Having a few issues - advice please! LEDs, Fridge, dead battery

[TeamLee]

Hi there,
Had our 2018 T6 Cali Ocean for 2 months and loving it. Every trip we’re learning from our mistakes! May I ask advice on the following -
1. Our fridge turns itself off unprompted from time to time. There appears to be no pattern to this - not due to the leisure battery being low. Anyone know a solution, or why this happens?
2. What does it mean when the linear LED along the kitchen flashes on and off? It’s trying to warn us of something but I don’t know what.
3. Lastly, this will make us sound like idiots. We somehow managed to get a completely flat battery, unable to start the van, after being parked up for only 36 hours. We were camped with no hook up, the fridge was on, no heating. Presumably the leisure battery should not drain the main battery? Could 2 hours of listening to audio without the engine running be enough to drain the battery (yes, we did watch a show with surround sound ). If so, at least we'd never do it again. My worry is that it was linked to the leisure battery.

 

[Elmo3]

Do you ever put it on mains hook up? Sounds like it’s all gone flat and would benefit from a couple of days on charge.

 

[2into1]

Your use of the radio is very likely a cause of the problem. You must remove the keys when parked up or else all sorts of systems are running and will flatten your engine battery

 

[TeamLee]

Do you ever put it on mains hook up? Sounds like it’s all gone flat and would benefit from a couple of days on charge.

This was the first time without hookup. The issue with the fridge has happened each time we've used the van. It goes off at the control panel.

 

[Elmo3]

This was the first time without hookup. The issue with the fridge has happened each time we've used the van. It goes off at the control panel.

Hmm. I recall a couple of others on here with recent fridge issues. Back to VW I suspect.

You can’t listen to the radio, even on hook up, without flattening the engine battery. Rubbish isn’t it, one of the few things that annoys me!

 

[Loz]

1. Flat leisure battery, or someone turned the control panel off
2. This is known fault due to incorrect factory wiring
3. Radio and charging phones from the 12v socket by the gear lever will flatten the starter battery, but the starter battery is trickle charged when on hookup.

 

[MartG]

3. ...but the starter battery is trickle charged when on hookup.

I didn't know that, even though the split charge is open, is there an output from the EHU charger to the front?

 

[WelshGas]

I didn't know that, even though the split charge is open, is there an output from the EHU charger to the front?

No. According to VW it doesn’t happen, but I have proven on my 2014 vehicle that the Engine Battery is definitely trickle charged on EHU and @Loz has the same on his T6.

Does the Mains Charger Charge the Engine Battery?

A question often asked. VW categorically say NO, it does not. However there is a body of Forum members that believe it does “ Trickle Charge “ the Engine Battery once the Leisure Batteries are Full. Proof. On site and I plugged in my 2 Voltmeters. Cheap and cheerful but they both under read by...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[flying banana]

To have ignition on for the radio didn't you notice your daytime running lights are on too? This Will easily flatten your engine battery in 2 hours. Use a blue tooth speaker or something else. Never leave ignition on. Your fridge however may have a fault. They do run very very quietly so you need to keep an eye on that one while you have warranty. Generally your fridge lights and heating will run for 3 days off the leisure batteries easily. I find they do anyway. Keep an eye on that fridge dude

 

[clarinetbcn]

No. According to VW it doesn’t happen, but I have proven on my 2014 vehicle that the Engine Battery is definitely trickle charged on EHU and @Loz has the same on his T6.

Does the Mains Charger Charge the Engine Battery?

A question often asked. VW categorically say NO, it does not. However there is a body of Forum members that believe it does “ Trickle Charge “ the Engine Battery once the Leisure Batteries are Full. Proof. On site and I plugged in my 2 Voltmeters. Cheap and cheerful but they both under read by...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Does this mean there is any chance that the engine battery could be trickle charged from Roger’s solar panel setup?

 

[Loz]

Does this mean there is any chance that the engine battery could be trickle charged from Roger’s solar panel setup?

No, the trickle charge feed comes from the mains charger.

 

[2into1]

In Andrew Dittons video on the new 6.1 cali, he reports the stereo can now be used on site ON HOOK UP. If that’s right, (it may not be), it would indicate they’ve sorted the ‘trickle’ issue into something more powerful.

 

[clarinetbcn]

In Andrew Dittons video on the new 6.1 cali, he reports the stereo can now be used on site ON HOOK UP. If that’s right, (it may not be), it would indicate they’ve sorted the ‘trickle’ issue into something more powerful.

Or rewired the stereo to run off the leisure battery when on hookup.

 

[2into1]

Or rewired the stereo to run off the leisure battery when on hookup.

His wording was "when on hookup". If was off the leisure battery it could be used without hookup.... But Andrew isn't a campervan specialist so I think we need to await further clarification.