GC600 battery charging whilst drivinG

[simonizzy]

Just changed Cali for a GC600. When the GC is on EHU or left on drive in sun the battery gets to 100% however we are off grid in cloudy wales and despite doing a 4 hour drive yesterday the battery doesn’t get beyond 70%. I have tried the battery charge boost button which made no difference. We have fridge on level 2 and no other real
On the Cali even with 2 batteries a 2 hour drive would fully charge
Anyone else monitored this ?

on an un related ( hopefully) subject does anyone know how to turn off the front footwell lights as they don’t seem to be linked to the courtesy light switch. Our side door really needs to be slammed and if not shut properly The’s foot well lights remain on

thanks

 

[Jaime_es]

Same issues

 

[Eber123]

Hello,

Well, that is also a mystery to me.

The way I understood is that:

• Charging camper through EHU - full leisure battery charge - 100%
• Solar panel and sunshine ( ) - full leisure battery charge - 100%
• Only charge from camper alternator - almost full leisure battery charge - 80%

So far so good. I tried the "boost button" a few times, but beside not engaging the "start - stop system" and higher revs there seems no difference. If I remember right I never managed to fully charge the leisure battery through the alternator.

I just had a look in the manual. I can't find anything about the "booster button" neither in the Crafter manual nor the Grand California manual. I must be blind.

Puzzled Grand California,
Eberhard

 

[andyinluton]

My first GC problem - absolutely zilch leisure battery power, not enough to turn on the control panel.

Ive driven for about 2 hours today & have zero battery charge, if I start the engine I can get the control panel to come on & the over cupboard lights to operate but the instant I turn the engine off it all goes off.

Ive now plugged into the mains to leave it overnight charging, when plugged in I can get the control panel to light & the battery indicator shows its charging but the lights option is greyed out.

Both the above would indicate that both the mains charger & the alternator circuit are both working. I just wonder if the leisure battery is totally knackered.

 

[Mr T]

Is it likely your van has been stood around for a while at the dealers and not been charged and allowed to completely drain the leisure battery? I’ve read that if left stood the leisure battery can drain completely inside a week if the red isolation switch is not turned off.
Hope a decent charge overnight sorts it, but maybe it’s had it.

 

[rod_vw]

Charging whilst driving with the simple split charge relay that as far as I am aware is all you have will only charge to about 80% at best. Fit a B2B unit in place of the split charge relay and you may do better.

 

[andyinluton]

Charging whilst driving with the simple split charge relay that as far as I am aware is all you have will only charge to about 80% at best. Fit a B2B unit in place of the split charge relay and you may do better.

I would be happy with 80% at the moment, although I understand the the Boost charge button on the dash overrides that & gets it to 100%.

At the moment driving gets it to 0% after 2 hours.

I have put it on charge overnight & will see if that gets us anywhere.

 

[WelshGas]

I would be happy with 80% at the moment, although I understand the the Boost charge button on the dash overrides that & gets it to 100%.

At the moment driving gets it to 0% after 2 hours.

I have put it on charge overnight & will see if that gets us anywhere.

What is the voltage displayed for the Leisure battery, Ignition Off and with Engine On, from the Control Panel and also using a multimeter directly on the Leisure Battery?

The Control Panel might not be registering the Leisure Battery correctly or the Alternator might not be charging the Leisure Battery correctly.

If there is No Change to the Leisure Battery Voltage with engine running then check the fuse between the alternator and Leisure Battery, normally an 80amp, brown fuse, close to the Leisure Battery.

 

[andyinluton]

Alternator works as control panel comes on with the engine running
Mains charger works as control panel works when plugged into mains
If engine off & Mains unplugged there is insufficient power to light up the control panel so cant tell voltage from there.


I cant check current battery voltage as its plugged in charging, freezing cold & to get to my multimeter involves 1/2 hour of moving stuff & cars to get to back corner of the garage.

I will leave it on charge all day & see what that gives me.

 

[far.landscape]

Just changed Cali for a GC600. When the GC is on EHU or left on drive in sun the battery gets to 100% however we are off grid in cloudy wales and despite doing a 4 hour drive yesterday the battery doesn’t get beyond 70%. I have tried the battery charge boost button which made no difference. We have fridge on level 2 and no other real
On the Cali even with 2 batteries a 2 hour drive would fully charge
Anyone else monitored this ?

on an un related ( hopefully) subject does anyone know how to turn off the front footwell lights as they don’t seem to be linked to the courtesy light switch. Our side door really needs to be slammed and if not shut properly The’s foot well lights remain on

thanks

I had a similar issue, for me the engine was not charging the leisure battery AT ALL. It took software updates by the dealer to fix it. Search for the thread I started which gives all the details and attempted fixes.