Charging Cali Ocean 6.1 leisure batteries from engine - Why can i not find a sausage about this?

[Bumble The Van]

Ordered my cali ocean 6.1 and paid fro the 92ah and more powerful alternator, i found a snippet about the max charge button on the new control button but i have searched over an hour for any info and i find totally nothing! Anyone get any more info on max charge or is it good to charge from running engine, i saw it increases tickover to create more amps going in but would dearly love more info if anyone has on this - its so funny but information on stuff you think would be all over the vw website is seemingly kept under a damp tea towel and kept a major secret , why on earth do vw do this? its positively awful marketing leading to to a sort of mistrust of them ?

 

[andyinluton]

What do you want to know? Control panel lets you choose max charge which as you say keeps the idle speed higher & stops the stop start working to charge the batteries quicker.

 

[AlisonF]

Ordered my cali ocean 6.1 and paid fro the 92ah and more powerful alternator, i found a snippet about the max charge button on the new control button but i have searched over an hour for any info and i find totally nothing! Anyone get any more info on max charge or is it good to charge from running engine, i saw it increases tickover to create more amps going in but would dearly love more info if anyone has on this - its so funny but information on stuff you think would be all over the vw website is seemingly kept under a damp tea towel and kept a major secret , why on earth do vw do this? its positively awful marketing leading to to a sort of mistrust of them ?

I’m not familiar with the T6.1 control panel. I believe @andyinluton (posted above) has recently received his. Hopefully others with a T6.1 will also contribute. I’m not sure exactly what the issue is, sorry.

 

[Bumble The Van]

What do you want to know? Control panel lets you choose max charge which as you say keeps the idle speed higher & stops the stop start working to charge the batteries quicker.

thank you andy , does it take a long time to charge or does it do this quickly , in not hugely technical but just wondered if this was a real world help if your wild camping ?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I’m not familiar with the T6.1 control panel. I believe @andyinluton (posted above) has recently received his. Hopefully others with a T6.1 will also contribute. I’m not sure exactly what the issue is, sorry.

Yes it’s in the Camper Control unit above the rear view mirror. As Andy says you just select max charge for faster than normal charging.

 

[Ferryman]

In the past I've found I had to drive for many hours to make even a noticeable difference to the charge level albeit in a conversion. Be interesting to know how much of a real world difference this actually makes.

 

[andyinluton]

I haven't got a clue how effective it is, I've not used it & probably never will. Even without solar I reckon on the old van we could do 4 days/ 3 nights without driving or hookup & it would be unusual for us not to have driven somewhere by that point.

 

[Loz]

I haven't got a clue how effective it is, I've not used it & probably never will. Even without solar I reckon on the old van we could do 4 days/ 3 nights without driving or hookup & it would be unusual for us not to have driven somewhere by that point.

Hi Andy
can you post a photo of the max charge button/function?

 

[clarinetbcn]

@Loz does this have anything to do with the Bluemotion/smart alternator only charging the engine and leisure batteries to 80% in normal conditions?

 

[RikFizz]

Hi Andy
can you post a photo of the max charge button/function?

I had a play with this but not sure I’ll ever use it. Max Charge icon is middle, bottom row.

 

[Rololux]

Max charge does 2 things. When at idle, it increases the revs slightly - to about 1200rpm, so that the alternator provides enough power to charge the leisure batteries. It also overrides the restriction to only charge the leisure batteries to 80% when driving, so in theory it will charge them to 100% if you drive for long enough. You could test this, if you have the patience, by going for a long drive without max charge enabled, until the charging rate reduces to zero. Then enable max charge, and see if the charging rate increases.

 

[WelshGas]

@Loz does this have anything to do with the Bluemotion/smart alternator only charging the engine and leisure batteries to 80% in normal conditions?

Yes, I think it overrides that function and prioritises the Leisure Batteries.
You can do something similar on the T5/6 that have Bluemotion.
If you monitor Voltage on Engine and Leisure Batteries you see the following.
Engine Start and idle, V on engine increases whilst leisure V doesn't until Engine Battery is charged, on idle and this can take some minutes.
But, if you switch driving lights or heated seat On, V increases to 14.6v approx for both Engine and Leisure Batteries and idle speed increases by about 10+% immediately and is maintained until the lights or seat is switched Off.
The T6. 1 system is an easier and more efficient way of prioritising the Leisure Batteries and switching off the Bluemotion 80% limit for them. I don't know if it also effects the 80% limit for the engine battery. Also you are not running lights or heated seat at same time so should be more efficient and effective.

 

[Stu@rt]

OP mentions the upgraded 92Ah battery "upgrade"
Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the alternator the same regardless of the "upgrade" and only consists of an increased starter battery (Aimed at mult-drop/increased Stop/Start use).
The leisure batteries are the same spec regardless.


I think this another "feature" of the confuserator / configurator

 

[Mark Ch]

Max charge does 2 things. When at idle, it increases the revs slightly - to about 1200rpm, so that the alternator provides enough power to charge the leisure batteries. It also overrides the restriction to only charge the leisure batteries to 80% when driving, so in theory it will charge them to 100% if you drive for long enough. You could test this, if you have the patience, by going for a long drive without max charge enabled, until the charging rate reduces to zero. Then enable max charge, and see if the charging rate increases.

Does the leisure battery still charge when driving without the max charge operating? We left a campsite in west Wales and drive to London with the cool box on and then the leisure battery reported as empty. Thanks