Closing roof - please start engine

[Spud]

Hi, we have just returned from a trip around Europe some 2500 miles. Average drive around 200 miles, no electric hook up as not needed. When closing roof we had to start the engine every time - apart from when we had ehu to see if the problem still happened - it didn't. So does that mean that the ehu is charging the battery better than the engine and is it the fact that the battery is not holding the charge it is receiving from the engine?

 

[Yelekreb]

I had this. Think it means the battery is low. I didn't get the warning on hook up or when batteries well charged.

 

[Skylark2.0]

I thought you had to start the engine to put the roof down.

 

[WelshGas]

EHU can fully charge the leisure batteries, but the Alternator cannot taking them only to about 80-85%. Also the priority for the alternator is the engine battery then the leisure batteries.
You were only covering 200miles/ day so probably insufficient to charge up the leisure batteries to 85%.

 

[WelshGas]

You do not have to start the engine to put the roof down, but you do have to switch the ignition on.
See Handbook.

 

[Skylark2.0]

You do not have to start the engine to put the roof down, but you do have to switch the ignition on.
See Handbook.

We were told to turn the engine on to shut the roof when we bought the Cali so we have been. Usually we open it on arrival at a site.

 

[WelshGas]

You can if you wish, but the only actual requirement is Ignition On.

 

[Alan]

The way I see it is there's more energy drain coming from engine battery if starting engine every time you have to lift and close roof for the short space of time envolved
No doubt I'm wrong!

Alan

 

[Skylark2.0]

The way I see it is there's more energy drain coming from engine battery if starting engine every time you have to lift and close roof for the short space of time envolved
No doubt I'm wrong!

Alan

That's what I thought. Ignition only next time.

 

[Spud]

Thanks everyone, we always sleep upstairs so the roof is opened straight away when parked up and shut when moving on, only ignition on. Sometimes we were driving for 4-5 hours , sometimes more then 200 miles, only using ignition just didn't work to close, apart from when we had EHU we've never had this before, so maybe a new battery???

 

[Hotel California]

One "can" operate the roof by just turning the contact on.
But it is "better" to operate the roof with engine runnin .
I try to open my roof before turning of the engine arriving on site and it is the last thing i do leaving a site afther starting the engine to depart....
That way i tread my battery better....
But sure there will be again others saying this is unnessecary and just operate the roof without the engine running ....some while later they inform here why theire battery needs changed afther only two year....?
Each there own , read other treads and draw your conclusions.

 

[WelshGas]

Which battery? Leisure or Engine? Because as has already been mentioned the Electro hydraulic roof will re-tension automatically without the Ignition being On.

So exactly what happens when the Ignition is switched On? Does the roof mechanism use all 3 batteries? Or does the Ignition just allow the Control Panel to activate the Roof Mechanism using the Leisure Batteries as a power source?

I don't know. Does anyone know?

In the Handbook there is No Mention of requiring the engine to be running, only the Ignition On.

 

[Hotel California]

Roof operation runs on starter battery in engine compartment.

 

[WelshGas]

So when it Auto corrects the tension after 10 hrs it does so without the Ignition being On?

So why do you have to switch Ignition on to put the roof Up or Down normally?

Confused!!!!!!

 

[Bluestone]

If the roof is operated with the engine battery, then you could either have the engine running or not (doesn't make any difference - see below) - I will look up the specs and have a look at the wiring diagram later and get to the bottom of this I would doubt if the roof takes much power - it's hydraulic after all so just running a tiny hydraulic pump (well it says it's hydraulic!!).

I did well over 2500 miles in one go with no electric hook up and never had to start or run the engine to put the roof up or down, and most times putting the roof up in the dark, so headlights on, interior lights on etc. (the ones which run off the main engine battery of course not the rear ones) but this was in a spanking brand new Cali SE, batteries will degrade over time and the main engine battery is not deep cycle so doesn't like going below optimum voltage - as with start stop, the ECU will make sure there is enough grunt to start the Cali and needs quite a few cranking amps being diesel and all that

I would say that in the near future and new engine battery will be required - depends how hold and how many miles the Cali has done, but engine batteries don't last forever and the Cali is particularly harsh on them - it's a toss up, run the engine at all times for power - with the extra fuel, emissions and damage to the environment etc. - or replace the battery every so often I'll be replacing the battery and trying to preserve the planet as much as I can

 

[Alan]

Yes Bluestone,I have noticed a slight difference in terms of the van batteries speeding to full charge after charging even though insignificant
I can still wild camp 4 to 5 days without hook up and that's on a 2.5 year old van
I've mentioned it before,my 13 year old (ex)Transporter is still running strong on it's original battery

Wish I could get fitted up with new batteries sometimes

Alan

 

[Bluestone]

I can still wild camp 4 to 5 days without hook up and that's on a 2.5 year old van

That's really good going and shows you're looking after the leisure deep cycle batteries well

13 years for a engine battery is pretty damn good as well!! A lot depends on the ambient temperature - too hot or too cold can have a pretty dramatic effect on battery life.

I used to go through one every year on my Landy as I forgot to charge the damn thing DOH - that gets expensive especially as I hardly use the thing - I have a permanent EHU for it now

 

[Bluestone]

Well there's no detailed wiring diagram in the download section I'll have to look over the weekend and see what I can find

 

[robo]

I think the key needs to be in the ignition to prevent mishaps.

 

[WelshGas]

It would be interesting to know if the Ignition having to be ON is just a safety thing to stop sticky fingers playing with the roof, or is infact required to switch in the engine battery, as if you have the engine ON then there is always an alarm sounded if the roof is up before you can close it.
I could see the point of an alarm if you started the engine and placed in gear or took off handbrake while the roof is Up.

 

[Freeley]

I'm pretty certain the roof is powered by the leisure batteries as after operating it if I'm quick when cancelling the display it shows a large draw being taken from them

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[WelshGas]

So 2 opinions.

Does anyone know 100% is it Engine or Leisure battery?

As the base vehicle is a T5 I would have thought the roof would be powered from the Camper electrics but why the Ignition ON function?

 

[Freeley]

If it was a BMW I'd say ring the dealer and ask them....but seeing as its a VW it might be a waste of time!

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[Kaydee]

The roof doesnt rely on the engine battery,it relies on one of the leisure batteries,the thing is ,as one of you said,with time the batteries degrade slightly so.....
Park up,get on your ramps if you need them ,then put the roof up with the engine running,the generator bypasses the batteries and it simply avoids you pulling a lot of juice out of your leisure battery.If you are on hook up its not an issue but if like us you spend a couple of weeks touring around often without hookup its just easier to put the roof up before you kill the engine and put it down with the engine running just before you drive off.That way you keep the leisure batteries at maximum and you dont have to worry about getting messages saying "start engine.
After all you only put the roof up when you arrive( presumably with your engine running and then put it down when you leave ,again with your engine running.
All the best

 

[GrannyJen]

As with Kaydee..

For me it is all academic as I pull in, stop, pop roof then turn engine off. Just me being a non-technical dumbo that has no idea where the power to elevate and lower the roof comes from and no wish to diminish the charge in any of the batteries anyway.

I find, for me, it is also innate, just one of those things that says "I'm home, I've stopped, open roof, switch off engine".