Wind Turbine ?

[SquirrellCook]

The engine Start Battery(s) should not be draining when vehicle off unless there is a leak somewhere or something left on, surely ?

It's a bigger Mercedes thing, though my 608 never suffered from it. They have an isolator switch for the batteries, but when it's switched off neither the alarm or doors work. The funny thing is, the colder it gets the more it consumes. The Plaxton has it too, though I don't think everything is isolated. The tacho will take some, but that should milliamps.

 

[wildebus]

The engine Start Battery(s) should not be draining when vehicle off unless there is a leak somewhere or something left on, surely ?

Thing is a modern vehicle is never "off".
Check off the following items you may or may not have ....
Radio (if not correctly installed, a newish radio with Bluetooth can really suck a battery even when "off")
Tachograph
Clock
Alarm
Proximity Sensors (for auto key detection)
Central Locking
etc.

 

[mistericeman]

The engine Start Battery(s) should not be draining when vehicle off unless there is a leak somewhere or something left on, surely ?

Alarm/immobiliser/central locking/radio etc all drain engine battery even with ignition off.

 

[RAW]

Alarm/immobiliser/central locking/radio etc all drain engine battery even with ignition off.

I suppose that is true on newer vehicles though on self-builds and older vehicles:

• No alarm
• No immobiliser
• No central Locking
• Radio Isolated

Those 4 points are the case with mine anyway.
Also I would think that even on newer vehicles you won't drain the battery if parked for two weeks or so by design. At least on Qashqai we had when parked at Airport was fine to start after two weeks, notably not a MH but had all the factors you mention. I would have though on past decade of Van builds that Alarm/immobiliser/central locking/radio should not flatten a starter battery enough to not start if Vehicle left for up to two weeks.

 

[SquirrellCook]

Whatever it is, it behaves like a big capacitor is being charged. You can even watch it on the BMV.
I removed all the radio gear from when it was an ambulance. New alternator. New starter motor. Still not found it.
I've asked Mercedes and they don't have an answer for what it is.
Easy answer is to move the door and alarm power supply to the other side of the master switch.

 

[RAW]

Whatever it is, it behaves like a big capacitor is being charged. You can even watch it on the BMV.
I removed all the radio gear from when it was an ambulance. New alternator. New starter motor. Still not found it.
I've asked Mercedes and they don't have an answer for what it is.
Easy answer is to move the door and alarm power supply to the other side of the master switch.

Do you have one of these ?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNI-T-DI...ER-Multimeter-True-RMS-VFC-diode/283627864096

Or similar?

You could put clamp over positive and see if leak from there or negative and leak from there on starter battery ?
Might help with some diagnosis ?

 

[SquirrellCook]

That would have been another solution, but it's interesting watching the current drain depending on what your doing. I should have should have fitted a BMV earlier, but it was a pain to install. It might turn out it's the power doors, but I wouldn't have thought it would have been designed with a relay energised all the time.

 

[RAW]

The BMV will show what's happening with the battery in terms of drain / SOC etc but won't be able to help much with diagnosing where the drain is coming from.

If you are thinking of selling Murky still (I would think Murky is the vehicle we are talking about here) then I'd be happy to come over to Doncaster and have a look, or if you are going to Green Frog, could meet there ?

 

[SquirrellCook]

Thank you very much for the offer, but at the moment we struggle to work out what's happening from one day to the next. I'm hoping to brake our rally virginity at Hereford, if I can gain some control by then. Before then I have some errands to do in Dorset and then onto Somerset. I'd like to have the solar panels rearranged by then. Maybe swap out the old battery chargers for some Victron ones. Too many plans, not enough time and duff weather. Oh well.

 

[trevskoda]

Dont mention virgins if P Andrews reading the post.

 

[wildebus]

Thinking about it more I wonder if something could be done with an array of computer fans facing forwards and that would charge the battery as you drive, be additional to the Split Charge Relay on the Battery banks if the battery bank was large and required a lot of energy to charge. Maybe a complete waste of time.

Looks like I will be saving up for some flexible Solar Panels to add to Sylvia's Roof then as just with a WiFi Dongle, Raspberry Pi and the Victron Measuring devices my main battery is down to 50% after 10 days or so of being parked up.

here is a similar question .... https://community.victronenergy.com...a-wind-turbine-battery-charger-using-the.html

 

[wildebus]

blooming windy today and stuff is getting blown around the garden.
Checked my weather station and wind speed has peaked at 30MPH. Now considering most small wind turbines seem to require a wind speedof around 25MPH to achieve full power, I don't think I would want to be parked up in a place where I can get that!

I was kinda considering getting a small wind turbine to play around with, but don't think I am going to bother considering the above.

Now what COULD be an interesting project ... How about Water Turbines?

or maybe .....

park near a river and drop in a water turbine/paddle and get some power while there 24/7

 

[Nabsim]

One word lol ....

Generator

 

[RAW]

One word lol ....

Generator

TWO WORDS - Global Warming !!

 

[RAW]

blooming windy today and stuff is getting blown around the garden.
Checked my weather station and wind speed has peaked at 30MPH. Now considering most small wind turbines seem to require a wind speedof around 25MPH to achieve full power, I don't think I would want to be parked up in a place where I can get that!

I was kinda considering getting a small wind turbine to play around with, but don't think I am going to bother considering the above.

Now what COULD be an interesting project ... How about Water Turbines?

View attachment 1928 or maybe ..... View attachment 1929


park near a river and drop in a water turbine/paddle and get some power while there 24/7

Looks interesting - I found out about these people sort of by accident

 

[wildebus]

I wonder how much power could be generated with water turbines installed at all the canal locks in England and spinning as the water rises and falls in them?

 

[RAW]

I wonder how much power could be generated with water turbines installed at all the canel locks in England and spinning as the water rises and falls in them?

That's a great idea....

 

[trevskoda]

A turbine requires a large amount of water falling down hill to the empellar,that chap has no idea.

 

[brennenthomas312]

A wind turbine converts the energy of the wind into electricity using the aerodynamic force generated by the blades.
When the wind blows over the wings, the air pressure on one side drops. Over the years I have found that RV wind turbines are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option. I've been using it for several years and find it very beneficial.

 

[Frankt]

Some interesting comments here, looks like a number of us are looking at turbine power generation.
I have been looking at:
1. Solar - Summer/Sunny days
2. Vertical Wind Turbine - Winter use
3 12v only

I prefer the vertical turbine as less horizontal profile and non-directional. Coupled to this I am looking at a spare/repair 240v generator, remove the engine and affix the turbine. It would need some clever maths to select the correct rotational speed for the genny and some brain scratching to select the correct gear ratio's for the drive from the turbine to the genny. Why an old/nacked genny, its already wired up.

Solar, self explanatory, 12v equipment only.

So whats 240v - Fridge. but could be 12/24v, TV - use a laptop or get a truck TV. Not that it would be watched.
That leaves cooking, Gas? its the potential for leaks that puts me on edge. So I have looked at induction hobs and an inverter. I can't find a 12v/24v one.
Shower pump - 12v From Ring, hot water - fill a gravity fed tank with hot water enough for a shower, in the summer, use solar tubes, stainless 40mm tube with a black background.
So, if you can pick holes in what I have said, please do, it might just be bollards!!