Additional batteries charging

[Brianandjoy]

we have a two year old California Ocean that we have just bought. We have tried charging the additional batteries through the mains socket on the side of the van for twelve hours as it says in the manual, When we disconnects the central control panel says the battery is fully charged. After a day with nothing running, they are only showing half charged, are the batteries faUlty or is this something not to worry about? We don’t know how long the van was standing at the VW van centre before we bought it, Could the batteries have been damaged by being possibly allowed to get low over a long period. Eight weeks ago the van was delivered to us from a two hundred mile journey so that should have put some charge into the batteries, We have only just started to use it as we kept it off-road until April.

 

[Loz]

If they were left flat they could be ruined now. As you just bought it have them changed under warranty.

 

[AlanC]

Was there any current discharge showing on the control panel when you noticed the batteries were at 50% charged? If so there is something still switched on. This could be the fridge, although there is a LED to show this is on. Or possibly the 230v AC inverter which could be powered if a two pin plug is left in the socket behind the passenger seat.

Is there anything left in the 12v sockets around the van? USB adapters use a small current even when they are not in use.

If you are sure everything is off, then give the batteries another a long mains charge, 24hours if possible.

If the same happens again, the batteries are likely to be damaged and need replacing.

Alan

 

[MattBW]

Even with the fridge on it shouldnt flatten the battery in a day. 2 years old should have warranty still so may be worth asking.

Additionally there is a fuse between the two batteries, worth checking that is ok as if it blows the capacity will be greatly reduced.

 

[Brianandjoy]

Where is the fuse please!

 

[MattBW]

I believe it is on the rear battery red terminal.
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/fuse-on-positive-leisure-battery-terminal.19122/#post-220228

 

[MattBW]

If you can take a separate volt reading from each battery too to check the voltage is matching that will also help. If one battery is higher than the other it will lose charge into the weaker battery.

 

[Loz]

Where is the fuse please!

 

[B J G]

If you can take a separate volt reading from each battery too to check the voltage is matching that will also help. If one battery is higher than the other it will lose charge into the weaker battery.

Batteries would have to be disconnected first or the fuse removed as mentioned above.

 

[WelshGas]

If the Cube Fuse " S " blows then the 2nd Leisure Battery is removed from circuit so you only have 1 battery for the Habitation Electrics.
If the Leisure Batteries had been allowed to drop to very low levels then the vehicle driven the power supplied by the Alternator might have been sufficient to blow this fuse.
Either way the Batteries are not performing as they should. Warranty Claim.

 

[Brianandjoy]

I tried to get the battery out to check the fuse but it’s impossible to get hold of it to lift it over the lip,I don’t want to lever it up as it will scratch the edge of the case,there’s hardly any room because of the electrical box above

 

[Hotel California]

I tried to get the battery out to check the fuse but it’s impossible to get hold of it to lift it over the lip,I don’t want to lever it up as it will scratch the edge of the case,there’s hardly any room because of the electrical box above

You do this using a plaster spatel (correct translation?)or thin sheet of metal

 

[motacyclist]

You do this using a plaster spatel (correct translation?)or thin sheet of metal

A broad scraper was a tip I saw.

The batteries were totally flat on our new van because someone had left something turned on in the showroom, probably the same has happened to yours.

 

[WelshGas]

I tried to get the battery out to check the fuse but it’s impossible to get hold of it to lift it over the lip,I don’t want to lever it up as it will scratch the edge of the case,there’s hardly any room because of the electrical box above

Use a paint scraper under the front edge of the battery and slide the battery up it. It will come out. Plenty of slack on the leads.

 

[Brianandjoy]

Well after loads of struggling,I took the rear bed shelf out which was a lot easier,I managed to get the battery out like you said sliding it on a wide paint scraper,there isn’t a mm of extra room,the battery vent pipe gets well squeezed.The fuse is ok,screwing the plastic nut down I tried to be very careful with the very thin centralising collar underneath it but managed to crack it off ,I presume it’s just to centralise the lead and isn’t vital I hope.So it looks like new batteries hopefully under warranty.I did try the fridge on for a few minutes and it rapidly went down from 40 to 30%

 

[Brianandjoy]

i got the battery out to check the fuse as I am having battery problems not holding charge although only 18 months old.To check the fuse I undid the plastic nut on top of the fuse,underneath the nut is a plastic collar that fits into the lead hole,as careful as I was when doing up the nut the plastic collar shattered.The question is what purpose did it serve and have I now bypassed the fuse as if the terminal underneath touches the bolt the nut fits onto will it bypass the fuse.Can you get replacements for the plastic nut and how do I avoid shattering it again

 

[Loz]

i got the battery out to check the fuse as I am having battery problems not holding charge although only 18 months old.To check the fuse I undid the plastic nut on top of the fuse,underneath the nut is a plastic collar that fits into the lead hole,as careful as I was when doing up the nut the plastic collar shattered.The question is what purpose did it serve and have I now bypassed the fuse as if the terminal underneath touches the bolt the nut fits onto will it bypass the fuse.Can you get replacements for the plastic nut and how do I avoid shattering it again

The plastic insert washer keeps the cable lug central and stops it touching the post and bypassing the fuse, whether you have bypassed it or not depends on whether the lug is touching the post..
I think the washer comes with the fuse so you could just buy another for its washer and keep the fuse as a spare?

 

[Brianandjoy]

i checked the fuse on the battery under the wardrobe but in doing up the plastic nut I cracked off the collar underneath that stops the lead touching the battery terminal bypassing the fuse.Can you buy a new nut and how do you avoid breaking it again.I tried to be very careful doing it up,it was done up very tight to start with so how do I know how tight to tighten it without breaking it

 

[SimonB]

i checked the fuse on the battery under the wardrobe but in doing up the plastic nut I cracked off the collar underneath that stops the lead touching the battery terminal bypassing the fuse.Can you buy a new nut and how do you avoid breaking it again.I tried to be very careful doing it up,it was done up very tight to start with so how do I know how tight to tighten it without breaking it

Do you mean the one from this thread? https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/fuse-on-positive-leisure-battery-terminal.19122/

 

[Brianandjoy]

Yes,I tried to post another thread on it but it takes you to another post of mine

 

[Brianandjoy]

I’ve ordered another nut they cost about £7. I hope I can fit it without breaking this one

 

[Brianandjoy]

Van is back at the dealers today,they say they have tested the batteries and they are ok ,they are charging them up,the batteries might seem ok but that doesn’t explain how they are losing 10 to 20 % a day when fully charged this % rate drops as the charge gets lower

 

[jts46]

Van is back at the dealers today,they say they have tested the batteries and they are ok ,they are charging them up,the batteries might seem ok but that doesn’t explain how they are losing 10 to 20 % a day when fully charged this % rate drops as the charge gets lower

what van do you have, as avatar says looking to buy?

 

[Brianandjoy]

California Ocean 18 months old

 

[westfalia]

they are losing 10 to 20 % a day when fully charged this % rate drops as the charge gets lower

What do have turned on when they lose that ?