Control panel display warning

[westfalia]

I've got this annoying message on the display panel so I removed both of the batteries in order to charge with the ctek,
after about 5 hrs of trying to charge one of them, still on stage 1 on the scale, the red error message appeared on the charger.
So I've reset it and maybe it will take a few days to get some life back in them, we'll see.
I've had these batteries 19 years and I'll be pretty p1ssed off if they are buggered,
but -worst case scenario-
I may have to replace them, the 2 options I have are the varta la80 + 185€ or the vw original (varta) + 272€ each.
My head is saying Varta la80
My heart is saying VW and my pocket is praying for the old ones to come back to life

 

[TripleBee]

Didn't know you were still alive here. I am glad.
Are you sure the earth shunt is still ok?
Did you measure the batteries one by one by disconnecting them?
I'd be supprised they left the building after only 19 years of use.

You could go with original ones, as that would be what I think I would do, but if the non-VW-Varta ones are 1/4 of the VW price (they have gone way up in price), they only need to live for about 5 years to make a profit.

Original VW: 000 915 089 BD = €621,79 here in Belgium. And that times 2.

 

[TripleBee]

I've got this annoying message on the display panel so I removed both of the batteries in order to charge with the ctek,
after about 5 hrs of trying to charge one of them, still on stage 1 on the scale, the red error message appeared on the charger.

Didn't read the first 2 sentences right.
You did disconnect them.

What does your Voltage meter say?

 

[westfalia]

Didn't know you were still alive here. I am glad.
Are you sure the earth shunt is still ok?
Did you measure the batteries one by one by disconnecting them?
I'd be supprised they left the building after only 19 years of use.

You could go with original ones, as that would be what I think I would do, but if the non-VW-Varta ones are 1/4 of the VW price (they have gone way up in price), they only need to live for about 5 years to make a profit.

Original VW: 000 915 089 BD = €621,79 here in Belgium. And that times 2.

Hi @TripleBee, I'm glad that your glad .
I didn't measure with a meter yet, just took them off and hoping they take a charge, fingers crossed.
Maybe they could go into a museum, it could be a record breaker.
I have spotted these that are available and way cheaper than what you have been quoted, looks like the same too.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi @TripleBee, I'm glad that your glad .
I didn't measure with a meter yet, just took them off and hoping they take a charge, fingers crossed.
Maybe they could go into a museum, it could be a record breaker.
I have spotted these that are available and way cheaper than what you have been quoted, looks like the same too. View attachment 135800

Varta LA80 are supplied to VW. My 2014 California had Varta LA 80 s fitted as Leisure Batteries.

 

[TripleBee]

Hi @TripleBee, I'm glad that your glad .
I didn't measure with a meter yet, just took them off and hoping they take a charge, fingers crossed.
Maybe they could go into a museum, it could be a record breaker.
I have spotted these that are available and way cheaper than what you have been quoted, looks like the same too. View attachment 135800

Well, mine are from 2009, so I am on the way. Just hold your breathe.
If you put the batteries one by one on a charger, and nothing changes, they might be really shot.
Did you notice some quick voltage drops while off EHU before they completely died?

I think I found the website you referred to in the picture. One picture shows the previous number with index CD. One thing you will have to look for if you go for OEM batteries is the date stamp on the minus connector.
My original starter battery had time stamp 44/09. This is the last week of october, and my van was produced in november, so that matches quite well.
If the time stamp of the new battery is over 1 year old, the battery can be already compromised from the start.

Oh, always change all parallel batteries at once. Not only one if only one seems really dead, and the other still has some life in it.

Keep us posted.

 

[TripleBee]

Varta LA80 are supplied to VW. My 2014 California had Varta LA 80 s fitted as Leisure Batteries.

Did your van come with the grey Varta batteries? Then the seller will have changed the originals for some none OEM.
Did you buy the van from new, and did you order that van, or did you buy a showroom model?

 

[WelshGas]

Did your van come with the grey Varta batteries? Then the seller will have changed the originals for some none OEM.
Did you buy the van from new, and did you order that van, or did you buy a showroom model?

Brand new, only owner. The 2 x original leisure batteries were Black Varta LA 80s - October 2014.
Replacements were Varta grey LA80s changed after 6 yrs as 1 battery failed to hold charge and heated up when charged. It failed acutely.