New Elecsol LB problem

[hembramacho]

I just bought an Elecsol battery on Sunday. The first time I logged on to the forum, I saw this posting!

Could you not prove or disprove the cold weather theory by bringing the battery indoors to charge and/or measure the voltages?

That would mean I would have to yet again remove the LB from the bongo, and yet again my central locking, alarm, etc wouldn't work, etc, etc,........TBH, the battery has been in and out of the bongo so many times in the last few days, I really can't be bothered to prove/disprove the'cold weather theory' at this moment in time. Having originally charged the battery indoors, and that not bringing it to full charge (see earlier posts) I'm convinced having also done research and finding that batteries do actually lose charge in colder temps (see earlier post link) that I need to pospone all research into my battery until the weather gets warmer (ie stops going below freezing) and I'm using the battery a lot more (camping season). After all I have a 5 year warrenty so have enough time!!!
So.....bring on the Summer - bring on the camping!!!!

Andrew

[Ron Miel]

I just bought an Elecsol battery on Sunday. The first time I logged on to the forum, I saw this posting!

Could you not prove or disprove the cold weather theory by bringing the battery indoors to charge and/or measure the voltages?

>
>
So.....bring on the Summer - bring on the camping!!!!

Andrew

Now you're talking Andrew. Glass half full, not glass half empty.

[MountainGoat]

Do you mean to say that your central locking and alarm both work off your leisure battery? Mine definitely work off my starter battery with only the interior light, blinds and radio in addition to the full conversion items working off my leisure battery. With mine being a full camper I tend to disconnect my leisure battery via an isolator cut off switch when my Bongo is not being used. I have used this isolator since my fridge somehow kept on running an nearly flattened my leisure battery one day even though I had turned off the Power Management System or so I thought.

Tony

[madmile]

Do you mean to say that your central locking and alarm both work off your leisure battery? Mine definitely work off my starter battery with only the interior light, blinds and radio in addition to the full conversion items working off my leisure battery. With mine being a full camper I tend to disconnect my leisure battery via an isolator cut off switch when my Bongo is not being used. I have used this isolator since my fridge somehow kept on running an nearly flattened my leisure battery one day even though I had turned off the Power Management System or so I thought.

Tony

You may well find that your fridge is wired directly to the leisure battery rather than via the PMS - it is recommended to use the shortest wiring route and connect dierct via inline fuse. I do mine this way and the only way to turn the fridge off is via the off switch in the fridge. I make sure my customers are aware of this, as it is easy to leave it on.

[mikeonb4c]

Here's the gist of a PM I sent to mikeonb4c, a few weeks back, when he was considering whether his non-Elecsol L.B. was the cause of cut-out problems he was getting with a prototype Bongo leccy blanket controller (don't all rush!):

"Just ran our Eberspacher heater briefly before heading to the airport with Di. Elecsol l.b terminal voltage (at 12v socket in van) was initially 12.9v, which reduced to 11.8v while the heater drew its start phase 200w, so 16.9 amps. After 3 minutes of that, when the heater dropped down to its 40w continuous load, the terminal voltage went up to 12.2v It then finally settled at 12.4v switched off/off load. Hope that helps. If you need an 8 amps result, I'll contrive a 100w load when I get time."

Have never deep discharged it, so have no idea how the terminal voltage reduces at lower states of charge. Hope that might help.

BTW, that was in the middle of the big freeze, so my guess is that the battery, up front in the cold, was at about -2 or -3C at the time.

Doh I'd forgotten you sent me those figures. I think I'll be getting an Elecsol when I do replace my LB.

[mikexgough]

You may well find that your fridge is wired directly to the leisure battery rather than via the PMS - it is recommended to use the shortest wiring route and connect dierct via inline fuse. I do mine this way and the only way to turn the fridge off is via the off switch in the fridge. I make sure my customers are aware of this, as it is easy to leave it on.

I wired my fridge to operate that way, as you say, the shortest wiring route and therefore the most efficient power wise.
Been comparing my LB to Andrew's results.....mines not an Elecsol......just a plain ordinary Marine/Leisure hybrid job... but my figures are reading better than the Elecsol that Andrew has..............maybe other variables help as my battery has been "cycled" a few times and my Bongo is a daily driver so the Willinton works daily to charge the LB, my LB is 15 months old. I use my fridge daily during the week when my Bongo becomes a mobile office, as well as the 12v sockets to power chargers and a Laptop power supply too.

[al & chris]

We have had an Elecsol now for a couple of years been brilliant. Charges from flat without any damage or power loss. The only thing with ours is i think some of the acid had spilled out on delivery. Full charge light comes on but only on very level ground. Not sure how to top up as it seems to be a sealed unit, not to fussed as it holds charge and works fine.

