Happy Birthday NOT - Leisure batteries (AGAIN)...

[AlisonF]

I put my heater on using the remote this morning. When I went out to the van leas than an hour later the leisure batteries were ahowing
50% 12.4V and -0.4A
Why? These are new batteries fitted in December? (The old batteries were removed and tests and were still within VW spec, apparently). So is there something else at play?
If it’s a shunt issue (been trying to read the threads on that) how can I check without dismantling anything.
Sadly looks like back to the dealer again.
It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to!

 

[WelshGas]

I put my heater on using the remote this morning. When I went out to the van leas than an hour later the leisure batteries were ahowing
50% 12.4V and -0.4A
Why? These are new batteries fitted in December? (The old batteries were removed and tests and were still within VW spec, apparently). So is there something else at play?
If it’s a shunt issue (been trying to read the threads on that) how can I check without dismantling anything.
Sadly looks like back to the dealer again.
It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to!

Was the Heater still On or switched off within 20 mins of the voltage reading.
If so check at least an hour after the heater is switched off.

 

[AlisonF]

Was the Heater still On or switched off within 20 mins of the voltage reading.
If so check at least an hour after the heater is switched off.

I’ve been taking measurements and notes - but not waiting as long as 20 mins. Will try again. Thanks.

 

[Rich20]

I am sure this is to do with the leisure batteries only charging to 80% due to the smart alternator blue motion stuff. I had a new battery fitted by VW and my heater would still turn off prematurely and the small battery monitor I had would show that the battery needed to be recharged. I have since fitted a dc to dc charger and the heater keeps going as there is a lot more capacity in the battery now as it is always charged to 100%. Ps I have a Beach with one battery

 

[AlisonF]

I am sure this is to do with the leisure batteries only charging to 80% due to the smart alternator blue motion stuff. I had a new battery fitted by VW and my heater would still turn off prematurely and the small battery monitor I had would show that the battery needed to be recharged. I have since fitted a dc to dc charger and the heater keeps going as there is a lot more capacity in the battery now as it is always charged to 100%. Ps I have a Beach with one battery

I only drove a small distance to walk the dogs and the monitor went up to 100%. With the heater at level 5 whilst parked it subsequently dropped to 80% after 30 mins. So it seems the worst ‘draw’ on the batteries is the first one in the morning when it’s colder (externally and internally) and the van hasn’t been driven for 16 hours.

 

[WelshGas]

I only drove a small distance to walk the dogs and the monitor went up to 100%. With the heater at level 5 whilst parked it subsequently dropped to 80% after 30 mins. So it seems the worst ‘draw’ on the batteries is the first one in the morning when it’s colder (externally and internally) and the van hasn’t been driven for 16 hours.

The voltage will always drop when the Parking Heater fires up as it draws a high current for the Glow Plug + fans. Once combustion is achieved the current drawn decreases and the Voltage will rise. Once the Heater has been Off for at least 60 mins then the Voltage should regain its resting voltage as the current draw has reduced to 0.2 amps ( Control Panel Screen On ) .
I have a Solar Panel which overcomes, to some degree, the Smart Charging regime of the Blue Motion System.

 

[AlisonF]

The voltage will always drop when the Parking Heater fires up as it draws a high current for the Glow Plug + fans. Once combustion is achieved the current drawn decreases and the Voltage will rise. Once the Heater has been Off for at least 60 mins then the Voltage should regain its resting voltage as the current draw has reduced to 0.2 amps ( Control Panel Screen On ) .
I have a Solar Panel which overcomes, to some degree, the Smart Charging regime of the Blue Motion System.

Thanks. I’ll check it again this week.
If I was camping and saw it drop to 50% I would switch everything off. But also, if camping in cold weather would it get the 60 mins to recover? So I’m unsure if there is a problem or not?
VWGuru had mentioned a potential Shunt issue and looking at those threads, this seems similar. I’m just not sure how to progress.
First step will be to do as you suggest and do some tests and then record control panel an hour after switching off the heater. Thanks.

 

[bvddobb]

Now what was the issue here? Had the heater shut itself off? Or are you just worried about the 50% reading after an hour?
It has been said on here many times: don’t get hung up on the percentage! It is less than accurate, no more than a very rough estimate. Basically worthless.
Concentrate on the voltage. 12.4 is not that bad at all, in the cold! Our CU will only shut off the parking heater when the voltage drops below 11.5.

