Battery life on tipper - a quick heads up

[Shane]

No doubt most of you are aware of this one.

 

Last week while tipping off the chips I turned off the engine before tipping.

I usually keep the engine running.

 

Anyway.. when I came to re-start the van it was DEAD.

It's an 07 Transit with twin batteries. The guys at the yard got the jump leads out and off we went. Ran it for 40 minutes plus then when we got back to base it wouldn't re-start. Could not even get the glow plug light on.

 

Batteries showed 12.8v and 12.4v but gutless.

 

The guy at the recycling plant recons he gives a jump start at least once a week after people tip with the engine off.

 

Both my batteries were dated 2006 so I've replaced both and all is now fine.

 

So just remember to keep yer vans running while you tip - I wonder what the Toyota Prius tippers would do ????

[oldwoodcutter]

As Shane said, even with some charge in them you can be in trouble. The mk6 and 7 tranny's twin batteries have to both be in tip top condition for starting and running correctly.

[woody paul]

Tip 130 Landy with engine not running from time to time with out a problem. It may be 1battery was draining the other if 1 is in A bad state its what happens.

Edited March 27, 2016 by woody paul

[Vespasian]

Had a lot of trouble over the winter with my Transit.. couldn't work out why near every morning it was dead as a doornail..

 

Turns out batteries only last so long so replacing them every three to fours years is always a good idea...

 

Instead of walking over to ma van with gritted teeth in the morn, I now get in it without a thought other than what I got in it for in the first place...

 

And, to think I'd spent most of the Winter fumigating for want of a new battery...

I could of kicked maself after I changed that battery...

[IVECOKID]

Batteries are strange things , my F350 pickup has been playing up since the alternator went tits up ( new alternator fitted) she turns over like mad and shows 12.5 volts but coughs and splutters when starting like there is no choke kicking in and once warm is fine , just changed battery this morning and she is fine ,apparently she fried a cell when the regulator in the alternator went and the Capacity of battery is down . BATTERY not 12months.

Am told that a battery that shows less than 12.8 when cold is on its way out .

 

Ste

[dan494]

I once bought an Alfa gtv from a customer for £250 as the battery kept draining and he thought it was gonna be a big repair job so I took a chance, turned out it was still on the battery it came with! (about ten years old at the time) £40 spent on it and was a great motor

[Pinkfoot]

I once bought an Alfa gtv from a customer for £250 as the battery kept draining and he thought it was gonna be a big repair job so I took a chance, turned out it was still on the battery it came with! (about ten years old at the time) £40 spent on it and was a great motor

 

Was it a V6?

[Craig.]

The best way to check the health of your battery is a drop check or high discharge test, most mechanics or garages should have the tester, a hydrometer to check the state of charge in each cell.

The drop test will show any weak cells, while the battery still shows a usable voltage.

[bluebedouin]

..... when I came to re-start the van it was DEAD.

It's an 07 Transit with twin batteries..

 

..... It may be 1battery was draining the other if 1 is in A bad state its what happens.

 

I don't know the set up of these vans.I'm presuming one battery is for starting & van electrics & the other is for the tipper motor.

If that's the case then they should have a split charge relay that prevents the drain from the starter battery.

It would be similar to a camper electrics where the leisure battery is used only for the camper section & the starter battery is for the base vehicle section.However they are both charged from the alternator when the engine is running.

[oldwoodcutter]

Nope,front battery does locking and lights and powers relay which connects back battery. This back battery starts it via power from the front one through connection points by the seat.