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Leisure battery regular charging at home

Vale46 said:
Exactly that push the passenger seat forward as far as it will go remove the trim panel at the bottom of the seat lift up the rubber battery cover and connect the clips.actually I think my charger had a choice of clips or round terminals I undid each side one at a time and connected the round terminals then put it all back.i have a hook up lead with an rcd and sockets on I plug the charger in then run my fridge etc from the 12v sockets the charger puts more into the battery than my fridge takes out . Also handy to charge the leisure battery at home.
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Thanks, I'll have a look at that when I pick up my California after it has had the "foil" applied to the roof today, it doesn't sound too technical.
 
Vale46 said:
Exactly that push the passenger seat forward as far as it will go remove the trim panel at the bottom of the seat lift up the rubber battery cover and connect the clips.actually I think my charger had a choice of clips or round terminals I undid each side one at a time and connected the round terminals then put it all back.i have a hook up lead with an rcd and sockets on I plug the charger in then run my fridge etc from the 12v sockets the charger puts more into the battery than my fridge takes out . Also handy to charge the leisure battery at home.
Click to expand...

Hi Kev
Which ctek charger did you buy there are that many to choose from.
 
Hi

For the past couple of years since getting my van, I’ve gone away quite frequently and used EHU or charged through a long drive. I’ve just moved home and not been able to get away for over 6 weeks. I’ve just checked the van and the leisure battery is flat (living quarter lights not working) and the control panel looks different to usual (big letters).

Helpful to get some advice on whether this should be expected or if there is a problem. Also am I ok to plug in the ehu from home to recharge it or should I go on a long run or is it now kaput and need to redo my Christmas present list.

Thanks in advance.
 
Julie and Archie said:
Hi

For the past couple of years since getting my van, I’ve gone away quite frequently and used EHU or charged through a long drive. I’ve just moved home and not been able to get away for over 6 weeks. I’ve just checked the van and the leisure battery is flat (living quarter lights not working) and the control panel looks different to usual (big letters).

Helpful to get some advice on whether this should be expected or if there is a problem. Also am I ok to plug in the ehu from home to recharge it or should I go on a long run or is it now kaput and need to redo my Christmas present list.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Plug it in mains to start with .
Have your battery's checked , are they the original (2012) it could be they are over theire best periode...
 
Julie and Archie said:
Hi

For the past couple of years since getting my van, I’ve gone away quite frequently and used EHU or charged through a long drive. I’ve just moved home and not been able to get away for over 6 weeks. I’ve just checked the van and the leisure battery is flat (living quarter lights not working) and the control panel looks different to usual (big letters).

Helpful to get some advice on whether this should be expected or if there is a problem. Also am I ok to plug in the ehu from home to recharge it or should I go on a long run or is it now kaput and need to redo my Christmas present list.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Do you have a SE, your details don't show this information, although as you have a Control Panel I presume you do.
Do you have anything plugged into any of the 12v sockets or the B pillar Inverter socket , any adapters/chargers?
These ALL draw a small current even if not plugged into a phone etc:.
 
Slightly off the subject; reference has been made to certain California that have the ability to 'trickle charge' the starter battery (keep it topped up) from the leisure battery. Is there an easy way of determining if my face lift 2012 can do this. The reason I ask this is that I have recently fitted an outdoor cover to the and whilst it is relatively easy to charge the leisure battery via the external socket to use a battery charger would be a bit of a nightmare. Help very much appreciated as usual.
 
It should do to check put a voltmeter on the van battery to check voltage it should read about 12.6v upwards then plug the van into the mains via the hook up and then measure it again it should go upto about 13v this will verify it
 
Thanks calikev really appreciate the quick response.
 
fozzybear said:
Slightly off the subject; reference has been made to certain California that have the ability to 'trickle charge' the starter battery (keep it topped up) from the leisure battery. Is there an easy way of determining if my face lift 2012 can do this. The reason I ask this is that I have recently fitted an outdoor cover to the and whilst it is relatively easy to charge the leisure battery via the external socket to use a battery charger would be a bit of a nightmare. Help very much appreciated as usual.
Click to expand...
From 2010 certainly and possibly before, when the Cali is on hook-up the on-board charger will charge the leisure batteries fully and then drop to trickle charging all the batteries, including the engine battery.

