Is my battery dead

AndyNC replied on 17/08/2022 13:51

Posted on 17/08/2022 13:51

Hi,

I have a Bailey Pursuit II 2019.

Got back from a week in Setthorns on the 22 July and because of misunderstanding the fridge was left on battery without the mains connected.

Yesterday I found this out and plugged the mains in to charge the battery. This morning it was at 13.16V just after charging.

Now I fear the battery is not good any more but if there was by chance a low battery disconnect in circuit then it may be Ok.

So does any one know if there would be one fitted. I've tried the usual Google searches and read the manual but no luck. 

I can check the battery by connecting a 12V car bulb across it and monitoring the voltage but it's not the whole answer.

I need motor movers to get it on my drive and don't want to get stuck.

Any advice?

 

Many thanks

Andy

Amesford replied on 17/08/2022 16:56

Posted on 17/08/2022 16:56

The voltage seems to be OK as long as it was left for a while after the charger was switched off/disconnected  before checking the voltage and why not just move it backward and forwards using your mover to see if it is OK  but most caravan fridges only work on 12 volts when connected to a tow car

Rufs replied on 17/08/2022 16:59

Posted on 17/08/2022 16:59

But the fridge only runs off of battery if connected to your tug and it is running, e.g. car battery, never come across a fridge that runs off the 12v internal battery.

Vulcan replied on 17/08/2022 17:02

Posted on 17/08/2022 13:51 by AndyNC

Hi,

I have a Bailey Pursuit II 2019.

Got back from a week in Setthorns on the 22 July and because of misunderstanding the fridge was left on battery without the mains connected.

Yesterday I found this out and plugged the mains in to charge the battery. This morning it was at 13.16V just after charging.

Now I fear the battery is not good any more but if there was by chance a low battery disconnect in circuit then it may be Ok.

So does any one know if there would be one fitted. I've tried the usual Google searches and read the manual but no luck. 

I can check the battery by connecting a 12V car bulb across it and monitoring the voltage but it's not the whole answer.

I need motor movers to get it on my drive and don't want to get stuck.

Any advice?

 

Many thanks

Andy

Posted on 17/08/2022 17:02

The fridge is not powered by the on board battery so unless you have a wiring/relay fault it will not have been the fridge which only runs on 12v when connected to the towing vehicle with the engine running.

Tinwheeler replied on 17/08/2022 17:27

Posted on 17/08/2022 17:27

I, too, first thought the OP was erroneously saying the leisure battery was drained by the fridge motor but, on reflection, I believe he means he left the fridge set to battery after towing it home instead of turning it off.

If so, the live feed from the leisure battery to the fridge's control panel and interior light would still have been drawing power from the battery all the time the van was parked up.

I've never come across a low battery disconnect feature in a caravan.

Rufs replied on 17/08/2022 17:38

Posted on 17/08/2022 17:38

"If so, the live feed from the leisure battery to the fridge's control panel and interior light would still have been drawing power from the battery all the time the van was parked up"

but surely this would have been miniscual amounts of power, its only an led control panel, and surely the interior light would be off if the door was closed ?

i suggest you try the mover, no need to engage the wheels just run it backwards and forwards if it spins round then all should be ok 

 

Amesford replied on 17/08/2022 19:12

Posted on 17/08/2022 17:38 by Rufs

"If so, the live feed from the leisure battery to the fridge's control panel and interior light would still have been drawing power from the battery all the time the van was parked up"

but surely this would have been miniscual amounts of power, its only an led control panel, and surely the interior light would be off if the door was closed ?

i suggest you try the mover, no need to engage the wheels just run it backwards and forwards if it spins round then all should be ok 

 

Posted on 17/08/2022 19:12

I think you will find he needs to engage  the rollers to put a load on the battery, this will draw a high current to test to it fully 

Tinwheeler replied on 17/08/2022 19:25

Posted on 17/08/2022 17:38 by Rufs

"If so, the live feed from the leisure battery to the fridge's control panel and interior light would still have been drawing power from the battery all the time the van was parked up"

but surely this would have been miniscual amounts of power, its only an led control panel, and surely the interior light would be off if the door was closed ?

i suggest you try the mover, no need to engage the wheels just run it backwards and forwards if it spins round then all should be ok 

 

Posted on 17/08/2022 19:25

Was the door closed? What was the state of the battery before the event? These are all points to consider along with the fact the van has been left with the fridge turned on for 4 weeks. The OP wouldn’t be the first person to have flattened his battery in this way. Others have posted similarly in the past.

As far as we know, this was the only unusual draw on the battery. Have you a more feasible explanation?

EmilysDad replied on 17/08/2022 20:16

Posted on 17/08/2022 20:16

I find the icon of a battery or '12V' on a fridge is misleading/confusing .... it'd be better having an icon of a car instead. There have been loads of posts here over the years where people think their fridge is being powered from the caravan's leisure battery.

peedee replied on 17/08/2022 20:43

Posted on 17/08/2022 20:43

The fact you left the fridge on battery means it would be connected nowhere at all. What that does it switch the fridge to be powered from the towing vehicle. If your battery went flat,the fridge was not the cause. It sounds to me as though your battery was fully charged at 13.16 volts. A fully charged battery at rest should show 12.8 volts, if you had left it to settle a while longer this may well have been the voltage you would have seen.

Like others suggest, to see if it holds the charge, use your mover.

peedee

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