Checks to do before we attempt to change our leisure batteries

[Lalala]

Hi

I think our leisure batteries are gone. If i'm honest we didn't know that we had to keep an eye on them. Never did the 24 hour charge every month and just looked at whatever % the overhead control panel showed when camping and only worrying if it got to 20% or the fridge turned off. Thinking back I think there has been a slow decline over the years. Cali is 4.5 years old. Over the past year I've become more aware of maintaining the battery , especially with the lack of camping / driving because of lockdowns. We have started plugging it in etc. but I think the damage was done. Been camping the last few weeks and the battery is not lasting more than a couple of days with fridge on ( level 3), a bit of the parking heater and use of water TAP being the main load on it.

I am going to spend this week monitoring the batteries properly i.e. charge it up for 48 hours then monitor drop in voltage when resting and then under load.

Is there anything else we should do before we bite the bullet and change them? i've been reading forums and there looks to be a fuse on the wardrobe battery that I need to check but not sure i've found good instructions to do this

These seem to be the go to batteries https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/varta/la80/ although we might use Bosch ones instead as we can get a discount fro euro car parts

And these seem to be the instructions to follow https://k3yak.com/vw-california-leisure-battery-replacement/

Anything else we should be aware of? We are not great at electrics / DIY stuff and a bit nervous about trying this ourselves. However our local VW garage want £742 to supply and fit 2 batteries and they didn't instil great confidence when I had to tell them there was a 2nd battery in the wardrobe ( they quoted me for one battery originally)

Also is there a thread anywhere on things I really ought to know as a Cali owner. I also didn't know about the 5 years extended warranty when I bought the vehicle so wondering what other useful ( read expensive) nuggets of info I am missing!

Many thanks in advance

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Hi

I think our leisure batteries are gone. If i'm honest we didn't know that we had to keep an eye on them. Never did the 24 hour charge every month and just looked at whatever % the overhead control panel showed when camping and only worrying if it got to 20% or the fridge turned off. Thinking back I think there has been a slow decline over the years. Cali is 4.5 years old. Over the past year I've become more aware of maintaining the battery , especially with the lack of camping / driving because of lockdowns. We have started plugging it in etc. but I think the damage was done. Been camping the last few weeks and the battery is not lasting more than a couple of days with fridge on ( level 3), a bit of the parking heater and use of water TAP being the main load on it.

I am going to spend this week monitoring the batteries properly i.e. charge it up for 48 hours then monitor drop in voltage when resting and then under load.

Is there anything else we should do before we bite the bullet and change them? i've been reading forums and there looks to be a fuse on the wardrobe battery that I need to check but not sure i've found good instructions to do this

These seem to be the go to batteries https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/varta/la80/ although we might use Bosch ones instead as we can get a discount fro euro car parts

And these seem to be the instructions to follow https://k3yak.com/vw-california-leisure-battery-replacement/

Anything else we should be aware of? We are not great at electrics / DIY stuff and a bit nervous about trying this ourselves. However our local VW garage want £742 to supply and fit 2 batteries and they didn't instil great confidence when I had to tell them there was a 2nd battery in the wardrobe ( they quoted me for one battery originally)

Also is there a thread anywhere on things I really ought to know as a Cali owner. I also didn't know about the 5 years extended warranty when I bought the vehicle so wondering what other useful ( read expensive) nuggets of info I am missing!

Many thanks in advance

It’s quite doable. I disconnected mine recently to change roof sensors. They are very heavy so removing the rear one requires some effort. I needed to buy something like these £11 spline socket set attachments to remove 2 seat bolts. You need a socket set. I wore washing up gloves when touching the contacts. There is a tube attached to both for gases to escape. The control unit will probably throw out an error code but you can clear when finished. Nothing will work until you set the clock probably. The new ones will have to be the exact size.

Silverline 881641 Hexstar Spline Bit Set 40 Pieces​

Good luck.

 

[andyinluton]

the battery is not lasting more than a couple of days with fridge on ( level 3), a bit of the parking heater and use of water TAP being the main load on it.

Might be a silly question, but do you need it to last more than a few days?
If you use the van for weekend trips & use hookup for longer stays, as long as there is sufficient charge to last whilst you go out in the van for the day, why bother replacing the batteries yet?

 

[Haves1979]

We have the same quandary. Ours also last about 2-3 days using fridge, heater, lights etc. Display is down to 12.0v by the end of a trip away.

Given they are OK and not completely dead, weighing up going for a solar panel to keep them going as have a 4 night stay booked soon. New batteries (Varta) from Tayna are currently about £320, or solar for a 100w panel is £500(ish).

 

[Alan Andrews]

Whilst not having any noticeable issues with the batteries holding charge, but continually forgetting to plus in to EHU every month, we decided to invest in a double panel solar kit from Roger Donoghue (on here).

Now installed for around 18 months, we have not had to do the monthly EHU.

The kit we went for is a dual control system, so tops up the 2x leisure plus the engine battery.

It is quite reassuring to see (on the remote control panel) that more juice is injected in to the batteries when parked up and we have the fridge switched on.

We are still to go away for a longish period without EHU but are reassured that providing there is some sunlight, we should be ok.

I installed the kit myself within the day, and Roger does offer to install should you need it.

 

[Lalala]

Might be a silly question, but do you need it to last more than a few days?
If you use the van for weekend trips & use hookup for longer stays, as long as there is sufficient charge to last whilst you go out in the van for the day, why bother replacing the batteries yet?

