Cali Stops Charging leisure battery from the mains.

[Duckling68]

I seem to have a problem when charging the leisure battery from the mains.

When I connect the mains plug to the van the plug symbol shows on the display and the voltage starts to rise but after a couple of hours with the fridge turned on it then decides to no longer charge and drains the battery down, I have checked the lead and also used another one which I have just to make sure.

If I disconnect the lead from the van and then plug it in again it then start to charge again, at the moment I am trying to charge the van without the fridge turned on to see if will fully charge and maybe the fridge is causing the problem.

Anyone else had something similar happening.

 

[Duckling68]

Ok

I have now tried to charge without the fridge turned on but the same problem is happening,once it gets to a certain point in the charge cycle it just seems to cut off and the battery drains down the only way to start the charge again is to remove the plug wait 10 seconds and then put it back in.

If I run the engine everything seems to work fine so I'm thinking that the mains charger is faulty ?

 

[Freeley]

Ok

I have now tried to charge without the fridge turned on but the same problem is happening,once it gets to a certain point in the charge cycle it just seems to cut off and the battery drains down the only way to start the charge again is to remove the plug wait 10 seconds and then put it back in.

If I run the engine everything seems to work fine so I'm thinking that the mains charger is faulty ?

I've had this happen on occasion in fact prior to our recent bank holiday trip. I just put our down as one of those things.
I've got it charging at the moment as we're off again tomorrow so will check before I go to bed.
If yours does it all the time then I'd definitely get it looked at, it's not going to do the long term health of the leisure batteries any good if they never get a full charge cycle.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[swigle]

I had similar happen although my batteries didn't charge on hook up at all. The plug symbol did not display on display panel. Charged ok when driving. End result was battery charger replaced under warranty - this involved the Cali being in at the VW van centre for 5 days while they investigated / fixed. Kitchen unit had to be removed to replace the charger (it's under the fridge).

 

[Freeley]

I had similar happen although my batteries didn't charge on hook up at all. The plug symbol did not display on display panel. Charged ok when driving. End result was battery charger replaced under warranty - this involved the Cali being in at the VW van centre for 5 days while they investigated / fixed. Kitchen unit had to be removed to replace the charger (it's under the fridge).

Checked mine this morning and it wasn't charging :
Ours is no longer in warranty - anybody got any idea how much a charger replacement would cost.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Duckling68]

I had similar happen although my batteries didn't charge on hook up at all. The plug symbol did not display on display panel. Charged ok when driving. End result was battery charger replaced under warranty - this involved the Cali being in at the VW van centre for 5 days while they investigated / fixed. Kitchen unit had to be removed to replace the charger (it's under the fridge).

I would say I have an intermittent charger as it did charge last night. Best I get it booked in next week before it causes any more damage to the batteries. 5 Days

 

[sidepod]

I've no idea how much a T5 Cali item will cost but I replaced my Westfalia genuine charger last year at a whopping 500 Euros !
It's obviously not simply a standard battery charger as it does both leisure and starter battery indepenedantly and, moss importantly it's silent when running. No annoying hum that you get with a standard battery charger.

Are you sure it stops charging?

When I plug in to the mains I get the plug icon on the control panel. This only remains for a short while. Only after several hours when the batteries are fully charged does it return.

Have you confirmed the lack of charging with a meter?

S.

 

[sidepod]

I've just re-read the original post.

If you're charging with the fridge on you'll be pulling around 4 amps (fridge is 50w approx divided by 12v). I don't know what spec the battery charger is but if the batteries are drained then you'll be struggling to keep up.
When plugged into the mains the fridge still only runs off the output side of the battery charger, not directly off the mains.

S.

 

[Duckling68]

I've no idea how much a T5 Cali item will cost but I replaced my Westfalia genuine charger last year at a whopping 500 Euros !
It's obviously not simply a standard battery charger as it does both leisure and starter battery indepenedantly and, moss importantly it's silent when running. No annoying hum that you get with a standard battery charger.

Are you sure it stops charging?

When I plug in to the mains I get the plug icon on the control panel. This only remains for a short while. Only after several hours when the batteries are fully charged does it return.

