Battery not charging from hook up!? help.....

[WelshGas]

Have you checked the Control Panel diagnostics for any error messages and resetting it.

Press Lower R button + Knob together for a few seconds until the hidden menu appears. Scroll down to Diagnostics.

 

[rich-s]

Thanks - No fault found though. But had a very comfortable nights sleep.

 

[rich-s]

As an update, heading back into Heritage Bristol in a week or so. I'm told they haven't come across this issue before. However they said they will order a new charger so that hopefully they'll be able to diagnose and fix in one visit.

 

[petec]

Hi I got my new Cali in March and experienced same problem that Batteries not charging on Hookup. I found that the problem was caused by the power lead to Battery charger not being pushed fully in . Go to access panel on trim below the wardrobe. Remove battery charger power lead ( looks like kettle plug ) and then refit ensuring its fully pushed in - mine now works a treat.

 

[WelshGas]

Same thing happened to me "petec ".

 

[rich-s]

Pleased to report that Heritage Bristol fitted a new charging unit yesterday. Batteries now charging from hook up.

 

[CaliPuds]

I've read this thread with interest, and a couple of other threads relating to charging the leisure battery.

I am now puzzled and wonder if anyone can shed any light as to what is happening in my situation:

- I am on hookup
- I have power from the 3 pin socket by the sink (can boil a travel kettle)
- The plug symbol is displayed in the control panel and it is not flashing
- When running the diagnostics on the control panel it returns no error

So all would appear fine, except that it doesn't appear to be charging my leisure battery, which is showing a percentage of 40% or 50% even after several days on hookup. The rest of the display shows 12.0 V and -0.2 A.

How can I tell for sure that the hookup is charging my leisure battery please?

Thanks.... Susi

 

[GrannyJen]

Well my Cali is back at SMG for about the 27th time to try and find out why is sometimes charges, sometimes does not and sometimes quits half way through.

Not a huge problem but a pretty big irritant as it's off the road for another week.

Still, I have to pick Mother in law up in a weeks time so I can tell her to stop talking as it upsets the electrics

Alternatively I could ask her to breath on the batteries and they will be supercharged ....

 

[WelshGas]

The Control panel should be showing 14+ volts when on Mains and charging. See the Control Panel picture in the post above yours.
Your Leisure Batterries are NOT being charged.
One simple thing to check.
At the back of the Cali, base of the wardrobe, there is a panel. Remove it. Look inside. You will see one of the leisure batteries and above it the charger. There is a BLACK mains plug, like an electric kettle plug, make sure that is well and truly pushed in completely. Re connect to mains and see if your Control Panel is now showing 14+ volts.

 

[snowy55]

12.0 V and -0.2 A.

Looks like your leisure batteries aren't charging, if they were charging it would read more then 12v (volts) and read a number not - number A (amps)
Do the volts go higher and you loose the negative on the amps when the engine is running and you get the "G" symbol instead of the "plug" symbol, then if so the leisure batteries are charging from the engine
Is the vehicle under warranty, may be a trip to the dealers.

 

[CaliPuds]

The Control panel should be showing 14+ volts when on Mains and charging. See the Control Panel picture in the post above yours.
Your Leisure Batterries are NOT being charged.
One simple thing to check.
At the back of the Cali, base of the wardrobe, there is a panel. Remove it. Look inside. You will see one of the leisure batteries and above it the charger. There is a BLACK mains plug, like an electric kettle plug, make sure that is well and truly pushed in completely. Re connect to mains and see if your Control Panel is now showing 14+ volts.

GrannyJen: comiserations on many levels!!

Thank you WelshGas, and for confirming what it should be showing in the control panel if it were working properly.

I did try wiggling the plug earlier as I read your advice in a few of the other posts. I've just tried it again and taken the plug out and put it back in. Still no joy... 12V showing.

Is there meant to be a gap (of 1-2mm) when the plug is pushed in, or should it be flush? (Mine has a slight gap, hope the photo shows this as I had to use my lantern to take it!)




Thanks... Susi

 

[CaliPuds]

Looks like your leisure batteries aren't charging, if they were charging it would read more then 12v (volts) and read a number not - number A (amps)
Do the volts go higher and you loose the negative on the amps when the engine is running and you get the "G" symbol instead of the "plug" symbol, then if so the leisure batteries are charging from the engine
Is the vehicle under warranty, may be a trip to the dealers.

snowy55: thanks for the reply, came in as I was posting my other reply to WelshGas.

