Dead battery

[AlanC]

This is what I thought I'm sure Rodger from solar solutions mentioned that once the leisure is fully charged as mine were it then trickled into starter.

I checked my engine battery this week and initially after the EHU was plugged in the engine battery had no charge.
That changed once the leisure batteries had dropped to a trickle charge. Then the engine battery had 13.4 volts trickle charge applied to it.
My van is a 2010 T5.1 Cali.
Alan

 

[Brownbetty]

So I'm still none the wiser, the way I see it,the cause of my dead battery was the electric door being used all the wk it stood still, I only had to charge it for abt 20mins and the van started.
Can anyone tell me for sure wether my starter battery is getting a trickle charge from my leisure batteries once fully charged from solar panel.
I can't believe I have to buy more kit to keep the starter healthy.

 

[WelshGas]

So I'm still none the wiser, the way I see it,the cause of my dead battery was the electric door being used all the wk it stood still, I only had to charge it for abt 20mins and the van started.
Can anyone tell me for sure wether my starter battery is getting a trickle charge from my leisure batteries once fully charged from solar panel.
I can't believe I have to buy more kit to keep the starter healthy.

My starter battery does not charge from my solar panel.
It only trickle charges on Electric Hookup, and this is due to a qwerk in the wiring by VW, not by design.
@Loz made up a lead to charge the Engine Battery whilst on Solar power BUT the lead must be removed before Ignition On.

Battery maintenance during the lock down

Hi all, looking for some advice on maintaining engine starter batteries for our Beach and also other car. I was thinking given the lock down I should get a battery trickle charger. Is it ok to use one of the cigar lighter adapters to charge the starter battery for the van and also my golf...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Post 15 onwards.

 

[TripleBee]

So I'm still none the wiser, the way I see it,the cause of my dead battery was the electric door being used all the wk it stood still, I only had to charge it for abt 20mins and the van started.
Can anyone tell me for sure wether my starter battery is getting a trickle charge from my leisure batteries once fully charged from solar panel.
I can't believe I have to buy more kit to keep the starter healthy.

Do you have a single output solar regulator or a dual?
If you only connect the solar panels to the leisure batteries, your starter battery won't be charged.
If you put your van on the mains, then your starter battery will be trickle charged.

 

[AlanC]

No, it is not.

The trickle charge to the engine battery when on hook-up is derived via the factory fitted mains powered battery charger.

A solar panel fitting supplies a charge current but only to the battery/batteries it is directly connected to. In your case, this will be just the leisure batteries. It is possible to also charge the engine battery but that will require some additional wiring and a dual charge regulator.

A standard battery charger for the engine battery, while we are in lockdown, would be a cheaper and quicker option.

Alan

 

[Brownbetty]

No, it is not.

The trickle charge to the engine battery when on hook-up is derived via the factory fitted mains powered battery charger.

A solar panel fitting supplies a charge current but only to the battery/batteries it is directly connected to. In your case, this will be just the leisure batteries. It is possible to also charge the engine battery but that will require some additional wiring and a dual charge regulator.

A standard battery charger for the engine battery, while we are in lockdown, would be a cheaper and quicker option.

Alan

Just what WG said.
Thanks to everyone for there input, I love being able to have all you knowledgeable people at the press of a few keys, what a great site.

 

[Poppins]

As above by @flying banana and @AlanC . Iif on EHU at home I use a cTek charger plugged into the kitchen mains socket and into the dashboard cigarette socket to charge and condition engine battery.

Hi. I'm intrigued. So you use EHU to feed leisure battery and provide a handy mains socket in the van for your smart charger. That's smart! But can you really trickle charge the vehicle battery via the cigarette lighter socket? Clamping the smart charger croc clips to the leads "from" a cigarette lighter socket? I just want to check I have understood before I try it.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi. I'm intrigued. So you use EHU to feed leisure battery and provide a handy mains socket in the van for your smart charger. That's smart! But can you really trickle charge the vehicle battery via the cigarette lighter socket? Clamping the smart charger croc clips to the leads "from" a cigarette lighter socket? I just want to check I have understood before I try it.

My cTek charger has various charger leads and one is a 12v socket plug and on my T5.1 the pullout dashboard drawer has a live socket powered by the engine battery.

 

[Poppins]

Mine too. I just hadn't thought of sending charge in rather than taking power out that way. I was looking at a Draper charger (Auto Express latest pick) but I will check if the lead can be easily adapted. Thanks for the tip.

 

[pchmlk]

That is such a clever idea, I’ll be doing the same from now on. I use the car day to day anyhow but it’s more convenient to use EHU and this method than extension lead and bonnet up etc.

 

[Poppins]

That is such a clever idea, I’ll be doing the same from now on. I use the car day to day anyhow but it’s more convenient to use EHU and this method than extension lead and bonnet up etc.

CONNECT CIG PLUG

56-263

www.ctek.com

 

[Gliderbee California 6.1]

As above by @flying banana and @AlanC . Iif on EHU at home I use a cTek charger plugged into the kitchen mains socket and into the dashboard cigarette socket to charge and condition engine battery.

On my 6.1, all dashboard cigarette sockets take power from the leisure batteries, so I guess conditioning the engine battery that way is not possible ?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn CPH2581 met Tapatalk

 

[yossarian]

On my 6.1, all dashboard cigarette sockets take power from the leisure batteries, so I guess conditioning the engine battery that way is not possible ?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn CPH2581 met Tapatalk

On your 6.1 the split charge relay should close if you plug in EHU.