Have you confirmed the lack of charging with a meter?


The reason I know that the batteries were not charging.

I had returned from driving the van & had 100% battery showing on the display I had pluged the mains lead in and checked the control panel to see that the plug symbol was showing and locked the van, two days later when we went to use the van and the batteries were completely drained to the point of killing the display and having to reset the time date etc.

 

[Freeley]

I've no idea how much a T5 Cali item will cost but I replaced my Westfalia genuine charger last year at a whopping 500 Euros !
It's obviously not simply a standard battery charger as it does both leisure and starter battery indepenedantly and, moss importantly it's silent when running. No annoying hum that you get with a standard battery charger.

Are you sure it stops charging?

When I plug in to the mains I get the plug icon on the control panel. This only remains for a short while. Only after several hours when the batteries are fully charged does it return.

Have you confirmed the lack of charging with a meter?


The reason I know that the batteries were not charging.

I had returned from driving the van & had 100% battery showing on the display I had pluged the mains lead in and checked the control panel to see that the plug symbol was showing and locked the van, two days later when we went to use the van and the batteries were completely drained to the point of killing the display and having to reset the time date etc.

Plugged mine in last night after a weekend away just to check. Plug sign on the display came on and was charging.
Looked this morning and it wasn't charging and leisure battery readout was showing 80% as before.
Annoying.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jts46]

I've just re-read the original post.

If you're charging with the fridge on you'll be pulling around 4 amps (fridge is 50w approx divided by 12v). I don't know what spec the battery charger is but if the batteries are drained then you'll be struggling to keep up.
When plugged into the mains the fridge still only runs off the output side of the battery charger, not directly off the mains.

S.

Are you sure about the fridge running off 12v when connected to mains. When i did the earth shunt i am sure i removed a 240v connector from the fridge?

 

[sidepod]

That would mean the fridge is a two way unit, mains when plugged in then switching over to 12v DC when running without hook-up.

You can get three way units that have a gas power option too.

I didn't think they were that complex?

A wiring diagram will settle it

S.

 

[sidepod]

http://www.gobookee.net/get_book.php?u= ... 5pYSAyMDA0

Nope. Fridge is 12v DC only.

I suspect the 240v connector you removed was that off the charger unit, located under the fridge?

S.

 

[dfps]

Hi

my post is not strictly on topic but is related.

When charging from the mains, what Amps should the leisure batteries show when they have fully charged from mains.
My van has just been connected to mains and is showing 7 amps but I am not sure what it should show when fully charged.
Can someone please enlighten me.

Thanks

 

[calikev]

Hi David the amps are what's being drawn from the leisure battery with everything turned off it should read 0 amps once you turn on something like the fridge it should go upto about 5 amps
The heater when started will take upto 20 amps and then settle down to about 7 or 8 I hope this helps.

 

[dfps]

Hi Kev,

Thanks very much for the reply and explanation.

On that basis I will need to check why my Cali is showing 7 amps because as far as I am aware eveything was switched off.

Is there any way of telling when the leisure batteries are fully charged ?

Should I be checking something on the digital controller ?

As you can guess I'm a bit of a novice : )

I was hoping to find out all these things at one of the meetings and have a good chat with other cali owners but due to work commitments haven't been able to get to any.

 

[calikev]

Hi David are you sure it's not 0.7 amps :?: I have just checked mine when I power up the control panel it fluctuates between 0.0 amps and 0.2 amps but when the light goes dim the amps drop to 0.0 and stay there so you must have something drawing power. Have you got the door open with any lights on? If not I'm not sure what's on. As for knowing if the battery is fully charged
I find that if I plug into the mains and charge them for a day or so the readings on the control panel decrease alot slower than if I just rely on the vans generator to charge them. Vw reccomend you charge from the mains at least once a month. That's the best way to keep the batteries at their best. I hope this helps you understand a little better.

 

[dfps]

Hi Kev,

You were correct.It was showing .7 amps not 7 amps.