[hembramacho]

Do you mean to say that your central locking and alarm both work off your leisure battery? Mine definitely work off my starter battery with only the interior light, blinds and radio in addition to the full conversion items working off my leisure battery.

I thought that if the cab is wired to the LB (lights, etc) via the Willinton then that affects the central locking. I'm sure a few "central locking not working" threads have had "check your LB charge" as an answer.
I suppose I could just wire the cab feed back to the starter battery instead of the LB temporarily, but again it's something else to do. .......and it's cold outside!

We have had an Elecsol now for a couple of years been brilliant. Charges from flat without any damage or power loss. The only thing with ours is i think some of the acid had spilled out on delivery. Full charge light comes on but only on very level ground. Not sure how to top up as it seems to be a sealed unit, not to fussed as it holds charge and works fine.

Mine had a tiny bung on either side to save spillage in transit, to be removed before use. There's a big sticker on the top saying REMOVE PLUGS!

Andrew

[g8dhe]

If you do a simple conversion as with the Willinton kit then Fuse 1 (top left) is switched to the L/B, this fuse controls the switching module for the doors as well as several other things.
The door soleniods/motors themselves are fused via Fuse 4.

You can separate out the various feeds from Fuse 1 and reconnect the ones you don't want on the L/B back to the Starter battery, but to be honest its handy to have a clear indication that the L/B is flat when you go to the vehicle if its been left standing for a period ! Otherwise you might not actually realise that the L/B has been flattened, once you've started the engine and the charging relay has come in then you won't notice the difference

[al & chris]

Thanks Andrew ours had these bungs but had still managed to leak a little. Not sure if all delivery co,s look at lables to keep upright.

[Ron Miel]

Here's the gist of a PM I sent to mikeonb4c, a few weeks back, when he was considering whether his non-Elecsol L.B. was the cause of cut-out problems he was getting with a prototype Bongo leccy blanket controller (don't all rush!):

"Just ran our Eberspacher heater briefly before heading to the airport with Di. Elecsol l.b terminal voltage (at 12v socket in van) was initially 12.9v, which reduced to 11.8v while the heater drew its start phase 200w, so 16.9 amps. After 3 minutes of that, when the heater dropped down to its 40w continuous load, the terminal voltage went up to 12.2v It then finally settled at 12.4v switched off/off load. Hope that helps. If you need an 8 amps result, I'll contrive a 100w load when I get time."

Have never deep discharged it, so have no idea how the terminal voltage reduces at lower states of charge. Hope that might help.

BTW, that was in the middle of the big freeze, so my guess is that the battery, up front in the cold, was at about -2 or -3C at the time.

Doh I'd forgotten you sent me those figures. I think I'll be getting an Elecsol when I do replace my LB.

Deffo recommend it Mike. Like Al & Chris below, ours has been brilliant. Did a great job today with the Eberspacher heater's 40w blower, keeping us toastie for a picnic in intermiitent driving snow, right up on the High Peak above Hathersage Only problem is a wet AFT tent I'll have to dry off tomorrow - it was sunny when we parked, and the snow arrived too quickly to get the AFT down in time.

[al & chris]

You must have been on our door step in the peak district.

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks Ron - my big problem at present is just not wanting to spendon anything unless I have to. Something to do with the sheer terror of two more kids to (try and) get to Uni. and the fact there's not that much coming in, and I'm getting less fit for DIY and the house is getting older etc. etc. (get the violins out) and the currnet LB has so few demands made on it that justifying a more potent one is hard (just wanting to test a leccie blanket concept hardly cuts the mustard ...and what if it STILL doesn't work ).

[Ron Miel]

Thanks Ron - my big problem at present is just not wanting to spendon anything unless I have to. Something to do with the sheer terror of two more kids to (try and) get to Uni. and the fact there's not that much coming in, and I'm getting less fit for DIY and the house is getting older etc. etc. (get the violins out) and the currnet LB has so few demands made on it that justifying a more potent one is hard (just wanting to test a leccie blanket concept hardly cuts the mustard ...and what if it STILL doesn't work ).

I see the problem Mike - especially the one about what if it still doesn't work? Exit stage left, I would think

[mikeonb4c]

In fairness, I've proved it does work (and really well), but not when there is a long cable run and the battery is not a starter type battery (those are the only real differences I can think of between the bench test and trying it in the Bongo. But even if I get it working in the Bongo, how much am I actually going to use it (answer, not much probably!). It was a challenge thrown down by Pippin and I enjoyed seeing if I could do it (useful concept BTW as you can run a leccie blanket or a horrible cheap Peltier coolbox like mine for many times what you might otherwise).