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

[JULIANLISMORE]

On a 2011 Cali SE the inverter is located under the fridge....
Open the round plastic cap in the left sliding door under the cooker

Many thanks for that Hotel California. Forgive my ignorance but is "inverter" the same as battery charger?

I think I've found it, immediately under the refrigerator and above the fridge compressor. Not easy to get at but I've managed to check that the plug is fully connected.

Unfortunately that hasn't solved the problem of why batteries don't seem to charge on electrical hook-up.

 

[Hotel California]

Indeed , talking about inverter and batt.charger we are talking the same things.
It changes 220v in to 12v and puts it in the batteries , and feeds the plugs in the campingpart behind the front seats backwarts
Are you sure the main switch in the rear wardrobe is ON / green
Does a plug-symbol is visible on the controlpanel ?

 

[JULIANLISMORE]

On a 2011 Cali SE the inverter is located under the fridge....
Open the round plastic cap in the left sliding door under the cooker

Sorry, I thought I had replied but don't see it posted. I'm not very familiar with the mechanics of participating in this forum.

Anyway, thank you hotel california. Do I take it that an "inverter" is the same as a battery charger?

I've found a black box under the 'fridge (above the compressor) and the plug seems to be securely in place, so that would appear to eliminate that possible fault.

Any other suggestions as to why the battery symbol on the control panel flashes on and off whether the electrical hook-up is connected or not and no two-pin plug symbol is displayed?

 

[Raggedroy]

The unit located under the fridge is the battery charger and not an inverter. You could call it a rectifier but that's getting picky. A rectifier converts AC alternating current to DC direct current (battery charger) sort of. I'm not sure where the inverter is located but it converts DC to AC for the 2 pin Euro socket near the passengers seat.

 

[JULIANLISMORE]

The unit located under the fridge is the battery charger and not an inverter. You could call it a rectifier but that's getting picky. A rectifier converts AC alternating current to DC direct current (battery charger) sort of. I'm not sure where the inverter is located but it converts DC to AC for the 2 pin Euro socket near the passengers seat.

Thanks for that explanation Raggedroy. If I remember at least I'll get my terminology right next time.

 

[Bigted]

Had the battery charger in my beach replaced - same problem in the fact it was not charging the battery. Tech said that there was a very low output voltage but not enough to charge. All done under warranty - now just waiting on the 2 internal trim panels they managed to damage to arrive to be fitted - dealers!!!!!

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry, I thought I had replied but don't see it posted. I'm not very familiar with the mechanics of participating in this forum.

Anyway, thank you hotel california. Do I take it that an "inverter" is the same as a battery charger?

I've found a black box under the 'fridge (above the compressor) and the plug seems to be securely in place, so that would appear to eliminate that possible fault.

Any other suggestions as to why the battery symbol on the control panel flashes on and off whether the electrical hook-up is connected or not and no two-pin plug symbol is displayed?

Have you checked to see if there are any Diagnostic Codes on the central Control Panel?
Switch Control Panel ON.
Press R lower button and hold it down while pressing in the Control Knob for a few seconds.
A hidden menu appears. Scroll down to show the VW Diagnostic Codes.
Write any codes down and then select Clear Codes.
Turn Off Control Panel and after 30 seconds turn back ON.
Plug Mains Lead in. Any change.
If No change, were there any codes? What are they?

 

[JULIANLISMORE]

Have you checked to see if there are any Diagnostic Codes on the central Control Panel?
Switch Control Panel ON.
Press R lower button and hold it down while pressing in the Control Knob for a few seconds.
A hidden menu appears. Scroll down to show the VW Diagnostic Codes.
Write any codes down and then select Clear Codes.
Turn Off Control Panel and after 30 seconds turn back ON.
Plug Mains Lead in. Any change.
If No change, were there any codes? What are they?

Many thanks Welsh Gas.

I think that things may have sorted themselves out (somehow). Having charged main starter battery with a separate charger and then made the electric hook-up again the control panel is showing that the leisure batteries (or at least one of them) are/is charging as they/it should. Anyway I shall take note of the sequence of actions you recommend for use if I hit this kind of problem again.

Incidentally, is it possible to detect whether one or both leisure batteries are charging?

Hopefully all's well that ends well, but it's been a bit of a bummer today and prevented me from getting the van to the mainland for a booked MoT test.

Thanks for all advice received.

 

[WelshGas]

Many thanks Welsh Gas.

I think that things may have sorted themselves out (somehow). Having charged main starter battery with a separate charger and then made the electric hook-up again the control panel is showing that the leisure batteries (or at least one of them) are/is charging as they/it should. Anyway I shall take note of the sequence of actions you recommend for use if I hit this kind of problem again.