If your engine battery charge is too low though, this trickle charge current will not be sufficient to fully charge it. Then you will need to use a separate charger on the engine battery for a full charge.

The alternator will charge the engine battery fully first when the engine is running and then drop into charging the leisure batteries as well, as the Cali has a 'split charge' system installed.

As far as I am aware there is no provision for the leisure batteries to trickle charge the engine battery as standard.

Alan
 
Amarillo said:
A brilliant and informative post. Thank you.

Could any harm be caused by maintaining a float charge to 100% on the starter battery with solar?

I can think of several marginal advantages, such as less fear from using parking lights or radio, but are there any downsides?


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu
Click to expand...
Did you get an answer to this Tom, please? I do this. I have solar panels and have always assumed they will keep the batteries charged up enough not to go into deep discharge and get damaged. I never use hook up whilst camping (wild) and never plug in once a month at home. I'm wondering, perhaps like you, if this is OK for the long term health of the batteries?
 
Hi. Just collected our new Ocean. The leisure batteries are very low on charge, we leave later this afternoon for a two night stay with no EHU, how do I charge from home domestic 230v?

(Thanks, stressed)
 
Youll nerd a hook up lead and an adapter, your local caravan shop will have them, if yor hoing on a long trip you'll get a charge. Poor handover from the dealer.
 
Wongo said:
Youll nerd a hook up lead and an adapter, your local caravan shop will have them, if yor hoing on a long trip you'll get a charge. Poor handover from the dealer.
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Thanks, yeah agreed, but long story. Was wondering if the necessary adaptor was supposed to be supplied.
 
Wongo said:
Youll nerd a hook up lead and an adapter, your local caravan shop will have them, if yor hoing on a long trip you'll get a charge. Poor handover from the dealer.
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This "adaptor" whats it called/look like, maybe I can make one with what I have? Is it just a domestic plug wired to a female round socket to plug into the inlet on the van?
 
If you have a local go outdoors. Go there and buy a charging lead which you will need anyway with the 2 blue round plugs on. You can buy an adapter then to plug it in at home to 3 pin socket. You are correct you can make one but the plugs alone are a couple of quid eacj so easier to buy. Club shop has some in for you to look at photos to see what you need. Just type in hook up in the shop search
 
Last edited:
You should get an adapter with European two pin plug in it. Can change for a UK plug.


Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
Anyone know what the EHU draws either Watts and or Amps to charge the leisure batteries?
Lets assume they are at 70%
This is with everything turned off in the van including Fridge, Lights, overhead panel etc
 
Craig Rudge said:
Hi. Just collected our new Ocean. The leisure batteries are very low on charge, we leave later this afternoon for a two night stay with no EHU, how do I charge from home domestic 230v?

(Thanks, stressed)
Click to expand...
yes ours came the same from the dealer
 
campandfly said:
Anyone know what the EHU draws either Watts and or Amps to charge the leisure batteries?
Lets assume they are at 70%
This is with everything turned off in the van including Fridge, Lights, overhead panel etc
Click to expand...
Your control panel would give you that information.
It will show Voltage and current.
So Volts x Amps = Watts.
That will be the power output of the Mains Charger.

The Power Consumption of the Mains Charger, from the EHU, would then be
Watts / 230 Mains Voltage.

eg: Control Panel shows 14.4 volts and + 5 amps = 72 watts.

This is the power output from charger.

Charger consumption on EHU is therefore watts /230v , 72/230 = 0.32 amps.

The Mains Charger is not 100% efficient, as it gets warm when in use, so the current actually used is probably 20% or so greater, possibly nearer 0.4 amps.

nb: The Control Panel consumes 0.2 amps BUT only when the screen is ON. When the screen goes blank power consumption is 0 amps.
 
campandfly said:
Anyone know what the EHU draws either Watts and or Amps to charge the leisure batteries?
Lets assume they are at 70%
This is with everything turned off in the van including Fridge, Lights, overhead panel etc
Click to expand...
I even unplug my front and rear dash cams and sat nav when I’m not using the van. The draw just from these can flatten the batteries quite quickly.
 
Pete_Hampton said:
Good tip.

We get a useful warning message and a 'ping ping' from the camper console in our MY18 if you fire up the ignition with the EHU cable still connected.
Click to expand...
That should be the same for any cali.. my 2008 had a warning message and beeping noise as does my 2017 … same as if you leave the roof up ..
 
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