 

[2into1]

There’s a good chance only one battery is working, which given the difficulty they had getting your sockets working, wouldn’t surprise me at all

 

[AlisonF]

There’s a good chance only one battery is working, which given the difficulty they had getting your sockets working, wouldn’t surprise me at all

That is my thinking as well. Especially as the ‘old’ batteries were testing ok after they were taken out.
The CU didn’t used to give such low readings, so whilst folk say it’s inaccurate, there seems to me to be a difference compared to what it was before...
Reading up on the shunt issue - also seems to give high draw when heater starts up... (?)

 

[MattBW]

As above if the heater was working at the time it could just be voltage drop due to a large draw of amps. This makes the voltage appear lower than it is and is quite normal on leisure systems. The real battery capacity is what it returns to after about an hour or so with nothing running. If it stays at 50% then there may be a problem but i suspect once the heater is off it will probably jump back up a little.

There could be that you have no fuse (or connection) on the rear battery but that would be easy to spotted with a voltage reading off both batteries. I would hope any dealer could spot and diagnose this, its basic leisure stuff but I know you had trouble. Wish I was closer I'd happily take a look.

 

[2into1]

Reading up on the shunt issue - also seems to give high draw when heater starts up... (?)

There is always a massive draw at the start so that doesn't necessarily point to the shunt.
Flickering internal lights on heater start up is i believe an indicator.

I guess the best way to check both batteries are working is to remove the cube fuse between then. Others will confirm and perhaps help do that.

 

[AlisonF]

Wish I was closer I'd happily take a look.

That is exactly why I value this forum so much. People are always willing to help.
If I hadn’t gone from 2 to 4 Tollers then I’d have been down visiting all the lovely folk who have offered to help in a heartbeat - and have a huge overdraft for beers and pub grub ‘thank you’s’. But I can’t leave them all here, and it’s hard to camp in a Cali (with them) whilst it’s being fixed somewhere... But I appreciate all the offers and hope I can get to buy those beers at some point in the future...

 

[AlisonF]

I have a letter from the dealer stating that all 12V batteries have been replaced with VW batteries. The old batteries were tested and no faults found. New batteries 000915105CD.

 

[calikev]

These ones i guess

 

[AlisonF]

These ones i guess

View attachment 54478

Yes, All three for me it seems...

 

[KGCali]

If you have a multimeter with a continuity buzzer function (resistance range) you could check the rear battery fuse without disconnecting anything by just placing one Meter lead on the rear battery positive terminal below the white block fuse and the other Meter lead just above the white block fuse on the positive terminal then if the Meter buzzes the fuse should be good. I tried this on mine and got a nice buzz on the Meter.

Also if you then switch the meter to the DC Voltage setting and place the negative lead on the negative battery terminal and the positive lead above the fuse and note the voltage then move the lead below the fuse and note the voltage they should be the same if the fuse is OK if they are different voltages the fuse is blown.

Hope that's not too technical

 

[AlisonF]

If you have a multimeter with a continuity buzzer function (resistance range) you could check the rear battery fuse without disconnecting anything by just placing one Meter lead on the rear battery positive terminal below the white block fuse and the other Meter lead just above the white block fuse on the positive terminal then if the Meter buzzes the fuse should be good. I tried this on mine and got a nice buzz on the Meter.

Also if you then switch the meter to the DC Voltage setting and place the negative lead on the negative battery terminal and the positive lead above the fuse and note the voltage then move the lead below the fuse and note the voltage they should be the same if the fuse is OK if they are different voltages the fuse is blown.

Hope that's not too technical

Yes, I have a multi meter that I made on an apprentice training gap year (they do gap years different these days) before my engineering degree. The reason I haven’t tested things myself is, I hope, explained in earlier comments. Thank you for your help.

 

[2into1]

These ones i guess

View attachment 54478

My research suggests this is the f21 varta stop / start engine battery. When I replaced my leisures, some comments on here suggested that was suitable as leisures, but I held out and got the la80's which is the original spec fitted. It may only be a bit of badge engineering between the two, but I couldn't find confirmation they weren't different inside their same dimensions outer.