Battery Status Reading on Central Control Panel

[peter]

Hi
BATTERY STATUS READING on CENTRAL CONTROL PANEL.

Using the 230V external socket, I get a reading of 14(+)V and about 6.0A,reducing to around 0.2A as the batteries charge. Which all seems OK to me?

PROBLEM:-
Using the generator/starter battery (engine on ), the reading is getting stuck on about 12.2V to 12.6V and 0.2A. The voltage can sometimes increase very slowly (25miles on) to the region of 13V, but the 0.2A doesn't shift. Which indicates to me the batteries are not being charged? This leads to all sorts of control panel malfunctions. The only way I have found to shift this reading, (to something similar to that of the external socket charge) is to start the engine 2 or 3 times, with one of the interior lights (living area) switched on.
Prior to monitoring the readings, ''Voltage Plausibility Fault'' had been displayed on the Central Control Panel many times but not recently.

Would appreciate any help.

Regards.

peter (Cali March 2009, 130PSI, 36000 miles.

 

[calikev]

Peter I think you will find the 0.2 amps is what's coming out of the battery not going in
If you turn on your heater it will fluctuate between about 4 amp and 20 amps
You must have something on that is taking 0.2 amps

 

[Andresz]

Hi
BATTERY STATUS READING on CENTRAL CONTROL PANEL.

Using the 230V external socket, I get a reading of 14(+)V and about 6.0A,reducing to around 0.2A as the batteries charge. Which all seems OK to me?

PROBLEM:-
Using the generator/starter battery (engine on ), the reading is getting stuck on about 12.2V to 12.6V and 0.2A. The voltage can sometimes increase very slowly (25miles on) to the region of 13V, but the 0.2A doesn't shift. Which indicates to me the batteries are not being charged? This leads to all sorts of control panel malfunctions. The only way I have found to shift this reading, (to something similar to that of the external socket charge) is to start the engine 2 or 3 times, with one of the interior lights (living area) switched on.
Prior to monitoring the readings, ''Voltage Plausibility Fault'' had been displayed on the Central Control Panel many times but not recently.

Would appreciate any help.

Regards.

peter (Cali March 2009, 130PSI, 36000 miles.

Peter.

With the generator on, you should have voltage above 13V and initial current of 10-20 Ampers in plus.
If the batteries are not really flattening it may suggest wrong reading issue only. But that would be weird since the hook-up readings are correct and this should be the same circuit for the measurement of both (I am not sure if this is the same circuit). Are the batteries actually being charged from generator or not? Are you able to measure the voltage on leisure battery using external voltmeter, and see if voltage raises with the engine on?

 

[peter]

Peter I think you will find the 0.2 amps is what's coming out of the battery not going in
If you turn on your heater it will fluctuate between about 4 amp and 20 amps
You must have something on that is taking 0.2 amps

Many thanks Calikev for your reply. I'm digesting what you say but with the engine on I have always had (until recently) more than 0.2A showing on the Central Control Panel, on initial start-up.
Regards.
peter.

 

[peter]

Hi
BATTERY STATUS READING on CENTRAL CONTROL PANEL.

Using the 230V external socket, I get a reading of 14(+)V and about 6.0A,reducing to around 0.2A as the batteries charge. Which all seems OK to me?

PROBLEM:-
Using the generator/starter battery (engine on ), the reading is getting stuck on about 12.2V to 12.6V and 0.2A. The voltage can sometimes increase very slowly (25miles on) to the region of 13V, but the 0.2A doesn't shift. Which indicates to me the batteries are not being charged? This leads to all sorts of control panel malfunctions. The only way I have found to shift this reading, (to something similar to that of the external socket charge) is to start the engine 2 or 3 times, with one of the interior lights (living area) switched on.
Prior to monitoring the readings, ''Voltage Plausibility Fault'' had been displayed on the Central Control Panel many times but not recently.

Would appreciate any help.

Regards.

peter (Cali March 2009, 130PSI, 36000 miles.

Peter.

With the generator on, you should have voltage above 13V and initial current of 10-20 Ampers in plus.
If the batteries are not really flattening it may suggest reading issue only. But that would be weird since the hook-up readings are correct and this should be the same circuit for the measurement of both (I am not sure if this is the same circuit). Are the batteries actually charged from generator or not? Are you able to measure the voltage on leisure battery using external voltmeter, and see if voltage raises with the engine on?

Many thanks Andresz for your reply.
I don't think the batteries are flattening because the voltmeter reading is showing 12+V when not being charged and the starter battery 14+V with the engine on.
Yes, all batteries should charge from the generator but I don't think the leisure batteries are when I get the 12.5V, 0.2A reading, on the central control panel.
Yes, I can measure the voltage of one of the leisure batteries, with the engine on, but can't readily get to the one under the passenger seat. I went to try this after seeing your very valid reply but, as luck would have it the central control panel was reading 14+V and settling to 1.8A, which is what I would expect, having given the batteries an external charge for 24hrs., 48hrs. ago. The voltage on the leisure battery at this time was 14+V, so charging well.
I will try the voltage on leisure battery the next time I get a dodgy reading (12V, 0.2A) with engine on, which I'm sure will happen within a couple of days.
I will let you know the result.
Regards.
peter.

 

[Andresz]

I think leisure batteries are connected in parallel so measuring one is normally enough, unless the other one is completely disconnected. To get to the battery under the seat, you need to lift and slide the chair after removing 4 bolts keeping it.
Didn’t the sudden correct reading correlated with the fact that you moved the leisure battery, a cable on loose ..?

 

[calikev]

Yes mine with the engine running does read 14.3v with the amps fluctuating between 0.2 upto about 6 amps