[P®oPole™]

This evening I went to start my van after it has been standing for nine days. It wouldn’t start. This is the second time it’s happened to me in recent months so I decided to investigate.

What a nightmare to get out, it’s located under my double passenger seat which I had to fiddle around in the dark looking for tools and trying to take out bolts I couldnt reach, got there in the end.

Eventually got it out to charge, took the six plugs out and it was bone dry, not a drop left inside. I filled it with pure water and put on charge.

A couple of questions.

Should I just get a new one since it was dry?

Why was it so dry?

Am I right in leaving the plugs out while it charges?

Black then red, right?

Many Thanks
ProPole®

[dai]

Should I just get a new one since it was dry?
See how you get on with it after you have topped it up first. It won't hold a charge if it's dry.

Why was it so dry?
Possible alternator fault, but more likely you don't check it often enough.

Am I right in leaving the plugs out while it charges?
I don't on my leisure battery, If you are boost charging your van battery, just slacken the plugs off enough for the gasses to escape

Black then red, right?
Don't know what you mean. It makes no difference which terminal you connect the charger to first. Just make sure you don't turn the mains on till the terminals are connected. More important, make sure you switch off the mains before taking the terminals off after charging. And screw the vent plugs down tight before removing the terminals.
If there is gas escaping from the charging process, you don't want to ignite them with a spark. Tightning down the vent plugs will stop any more gas escaping
Hope this helps DAI

[P®oPole™]

Thanks for your reply Dai

So I take it the reason I have been having problems is because it was dry.

ProPole

[jeff1]

Hi Pro
I'm not going into Technical mode, but will stay in english
The reason for the dry plates is an easy one its called lack of maintainance,  and I can see why it doesn't get maintained, being stuck under a seat.

this is the reason why it wouldn't start after nine days standing. You might get away with just a recharge but its looking like a new battery on you list, when the winter finally arrives you will see what I mean.

By the plugs I asume you mean the screw caps?? If so then yes leave them off while it charges, this helps the gas's escape better they will still be present over and hour after the charge has finished., bit of advice though, make sure you switch the charger off at the mains before disconnecting the battery clips.

yes you are right in the Black then Red but this only applies in that sequence if your battery is still connected in your van.

[matt]

Jeff

was it you who used to work with batteries of some sort ?? ?? ?? army was it ?? ?? ??

just a quick un

how would i maintane my leisure battery ?? ?? ??

[jeff1]

Hi Matt I did a course with the army, as I was lumped with the radio and needed to know about batteries 
is it sealed or a normal battery your on about.

I went into halfords a couple of weeks back to check out the charger a few of the guy's on here spoke about,

The details looked impressive so I bought one to try out, and must admit there a good buy, as they will automatically maintain the charge for you and will do normal batteries as well as sealed ones, so if you bought one of these you have no  worries about over charging your battery, I used mine for the first time today and must admit it didn't get a full use, but it was no problem just poping it on charge to bring it back up to full capacity, ready for tomorrow.

[P®oPole™]

Cheers Jeff

ProPole®

[matt]

Hi Matt I did a course with the army, as I was lumped with the radio and needed to know about batteries 
is it sealed or a normal battery your on about.

I went into halfords a couple of weeks back to check out the charger a few of the guy's on here spoke about,

The details looked impressive so I bought one to try out, and must admit there a good buy, as they will automatically maintain the charge for you and will do normal batteries as well as sealed ones, so if you bought one of these you have no  worries about over charging your battery, I used mine for the first time today and must admit it didn't get a full use, but it was no problem just poping it on charge to bring it back up to full capacity, ready for tomorrow.

aye i thought it was you and the army

no, i got mine from bristol batteries, its a 85 aph leisure battery and they sold me a charger aswell ( it wasnt a cheap charger, cost most that the battery)

is it sealed, well its got a sealed top ( unlike a old car battery) BUT has some screw type covers ( i guess for the cells ), i didnt know if i need to top up them with deionised water

[EasyClean]

Pro-Pole as you are so professional with image I'm surprised to learn that you never check your battery on a regular basis - very unprofessional we on this forum think!!!!Not like you!!!!

