Leisure battery charging - or not!

[Tylersm90]

I fully charged my leisure battery Thursday / Friday and drove 300km to Liverpool.  Stayed one night off grid, fridge on and phone chargers in use.   No TV, no computers etc. Drove home 300km with 3 short stops. Plugged in the battery charger this morning and leisure battery read just under 13v. But came up to over 13v very quickly. On charge now as it reached 14.7v on Friday.
 

trip took 4.5 hours should my leisure battery have re-charged in that time?  The battery seems to hold its charge if no devices attached. 

[Rojie]

13 minutes ago, Tylersm90 said:

I fully charged my leisure battery Thursday / Friday and drove 300km to Liverpool.  Stayed one night off grid, fridge on and phone chargers in use.   No TV, no computers etc. Drove home 300km with 3 short stops. Plugged in the battery charger this morning and leisure battery read just under 13v. But came up to over 13v very quickly. On charge now as it reached 14.7v on Friday.
 

trip took 4.5 hours should my leisure battery have re-charged in that time?  The battery seems to hold its charge if no devices attached. 

 

What is the condition of your starter battery and alternator ?

Do you know the age of the leisure battery ?

 

What capacity is your leisure battery ?

What is the current draw from your fridge ?

[Tylersm90]

Thanks for coming back to me.  
 

Starter battery condition is good was new when I got the van July 2022 as is alternator   Leisure battery Has a date of 2021. 
 

leusure battery is rated 75ah. Fridge draw unknown. I’ll see if I can find some paperwork on that. Only noticed the issue in the last 2 weeks. I use the van for off grid camping every other week. 
 

 

[Rojie]

Is it your battery charger that is providing the voltage readings or a voltmeter ?

 

Do you know the leisure battery voltage without the charger connected ?

 

Under load, and off load ?

 

Do you know what fridge you have ? Make and model.

[Tylersm90]

I’m using the battery charger to give the readings.  I just bought one of the Avon 8v electronic smart rechargers (AC1280IC). 
 

My little volt meter doesn’t have long enough leads to go round the front drivers seat - under which is the battery!  I did try checking +ve to earth but that gave a much lower reading 11.7v

 

The battery is dated 2021. And 85Ah but suspect it should be rated 75Ah. According to BBLBatteries where I initially had its voltage checked. 

 

I’ve always tested without removing anything so it’s always been under load I guess. 
 

The fridge is a Vitrifrigo compressor model F39 I OCN. code F130702FOS 12/24v drawing 2.68/1.29A. I think it’s part of their Ocean-Runner range. 
 

I have a control panel that shows roughly the draw on the battery. As it’s a dial with a red zone, an orange zone and a green zone with a pointer indicating the status.   The dial has only been in the yellow zone once or twice and I removed the offending device (a tv) from the power as soon as I noticed the status. The status always went back to the green zone after the TV was removed. 
 

sorry to go on but thanks for your help so far. 

[Rojie]

1 hour ago, Tylersm90 said:

I’m using the battery charger to give the readings.  I just bought one of the Avon 8v electronic smart rechargers (AC1280IC). 
 

My little volt meter doesn’t have long enough leads to go round the front drivers seat - under which is the battery!  I did try checking +ve to earth but that gave a much lower reading 11.7v

 

The battery is dated 2021. And 85Ah but suspect it should be rated 75Ah. According to BBLBatteries where I initially had its voltage checked. 

 

I’ve always tested without removing anything so it’s always been under load I guess. 
 

The fridge is a Vitrifrigo compressor model F39 I OCN. code F130702FOS 12/24v drawing 2.68/1.29A. I think it’s part of their Ocean-Runner range. 
 

I have a control panel that shows roughly the draw on the battery. As it’s a dial with a red zone, an orange zone and a green zone with a pointer indicating the status.   The dial has only been in the yellow zone once or twice and I removed the offending device (a tv) from the power as soon as I noticed the status. The status always went back to the green zone after the TV was removed. 
 

sorry to go on but thanks for your help so far. 

 

Normally, testing a battery 'under load' involves disconnecting the battery from the vehicle and attaching a shunt across the battery terminals.

The shunt places a 'heavy load' on the battery for a short time.

The longer the battery can maintain an acceptable voltage, the healthier it is.

 

Did BBL Batteries do this test ? They probably had the equipment to.

If so, I guess your battery is OK.

 

11.7V is low, indeed, it indicates your battery is down to about  25 percent charge.

But, unless your voltmeter is across the battery terminals, any current flowing through any wiring will cause an inaccurate reading.

 

Do you leave the fridge on ?

 

An 85 amp/hr battery will supply your fridge for, in theory, 31 hours.

Not that long if left on overnight. (Depends how often the compressor runs).

BUT, and it's a big but. That would result in a totally flat battery.

Batteries should not be discharged beyond 50 percent, if that.

 

Having 85A/hr, rather than 75A/hr, capacity is helpful.

 

So, what would I do ?

 

I am unfamiliar with your new battery charger, I have a CTEK, but I would disconnect your leisure battery and charge it for a week with your smart charger.

Check that your battery charger is suitable for your leisure battery technology first.

 

Most batteries will hold their voltage (more correctly, charge) if not supplying current !

14.7v is a very 'healthy' voltage but, if you are measuring that whilst the charger is connected and on, you are measuring the output of the charger, not the battery.

My charger can read both, hopefully yours can too.

 

For what is worth my leisure battery is 110A/hr, physically larger, but not located under a seat.

It may also help if your battery and main load, the fridge, are closer physically and electrically together.

The longer the wire run, the more chunky the wiring needs to be.

Where is your split charger located ? Near the battery, or in the engine bay presumably.

 

I doubt I can be any more help, that is assuming any of this is helpful at all..

 

Hopefully other members with off grid experience will offer suggestions.

[Tylersm90]

Thanks Rojie   You have been very generous with your time and advice.