Battery Charger

[J0Xd4E]

Hi All

In the California exclusive, when you are on hookup, does it charge the starter battery as well? I was wondering how much I can use the stereo without draining the battery.

 

[zennorboy]

From information I have gathered from the wise and experienced members of this forum, I believe the leisure battery provides power to everything behind the front seats and the engine battery provides power to everything in front of the front seats. When the vehicle is on hook up and the leisure battery is fully charged, the system then charges the engine battery.

As I said, this information has come from this forum (it's all there somewhere), but I have never been able to confirm this in my VW California manual...but then again, I might not be looking in the right place.

Not sure this helps much, but it might prompt the wise and experienced among us to confirm or deny the above.

 

[J0Xd4E]

Thanks for that, I guess I should get the meter out and attach it to the starter battery when on hook-up to confirm.

 

[WelshGas]

I believe that the ability for the charger to trickle charge the engine starter battery was a function introduced post 2006. I would suggest that you check to confirm this.

 

[GrannyJen]

I do believe there is a charge goes through but then I'm a cautious old biddy and believe in the mantra of engine off, everything running from starter battery off.

There is more than enough leisure battery power to run my Bose, my iPad, my modem, my spotify, my lights, my oven, my fridge and my washing machine/tumble dryer to risk being able to move the vehicle when needed.

Oh! My dishwasher? He runs on beer

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

The answer is 'probably'. (I have this argument with @sidepod too often!) The later Westy's (after about '93?) also charge the cranking battery when on hookup, so being an exclusive it probably does this. Someone like @T4WFA should be able clarify. As stated above, it's easy to check with voltmeter on the cranking battery.

 

[J0Xd4E]

Thanks for all the replies, clear as mud now! I got the voltmeter on the battery and it certainly wasn't charging at that time. The solar panel controller was flashing which indicates the leisure battery is full, but I guess it depends on the logic in the charger as to when it might charge the starter battery (if at all). So not particularly conclusive.

 

[2into1]

Someone like @T4WFA should be able clarify. As stated above, it's easy to check with voltmeter on the cranking battery

Mine doesn't. I didn't think any T4s did, as even (!) the first T5's didn't. I'll double check mine again, but pretty sure (99%) it doesn't.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

some do, some don't. Pod's does, mine doesn't - both are using OEM chargers.

All seems a bit haphazard!

 

[ArcticMatt]

Mines a 98 exclusive and the last owner had this fitted from the 240v socket behind the drivers seat and ran it down next to the fuse box. It probably needs to be wired in somewhere properly but for now I can assume mine never charged the main battery on its own

Untitled by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

 

[Loz]

Depending on what split charge system is installed you may be able to charge both if you hook up just before you switch if the engine.

Most modern split chargers use voltage sensing to look for a rise in battery voltage then join both sides together and stay connected until voltage drops below a set level. If you hook up before switching off, the voltage may not drop enough for them to separate. Just needs some experiments with a volt meter to assertain what can be achieved.