There's a saying:-

"Pre-Planning, Prevents, P**s Poor Performance", as all the ex-squaddies on here know!!!!!!

If your battery ran dry, you could top it up, re-charge and add some tablets (which maximise the life of your battery by breaking down the deposits left on the plates during the discharge/re-charge cycles), they sell them in Halfords for around £3.00. They are good because I totally cooked a battery once and was going to throw it away but decided to try the battery tablets and managed to get another 12 months life out of the battery.

Happy New Year!

[jeff1]

Hi Matt I did a course with the army, as I was lumped with the radio and needed to know about batteries 
is it sealed or a normal battery your on about.

I went into halfords a couple of weeks back to check out the charger a few of the guy's on here spoke about,

The details looked impressive so I bought one to try out, and must admit there a good buy, as they will automatically maintain the charge for you and will do normal batteries as well as sealed ones, so if you bought one of these you have no  worries about over charging your battery, I used mine for the first time today and must admit it didn't get a full use, but it was no problem just poping it on charge to bring it back up to full capacity, ready for tomorrow.

aye i thought it was you and the army

no, i got mine from bristol batteries, its a 85 aph leisure battery and they sold me a charger aswell ( it wasnt a cheap charger, cost most that the battery)

is it sealed, well its got a sealed top ( unlike a old car battery) BUT has some screw type covers ( i guess for the cells ), i didnt know if i need to top up them with deionised water

Matt I think I know the type you have and its not a sealed one, Can you remove the caps with a large screw driver?? If so then yes you have to top them up.

Pro-Pole as you are so professional with image I'm surprised to learn that you never check your battery on a regular basis - very unprofessional we on this forum think!!!!Not like you!!!!

There's a saying:-

"Pre-Planning, Prevents, P**s Poor Performance", as all the ex-squaddies on here know!!!!!!

If your battery ran dry, you could top it up, re-charge and add some tablets (which maximise the life of your battery by breaking down the deposits left on the plates during the discharge/re-charge cycles), they sell them in Halfords for around £3.00. They are good because I totally cooked a battery once and was going to throw it away but decided to try the battery tablets and managed to get another 12 months life out of the battery.

Happy New Year!

OMG do they still sell those tablets??
The I agree with you stick them into your battery to give it a new lease of life.

[P®oPole™]

Pro-Pole as you are so professional with image I'm surprised to learn that you never check your battery on a regular basis - very unprofessional we on this forum think!!!!Not like you!!!!

There's a saying:-

"Pre-Planning, Prevents, P**s Poor Performance", as all the ex-squaddies on here know!!!!!!

You grumpy old man

I have allotted more important stuff to do than ripping out my battery and checking it, if I didn’t think I needed to. If you look what I wrote before putting your foot in!

"This is the second time it’s happened to me in recent months so I decided to investigate."

The first time it seemed plausible as I had my pump on allay and only drove 2mins to were I was working. And I think standing for nine days probably could warrant a flat battery, the fact that I did investigate rather than getting jump leads out was good. Its five years old and probably has never been checked, but is an original Mercedes battery so should still be good

Its charged now, Im about to test and put back in.

I take it I should be carefull

ProPole

[EasyClean]

Propole:
 You can put your teeth back in now seeing as you bite quickly.

[P®oPole™]

At least I still have my own teeth

ProPole

[EasyClean]

Propole
 so do I & it's nice to know you've got your sense of humour again

[matt]

Matt I think I know the type you have and its not a sealed one, Can you remove the caps with a large screw driver?? If so then yes you have to top them up.

thanks Jeff, i will have a look

i dont want to open it and be sprayed in the face with acid though

[jeff1]

Matt I think I know the type you have and its not a sealed one, Can you remove the caps with a large screw driver?? If so then yes you have to top them up.

thanks Jeff, i will have a look

i dont want to open it and be sprayed in the face with acid though

Lol Matt, its a battery not a puffa fish  Don't worry it wont spray acid at you.