Can you leave your Cali Plugged in all the time to Charge the Batteries?

[66tim99]

When you say “ run to zero “ , was that the Control Panel % or the Control Panel Voltage?

%

 

[yossarian]

what happens if you run the Lesuire batteries to empty ?

The link is in my earlier post.

 

[WelshGas]

%

The % is virtually a “ guesstimate “.

What was the actual voltage?

 

[AlanC]

Searched for and cannot find the answer to my question.
6.1 Ocean, what happens if you run the Lesuire batteries to empty ?
Are they both AGM, so they are gel right? Or wrong?
If you run them to empty, can you recharge them with no issues?

Sorry, it is wrong.

AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat i.e. the electrolyte is soaked into a fiberglass mat which is compressed between the battery plates. It is still sulphuric acid but doesn't spill.
In a 'wet' or 'flooded' battery, the sulphuric acid is liquid and therefore spillable.

GEL batteries are a different construction where the electrolyte is suspended in a thick silica gel.

This document from the New Zealand Varta site is useful.

You must never run any battery to empty be it Flooded, AGM or GEL. This will damage the battery and shorten its life substantially.
The leisure batteries should last you around 10 years or more if looked after as the discharge load is lighter and there are two of them.
The engine battery, although designed for deep discharge, will do around 8 years in my experience.

I can't comment on the new 80% charge system as my older Cali didn't have it.

AGM Batteries vs. Gel Batteries | VARTA® Automotive Batteries | Clarios

AGM Vs Gel Batteries - Compare the differences and simlarities to help decide which is the best battery for your application and lifestyle.

www.varta-automotive.com

Alan

 

[Californication69]

View attachment 104619
The link is in my earlier post.

Can you add link please.
What is the key to the colours?

 

[yossarian]

Can you add link please.
What is the key to the colours?

Characteristics of Lead Acid Batteries | PVEducation

www.pveducation.org

The graph shows cycle life vs depth of discharge. Pink 100% dod, green 50% dod and blue 30% dod.

Cycle life is usually determined in batteries as the point where only 80% of capacity remains. This implies the battery being oversized by 25%.

Oversizing more than this improves cycle life in two ways:

• Reduction in dod.
• Battery still usable with more than 20% degradation.

 

[vwcaliforniacornwall]

My main concern about plugging the Cali in on a regular basis is that at some time I would probably drive off with it still plugged in. On my EV it wouldn’t let you do that of course but I presume that the Cali would.

 

[Hawthorn37]

My main concern about plugging the Cali in on a regular basis is that at some time I would probably drive off with it still plugged in. On my EV it wouldn’t let you do that of course but I presume that the Cali would.

The van makes it very clear to you that it’s plugged in, both dash message and a loud audible warning! We also back this up with a high tech gizmo - hand written note on an old envelope on the drivers seat.

 

[66tim99]

The % is virtually a “ guesstimate “.

What was the actual voltage?

I don’t know tbh. When I saw the warning I was disappointed with myself and just wanted to get it charging. Should have made a note…
You think there’s a ‘reserve tank’ for such accidents?

 

[yossarian]

You think there’s a ‘reserve tank’ for such accidents?

Yes, VW seem to show 50% soc as 0% 'battery'. The two main problems with deep discharge are:

• Sulphation - mitigated by charging asap and keeping the battery at float.
• Excessive charge rate warping the plates, mitigate by using the vans ehu or by switching on electrical equipment to limit battery charge rate.

 

[R_Sargeant_CH]

I was surprised that my leisure battery had gone down to 38% without even using it for a few weeks. That battery has a different chemistry to the main car battery. It is a deep discharge type and so can be drained and recover. The main starter battery cannot. In the light of this observation I am going to plug the car into the mains more often to charge it. Those batteries are expensive.

On our 22 Ocean, the main and leisure batteries supplied by the factory are absolutely identical.