Yes I get the G symbol when I start the engine so it does charge from the alternator just not the hookup, and yes it's a brand new vehicle (I'm the odd one who keeps sleeping on the drive and hasn't been anywhere yet!)

Thanks... Susi

 

[GrannyJen]

Mine showed the "plug symbol" and was not charging.

Now it's more blatant and does not show the plug symbol and does not charge.

So far I am on my third CCU, my second charger unit and countless relays. SMG and VW technical are mystified. You may have the same problem. Want to borrow my mother in law? One quick breath and the whole vehicle is recharged, also glows green in the dark

 

[WelshGas]

I think a visit to the Dealer is required.

 

[CaliPuds]

I think a visit to the Dealer is required.

I think I might have to borrow GrannyJen's mother in law as a first option

The thought of a frustrating dealer visit this early on in my Cali life is a bit too depressing to contemplate. I shall go for a drive tomorrow instead. I suppose in the grand scheme of things it's not the biggest snag in the world, since if I drive it the alternator charges the leisure battery and if I'm on hookup then I have electrics. But it obviously needs to be addressed at some point...

Thanks for your input, if anyone has any other ideas (or can confirm whether that kettle type plug fits in a flush way or a 2mm gap way) I'm all ears!

 

[snowy55]

My plug looks about the same.

 

[CaliPuds]

Many thanks snowy55. I won't try to wiggle it any further in then

 

[CaliPuds]

Just by way of an update, it's still not fixed, grrrr.

I took it into the main dealer last week and they diagnosed a problem with the charging unit. Today it went in to have a new charging unit fitted. I was absolutely assured that it was all tested and working (and contrary to my better instincts I didn't insist on making them prove it at the workshop), drove it home, plugged in the hookup, still not charging the leisure battery which has happily sunk from 100% to 80% in 2 hours and the control unit is not showing volts higher than 12.5v.

I am in despair and waiting for them to call me back. Did I say grrr? Grrrrr.

 

[GrannyJen]

Go back and mention two little words:

Earth shunt:

I went from:

Fridge switching off and on ... traced to 240v charging symbol displayed but batteries low and seemingly not being charged..

Control unit replaced: Batteries would charge then mysteriously stop charging on 240V but this time the control panel would at least tell me that things had stopped charging.

Charger replaced: Ditto the above.

No charging at all: Another new charger plus various relays:

Back to intermittent charging, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, but never holding.

Now, as of last week: Earth shunt replaced. So far all working sweetly. VW Customer service are fully conversant with the problem as both myself - often, and SMG - when asked, have been telling them.

The earth shunt apparently, amongst other things, relays back to the control panel to display state of charge so if it is intermittently on the blink then logically so would the control panel information be haphazard.

 

[WelshGas]

So they still haven't solved the problem? Or was their a fault with the earthing point on your?

 

[CaliPuds]

So they still haven't solved the problem? Or was their a fault with the earthing point on your?

WelshGas is your question to me or to GrannyJen?

GrannyJen, thank you, I will mention those 2 words, but at the moment they have filed me under "irritating female" and have gone into denial, so I think a call to VW customer service might be in order. I am also wondering whether I am better off taking it to SMG as they actually seem to care?

 

[GrannyJen]

It appears the cause of all the problems going back for over a year was the earth shunt.

I had to leave it with SMG for two weeks so they could eliminate everything back to the earth.

 

[GrannyJen]

Irritating female?

I think I was branded as totally off the wall, technically dyslexic, nagging harridan female until I took it to SMG.

It is a new vehicle. It should work. If it doesn't work then it should be fixed. Call VW Service, complain about the dealers and take it to one that cares. I would even ask VW customer service which of their dealers they would recommend as the ones who are dealing with it at present appear to be totally devoid of interest.

 

[WelshGas]

GrannyJen, as this Earth Shunt was a problem on earlier California's as it was an inadequate earthing point. So was just asking was it this or a fault on just her vehicle.

 

[jts46]

So my write up (earth shunt repair) in the download section may be still valid.!!!!!

John