Very Stange Battery Issues.

[paulrichardson]

On my camper the vehical batterys are solar charged and the charger does an equalisation charge once a month, similar to the pulse charge it keeps the plates clean of suphation but it does it by raising the voltage to 15 odd volts once a month (every 30 days)

Thanks again for another comprehensive reply, I was particularly drawn to the comment above. What charger do you have that does the equalisation charge monthly?

[bortaf]

It's a renogy dcc50s, it's a combined BtoB and solar, it back charges the starter batter when the house battery is full, my house battery if LFP so i needed a BtoB to change the charge perameters, it has it's limitations IE max V = 25, Max W = 600 so all panels need to be in parralel not series but it suits my particular instal (it's very VERY complicated, EX ambulance, 5 batterys, 4 charging circuits) the £19.99 cheapo renogy PWM does it as well, TBH i think most do ?
The victron can do it as well, if you go to settings (the cog wheel up top on the app) and under battery setting turn on equalization then select how often and what voltage, it preset at 16V IIRC? even my el cheapo CC could do it but i didn't trust it so it was turned off perm.

[Altransit]

It's a renogy dcc50s, it's a combined BtoB and solar, it back charges the starter batter when the house battery is full, my house battery if LFP so i needed a BtoB to change the charge perameters, it has it's limitations IE max V = 25, Max W = 600 so all panels need to be in parralel not series but it suits my particular instal (it's very VERY complicated, EX ambulance, 5 batterys, 4 charging circuits)
The victron can do it as well, if you go to settings (the cog wheel up top on the app) and under battery setting turn on equalization then select how often and what voltage, it preset at 16V IIRC? even my el cheapo CC could do it but i didn't trust it so it was turned off perm.

Sounds very sophisticated

I just nip out to the van every week or so and swap over the charger to the other battery The solar is pretty useless at this time of year

[bortaf]

yeah solar is woefull this time of year, i do have 400W on the amby and some days there's only enough coming in to just about float the house battery so the rest get bugger all but at least once a week it all gets over 13.5 and into float, i am in the planning stage of a tilt system for the solar, i'll get in on the roof next year,, probably not sure i'd use the term sofisticated , overly complicated and lazy more like, i just made what was already fitted work.

[paulrichardson]

Well I'm having fun (not) with the van.
The recovery charger appears to have worked and I put the starter battery back in.
With the ignition off the horn sounds!
Started the engine (worked perfectly) horn goes off, turn off ignition engine stops, horn sounds!
Disconnected battery, took horn fuse out reconnected van, horn quiet (no surprise there )
Started engine (perfect again).
Turned ignition off..........
Removed key............
ENGINE STILL RUNNING????
Turned ignition on and off
Phew engine stopped.
If anyone has any idea what's going on I would appreciate the advice.

[knobby1]

Well I'm having fun (not) with the van.
The recovery charger appears to have worked and I put the starter battery back in.
With the ignition off the horn sounds!
Started the engine (worked perfectly) horn goes off, turn off ignition engine stops, horn sounds!
Disconnected battery, took horn fuse out reconnected van, horn quiet (no surprise there )
Started engine (perfect again).
Turned ignition off..........
Removed key............
ENGINE STILL RUNNING????
Turned ignition on and off
Phew engine stopped.
If anyone has any idea what's going on I would appreciate the advice.

Sounds like you may have a munted ignition switch or possibly a sticking relay...check them all.

Lord Knobrot (Smithy)

[paulrichardson]

Sounds like you may have a munted ignition switch or possibly a sticking relay...check them all.

Lord Knobrot (Smithy)

Thanks,

I've got the diagrams so I think I know where all the relays are so I'll do that first, but what am I checking, will there be something visible?

Paul

[knobby1]

Sounds like you may have a munted ignition switch or possibly a sticking relay...check them all.

Lord Knobrot (Smithy)

Thanks,

I've got the diagrams so I think I know where all the relays are so I'll do that first, but what am I checking, will there be something visible?

Paul

Nothing will be visible unless there's a major issue like melted plastic etc....sometimes old relays can stick on..or off, it's a matter of checking them one at a time.

Ignition switch is cheap and easy to replace, I'd start with that and go from there.

Lord Knobrot (Smithy)