Knaus Sport Traveller batterie probleme

Hallo freunden:

Ich bin Englische, Ich spreche schlecht Deutshce. Bitte ruckschieben mir in Deutsche, als andere gäst könnte vestanden! Enschuldigen! Danke schön!

I have a repetitive problem with my Knaus Sport Traveller and Calira charger. When the engine is running, the Battery II (Leisure battery) charges correctly. When I am connected to an external 230V supply, the green LED is illuminated on the control panel, indicating that the battery is being charged. However, the battery is not charging (I tested with an Ampmeter). I have removed the charger, and found a lot of dust inside. I have blown away the dust and reconnected. It worked ok at first (14V on battery) but after 1 hour it was at 13V (the battery voltage).

This is the second time this happens to me. The vehicle is second-hand, but is under guarantee. Last time, the vendor exchanged the unit for another used unit.

Also, when I bought the vehicle, the battery was not charging when the engine was running. This was due to a blown fuse, and is described in --> Link. I cannot see any relationship between the two problems, but I mention it.

My thanks to all in anticipation of your help. Any my apologies for not trying in German. My Spanish and French are much better, but no use here (I am not a typical English-only Englishman).

Aufwiederhören

Mike Baldwin
Vitoria, Spanien.

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Hi Mike

mike123 hat geschrieben:It worked ok at first (14V on battery) but after 1 hour it was at 13V (the battery voltage).

13 V after one hour seems to be absolutly correct, this is trickle-charging.

trickle-charging is a slow-charge that replaces the natural self-discharge of a battery in storage. The amount of self-discharge depends on the battery type and storage temperature. For example, a 12V Douglas AGM sealed lead-acid that is stored at room temperature will lose about 3% of its stored capacity per month.

hope that it helps you.

fuzzy hat geschrieben:13 V after one hour seems to be absolutly correct, this is trickle-charging.

Hello Fuzzy: thanks for your thoughts. However, 13V is too low for trickle charging, I think. The Calira EVS 30/20-DS/IU manual says that there are 3 steps in charging cycle, I quote:
Step 1: Main Charging Phase: Charging with maximum current until the battery reaches 14.4V. If the charging current drops below 90% of the rated current during this phase due to the internal resistance of the battery and cable resistance, the POST-Charging Phase is started.
Step 2: Post-Charging Phase: The charging voltage is kept constant at 14.4V for ten or four hours (gel or liquid, respectively). After this time, the device changes to the Holding Charge Phase. If during this phase the current rises above 90% of the rated current while the battery voltage drops below 13.2V for a period of 15 minutes (liquid) or 2 hours (gel) then the device switches back to the Main Charging Phase.
Step 3: Holding Charge Phase . The charging voltage is set to 13.8V. At the same time, the charging current drops to the value necessary for the equilising charge of the battery. If the charging current rises to it's rated value due to a user and the battery voltage remains below 13.2V for a least 2 minutes, then the device switches back to the Main Charging Phase.

So I can't see that this is normal. Also, I say, in case i forgot before, that I discovered the problem when the NOT EIN mode started, with battery at 11,8V. So something is very definately wrong!

Regards

Hello @mike123,
also in my opinion, there is everything OK with your charger. Perhaps you could have a problem with the battery.
To check out if it is the battery, charge the batterie and reconnect it from the charger. Wait for at least 1h-2h and messure the Voltage at the batterie
12,65V = Battery full
12,45V = 75%
12,24V = 50%

Be aware, that that the important voltage messuring is behind the decimal point, your voltmeter schould be able to handle two places behind this.


Andreas

andwein hat geschrieben:To check out if it is the battery, charge the batterie and reconnect it from the charger.

Hallo Anwein:

1) I'm not exactly sure of the test method you propose, please could you corect the following text?:
***
Step 1) I disconnect the battery from the motorhome connections
Step 2) I connect the battery to an external charger for x? hours
Step 3) I reconnect the battery to the motorhome connections, with x? users connected
Step 4) I wait 1-2 hours and then check battery voltage.
***
2) Surely the charger is malfunctioning, because according to the manual, the POST-CHARGING PHASE always lasts for ten hours (please see my second post above). Or the manual is incorrect.....

Hallo mike123, have a look at users manual, pages 15 & 16. At first you must control the 30A fuse near Batt. Often the problem is increasing resistance,by the heat the plastic can melt(own expirience). If this connection is ok, look at the 12 pin plug connector at EVS 30/20, pins 16 &17 may also have large resistence or is the white connector in this place brown by the heat?. Move the plug up & down several times for cleaning the contacts. If their is no failure, control the B+ measuring cable at pin 19 and its fuse, it must have the same voltage as your Batt II. If your problem persists, contact me. Hopefull regards Richi

Hello @mike123,
"Step 1) I disconnect the battery from the motorhome connections
Step 2) I connect the battery to an external charger for x? hours
Step 3) I reconnect the battery to the motorhome connections, with x? users connected
Step 4) I wait 1-2 hours and then check battery voltage. "

This was exactly not what I had in mind.
1. Charge the Batterie with the engine running, because you don´t trust your calira charger
2. disconnect the batterie from every charger and without any user
3. Messure batterie voltage after 1-2h resting from chemical processes.

Check the batterie voltage for the Status "Batterie full" and not "flowing or not flowing current" out of the calira charger.

greetings
Andreas

Hello Andwein:

I have followed your instructions and found that after a long journey from Cadiz to Caceres (Spain), and after resting all night (with only a small load from boiler safety valve, control system etc.) the battery was at 12,68V. After the next morning's drive to Salamanca + 2 hours rest it was at 12,8V. After the next leg of journey to Vitoria, after a 2 rest it was at 12,89V). So the alternator charges OK, correct? So the battery is OK, I think. It is a 9-month-old AGM battery will no mistreatment history.

What I dont understand from your comments is the following:

andwein hat geschrieben:Hello @mike123,
Check the batterie voltage for the Status "Batterie full" and not "flowing or not flowing current" out of the calira charger.

Maybe you can explain in more detail, thanks.
Tschuss! Mike

kintzi hat geschrieben:....If your problem persists, contact me. Hopefull regards Richi

Hello Richi:
Thanks for your ideas. I have checked as follows:
1. Fuse near Battery II terminal (30A according to Calira manual, actually 25A): OK
2. Resistance between pins 16-17 and "+" terminal of battery II < 0,3 Ohm
3. Resistance between pin 19 and "+" terminal of battery II < 0,4 Ohm
4. Resistance between pins 20-21 and "+" terminal of battery II = 0,5 Ohm
5. All the above values have been checked while moving the connector up and down, left and right.
6. The connector is not discoloured (brown) by heat.
7. Voltage difference between pin 19 and "+" terminal of battery II <0,3V (I measured this with analogue multimeter, I will try with digital one soon).

Do you have any further ideas?

Thanks very much in advance

Mike

Hallo mike, make both plugs in their places.Make shure, that your EVS becomes 220-230 Volts. Then interrupt the 230V connection. If you bring back 230v net-tension to unit, you must hear a Relais-Click inside EVS. If not, EVS is defect, its possible, that the inbox-fuse is defect.. If yes, shut down 230V, connect a 20A Ampmeter between Minus of Batt.andMinusn 24/25 from EVS, shut on 230V and look on instrument, if there is any current.If not, EVS is defective. Greetings, Richi PS: if you are not succesfull, disconnect EVS 230V, buy a cheap simple 12V Loader(10A or more) for your Trip and change EVS-unit at home, I`ve understood, you have warranty.