Dead battery or just playing dead?

[Taff]

The basics are It's a caravan battery, 110ah jobbie and we've been off grid for 10 days with a 120w solar panel which I'd normally expect to cover our use.

If I disconnect the battery the voltage doesn't drop over time but putting even a small load on it (without the solar panel connected) drops it down a lot, but connecting it back to the solar panel brings it right back up. Even having the TV on seems to drain the battery down to 10v, and that's only 30w.

A few weeks back I noticed that the solar panel controller wasn't working properly and in bright sunlight the gauge was reading up to 16.5v ish, I'd never seen it reading that high so I've replaced the charge controller with a renogy 20a which is way over spec for what we need.

So I'm now confused if the battery is knackered from over voltage or if it's just discharged. Bare in mind, while we've been away it's been very very sunny and the panel has been powering everything and might have been masking a knackered battery.

Sorry if my ramblings don't make sense.

[Count Steer]

Reading the runes and checking the chicken entrails, my spirit guide says 'battery gone to great recycling centre in sky'.

I think on a previous thread it was established that sometimes batteries will hold a charge then internally short (or something like that) when you put a load on them. I may have misremembered.

How old is it?

[Taff]

I don't remember reading that thread but you really have described how it's behaving.

It's only 3 years old, disconnected over winter and connected to the PV when it is connected.

When I get home I need to use the motor mover to get the caravan on the drive. It's a 6 hour drive which will be enough to charge it if it's just discharged, if it's actually dead then I'll be stuck and the caravan will block the road until I can muster some volunteers to push the thing onto the drive.

Or I just bite the bullet and get a new one tomorrow.

[wull]

As above (edit - the post above the last ) I’ve experienced many batteries over the years that would bullshit and lie to you. Show good voltage but when you tried to start the car or whatever it would shit itself.

[Mussels]

Some time back I was looking for deep discharge batteries like those used in caravans, the difference is usually the thickness of the plates. Problems happen because many batteries sold as deep discharge are relabeled starter batteries with thin plates and discharging damages them.
I don't know what caused the problem but worth thinking about if you look at buying another.

[Taff]

Well, the sun is dropping in the sky and the reading has dropped to 10.1v and the only load on it is the car stereo and one phone charging, everything else is off.

There's little doubt now that's it's new battery time

[Felix]

What brand it is? Some of them cheaper ones like Probat or Powerline at all the same rebranded battery yet some get a 3 year waranty and a different sticker its a 4 year warranty but at three years charging and loosing charge and charging i would hazard a guess its fooked. I have two of the cheap ones at 130 amp what have been great for the past two years but i have 400watts on the roof.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165053455607 ... BM5tyj99Zg

[Taff]

The previous owner bought this battery before we picked up the caravan so I have no idea who to go to to ask about warranty, and as we're in a little bit of a pickle in needing to get one tomorrow we'll have to pick up whatever we find.

Thanks for the link

[Felix]

Shame its the weekend as Tayna post out very quick

https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/varta/

How about Halfords? They do leisure batteries and this looks like the most value for money in there range around your ampage

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/batte ... 57217.html

[Taff]

Currently looking at this....

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/lion-lei ... -444776791

[Felix]

Currently looking at this....

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/lion-lei ... -444776791

You will probably replace that in 12 month. Its the most highly unrecommended battery to buy as a starter. I would think/bet there leisure as just as bad.

[Taff]

Thanks for that, I'll give it a swerve

[Demannu]

Battery megastore are your friends for a decent leisure battery.
Got my 110a from there 7 years ago and still going strong.
However, my advice would be keep it connected to the solar all year.

[Taff]

Because I needed one straight away, I picked one up locally. Hopefully it'll last a few years now, but if it does go again I'll certainly come back to this thread and look them up

When the caravan goes into winter storage I have to disconnect the battery and remove the gas cylinders etc, it's lovely warm dry indoor storage and the guy doesn't want faulty electrics burning his units down.

[Demannu]

Ahhhh
Indoor storage........solar panels don't work too well indoors!

[David]

So take the battery home and serve it honeyed volts there......