Incidentally, is it possible to detect whether one or both leisure batteries are charging?

Hopefully all's well that ends well, but it's been a bit of a bummer today and prevented me from getting the van to the mainland for a booked MoT test.

Thanks for all advice received.

I think you can only test the leisure batteries separately, under load. If 1 is faulty then both should be replaced.
The charger on your vehicle is capable of charging both Leisure Batteries and trickle charge the Engine Battery, but not if it is flat.
If the Engine Battery was flat then you should investigate the reason.
You said you last used the vehicle in October?
I presume you have plugged the vehicle into the mains at least monthly for about 24 hrs at a time , as stated in the VW Handbook, since October as that should keep all batteries charged. Don't forget the vehicle alarm can cause a flat engine battery after about 6 weeks.
Allowing any of the batteries to get very flat can significantly shorten their life span. If these are original batteries then they could be getting towards the end of their life and require replacement.

 

[chris mid]

The system should switch over to charge all of the batteries automatically. There are no switches to change.

Check the following things.

Your cable is OK, but has the breaker on your supply post tripped?

Provided you have checked the breaker in the back cupboard is on (up) and have checked it is functioning properly when the van in hooked up by pressing the test button, (it will flip down, push up to reset it) then power is getting to the van. I have found this is very sensitive and will trip if something is plugged into the mains socket that it doesn't like. Make sure nothing is plugged in when you hook the Cali up initially

Double check power ie on the van by plugging something (phone charger?) into the 13 amp socket on the end of the kitchen unit. If OK, then power is getting to the van and being distributed.

Than narrows it down to one of two things, it could either be the flight panel or the charger at fault.

On the flight panel look to see if there is a 2 pronged icon displayed (bottom right always and top middle too, if the battery display has been selected) when the power is hooked up. If so then that is OK

The leaves the charger.

Another thread found the charger was unplugged from the mains. This is located under the fridge. It can be seen by peering through the access hole in bottom left side of the left hand cupboard under the hob unit. You will need to get down on your knees to do this. Check the IEC mains plug is fully home.

If that all fails, then it will be a visit to the local VW Van dealer.

Hope that helps.

Alan

Hi Alan,

Just wanted to say Thanks for your post. Finally got to the bottom of my charging issues, the IEC mains plug was not only disconnected, but coiled up as if never used!!

Because I have had my van exported to Australia (where they don't sell Cali's) there is nobody to ask/take the van to when I get issues. So a big thanks to you AND all the contributors to the forum, it's a priceless source of info for me

 

[Gigio1000]

Hello, Granny Jen I'm writing to you because I'm having trouble finding you on your own. With motor off absorption 0.0 A, with negative amperage motor -10A, - 15A and sometimes with the word "overload".
My cali is 2010 and therefore should not have the problem of the "shunt" right? ps. I changed the 2 service batteries and also the special fuse on the rear battery but I did not fix anything.
How did you solve it?
I look forward to your advice

 

[Victor_Tango_]

Could anyone tell me if this is unusual behaviour, or just something I've not noticed before...

When on hookup, the control panel is showing the battery symbol when the fridge is off or at the right temperature (i.e. compressor not running).

When the fridge compressor comes on, the display changes to the "two fingered salute" EHU/charging/plug symbol.

It doesn't seem to be related to how much current is being drawn - e.g. if I charge a phone from the 12V and turn some lights on, the battery symbol remains. Only when the compressor comes on does it change to the plug symbol.

I'm getting mains power to the 240V socket all the time, regardless of the symbol.

(The batteries are also being charged by a solar panel).

Dodgy charger? Mine is under the fridge, above the compressor. I've had the panel off and everything seems to be connected, but then I don't really know what I'm looking for. The kettle lead is pushed in as far as it'll go.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ignaceb]

Have you checked to see if there are any Diagnostic Codes on the central Control Panel?
Switch Control Panel ON.
Press R lower button and hold it down while pressing in the Control Knob for a few seconds.
A hidden menu appears. Scroll down to show the VW Diagnostic Codes.
Write any codes down and then select Clear Codes.
Turn Off Control Panel and after 30 seconds turn back ON.
Plug Mains Lead in. Any change.
If No change, were there any codes? What are they?

As you can see, I am new to this forum.
We own our Cali since 2014.
This summer, for the first time, we had this issue:
On a camping on Ile de Noirmoutier, France, normal summer temperatures, despite we were hooked up, after a couple of days, the battery was empty, the display was showing the battery-icons.
I checked fuses (under left front seat and in rear cupboard), disconnected the mains and reconnected them after a while: the display was showing the plug-icons, the battery voltage and load current… and after some waiting the mention of a 100% load.
Next inspections: 90% load, 80% load, … and display showing battery-icons (despite we were hooked up!)
Next inspection: fridge dead, battery low, … same display (despite hookup).
Disconnected the mains and reconnected them: same story.