Not silly and in a normal year I'd choose this option. However it's a bit of struggle finding campsites with EHU over the school holidays this year. We were hoping to head to France and have only recently decided to stay in UK given all the uncertainty. So have booked a bunch of non-electric pitches as that was all I could find.

 

[Lalala]

Whilst not having any noticeable issues with the batteries holding charge, but continually forgetting to plus in to EHU every month, we decided to invest in a double panel solar kit from Roger Donoghue (on here).

Now installed for around 18 months, we have not had to do the monthly EHU.

The kit we went for is a dual control system, so tops up the 2x leisure plus the engine battery.

It is quite reassuring to see (on the remote control panel) that more juice is injected in to the batteries when parked up and we have the fridge switched on.

We are still to go away for a longish period without EHU but are reassured that providing there is some sunlight, we should be ok.

I installed the kit myself within the day, and Roger does offer to install should you need it.

This is something we have also been wondering about. Similar price and an easier install

 

[WelshGas]

We have the same quandary. Ours also last about 2-3 days using fridge, heater, lights etc. Display is down to 12.0v by the end of a trip away.

Given they are OK and not completely dead, weighing up going for a solar panel to keep them going as have a 4 night stay booked soon. New batteries (Varta) from Tayna are currently about £320, or solar for a 100w panel is £500(ish).

Based on what you have said, those Leisure Batteries are fine. Starting the Parking Heater takes a lot of power and repeatedly starting and stopping it is inefficient. Starting it and leaving it run but adjusting the temperature level up or down as required is much more efficient overall. Going for a run in the van on day 2 or 3 and you should be able to last 5 or 6 days no problem. If the voltage drops to 11.5v then Fridge/Parking heater will automatically switch off but lights will still work.

 

[Perfectos]

Try hooking the batteries up to hook up for at least 24hours, cycling the battery a few times to fully charge, then partially discharge Back to 12,6 V

I.e 24 hours on hook up, couple of days no hook up, using fridge etc at home, then 24 hour on hook up. The AGM batteries like being fully charged And cycling them via The in built smart charger (hook up) is an ideal way to condition the batteries.

another way to force a full charge whilst driving, is switch off the coasting function, which increases the frequency that the alternator pumps out the full 15v volts charge to the batteries ( including starter battery) allowing all batteries to be topped up fully.
similarly, when driving switch on heated seats or something similar to cause a draw on the system that prompts the ECU to divert the alternator power to charge the batteries, priority is given to the leisure batteries when driving, when full the stater batteries is then charged.

get yourself an inexpensive 12v extension with in built voltage monitor so you can keep an eye on battery health and get an idea what the alternator output is at any given time which is a good indicator of whether the starter battery is being charged or the leisure batteries, you will also see the effect of the start stop charging when the altenator pushes out 14,9 - 15.1 volts for a short period whilst under breaking or whilst engine is breaking under normal conditions (coasting turned off)

something similar to this allows you to plug into any onboard 12v socket to see battery charge. It is also a good indicator as to when the van is in Regen whilst driving. Has a switch to turn off the power supply when not needed

 

[scamp]

Whilst not having any noticeable issues with the batteries holding charge, but continually forgetting to plus in to EHU every month, we decided to invest in a double panel solar kit from Roger Donoghue (on here).

Now installed for around 18 months, we have not had to do the monthly EHU.

The kit we went for is a dual control system, so tops up the 2x leisure plus the engine battery.

It is quite reassuring to see (on the remote control panel) that more juice is injected in to the batteries when parked up and we have the fridge switched on.

We are still to go away for a longish period without EHU but are reassured that providing there is some sunlight, we should be ok.

I installed the kit myself within the day, and Roger does offer to install should you need it.

We installed two of Roger’s panels earlier this year. Whilst they are constantly charging the leisure batteries, the problem is that the leisure batteries don’t appear to be holding the charge anymore. We have a California T5 (2007), so we think that it’s time to change the batteries.

 

[WelshGas]

We installed two of Roger’s panels earlier this year. Whilst they are constantly charging the leisure batteries, the problem is that the leisure batteries don’t appear to be holding the charge anymore. We have a California T5 (2007), so we think that it’s time to change the batteries.

At 14yrs old you could be right.

 

[Ting Tong]

The 2 batteries are connected in parallel, so be careful when removing one not to let the terminals touch each other or +ve to the chassis as it’ll short the other battery and fry the connecting loom.

 

[David Eccles]

I have same dliemma...VW now have said leisure battery not holding charge long is cos they are 10 years old!!!
Control panel basically shows
12.3 when 70% > 12.8 when 100%
Drops from 100 to 70% quite quickly (no use) and stays like that for 4 or so days b4 I drive or EHU
drain is -0.2% (display unit)
VW want £617 + vat to replace and fit
Battery is £227 = vat
Am going to live with it over summer and decide in Oct
Is there a critical low charge % whereby roof may not function?
Could I get it cheaper at non VW dealer? Would it be done properly?

10 years is pretty good but cost to replace more than I want to fork out at the mo! delaying the inevitable...

 

[andyinluton]

Is there a critical low charge % whereby roof may not function?

Apart from a warning gong, there is nothing to stop you starting the engine to boost the batteries when you operate the roof. Or if on hook up, do it whilst still plugged in.