Berlingo range, lack of.

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sunandwindy
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Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby sunandwindy » Thu Sep 15, 2016 5:44 pm

Hi guy's, I've just acquired a year 2000 Berlingo van.

Took it out for a major run to see what range it actualy has...... Started off with a full 100% charge (according to the gauge). Had been travelling at around 40-50mph trying to stay in the green on the eco gauge. Stopped to visit friends at around 16 miles for an hour or so, then started off again, after about 20 miles the gauge was down to 40% and the orange yellow dot came on my the eco meter and a battery symbol with a spanner at the bottom of the dash, then about 2 miles later if that, the speed dropped to 30mpg, then after a mile it went down to a crawl of around 5mph. So then towed it back home. The charge gauge was just under 40% at the end.

Okay , I was not expecting the range of a new one, but for it to die at 40% I thought was a bit off.

I'm going to charge back up and check the water levels. Is there anything else I can do, apart from new batteries which are not going to happen?

Thanks in advance :)

highend
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby highend » Sat Sep 17, 2016 8:21 am

only change bad batteries.
OR... sell whole Berlingo :)

When charge light comes at 40% probably you need 3-5 batteries.
I do have some spares if you need.

sunandwindy
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby sunandwindy » Sat Sep 17, 2016 9:33 am

Are there any instructions anywhere for dropping the batteries for testing?

Just looking for easyest route?

Grumpy-b
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby Grumpy-b » Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:32 am

There are loads of details on this site, I have often re posted a regime for working out which pack has the problem cell, s, and way of getting the various packs out safely. Go back through the Berlingo postings, and you will find all you need.
Where are you located?
I have a few spares cells, as well as most other parts. But the cells are getting less available. I do have a load in my Multispace awaiting me swapping over to Lifepo4 so at least 20 will be available then.
It takes me around 1.5 hours to get out replace a cell and refit for the front and rear lower boxes, the main large box can easily take 5 hours to do, and the top front is about 1.5 to 2 hours.
40% is really good for a 2000 van.
It is important to do a maintenance charge and water the vehicle, dont just go by the hours on the evlite. Do the maint charge anyway, you never know what previous owners have done.
If you dont have the Evlite or similar then you need to sort that, I do hire them out .

sunandwindy
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby sunandwindy » Thu Sep 22, 2016 2:44 pm

Hi Guy's,

Thanks for your feed back.

I do have a Evlite, but need to run through it again as the guy who dropped the van off said water levels could be monitored through it in some way, but my first test didn't show anything meaningful to me.

As suggested I do need to drop the batteries, but I've got a few other pressing tasks on other vehicles to do first.

I will post back any progress.

Grumpy-b
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby Grumpy-b » Thu Sep 22, 2016 2:55 pm

All the evlite can do is to tell you haow many hours of charging since the last time it was reset. DOesnt mean they have been watered and you really cant tell how well they have been watered, until you explode one, then you know it was well over due. Just do the maintenance charge and watering. Do it now while its not cold.

sunandwindy
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby sunandwindy » Sat Oct 08, 2016 7:04 pm

Got to inspect the batteries today. Underfloor not too bad, however the 4 in the engine bay were a pig to get to as everything (Inverter, fan, heater and other bits)

Battery layouts as below...
Image
FB = Front/engine bay batteries
MB = Middle batteries
RB = Rear batteries.

Before work commenced, Batteries were at 95%. I suppose on hindsight I should have taken them to 100%, hey ho...

Readings gained...
FB1 6.65V
FB2 6.64V
FB3 6.64V
FB4 6.65V

MB1 6.65V
MB2 6.65V
MB3 6.65V
MB4 6.65V
MB5 6.65V
MB6 6.65V
MB7 6.65V
MB8 6.65V
MB9 6.65V
MB10 6.65V
MB11 6.65V

RB1 6.64V
RB2 6.64V
RB3 6.64V
RB4 6.64V
RB5 6.64V
RB6 6.64V

What do others think the readings should be please?

Looks like a complete set of batteries were fitted September 2004 (The van is 2001)
Image

Grumpy-b
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby Grumpy-b » Sat Oct 08, 2016 7:39 pm

Thats not really as helpful as you think.
The best route which I have posted before is to run the vehicle until the eco light comes on then quickly take the pack voltages of each box, and one or more will give you a low reading showing where the poor cells are located. Charged cells will need to be run down to find the duff ones.
Now you have to load each cell and note the voltage drop. You can simply use a starter motor, wired to run without the contactor. Load for say 20 seconds, and see where the voltage drops to , any lower than 5.7may not be so good, and that just drop are definitely not good. After the test, let them stand and see how the voltages rise. If they get back to close to the start voltage then they should be OK, if they dont return to nearly the original voltage then they are probably not too good.
If the starter motor gets too hot leave it for a while. Keep repeating the exercise.
You could also use pairs of cells, with a 12v inverter and fan heater to see how they react under load. The cheap ceramic heaters generally have 1500 and 750 wat settings, and run nicely on a 1kw inverter and willpull around 65a on the 750w setting. Run the load and watch the cell voltages drop, run it for a couple of minutes and see how they drop in voltage.
Whatever load test you do , time it and note the voltages, so that you do a similar test on each cell.

Grumpy-b
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby Grumpy-b » Sat Oct 08, 2016 7:41 pm

How much water did the cells take when you did the maintenance charge?
After the maintenance charge what % did the eco light come on?

sunandwindy
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Re: Berlingo range, lack of.

Postby sunandwindy » Sun Oct 09, 2016 12:38 pm

Based on an early comment of possible duff cells, I took the route I have done. I will get the battery boxes re-installed and think about what you have posted. Its unlikely I'll do anything very quickly as I bought another EV (not a Berlingo), but learnt my lesson from the first by insisting on a full test drive to clearly establish its alleged range.

I'm considering letting it go as is, or follow through with getting the range up.

Will post again when I've made more progress.

BTW, thanks for all the comments to help me on my way.

Re topping up. added about half a litre to each hose connection.


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