I did however leave my van connected to the mains overnight.The next day I switched on the heater with no engine running.
The display flashed 70/80% battery.
With the heater running and no engine switched on that figure went down to 30% in a few minutes.I presumme these figures were the battery charge levels and not something else ?
Does this suggest that the leisure batteries are not holding their charge or is it normal for the heater to drain the batteries that quickly. ( I guess not ).
My van is a 2007 model and I suspect the leisure batteries are original ( now way of knowing for sure )
Is there an easy way to test the batteries to see if they are failing to hold a charge ?
I do have a multimeter if someone could tell me what to do with it. ( no not that !!! )

 

[calikev]

Hi it sounds like to me you have one of two problems either your batteries are past their best or you have the dreaded earth shunt problem. With the heater on does the control panel flicker :?:

 

[dfps]

Hi Kev,

Thanks for the reply.

No the display panel doesn't flicker.

I think I may need to get my batteries tested first before worrying about the earth shunt.
I was hoping to find a way to do this myseldf rather than take to a garage.
I will try to google it.

Thanks again

 

[Andresz]

Hi Kev,

Thanks for the reply.

No the display panel doesn't flicker.

I think I may need to get my batteries tested first before worrying about the earth shunt.
I was hoping to find a way to do this myseldf rather than take to a garage.
I will try to google it.

Thanks again

Flickering refers to the bluish backlight rather than the LCD display of central panel, is the blue light flickering in the initial stage of heating or not?

When it shows 30% what is the voltage (also from the display) with heater or fridge on ?. Does the heater work when it shows 30%?
In general, the percentage display is unreliable and nothing to worry about as long as all is working fine.
The sign of batteries being fully charged is the loading current at level below 1 Amp.
The batteries lifetime is 6-7 years though.

 

[Mark_Dyche]

I had a similar problem on recently puchased 56 reg Cali. It would show the battery was charging but loooking later would show that it was disconnected and the fridge was drain the battery. If I started the engine in this state I did not get the warning beeps which I do get if the plugged in sign is displayed. Turning off the mains at source (so nothing disturbed in the van), then on again then the plugged in sign lights and the battery is charged, but come back later and its off line again. Some times it would run for a few hours before going off line. I took it to local dealer and they said one of the leasure battteries was defective. I was sceptical that this could cause the fault but changing the battery is quite simple, and, I'm sure, much cheaper. Since then I have not had the going offline problem, have left van plugged in for a week, with fridge on, and it stays online. Could the battery charger detect a failing battery and go offline? I would be nice if it had some way of telling me!

 

[Iain&Shani]

Hmmmmmmmm
I came on here tonight as we've had this problem whilst in France for the last month!! :censor
With our driving to and between sites the leisure battery (lb) was initially showing 100% charge on arrival. We were on hook-up and after 4/5 days the fridge is switched off by the control panel; something it is supposed to do when the lb reaches 20% charge (your heater won't work either; apparently it is designed that way to protect your lb as once they go flat they are boogared!)
My understanding is that the fridge is 12v only and when you are on hook-up the lb is continually topped up so running it for days shouldn't be a problem.
My first thought was that because the ambient temperature was pretty hot the fridge was working overtime to cope but as we progressed further north and to slightly milder climes it should settle down but ........... nope! The lb was still being drained by 20% each day.

On reading through this thread it would appear a phone call is needed!

 

[robertoew]

I had the exact same problem. When i plugged to the electricity, after a few hours the battery stopped charging. I went to the VW assistance and they replaced the battery. Now that problem seems to be fixed, but now there's another one: when i disconnect the electric cable the battery drains very fast! After a few minutes is 90% and after a few hours is 30% or less!!! I suspect there is also some kind a problem with the charger! I'm now in vacances with my cali, but once I return I'll go again to the assistence. Any way, I leave here a question: cali has the battery aux, is there a component responsable for the charge? Like some kind of BMS? Thanks

 

[Mark_Dyche]

I think the battery charger is under the fridge, so not too easy to get at. Since posting above that replacing one of the leisure batteries appeared to solve the pronblem I have had one further occurance. The cali was in full sunlight so was quite warm inside. Does the battery charger have an over temp detector?
I think I might change the other leisure bat, although it tested Ok. I think it will be the same age as the one replaced. Other than VW, does anyone know where to get one? When I looked a little time ago, I could not find one that is the right physical size. Thanks