Beach Leisure Battery - Charged on Hookup?

[MattBW]

I was told when I bought mine that EHU and charger was standard from 2014 T5. I think 2016 they made it an option again on the T6.

 

[zeratul]

Can't get access to this guy that was so sure about the charger being absent anymore...
I'm now trying a different strategy. Contacting a different garage and asking them to have the "faulty charger issue" fixed under VW warranty. I have an appointment for end of april.

 

[WelshGas]

Can't get access to this guy that was so sure about the charger being absent anymore...
I'm now trying a different strategy. Contacting a different garage and asking them to have the "faulty charger issue" fixed under VW warranty. I have an appointment for end of april.

Nice one.

 

[flying banana]

double pole c.b is up under the trim where the jack is. almost where you plug in your hook up.you need to use a mirror or get your hand up there. up is on when you feel it. apologies if you already know this.

 

[WelshGas]

Can't get access to this guy that was so sure about the charger being absent anymore...
I'm now trying a different strategy. Contacting a different garage and asking them to have the "faulty charger issue" fixed under VW warranty. I have an appointment for end of april.

Are you any further forward?

 

[Borris]

I am very impressed with the design of the Beach with several exceptions. Here are two of them:

1. The ridiculous positioning of the circuit breaker. They couldn't have chosen a more inaccessible location. You can't see it or get at it without being double jointed.
2. The complete absence of anything to tell you the current condition of the leisure battery. How much effort would it have taken to have provided the same digital information as provided on the SE/Ocean. Namely battery condition and a symbol to tell you that the vehicle is attached to the EHU and on charge.

Marks out of ten for the current arrangement - 0.

 

[zeratul]

Are you any further forward?

Last monday the car went to the garage for investigating the issue (as well as oil service). When I picked it up, I was told there had been an excess voltage error in the computer and that they'd cleared that. I was skeptical at the time, but the guy that read the letter and handed me the invoice (for the oil service) was not completely up to date. Then I tested when I came home. Battery at 12.8. Connected a light to the 12v socket near the sliding door and left it on for 8hours. Measured voltage 12.18. Waited an hour. Measured voltage 12.30v (stabilizing). Then connected hookup all night. Voltage in the morning: 12.30v.
So called the next day and I have a new appointment, they want the car for 3 days this time, hopefully they'll finally remove the side panel and access the charger there. It's early may.
To be continued...

 

[zeratul]

Update:
The issue is resolved! After removing the side panel, they saw that a connector from the charger had gotten loose..
I wasn't there when they did it and didn't get to see any pictures but I believe this must be it. I'll do a test as soon as I have time. Expect to see a > 13v voltage when on hookup.
Finally...
The garage who fixed it gets my Cali's servicing for the rest of it's life. The garage that denied the charger's presence will never get any visit from me again.

 

[kave]

Great, in fact you should see above 14v when it is charging up and then down to 13 when trickle charging.

 

[WelshGas]

Update:
The issue is resolved! After removing the side panel, they saw that a connector from the charger had gotten loose..
I wasn't there when they did it and didn't get to see any pictures but I believe this must be it. I'll do a test as soon as I have time. Expect to see a > 13v voltage when on hookup.
Finally...
The garage who fixed it gets my Cali's servicing for the rest of it's life. The garage that denied the charger's presence will never get any visit from me again.

Bet it was the Mains plug into the charger. Been mentioned frequently on the SE and Ocean. Pity this isn't part of the PDI check the Dealer carries out.

 

[MattBW]

Slightly bonkers to me that they haven't changed the design as they seem to come out quite easily.

 

[WelshGas]

I d

Slightly bonkers to me that they haven't changed the design as they seem to come out quite easily.

Don't think they fall out. They just don't push the plug home. It's the same plug as used on an electric kettle. Never had one of those fall out.

 

[Max-Felix]

If you don't have a multimeter or just want a simple instant check on voltage in either the vehicle or leisure side or to check charging etc then for the sake of £3 every Cali owner should carry one of these.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122340643064?_trksid=p2057872.m2748.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[MattBW]

I d

Don't think they fall out. They just don't push the plug home. It's the same plug as used on an electric kettle. Never had one of those fall out.

Yeah but your kettle doesnt have to cope with the state of roads today

 

[WelshGas]

Agree.

Yeah but your kettle doesnt have to cope with the state of roads today

Agree. But normally the problem is from the factory. Mine was in the socket by about 3mm. The pins hadn't even connected.

 

[Lee]

Has anybody got any photos as proof of the location of the charger for the leisure battery on the California beach, as I am experiencing the same problem with VW they seem reluctant to remove the full side panel and are claiming it only charges of the alternator. When I bought the vehicle from them I was told by the sales man when on electric hook up the leisure battery's are charged. We have been away a couple of times and use the auxiliary heater and after a couple of uses we have had to start the engine to put charge in the leisure battery. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[andywhite69]

Hi everyone
Currently in France on our first camping trip in our 2017 Beach and getting the “12 volt power is low” message on the infotainment system display.
Still confused by the RCCB thread. Should we be seeing the red bridge or the green one if all is ok with the hookup?
Van is starting ok at the moment but worried that it may not when we want to leave for the UK in 2 days time
Thanks
Andy and Vicky

 

[MattBW]

The charger is definitely behind that panel and should charge from hookup. The statement it only charges from the alternator is false and I’d just point them to the many threads on here. Sounds like you need a better dealer who knows the Cali.

