but are weary to turn on the charger again incase we get the same problem. However as it stands we have power. Is it bypassing the battery?

We've got a Bailey Monarch 2010 complete with a motormover. What battery is best to get? Totally bamboozled by the variety offered. Deep cycle, frequent use, home charge, 100ah, 7pah, varying prices and makes. Help!! Mainly hope to use electric hook-up and gas bottles but may venture to free-range.

Hello, I'm looking for advice. I'm checking our caravan before heading off on our first strip this year. When I try to run the water pump the battery indicator shoots way down to about 9v. When the DC lights are on it sits around 10.5v. The battery is fully charged and new last year. Any thoughts on what is causing such a load to be put open the battery? Thanks.

Hi everyone, I have a Bailey pageant imperial circa 1995 model. I got it second hand and it's my first caravan. I lost 12V power to everything apart from Radio which is connected directly to battery. I found a blown blade fuse rated at 10A in the array of fuses under the seat above the battery box. It is labelled as battery. I have looked and cannot find any other fuse on any wires coming out of the battery box. The fuse for the battery charger is a blade fuse rated at 15A. I was expecting to find a higher rated fuse for the battery to be honest and have found another old blown 10A blade in a little junk box so I'm wondering if this was also an old battery fuse. Should I put a higher rated fuse in or just go with same ??

Hi all, After receiving some much needed advice from user - BeeJay (many thanks) - I have installed a battery and Solar panel in my 2003 Hobby Prestige 560 caravan. I thought I would share the pictures, short discription and wiring diagram for anyone else who would find it useful. I have a 7 pin plug to my vehicle as the 13 pin plug had been replaced so I could not run the 12v electrics from my vehicle when on the move. I required a 12v supply as we attend several music festival every year and they charge a fortune for electrical hook up. I decided last year with my Elddis hurricane to invest in a good cheap solar panel to keep the battery topped up for phones, showers and lighting. After buying a 2003 hobby prestige 560 this year for the extra room I was sure I could instal a battery and my solar panel to ensure i get the most from my caravan. I do not require to charge the battery from the mains hook up as the solar panel will be fixed and control the charging of the battery Here is how I done it. .. Shopping list 110Ah Leisure battery - go outdoors - £74. 99 80w Solar Panel and 10A control Panel - ebay - £89. 99(last year) red and brown roll of 27amp cable - Halfords - £ 7. 78 mixed box splice connectors - £3. 89 positive and negative battery terminals - Halfords - £7. 98 total cost - £184. 63 I disconnected the mains hook up and opened the main electrical box to see the incoming wires. I sourced the 12v cable going to main electrical board from the car hook up cable. The wires were the thick red+ and white- wires I opened the 12v distribution box under the fixed bed at the front of the caravan. I connected a splice connector to each wire with a length of 27amp wire and connected the to the battery - red to red (positive) and white to brown (negative) I attached the crocodile clips for the solar panel from the control box to the battery and that was it. it took me about an hour to figure it all out and complete the job. It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be and I am no electrition. I am in the process of making a battery box in work and intend to vent it through the floor and place it under the fixed bed beside the 12v distribution board. I intend to tidy up the wiring from the photo's and put them on the bed sides to keep them off the floor as the water heater is under the bed also and the seals blew in the vents the first time I used it. This flooded under the bed so I think keeping everything sealed and off the floor is for the best. If any one has any comments advice or would like any advice please feel free to comment. 2003 Hobby Prestige 560 Wiring Diagram with mods Solar Panel 10A Control box

Hi folks, was wondering if anyone with the know how could help me out here. I have purchased a split charge relay system, a Durite one that appears on most of the videos when you type split charge into youtube. This is fantastic for a van or motorhome vehicle but I am wanting to install in my caravan, thus i will need a plug on it in the intersection of the towcar and caravan. The problem is that it comes with (and you will see in all split charge relay videos) a massive 70amp cable, 4 or 6 awg, that is then fitted with 40 amp Fuses either side. So my questions are: 1. why is the cable so thick? I assume to transmit maybe 30 odd amps to the leisure batts? 2. a local trailer shop owner told me the 7 pin auxilary has a pin for charging batteries but surely this is far too thin, meaning i could use normal 2 core? Surely not? 3. if so, would this just mean that my car to caravan setup would be a lot less efficient at charging through that piddly wire that say a sprinter van using the big 70amp cable? any help here would be appreciated thanks Ross

