Flat Battery - Advice Please!!

[T6 CFO]

Thanks for update.

They’re great gizmos. Rescued one Cali and a neighbour so far with mine.


Mike

 

[SimonB]

Thanks to everyone for the posts!!

By way of an update - I took EddieEagle's advice and checked the different sockets by watching whether the ampage dropped on the control unit each time I plugged in my phone (if it drops - assume that socket runs of leisure battery NOT engine battery).

I discovered that (in my 2014 140 SE) the only socket that uses engine battery is the one in the ash tray. I also have an extra socket on top of the dash (not sure how common this is) - which is also powered of the leisure battery. BUT I had my phone hooked up to the APP Play on the Pioneer Infotainment system, which presumably drained the engine battery.

I also think that I heard somewhere that as it's got the Bluemotion Stop/Start feature, the main battery isn't always charged by the alternator but instead waits until it's low on charge before kicking in (so not to waste unnecessary power during charging). So from what i understand, you can be 'unlucky' if the battery happens to be at a low point in this cycle when you pull up and set up camp.

Anyway I have also purchased this jump starter for piece of mind

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01ESJ34II/?tag=vwcalifornia-21

It comes in a box and is really small - so I guess I never have to worry again.... er right?

Anyway, thanks again for all the support as ever.

Your wiring is just how our T5 was. The one on top of the dash was from the Leisure battery, but the one on the end of the kitchen unit was from the engine battery. I had this changed to the Leisure battery.

My understanding is that the alternator charges the main batter up to 80% of full capacity only in order to leave some space for the power generated from the regeneration via braking. Blue Motion Tech.

Do make a note in a diary, or wherever to check the charge on your jump start every few months, even if you don't use it. Mine was down to 55% when I checked it last.

 

[MattBW]

It shouldn’t be. I’ve used the Brandrup AirSafe on many occasions, the
longest for 5 days in Italy. It went off after about 10 minutes. No problems starting.

No Hookup.

My experience is that if a door isn't closed properly then these lights may not turn off. I had an incident recently I was camping, but the lights were still on after 15 minutes. Turned out one of the doors (slider) wasn't closed properly. Opened and closed and they went off within a few mins.

 

[WelshGas]

My experience is that if a door isn't closed properly then these lights may not turn off. I had an incident recently I was camping, but the lights were still on after 15 minutes. Turned out one of the doors (slider) wasn't closed properly. Opened and closed and they went off within a few mins.

Don’t know about the others, but Tailgate partly open with the AirSafe still allows the rear boot light to go off after about 10 minutes.
Mind you the first thing I do when arriving on-site is Switch the cabin lights to Off.

 

[WelshGas]

Your wiring is just how our T5 was. The one on top of the dash was from the Leisure battery, but the one on the end of the kitchen unit was from the engine battery. I had this changed to the Leisure battery.

My understanding is that the alternator charges the main batter up to 80% of full capacity only in order to leave some space for the power generated from the regeneration via braking. Blue Motion Tech.

Do make a note in a diary, or wherever to check the charge on your jump start every few months, even if you don't use it. Mine was down to 55% when I checked it last.

I leave mine plugged into the Leisure Circuit and use the USB sockets it has to charge phones. Mind you mine is also a Daily Driver and has a Solar Panel.
Seems to stay at 100%.

 

[AlanC]

Thanks again everyone - One last question!!

Is there a simple way of finding out which socket runs off which battery?

Thanks loads.

The fuses for the 12v sockets in the leisure area are under the passenger seat. Three blue 15amp ones all sitting together if I remember correctly.

Then the easy way is to use a USB adapter plug with a LED in it and pull each fuse in turn, plugging the USB adapter each of the the sockets to see which one is is dead.

There are fuses under the dash below the pull-out tray. These cover lots of stuff, but there is a legend on the down load section which will indicate what each 15amp fuse is for.

Alan