Had anyone this same issue?
After reading the forum it seams I have to investigate the connection between main and battery charger or perhaps the controller of the battery charger fails…

 

[WelshGas]

As you can see, I am new to this forum.
We own our Cali since 2014.
This summer, for the first time, we had this issue:
On a camping on Ile de Noirmoutier, France, normal summer temperatures, despite we were hooked up, after a couple of days, the battery was empty, the display was showing the battery-icons.
I checked fuses (under left front seat and in rear cupboard), disconnected the mains and reconnected them after a while: the display was showing the plug-icons, the battery voltage and load current… and after some waiting the mention of a 100% load.
Next inspections: 90% load, 80% load, … and display showing battery-icons (despite we were hooked up!)
Next inspection: fridge dead, battery low, … same display (despite hookup).
Disconnected the mains and reconnected them: same story.

Had anyone this same issue?
After reading the forum it seams I have to investigate the connection between main and battery charger or perhaps the controller of the battery charger fails…

Was the Mains Power icon on the Control Panel, was it On all the time, or was it showing on initial plugging in the Mains Power and then disappearing?

The Plug Icon L lower.

 

[MattBW]

There is also a fuse between the two leisure batteries I seem to recall? Is that a possibility?

 

[Ignaceb]

Was the Mains Power icon on the Control Panel, was it On all the time, or was it showing on initial plugging in the Mains Power and then disappearing?

The Plug Icon L lower.

View attachment 24222

Thank you for this reply.
We use the control panel in battery-status mode.
The mains power icon shows (center top + bottom right) until maximum load is reached.
After that the battery icon shows (center top + bottom right) and the load value decreases…
I don't know at what value loading normally starts again: 99%? 90%9 75%?
In our case loading only starts after a "hard reset": mains plugging out & in.
A faulty controller in the charging unit?
Is this controller a separate module?

 

[WelshGas]

Thank you for this reply.
We use the control panel in battery-status mode.
The mains power icon shows (center top + bottom right) until maximum load is reached.
After that the battery icon shows (center top + bottom right) and the load value decreases…
I don't know at what value loading normally starts again: 99%? 90%9 75%?
In our case loading only starts after a "hard reset": mains plugging out & in.
A faulty controller in the charging unit?
Is this controller a separate module?

The Mains Icon should be on All the time. As it is not I think you have a Faulty Charger. It should be checked out. The Charger, for your vehicle, is , I believe, located above the Rear Leisure Battery in the base of the rear wardrobe, accessed via the hatch on the Left side of the boot compartment.

Part number for the Charger is
7H7915681B

http://www.ebay.de/itm/VW-T5-GP-T6-...egeraet-Ladegeraet-7H7915681B-2-/371904888075

 

[SailSki]

Reopening an old thread, but I thought that my experience might help some others.....
Just tried charging from hook up at home for the first time having got our Ocean a few weeks ago, and had 230v at the van end of the hookup lead but no plug icon appearing on the control panel and no electricity coming in.
Checked the circuit breaker in the rear cupboard (triggering correctly) and based on earlier thread content checked that the plugs under the sink were properly connected.
A trip to the very helpful team at Lookers near Guildford and the California technician found that the plug for the charging circuit above the leisure battery at the base of the wardrobe was not properly aligned - he said he has had a few come in with a similar issue, and by accessing from the panel at the base of the wardrobe in the boot it needs the plug to be pulled out and carefully put in straight. Sometimes they come out of the factory misaligned and may work intermittently but over time they tend to separate and then....no charging.
All working fine now.

 

[Hotel California]

Reopening an old thread, but I thought that my experience might help some others.....
Just tried charging from hook up at home for the first time having got our Ocean a few weeks ago, and had 230v at the van end of the hookup lead but no plug icon appearing on the control panel and no electricity coming in.
Checked the circuit breaker in the rear cupboard (triggering correctly) and based on earlier thread content checked that the plugs under the sink were properly connected.
A trip to the very helpful team at Lookers near Guildford and the California technician found that the plug for the charging circuit above the leisure battery at the base of the wardrobe was not properly aligned - he said he has had a few come in with a similar issue, and by accessing from the panel at the base of the wardrobe in the boot it needs the plug to be pulled out and carefully put in straight. Sometimes they come out of the factory misaligned and may work intermittently but over time they tend to separate and then....no charging.
All working fine now.

Thats what @WelshGas is referring to in #29 on the 2nd page of the thread

 

[SailSki]

Dohhh, thanks HC - lots of posts in the thread and I must have looked straight through it ....