Won't start...idiot check.

[Smosh]

That makes sense Boxy; I suppose when the engine isn't running nothing in the back is really putting a draw on the battery so it wont make it drop. I will turn some stuff on and watch the volts drop!

Smiffo, I certainly hope so. I want it just to be a case of the battery is buggered! but that means that the leisure and starter battery need replacing I'll nick the battery out of my daily driver to try it, that can't go too wrong right?

Cheers for the link Covkid! Hopefully I won't have to because that means I prob wont get it running before the inlaws get back from their holiday which is my mission.

Thanks for all the help so far... it may be a day or few before I can get back around to the van to try it. I will feed back when I know!

[Smiffo]

That makes sense Boxy; I suppose when the engine isn't running nothing in the back is really putting a draw on the battery so it wont make it drop. I will turn some stuff on and watch the volts drop!

Smiffo, I certainly hope so. I want it just to be a case of the battery is buggered! but that means that the leisure and starter battery need replacing I'll nick the battery out of my daily driver to try it, that can't go too wrong right?

Cheers for the link Covkid! Hopefully I won't have to because that means I prob wont get it running before the inlaws get back from their holiday which is my mission.

Thanks for all the help so far... it may be a day or few before I can get back around to the van to try it. I will feed back when I know!

I'm assuming a few things here when I write the next bit, but your leisure batt should be completely independent from the starting circuit, so just because your starter may be faulty and won't start the van - as suggested here - it doesn't mean the leisure one is duff...

Also, different batteries have different power outputs.
Someone here should be able to advise if your spare is pokey enough to start your van.
( The last thing you want to do is assume the spare batt is adequate, only to find it was never going to be a suitable substitution. )

Let some others advise on that bit.

[Smosh]

I'm assuming a few things here when I write the next bit, but your leisure batt should be completely independent from the starting circuit, so just because your starter may be faulty and won't start the van - as suggested here - it doesn't mean the leisure one is duff...

No I have been using the leisure in replace of the starter. I have no leisure eletrics set up at the moment. I thought the leisure was still good. I charged it up overnight to top it up and everything haha. My starter battery I new was suspect. My leisure battery looks twice the size. The battery I will be using is the one out of my daily (legacy 2 litre) as I know it is good - well it starts everyday for me!

[Smiffo]

I'm assuming a few things here when I write the next bit, but your leisure batt should be completely independent from the starting circuit, so just because your starter may be faulty and won't start the van - as suggested here - it doesn't mean the leisure one is duff...

No I have been using the leisure in replace of the starter. I have no leisure eletrics set up at the moment. I thought the leisure was still good. I charged it up overnight to top it up and everything haha. My starter battery I new was suspect. My leisure battery looks twice the size. The battery I will be using is the one out of my daily (legacy 2 litre) as I know it is good - well it starts everyday for me!

Ah I see - I follow you now

[Ruralman]

The 12V equipment in a campervan or motorhome relies on a leisure battery. This important item is not normally supplied with a new caravan whereas most new motorhomes have one as standard. Batteries that are designed to start a vehicle are made differently from batteries specifically intended to run caravanning appliances. This is because their operating requirements are different. For instance a vehicle battery has to provide a high current surge to start an engine, but once that has been achieved, a vehicle’s alternator immediately replenishes the power it provided.

In contrast, a leisure battery has to provide a steady flow of current over a prolonged period and seldom gets replenished until the user recognises that its voltage level has substantially fallen. That’s when a re-charge is duly provided. If left long in a discharged state, a battery will generally not regain its former condition. Furthermore, manufacturers often recommend that re-charging is commenced when a battery drops to 50 per cent of its full condition.

To achieve the required performance, a leisure battery is constructed in a way that copes better with a life of repeated significant discharging followed by re-charging. This is referred to as ‘deep cycling’ and other products that perform in this manner include ‘semi-traction’ and ‘traction batteries’. These are used on golf buggies, disability wheelchairs, and several types of warehouse vehicles. Most of this Data Sheet focuses on lead-acid batteries which are manufactured for particular tasks. They also get classified using various names.

Types of conventional lead-acid batteries:

Standard starter batteries (sometimes referred to as calcium batteries, cranking batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).
Standard leisure batteries (also referred to as auxiliary batteries, deep-cycling batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).
Semi traction and traction batteries (also referred to as deepcycling batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).

