Beach Leisure Battery - Charged on Hookup?

[helmguy]

Hi,

We have a 2014 Beach with Hookup. We spent a week on a campsite recently on hookup and with the fridge/coolbox running from an internal 12v socket. The fridge ran for about a day or so before turning off, I assume because of the leisure battery voltage dropping. Running the car's engine would bring it back to life so that's obviously topping up the leisure battery.

I had thought that the leisure battery was also charged when on hookup but that wasn't happening for us.

Does anyone know for sure if it should charge on hookup? Is so we may have duff charging system.

Or does it just not charge at all form hookup. If so that would mean using the fridge if you're on a campsite for more than a night pretty useless. I guess I could get something like CTEK charger to plug into the 240 socket in the van and charge the leisure battery. I'd just assumed this function was built in!

Any help appreciated.

 

[Hotel California]

Don't know on a beach but in a SE the mains in the back must be ON to have electr. from hook-up ....otherwise you'r just staying on lesure bat.

 

[helmguy]

Sorry not sure what you mean by the "mains must be on"? The 240 socket works fine when on hookup.

 

[Hotel California]

On The SE there is a MAIN switch for safety ....that needs to be ON others it's not letting the 220v12v thru the curciut....
On a beach must be diffrent ....never mind
So if the 220v plug works the there is prob a default on the 12v plug...
Did you try anything else in it then the cooler?
Maybe a safety that turn off things preventing the batts. to drain?

 

[helmguy]

Yeah the 240 socket is on when the hockup is connected. No switch that I'm aware of.

The 12v was working for things like mobile phone chargers even when the drive would turn. Bu that draws way more power In guessing.

I put a volt meter in the 12v socket and removed then reconnected the hockup. If the 12v was being charged then I'd expect the voltage to go up to maybe 12 or 13v when the hockup is connected. It didn't which makes me thing that either there is no charging circuit or its not working. Not sure which it is.

 

[Bramco]

I thought the leisure battery was charged on hookup. We have a dual voltage fridge though, so plug into the 240 socket when hooked up but leave it in the 12v socket when travelling or not on hookup.

Time to get the old manual out methinks.

 

[helmguy]

I thought so too and I wish the manual helped but it doesn't. I mentioned a charger hiddent away in the trim somewhere (no access panel) but that could be for the engine charging the leisure battery rather than the hookup?

 

[estresao]

In thr Beach the hookup only charge the leisure battery, it doen's charge the main battery.

In your case I think the battery charger is not working. Maybe it's because a fuse. When using the hookup you should have 13v or more in any 12v connection but the lighter, which it's connected to the main battery.

 

[helmguy]

Where is the charger situated?

 

[Bramco]

I think there's a chunk of electronics in the hole to the left of the boot, almost exactly inside where the hookup is located on the outside. I had assumed this was the inverter and charger.

Simon

 

[estresao]

Not sure about the charger, but actually is there where the main switch is located.

 

[helmguy]

I'll take look in the boot. Thanks.

 

[Hotel California]

Not sure about the charger, but actually is there where the main switch is located.

So is there actually a MAIN switch ? He don't seem to know for sure...
Beach owners..?

 

[Bramco]

Helmguy, back to your OP, why do you run the fridge on 12v on hookup, can't you plug it into 240v?

I will also be interested to know where the charger is as well - hope someone can explain where all the bits and bobs are on the Beach for the hookup.

 

[helmguy]

There may be a main RCD switch but it must be on and working as our 240v socket is working fine.

What I'm actually looking for us the charger, if one exists.

We have a cool box that came from VW with our van when we bought it and its only got a 12v lead.

 

[snowy55]

On an SE there is a twin circuit breaker. I thought one did the 240 socket the other the battery charger and inverter.

 

[helmguy]

"On an SE there is a twin circuit breaker. I thought one did the 240 socket the other the battery charger and inverter."

Ah that would possibly make sense. I'll stick my head in the tool compartment later today and see what I can see. I did have a quick look one before but couldn't see anything.

 

[Bramco]

We use a dual voltage fridge that I got from lidl which fits behind the passenger seat. I think Aldi have similar ones on offer at the moment as well as the gas canisters that fit in the cheap single burner stoves, camping tables etc.

 

[helmguy]

Sure I could just buy another fridge but sort of thought the one that cone from VW with the ran should work ok ;-)

So will try to see if there's a problem that needs fixing first.

 

[snowy55]

"On an SE there is a twin circuit breaker. I thought one did the 240 socket the other the battery charger and inverter."

Ah that would possibly make sense. I'll stick my head in the tool compartment later today and see what I can see. I did have a quick look one before but couldn't see anything.

Bizarrely when you look at the switches up and red is on, down and green is off!
Which to my old brain is the wrong way round.

 

[helmguy]

So in Germany do they stop at green lights and go through red? ;-)

 

[Bramco]

Helmguy didn't want to suggest you replaced a perfectly good item, just thought anyone else browsing might like to know.

 

[helmguy]

Right just had a good look in the tool compartment at the back where the hookup is. The IS an RCD there with one switch. That's obviously to trip the 230v if something shorts etc. There's 2 cables coming from there and down the van being all the trim. One must be up at the socket behind the passenger seat. I have no idea where the other one goes. Possibly to a charger bu who knows?

 

[Cumbrian_Cali]

So in Germany do they stop at green lights and go through red? ;-)

Green is safe (isolated from the supply), red is for danger

 

[helmguy]

Yeah got that. I was being funny ;-)