Leisure battery/shore power question

fisherman

fisherman

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Camper van problem, sorry. Text from friends daughter last night, they returned to the camper van to a smell of eggs, and after some exchanges they found the leisure battery was very hot. They had left the van for two days on site hookup with only the fridge running. I told them ventilate and unhook. Should the leisure battery have been isolated, or what?
 
Rotten eggs smell (hydrogen sulphide) is characteristic of wildly overcharging lead-acid batteries. It's dead right to isolate until the cause has been found. What means of charging does the van have?

The battery could well be toast (and may even be the cause of the problem). Should the cause be found and fixed, the battery should be monitored carefully, and definitely not left charging without supervision.
 
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Depends on the setup and whether there's a charging unit. Presume fridge is 3-way type running on mains so possibly a red herring. Could be that battery was already on its way out with a dead cell or not been topped up. Or charger could be faulty and has overcooked battery.
I wouldn't reconnect it until someone with suitable knowledge has had a look.
Do they have solar as well?
 
This is more often than not caused by a shorted cell, resulting in over charging of the remaining cell. There was no need to have isolated the battery, it's OK to leave on charge with a suitable charger. If the charger isn't suitable, then it should not be left on, in fact it should be changed.

Good advice to ventilate and disconnect. :encouragement:
 
fisherman said:
They can't isolate the battery but are on the way to stay with friends near a campervan dealer who will check it over.
Thanks everyone.
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Disconnect it then! Disconnect the negative first ( or just the negative will do)
 
Two days ago I left my leisure batteries on charge on the boat. They have been low (22v max) since 4 weeks of hard work in May whilst I was in Holland. Today the marina rang to say an alarm was sounding. They opened up and it was the CO alarm. There was no smell but they left the boat open for a bit and disconnected the charger (an electronic type on mains power). I anticipate two new batteries. They are seven or eight years old.
 
MoodySabre said:
Two days ago I left my leisure batteries on charge on the boat. They have been low (22v max) since 4 weeks of hard work in May whilst I was in Holland. Today the marina rang to say an alarm was sounding. They opened up and it was the CO alarm. There was no smell but they left the boat open for a bit and disconnected the charger (an electronic type on mains power). I anticipate two new batteries. They are seven or eight years old.
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Hyrdrogen from a gassing battery will trigger a CO alarm.
Provided you have not over cooked them they may well be OK but at 7 or 8 years old probably coming to the end of their lives anyway. Check the electrolyte level if you can.
 
VicS said:
Hyrdrogen from a gassing battery will trigger a CO alarm.
Provided you have not over cooked them they may well be OK but at 7 or 8 years old probably coming to the end of their lives anyway. Check the electrolyte level if you can.
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I went to the boat today. I checked the levels and they were fine. After 24 hours since the charger was switched off the two batteries are each showing 12.6V. Seems like I got away with it. New batteries needed in the CO alarm though!
One battery was new in 2009 and the other in 2011. My starter battery was new in 2010.
 
MoodySabre said:
I went to the boat today. I checked the levels and they were fine. After 24 hours since the charger was switched off the two batteries are each showing 12.6V. Seems like I got away with it. New batteries needed in the CO alarm though!
One battery was new in 2009 and the other in 2011. My starter battery was new in 2010.
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Dont forget CO sensors are electrochemical devices and have a limited life themselves. Usually 7 or 10 years.
 
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