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Subject Topic: Do I have a battery?
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Personsadkate
07/2/2016 at 3:07pm
 Location: Linlithgow West Lothian
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So having just bought a second hand caravan, if it had a leisure battery, where would that be?

I don't think it does but better check before I buy a new one. Ta!

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Kate

Ye're no here tae enjoy yersel.


PersonLlaniDavis
07/2/2016 at 3:11pm
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In the battery box, which could be almost anywhere.
Knowing what caravan you have bought would help.


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Personmoppetsdad
07/2/2016 at 3:51pm
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Look under the seats or maybe outside either in the front locker or in a little door along the side.

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David

    

I've stood on Lego and didn't even cry!!


Personbobmel
07/2/2016 at 3:52pm
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What have you bought ?

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Robert (BoB)


Personnaturlist123
07/2/2016 at 4:33pm
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Sadkate normally the battery box is situated on the offside of the van (Opposite to awning or door side) in UK vans near to waterpump connection on no inboard tank vans.

It is in most cases a locker door "about" 50cms x 40cms usally opened by your van door key and drops down as you open it most vans also have your EHU connection inside aswell.
If you lift your seating cushions opposite to entrance door you will most probably find a lift up or pull out rack that supports the cushions and you will see a plastic enclosed box with wires feeding to and from it, thats the battery box accessed from out side the van as written above the reason for this is the battery gives off toxic and explosive fumes when charging

The only van I have come across without a battery was a Adria all electric no gas van which when you think of it is useless if you are on a no EHU site. but there are exceptions to above but usually on old vans like my first van that had gas mantles for interior lights some 40/50 years ago the only electrics were tail, stop
lights and if lucky flashers.


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Personsadkate
07/2/2016 at 7:31pm
 Location: Linlithgow West Lothian
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It's a Compass Yorkshire Diamond which is a special edition of an Elddis Avante 475, I believe. I thought a leisure battery was an optional extra you bought so you could run without hookup. I don't know much :) The settler was getting a camper van so o thought he'd have kept it. It wasn't mentioned.

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Kate

Ye're no here tae enjoy yersel.


Persontango55
07/2/2016 at 8:05pm
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There will be doors on both sides of the caravan that drop down on hinges which are called service doors. The battery compartment should be on the offside near the front but just to confirm this, open it and have a look to see if there are two cables with battery connectors on the end. If there is a battery then the two cables (+ and -) should be connected to the battery terminals.


Personnavver
07/2/2016 at 9:04pm
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Hate to say it but all 4 caravans I have owned had the battery in the nearside. It could be either.

One little 1992 van had it under the seat, all others had an external door.


Personsadkate
07/2/2016 at 10:17pm
 Location: Linlithgow West Lothian
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Thank you.

And if there is no battery there can I operate the thing from a hookup anyway?

-------------
Kate

Ye're no here tae enjoy yersel.


PersonColin21
07/2/2016 at 10:40pm
 Location: East Herts
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I suppose you have tried the obvious, Kate. Switching various things on, such a lights? That wouldn't help of course if the battery was flat.

You could probably manage without a battery if you were hooked up to EHU, but I'm not sure if this would do any harm to the on-board battery charger if you have one. I would personally check if you have a battery charger or some kind of control panel (Zig unit). If you have, I would recommend you find the battery, or where it should go, before connecting up to mains electricity. If the battery that should be there is missing, the disconnected leads could be touching, which would cause a short circuit.

I have a very old Elddis, and my battery compartment is under the seat at the front on the off-side.

-------------
Best Regards,
Colin


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Personlexie71
07/2/2016 at 11:13pm
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I think I would have found out what I was getting for my money many caravans are sold with extras included ie battery water butts hook up porch awning leg winder the list goes on don't be afraid to ask the seller anything you are not sure about


PersonOpensauce
08/2/2016 at 7:35am
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Have you tried plugging caravan into mains ehu? If not you need to. Then you can discover if everything is working. Fridge should work & plug sockets should be live. If 12v equipment like interior lights & water pump for taps work then you do not need a battery as 12v is being supplied through transformer. If 12v is not working then you need a leisure battery in the circuit.

You will get no further forward with this until you plug caravan into mains. If caravan is at your home then you can get adaptor from caravan shop to plug you ehu hookup lead into 3pin socket at your home & test it.

The seller was a fink, what a scumbag he was not even explaining how the caravan worked, as you clearly did not know. If you have no mechanical knowledge & understanding of your caravan at all then best bet is to get caravan booked into local service centre for full service & fitting of battery as required. Do that & you know it's safe. Do you even know the age of the tyres?

When I sell a caravan on ebay I at least check tyre pressures & wheel nuts & check it is hitched to buyer's car correctly, I even attach their numberplate. Any seller who fails to do that is an utter scumbag imho.


PersonColin21
08/2/2016 at 8:33am
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Kate, whilst I agree with Opensauce, don't plug the caravan into the mains until you have made sure the battery leads aren't shorting out inside the battery box.

-------------
Best Regards,
Colin


PersonOpensauce
08/2/2016 at 11:23am
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Yes, you are quite right Colin, a search of the caravan should find the charging unit. Modern transformer/chargers are designed to work with or without battery. Older type may need battery in circuit. If it works ok without battery then if caravan is going to be used only on ehu then no requirement for battery.

If motor mover is fitted or 'van is going to be used on non ehu site then battery is required.


PersonReptile Smile
08/2/2016 at 11:57am
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Sadkate, I was new to this as well last year. I type this now from inside the £500 cheap crappy caravan in the middle of Storm Imogen, and are as snug as the proverbial rug-bound bugs...

You almost certainly will want a battery, but you don't need a 'proper' leisure/caravanning battery. Pop yourself down to your nearest car scrap yard and tell them you need a new battery in decent condition for a caravan (ie: size doesn't matter). They should test it for you, and it'll cost £10-£15.

If you're staying on sites, that'll be fine. If you're going off piste, you might want a better solution, but we towed ours the length of France last year with a cheap battery, and all was fine...

Opensauce, I thought Colin just meant make sure the battery hasn't been removed and the terminals aren't touching - ie: make sure nothing goes bang when you plug it in..?

Post last edited on 08/02/2016 12:30:09


PersonOpensauce
08/2/2016 at 12:27pm
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Yes, that is what he meant. The charger can't be too hard to find if one searches all the floor level parts of the caravan. Find the ehu point on outside of caravan then follow inside wiring to charger & then follow the wiring to battery location.

If the caravan is old though it's always possible the wiring has been bodged & parts, ie failed charger removed & so on. It's difficult to help when details are so scant.



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