Hi - am new here - big thanks in advance! Electrical question re: van switching between vehicle & leisure batteries when stopped. Sorry - hard to explain - bit complicated - pls be patient with me - Have a Bailey Senator Series 5 Louisiana Twin Axle long thingy Am on my 3rd Senator Twin! Tend to do long runs - FR Alps - The Med in summer & then just down road to New Forest in winter months - love it - instant get-away if work is quiet. On one level in normal use there is no problem here - but something bugs me despite the fact that I work with electrics & wires all day (audio/visual engineer) Here it is... On mains hook up - if I look at the voltage on the instrument panel meter I see that it is excess of 13V - normal - charging - great! If I disconnect mains hook up and press voltage check on cntr'l panel it understandably drops to around the 12V mark - good leisure battery - not much difference/drop with all interior lights on as we are LED Heavy water pump in these but does not make lights flicker - plenty of power in the batt - all normal. Attached to car - Start engine (ignition etc)... habitat relay kicks in - 12V internals become inoperative - fridge comes on all good - drive - all works - car charges both batts! X5 massive alternator thankfully. STOP OVERNIGHT EN-ROUTE! In France don't disconnect - autoroute overnight - just pull up - beer - bed With both electrical plugs attached (12N & 12S) at face value everything seems normal. Switch off ignition - caravan comes back to life HOWEVER - if I look at the voltage on the INSTRUMENT PANEL METER I see that it is 12V or just under Realised it is looking at (& now drawing on) the car battery & not the leisure battery. Proved this by switch on vehicle lights (non ignition) put heavy load on the 12V cigar outlets & such to load vehicle battery. Voltage on van console drops a little accordingly.... use van water pump - lights flicker a little to prove the point that it is definitely metering the vehicle batt. QUESTION - ignition off - with both plugs connected why is the van not using the higher voltage in the leisure battery as a priority above that of the vehicle. By the morning the battery is reading even slightly lower as we have used it on the overnight Autroroute stop where you do not have to unhook from car. Caravan interior lights noticeably slightly dimmer - draining car! So I unplug the 12S plug & hey presto the caravan gets brighter - voltage on instrument panel jumps up to above 12V again as it is looking at leisure battery! Bit confused - in caravan manual it says that the on-board charging box is supposed to automatically switch between the two with no user intervention - i.e. no manual switch like on my older caravans! Anxious not to flatten my vehicle battery - could cause major problems! Can anyone shed any light... PS: the battery charger & control box in the caravan was replaced in 2018 Very best & sorry for the long one! Any advice gratefully received

Hi all, New member, first question. We’re away at the moment (yes it’s February and there’s a storm coming, I know!). On moving my Bailey Ranger off the drive, my motor mover kept cutting out. It’s done this before when the leisure battery died. I thought it odd because the van had been hooked up to the house for 2 days to top the battery up before travel. When not hooked up I leave a 80 Wp solar panel unfolded and connected inside the van which keeps it topped up during the summer but which struggles in the winter I think. Anyway, we got on the road. When we got to the site and hooked up, the voltmeter was showing just over 13v. It’s crept down a bit with the lights on to 13. I think an hour on the road connected to the car probably put some juice back in. I’m wondering if my charger has died or the ‘kettle plug’ has come out. I’m almost sure it always used to be nearly 14v on hookup! All the other 12v equipment is working fine for now though. Lights, pump etc. When I get home I can put a voltmeter across the battery terminals with the battery out and the van hooked up to measure the voltage. But I’m sitting here wondering, and just thought I’d ask. Any thought appreciated. Thanks Trevor

Hello All, I noticed that the battery meter in my van was showing the battery had fully discharged - it's the old fashioned needle type not LED so was showing 9v. I've removed the battery and connected it to my charger (AA one) - after about 2 secs this shows the battery is full charged with no faults. So I suspect there's something wrong in the 12v electrics. Any pointers on what to check first an how to go about it? Thanks, Richard

Hello, I had to replace the battery in our caravan, no idea how long the existing one had been in there as it was in it when we bought the van. I had to source a slightly smaller battery as the compartment in our Compass Omega 500/5 (2001) is an odd size - so went for this one... LEOCH ADVENTURER SFL-110 12V 110AH Fit-and-Forget Flooded Lead-Acid Battery On our first trip with the new battery we arrived on the site to find the meter in the caravan showing 9v. Mains had been connected for 2 days before the trip and nothing was left on. After 5-6 hours on the mains at the site it climbed to 10-11v but never got above that. I duly returned it and when tested it was found to be running at 50% capacity (dead cells given as a reason). A replacement was sent. All worked well for the first 7 days of this trip but yesterday the meter is showing 9v again. It has not got to 10v despite having everything turned off and the mains connected overnight. Have I just been unlucky and got two duds in a row or is something in the caravan draining the batteries?

Can anyone help me out please. I have a 2005 Luna Quasar 462 2 berth. My question is: 1) When I hook up on site can I have the battery connected. I know I can have the battery connected when hooked to car electrics as this only works the fridge. What's the best idea as otherwise could I end up with a flat battery whilst using motor mover. Any info greatly appreciated.

Hi all, but of a newbie here (forum) but 3rd year of Caravanning. Hoping for some advice please. So, I didn't look after my battery as well as I should have over the first two winters but despite this I managed to to get a weekend off a 70ah leisure with minimal electrical usage (lights and water pump only really) without running out. This week I bought a numax 12100 connect and forget charger. For the winter months. However would it also be a good idea to hook it up to the battery soon just to "maintain" the battery a little? For consideration we last used the van about 4 weeks ago, hooked up. Before that probably 4 weeks earlier. Before that, last autumn. Second question, when I chose to charge, is it safe to do this in my house? I don't have a garage or outdoor plug. And I store the caravan in a field with no point to charge it. So if I charge it in my house it would have to be in our (small) kitchen or in living room. Third option would be to run an extension lead to the shed but this would mean disconnecting it at night. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading.