Best way to keep battery topped up?

[skippymoss]

My van is strictly a leisure vehicle.
Camping and days out only.
Also I work away a lot.
Unfortunately, since that means it only gets started every week or two I often find the battery dead as a door nail (which is why it didn't get a run out today).
What's the best solution for an always ready van that won't kill the battery;
-Charge every (other) Friday night with the budget charger I already have?
-Invest in one of those trickle charge battery conditioner things?
-Invest in a jump start battery?
-Other?
Ta.

[kevtherev]

I think the best thing you can do is find out if the battery can hold it's charge, and, if you have a drain on the battery that should not be there.

otherwise your just chasing your tail.

If you can charge it up overnight then let it rest for five mins, then test it..then, leave it for a night and see what the voltage is in the morning.
You can check for a drain using a simple multimeter, quite easily.

Batteries should not be as "dead as a doornail" in two weeks..two years maybe

[Oldiebut goodie]

40w solar panel keeps my batteries in trim.

[AdrianC]

Kev's right - two weeks it should start just fine. Your battery's knackered or there's a big draw that shouldn't be - stereo, alarm are the obvious suspects.

As a get-you-out-of-trouble option, don't forget the good old jump box. If you just google 'em, the prices can be scary - but the last two I've had have been £20 or so from car shows. They're basically a small motorcycle-type battery in a plastic box with a set of jumpleads, and sometimes a small compressor and light - so keep it charged up, else it'll die in relatively short order (and be no use whatsoever when you need it)...

[kevtherev]

spend your money on fixing the problem not on working around it.
Solar will keep a good battery alive for many years, but it won't revive the dead.

[skippymoss]

Had the battery tests at the local factors and everything ok apparently.
No drain that's obvious from using a multi meter.
Radio runs from the leisure battery.
Might be the alarm but the drain should be apparent I think.
Got the number of a club member locally who can provide a fresh pair of eyes when I get round to calling him.
Just wish my eight year old daughter would stop the crushing comments on how rubbish my van is

[kevtherev]

Had the battery tests at the local factors and everything ok apparently.
No drain that's obvious from using a multi meter.
Radio runs from the leisure battery.
Might be the alarm but the drain should be apparent I think.
Got the number of a club member locally who can provide a fresh pair of eyes when I get round to calling him.
Just wish my eight year old daughter would stop the crushing comments on how rubbish my van is

how old is it?
What voltage is it when it won't turn the engine over?

starter batteries soon die after being deeply cycled a few times, it dissolves the plates, and they become less able to recharge each time.

Now are you sure it's not the starter motor?, is it not turning over without a boost?
look at your connections, Battery earths, motor earths, gearbox earths and power connections

[AdrianC]

Had the battery tests at the local factors and everything ok apparently.
No drain that's obvious from using a multi meter.

If both of these two were correct, your van would start comfortably after considerably longer than two weeks.

Could you describe how you're testing with the meter, please?

Just wish my eight year old daughter would stop the crushing comments on how rubbish my van is

Suggest to her that she may with to arrange and pay for her own holidays...

[skippymoss]

Testing with the meter by disconnecting the negative lead and putting the meter between that and the negative post on the battery, looking for any reading and getting none to speak of.
Dodgy electrics on the van probably easier to fix than a cheeky eight year old...

[California Dreamin]

Nothing that a tazar wouldn't fix

I mean.........if you had a good leisure/starter battery charging system... so you could just leave your hookup lead plugged in permanently...just got to make sure it's a smart charger that switches to 'float charge' once the batteries are fully charged.

Martin

[jamesc76]

Had the battery tests at the local factors and everything ok apparently.

How did they test it ??? if not with a proper discharge tester it wont show up as a dud!

[AdrianC]

Testing with the meter by disconnecting the negative lead and putting the meter between that and the negative post on the battery, looking for any reading and getting none to speak of.

With the multimeter on what setting?

Dodgy electrics on the van probably easier to fix than a cheeky eight year old...

I blame the parents.

[skippymoss]

OK the answers are;
- Not sure how old the battery is - came with the van. Can't see a date code on it, but can see that it is a Motaquip VBX3 - incorrect battery I wonder...?
- Voltmeter between the two terminals of the near dead battery this morning (i.e. not enough charge to turn the engine over) shows 11.6v but not under load (no-one else home to help me with that at the moment
- Starter motor works beautifully when the battery is fully charged, 'lazy' but starts after a few days to a week, nothing after 2 weeks - reckon this is consistent with a slowly draining battery..?
- Will go through the earth connections soon (is there an idiots guide on the wiki to show where they all are so I don't miss any? - if not I could start one with pics and description of locations if anyone thinks that would be helpful to other newbies)
- Ammeter between negative post and terminal shows 0.03a when everything off, just as a test I turned an interior light on and it jumped to 0.67a - which I reckon should be OK and shows I am doing it right I think
- Have a Zig unit (CF8?) - thought that would onl;y charge the leisure battery - not aware that it would do anything with the starter battery...?
- Believe the battery was tested corectly by the motor factor i.e. under load with propoer test equipment, but may take it to another for a second opinion
- Battery on charge again now
- In fairness my offspring has yet to experience a trip in the van without electrical gremlins. I kind of like an 8 yo to be a bit cocky and cheeky - kids are supposed to think they know everything - it'll pass. But yes I agree the parents are always to blame!

[DentedDevon]

At 11.6 v the battery is flat , it will need a full day on charge to to fully charge it with a "budget" charger.
If it smells ,boils or gets very hot while charging it is probably U/S.
Your drain of 0.03 A is fine.
When you first take the battery off charge the voltage should be over 13 volts.
Let it stand disconnected over night then recheck the voltage, it should settle down to between about 12.6 to 12.8 volts.
Leave it disconnected and check again every few days , it should not drop much at all, and then settle at no less than 12.6 volts

In my experience battery testing is not an exact science , if you can check them several different ways it is much better than relying on just one test.

If its not a sealed battery a hydrometer test is usefull as it shows the condition of each cell.

My van has an alarm fitted , and will stand for 4 to 6 weeks at a time in the winter and still start

[kevtherev]

- Starter motor works beautifully when the battery is fully charged, 'lazy' but starts after a few days to a week, nothing after 2 weeks - reckon this is consistent with a slowly draining battery..?
-

I'd be down the shops getting a Code 100 starter battery.
being discharged so low so many times I would say it's shagged now