laurielaurie Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 After being on electric hook up. How long should it hold charge for? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brecon Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 If it is fully charged, which it will not be, it will only be at 80%, with no load, it should stay charged for several weeks. It will discharge however at a slow rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exkiaman Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I would say it depends on the age and quality of the battery coupled with anything that is putting a drain on it i. e. alarm system/tracker or whatever when it is parked up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurielaurie Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 When hooked up the indicator goes to full. When back home it's still full. When I come to get it out of storage it's always flat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brecon Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Then you have either a drain on the battery or it is past its useful life. How old is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFM Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 The indicator is usually just a cheap voltmeter. If you are hooked up, all it is telling you is that the battery charger is working. I agree with brecon. Quote Enjoy every minute of every day. It doesn't last nearly as long as you'd like, and there's no guarantee of coming this way again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurielaurie Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 Not sure how old it is. Was on when I got the caravan. How long do they last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyJover Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 How long they last entirely depends on how they are treated. A battery which is always kept on charge, is regularly topped-up (if it's not maintenance-free) and is only lightly loaded will last many years - in excess of 10 years is not unusual. Conversely, a battery which is left to discharge between uses, never gets topped up and is heavily used can need replacing yearly. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurielaurie Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 Thanks tony. So what is the best way to look Fter them? As van is on storage when not in use. Also - how long will they take to charge when on ehu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyJover Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Hi Laurie. Many folk invest in a small solar panel (40W or larger) to keep the battery topped up between use. To charge from flat on EHU with the average van's PSU can easily take 36 hours or more. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiaboy Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 When hooked up the indicator goes to full. When back home it's still full. When I come to get it out of storage it's always flat This happened to me while in storage,seems to be only applicable to newer vans due to the on-board electrical systems, so I fitted a 4w solar panel and put it the roof window keeps it topped up. Quote 2013(13) Sorento KX2 2. 2 Diesel Manual, (With smelling clutch) Glittering Metal (Metallic Grey) dragging a 2020 Coachman VIP 520 with a Powrtouch Evolution Motor Mover (Towing @ 80. 0%) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 For 8 years now, I leave my van and its fully charged battery, in storage for months at a time. Only once have I arrived at storage to find it flat. Mind you I have nothing at all to drain it - alarms and trackers are known problems even if they have internal batteries. Use a multimeter to check there is nothing draining the battery or take the connectors off the battery. As I have a mover, I have a spare 110Ah at home in case my normal battery is dead. The battery I have is 8 yrs old, cost £40 off eBay and I think may be a cheap generic type. I have had my moneys worth out of it. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurielaurie Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 Thanks guys. I bought an 80 w solar panel. Not got round to fitting it yet. Once battery is charged its seems to hold charge for a while nobly problem is with storage - is that it's indoors. Is it worth getting a new battery? Or getting a second battery and keeping it at home? I have a battery optimiser that I used to use on my old (second) car, which didn't get much use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFM Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 PS the actual answer to your question is that it will self-discharge about 5% per month, although that can be quite variable. Most people recommend recharging a battery at least once a month, although using a sophisticated charger such as the Optimate you can leave it on charge all the time. Quote Enjoy every minute of every day. It doesn't last nearly as long as you'd like, and there's no guarantee of coming this way again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OWOMW Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 If your insurance doesn't require alarm/tracker remove the battery when in storage and charge at home. Quote Land Rover is now back towing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurielaurie Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 I was thinking about charging it at home. So if its not holding its charge for a couple of weeks while in storage - chances are its probably past it's best. Where's the best place to get a battery band what will I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 I was thinking about charging it at home. So if its not holding its charge for a couple of weeks while in storage - chances are its probably past it's best. Where's the best place to get a battery band what will I need. I don't understand the question. Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurielaurie Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 And not band! Sorry. Battery size/amps etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulJohn Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Just a small point - if you are going to use an 80W solar cell to charge a battery you will have to use a charge controller as well otherwise you may over-charge your battery and damage it. Paul Quote 2009 2. 5 Kia Sorento2012 Bailey Unicorn Valencia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyJover Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 He's not going to use Solar as the van is stored under cover b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OWOMW Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Tayna is a good place to start if you want a proper leisure battery. Have a look at this article to help you decide what sort of battery. I bought a Banner Energy Bull - expensive but you get what you pay for. http://www. mycaravan. org. uk/Battery. html Quote Land Rover is now back towing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFM Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 We have a Platinum and that has been quite satisfactory. Quote Enjoy every minute of every day. It doesn't last nearly as long as you'd like, and there's no guarantee of coming this way again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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