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Smart charger issue

ks789

Well-known member
Messages
2,020
Location
ipswich
Hi all,

Usually when I trickle charge the leisure battery, after the hours have passed it eventually says full on the readout and I unplug. Now it gets up to 1.4 and doesn't budge, even by the next morning. I wouldn't have thought it was the battery as its only 2 years old and part time use ( though kept up to charge as  recommended, not used below 70% really) Also, despite this 1.4 reading on the charger, when I measure the battery its currently at 13.19, 4 hours after taking off charger, and gradually reducing, as I'd expect ( Though not too much without use I'd have thought) Not sure what to make of it really. When I put it on charge after use, it takes some while before it seems to get going and you hear the fan going etc, but I think its always been like that. Anyone else had this or any ideas?

Many thanks for any advise.

 
Hi all,

Usually when I trickle charge the leisure battery, after the hours have passed it eventually says full on the readout and I unplug. Now it gets up to 1.4 and doesn't budge, even by the next morning. I wouldn't have thought it was the battery as its only 2 years old and part time use ( though kept up to charge as  recommended, not used below 70% really) Also, despite this 1.4 reading on the charger, when I measure the battery its currently at 13.19, 4 hours after taking off charger, and gradually reducing, as I'd expect ( Though not too much without use I'd have thought) Not sure what to make of it really. When I put it on charge after use, it takes some while before it seems to get going and you hear the fan going etc, but I think its always been like that. Anyone else had this or any ideas?

Many thanks for any advise.
@spruceis the battery charging legend. If he doesn't know then batteries haven't been invented yet 

 
Hi all,

Usually when I trickle charge the leisure battery, after the hours have passed it eventually says full on the readout and I unplug. Now it gets up to 1.4 and doesn't budge, even by the next morning. I wouldn't have thought it was the battery as its only 2 years old and part time use ( though kept up to charge as  recommended, not used below 70% really) Also, despite this 1.4 reading on the charger, when I measure the battery its currently at 13.19, 4 hours after taking off charger, and gradually reducing, as I'd expect ( Though not too much without use I'd have thought) Not sure what to make of it really. When I put it on charge after use, it takes some while before it seems to get going and you hear the fan going etc, but I think its always been like that. Anyone else had this or any ideas?

Many thanks for any advise.
I'm not too sure what you mean by 1.4.

To charge a 12v battery you need 2 things, voltage and amps. If your charger is putting out 14v then that is what you need to recharge the battery. If your charger only puts out 2 amps then it's going to take much longer to recharge the battery than a charger with an output of 5 amps for example.

If your battery reads 13.19v after 4 hours then that battery is fully charged. What voltage reading doesn't tell you is the battery's capacity. Over time with usage your battery will lose capacity. The Americans tell you it has worn. A 110 amp leisure battery will show a fully charged voltage reading of 12.8v or above but may not last you the day. My last leisure battery was nearly 7 years old but wouldn't power a pump and diesel heater for longer than 3 hours before going flat.

 
I'm not too sure what you mean by 1.4.

To charge a 12v battery you need 2 things, voltage and amps. If your charger is putting out 14v then that is what you need to recharge the battery. If your charger only puts out 2 amps then it's going to take much longer to recharge the battery than a charger with an output of 5 amps for example.

If your battery reads 13.19v after 4 hours then that battery is fully charged. What voltage reading doesn't tell you is the battery's capacity. Over time with usage your battery will lose capacity. The Americans tell you it has worn. A 110 amp leisure battery will show a fully charged voltage reading of 12.8v or above but may not last you the day. My last leisure battery was nearly 7 years old but wouldn't power a pump and diesel heater for longer than 3 hours before going flat.
Thanks for input spruce. !.4 is just the reading on the charger that it seems to reach and then not go any lower. Previously it would gradually go down all the way to 0.1 and then eventually it would read full. Theres one thing Ive omitted in this. The charger had fell off the bench recently, so im hoping it may still be working fine but just not give the actual reading 'full' as previously. 

 
Thanks for input spruce. !.4 is just the reading on the charger that it seems to reach and then not go any lower. Previously it would gradually go down all the way to 0.1 and then eventually it would read full. Theres one thing Ive omitted in this. The charger had fell off the bench recently, so im hoping it may still be working fine but just not give the actual reading 'full' as previously. 
I have a Victron battery monitor in my van. When charging the leisure battery I get 2 readings, current and power. The battery is on charge atm as is reading 100% fully charged. The battery is still accepting a charge. The current shows 1.58amps and the power 23 watt. Both of these reading are dropping. The question is; if the battery is still accepting a small charge, is it fully charged?

If I leave the charger on all night the battery will still read 100% and the amps and watts will read zero.

 
Thanks for input spruce. !.4 is just the reading on the charger that it seems to reach and then not go any lower. Previously it would gradually go down all the way to 0.1 and then eventually it would read full. Theres one thing Ive omitted in this. The charger had fell off the bench recently, so im hoping it may still be working fine but just not give the actual reading 'full' as previously. 
Hi @ks789
 I have a strong Durite charger your welcome to try if it would help. It might help you rule in or out if you're one's faulty after dropping it. I'm local to you (West Swindon). I'm at home finished for the day apart from a couple of minor equipment repairs which I'll be doing at home. Pm me if you think it might help. If you can't get a pm to me. Make it known on the forum and I'll get back to you promptly. ?

 
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Hi @ks789
 I have a strong Durite charger your welcome to try if it would help. It might help you rule in or out if you're one's faulty after dropping it. I'm local to you (West Swindon). I'm at home finished for the day apart from a couple of minor equipment repairs which I'll be doing at home. Pm me if you think it might help. If you can't get a pm to me. Make it known on the forum and I'll get back to you promptly. ?
hey cheers very much for the offer davy but im near ipswich in suffolk. Touch wood it seems to be charging it up ok and im hoping its just the drop that makes it only go to 1.4 amps going in instead of down to 0.1. The impact might've affected the number display or something. I opened it up and cant see anything obviously broke. Will keep a close tab on it. Worse comes to worse will get a new charger as this ones at least 12 years old. Only past 3 years regular use though, before that my dad used it not too often for their motor home leisure battery. Thanks again buddy ?

 
hey cheers very much for the offer davy but im near ipswich in suffolk. Touch wood it seems to be charging it up ok and im hoping its just the drop that makes it only go to 1.4 amps going in instead of down to 0.1. The impact might've affected the number display or something. I opened it up and cant see anything obviously broke. Will keep a close tab on it. Worse comes to worse will get a new charger as this ones at least 12 years old. Only past 3 years regular use though, before that my dad used it not too often for their motor home leisure battery. Thanks again buddy ?
Oops! Sorry mate, I thought you were local to me. ? Good luck with getting it sorted. Hopefully it is just the display. I got a great multimeter (Sealy MM20HV) for about £20 in my local Motosave Shop. Well worth the few quid. It does everything I need including voltage and temperature reading.

Good luck. ?

 
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