[CovKid]

As copied and pasted from http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... batteries/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Smosh]

The 12V equipment in a campervan or motorhome relies on a leisure battery. This important item is not normally supplied with a new cara van whereas most new motorhomes have one as standard. Batteries that are designed to start a vehicle are made differently from batteries specifically intended to run caravanning appliances. This is because their operating requirements are different. For instance a vehicle battery has to provide a high current surge to start an engine, but once that has been achieved, a vehicle’s alternator immediately replenishes the power it provided.

In contrast, a leisure battery has to provide a steady flow of current over a prolonged period and seldom gets replenished until the user recognises that its voltage level has substantially fallen. That’s when a re-charge is duly provided. If left long in a discharged state, a battery will generally not regain its former condition. Furthermore, manufacturers often recommend that re-charging is commenced when a battery drops to 50 per cent of its full condition.

To achieve the required performance, a leisure battery is constructed in a way that copes better with a life of repeated significant discharging followed by re-charging. This is referred to as ‘deep cycling’ and other products that perform in this manner include ‘semi-traction’ and ‘traction batteries’. These are used on golf buggies, disability wheelchairs, and several types of warehouse vehicles. Most of this Data Sheet focuses on lead-acid batteries which are manufactured for particular tasks. They also get classified using various names.

Types of conventional lead-acid batteries:

Standard starter batteries (sometimes referred to as calcium batteries, cranking batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).
Standard leisure batteries (also referred to as auxiliary batteries, deep-cycling batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).
Semi traction and traction batteries (also referred to as deepcycling batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).

You should quote your sources :lol: ... urn false;

I do understand that different types of batteries serve different batteries: But my starter battery wasnt working with even with a jump pack on and now both are flat. Knowing that the starter battery prob wont be able to be revived, and being incredibly inpatient, I thought I would try the seemingly good Leisure battery that wasnt being used!

[Ruralman]

As copied and pasted from http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... batteries/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Indeed, it's a useful article

[CovKid]

Just not so relevant here

[Ruralman]

Ah I thought that my point was that there are starter batteries for starting vehicles and leisure batteries for powering devices with a steady flow over a prolonged period

[CovKid]

Absolutely although there are plenty of cheap 'leisure' batteries that are not what they claim to be at all (ie relabelled starter batteries), further complicated by the fact that some brands of battery will work as either a leisure or a starter battery. This is more about having a battery that works. One that has been greatly depleted will lose its strength - and that applies to both types. In any event, this is drifting way off topic and won't be much help to Smosh.

Lets see what happens when he puts a good battery on there

Not that I advocate tapping starters with a hammer in this day and age, but it might also be worth trying in case one or more of the brushes is stuck in its holder or making a poor contact with it being stood. The current flow through the motor itself is directly via the brushes along the braided wire. Despite the fact they're enclosed, damp weather (which we've had lots of lately) and condensation can affect old starters in this way - even more so with worn brushes.

[Smosh]

Not that I advocate tapping starters with a hammer in this day and age, but it might also be worth trying in case one or more of the brushes is stuck in its holder or making a poor contact with it being stood. The current flow through the motor itself is directly via the brushes along the braided wire. Despite the fact they're enclosed, damp weather (which we've had lots of lately) and condensation can affect old starters in this way - even more so with worn brushes.

Probably not a bad idea, I'll give it a gentle tap!

My MK2 Cortina I had needed a gentle tap on the starter motor whenever it was hot. Complete pain in the a*** when I stalled at a roundabout.

[a1winchester]

My MK2 Cortina I had needed a gentle tap on the starter motor whenever it was hot. Complete pain in the a*** when I stalled at a roundabout.

Reminds me of my first car - Triumph Herald.
I turned the engine off at a level crossing in Sussex somewhere while waiting for the train to pass. The barriers went up, and of course the engine wouldn't start. So with an enormous queue of traffic piled up behind me, I had to jump out, tap the starter motor, get it going, jump back in, and... you guessed it - The barriers came down for another train!

[CovKid]

Mind you, waking a starter from its slumbers with a well aimed blow is as more a journey of chance than anything, and a prelude to its demise.

[Smosh]

Its alive/ I'm "feck" nugget, it was just a two duff batteries!!!
Bought a Yuasa YBX3075 its a 12. 60ah 550A battery. It is 175 high for anyone looking. Paid 70+ quid at local motor factors.