Most common fault is the kettle lead not being pushed in properly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Borris]

Hi everyone
Currently in France on our first camping trip in our 2017 Beach and getting the “12 volt power is low” message on the infotainment system display.
Still confused by the RCCB thread. Should we be seeing the red bridge or the green one if all is ok with the hookup?
Van is starting ok at the moment but worried that it may not when we want to leave for the UK in 2 days time
Thanks
Andy and Vicky

Hello Andy and Vicky,
How much are you using your infotainment system when the engine isn't on? Are you charging your vehicle batteries at least once a month for at least 12 - 24 hours (much better if longer and more often). If you are not on EHU the power hungry info system will drain the main engine battery PDQ. It switches itself off after about 30 minutes to save the battery. If you keep switching it back on then you will eventually receive that message and flatten the vehicle engine battery if you ignore it. If you're on EHU then as far as I am aware it shouldn't be an issue although I think that the rate at which the engine battery is trickle charged from the EHU is far slower than that of the leisure battery.
The position of the main switch in the boot of the Beach to activate power from the EHU is always confusing as the colour coding seems to be the reverse of what you'ld expect. Anyway you can't really see it due to the stupid place that VW have mounted it. However never mind that, the correct position for ON, is with the switch in the up position. Once in that position there is no need to touch it again apart from resetting it after a periodic test. Just plug in the EHU lead and unplug when finnished. Its best to carry a battery voltage tester, one that plugs into the 12v cigarette lighter sockets.

 

[Bramco]

Are you charging your vehicle batteries at least once a month for at least 12 - 24 hours (much better if longer and more often).

But this is a Beach - there's no need to charge the batteries once a month - the leisure battery isn't connected to anything on a Beach unless you have things connected permanently to the L battery.

Charging once a month is surely only necessary on an SE or Ocean where the fridge is always on and uses up the charge.

Also where are you seeing this?

“12 volt power is low”

The message looks like something you'd see from an SE or Ocean, not from a Beach. I don't think there is any message like this on a Beach.

And finally if you are worried about it starting in 2 days time (although this has nothing to do with the leisure battery) just run the engine for 30 minutes and you should be fine in 2 days time.

 

[Borris]

But this is a Beach - there's no need to charge the batteries once a month - the leisure battery isn't connected to anything on a Beach unless you have things connected permanently to the L battery.

Charging once a month is surely only necessary on an SE or Ocean where the fridge is always on and uses up the charge.

Also where are you seeing this?


The message looks like something you'd see from an SE or Ocean, not from a Beach. I don't think there is any message like this on a Beach.

 

[Borris]

But this is a Beach - there's no need to charge the batteries once a month - the leisure battery isn't connected to anything on a Beach unless you have things connected permanently to the L battery.

Charging once a month is surely only necessary on an SE or Ocean where the fridge is always on and uses up the charge.

Also where are you seeing this?


The message looks like something you'd see from an SE or Ocean, not from a Beach. I don't think there is any message like this on a Beach.

I think that you're assuming that the Beach leisure battery gets no use. We and I suspect most other Beach owners use their vehicles all the time for a variety of different things. The leisure battery on our Beach gets used quite often and in any case charging it monthly won't do it any harm. It's better than finding that it's nearlly flat when you eventually get around to using it. The use of lighting and 12volt sockets being used to charge this that and lord knows what in the back as well as the parking heater (I think) and other accessories all pull power from the leisure battery.

The fridge on the SE/Ocean isn't always using power or at least it shouldn't be. When we had an SE the fridge was only activated when we needed it. The rest of the time it was empty and switched off as was everything else on the van. As far as I am aware the only thing using power on a dormant SE/Ocean and Beach for that matter, would be the alarm system and that power comes from the engine battery.

Re that message, it's appeared on our Beach Discovery Infotainment system before as well and referred to the state of the vehicle engine battery not the leisure battery.

 

[andywhite69]

Thanks for all your replies and yes I think we will purchase a voltage tester when we get back Borris

 

[benji]

I can confirm that my MY15 Beach charges the leisure battery (but not starter battery) when on hook-up. This was determined by directly measuring the voltage of each battery with hook-up power on and off.

 

[WelshGas]

I can confirm that my MY15 Beach charges the leisure battery (but not starter battery) when on hook-up. This was determined by directly measuring the voltage of each battery with hook-up power on and off.

I could be wrong but the Engine Battery is Only trickle charged, once the Leisure Battery is fully charged. The Chargers in the Beach and SE/Ocean are the same. So unless your Leisure Battery was fully charged you might not see a rise in voltage on the Engine Battery when on Mains Hookup.