Van Battery Drain

[Qnapper]

We suggested battery earlier in the thread, but prog99 has said its brand new....

Can you get a current clamp on it when idle to measure current draw...?

It makes no difference if it's brand new......... if a battery is not charged correctly - new or not it will DIE.

 

[prog99]

No the Carista was only briefly plugged in this morning long enough to do the diagnostics.

 

[prog99]

It makes no difference if it's brand new......... if a battery is not charged correctly - new or not it will DIE.

Yes, I’ve kept on top of the battery charge (obsessively) since I flattened the old one. Don’t want that situation again.

 

[prog99]

It makes no difference if it's brand new......... if a battery is not charged correctly - new or not it will DIE.

Also forgot to say the battery held 12.6v for a week without being plugged into the van at all.

 

[Qnapper]

Yes, I’ve kept on top of the battery charge (obsessively) since I flattened the old one. Don’t want that situation again.

Every time you let the battery go below 12.2volts it is dying. Do this enough times and it will never recover. It does not help you that it's so cold right now as that does not help.

 

[Qnapper]

Also forgot to say the battery held 12.6v for a week without being plugged into the van at all.

12.6volts is good, but this cold weather is not helping. Remember that you have things that will drain the battery ie: alarm etc. If possible best to have it on trickle charge from mains of possible if not using it for weeks.

 

[prog99]

We suggested battery earlier in the thread, but prog99 has said its brand new....

Can you get a current clamp on it when idle to measure current draw...?

I’ve got a current clamp although me and it fell out last time I used it. I’ll have another go although real life is a tad hectic at the moment.
I guess keep the bonnet open but push the lock down to think it’s shut, lock it and wait for it to powe down is the correct sequence of events?
I just found previous readings to be all over the shop and I followed enough guides that I don’t think I was doing anything daft.

 

[Qnapper]

I’ve got a current clamp although me and it fell out last time I used it. I’ll have another go although real life is a tad hectic at the moment.
I guess keep the bonnet open but push the lock down to think it’s shut, lock it and wait for it to powe down is the correct sequence of events?
I just found previous readings to be all over the shop and I followed enough guides that I don’t think I was doing anything daft.

You are not doing anything daft, it's a learning curve we all go through.

 

[JasonW]

@prog99 have you given your battery a good charge using a smart charger....?

The plot below the vehicle was idle for 3 days with the noco 10 connected, when the voltage dropped to 12.3 the smart charger woke up doing short cycle boosts then a gradual charge before falling asleep again ... it should reach ~ 14.8V for a full capacity charge...

 

[prog99]

@prog99 have you given your battery a good charge using a smart charger....?

The plot below the vehicle was idle for 3 days with the noco 10 connected, when the voltage dropped to 12.3 the smart charger woke up doing short cycle boosts then a gradual charge before falling asleep again ... it should reach ~ 14.8V for a full capacity charge...

View attachment 98415

Yes, I got one after killing the last battery. It’s proved useful for the car too although it just sips power when idle (Dacia logan)

I’m goingto stick it on charge later as I’ve never seen it with the bm2 monitoring it.