Battery Status

[aileen]

I have been staying at a lot of free parking areas during these months wandering around Spain and I don't know how to actually understand the battery status. I did read it ages ago on the forum but can't find the info. Is it more important to judge by the percentage shown on the display or the number on the left that usually hangs at around 12 for the first day or two. I'm terribly ignorant about this and would appreciate any comments to assist me in deciding when to go for a drive or find a hook up. Thank you all.
Anyone wanting any info on free sites to park in Spain can just ask. I'd be glad to share.
Aileen on the road in Brandy

 

[Alan]

I travel the same way as you Aileen
I like to keep an eye on the percentage on the display panel
I start to feel uncomfortable if the reading drops below 40%
Also having an automatic I keep an eye on the engine battery's charge by plugging in the cigar socket (on the dash panel) with a "battery analyzer",easy to use no need to lift the engine bonnet this works by a colour coding method and are less than £20 on the net
When the vehicle is static I use my blue tooth Bose (highly popular on this forum) to play my music and leave the car sterio for when driving
Watch out if you are blessed with a electric sliding door (can use up battery energy fast)

No doubt you will be posted with information by more experienced members

Happy traveling
Alan

 

[sidepod]

Impossible to say how accurate the correlation is between display and actual battery condition.

I believe the fridge drops out at around 10.5v so that's a resonable baseline to monitor. Be a shame to end up with warm beer!

Pod.

 

[aileen]

Impossible to say how accurate the correlation is between display and actual battery condition.

I believe the fridge drops out at around 10.5v so that's a resonable baseline to monitor. Be a shame to end up with warm beer!

Pod.

 

[aileen]

Thank you both so much. Alan good tip to get a battery analyser. I also use a Bluetooth speaker
You're brave I never went below 50% but am more concerned about the V figure on the left that seems to go down quite rapidly. I have no idea what the bottom numbers with a minus sign and an A following indicate
Ah the mysteries of life but so far so good

 

[TommyT]

My electronics is a little rusty Aileen and I'm sure someone can give you a more detailed answer but the V figure is the Voltage (energy in the batteries) and the A is the Ampage, how quickly it's being used. A negative Ampage is just showing you that something is draining the battery.

If you multiply the two together you get the power in Watts which your van is using.

Cue the experts to correct me!!