Hookup problem

[Toshette]

Hi all,
Just wondering if anybody else has a problem similar to ours,no plug icon on display whilst on hookup.We hooked up one evening on campsite and plug icon came straight on all fine,we left fridge on all night to wake up in morning to battery icons also campsite RCD had tripped but not the van.Does anyone know if the charger switches itself if the batteries are fully charged and vice versa,since that evening no plug icon,bit baffled at mo,any help would be much appreciated
Thanks

 

[AlanC]

The charger should just drop down to a maintenance trickle charge once the batteries are fully charged. It won't switch off. The only way to switch off the charger is by unplugging it from the mains, i.e. unplug the hook up.

I suspect the wiring on the campsite could be at fault, hence the hookup tripping but not the Cali RCD.

Alan

 

[Toshette]

When the charger drops down to a trickle charge with fully charged batteries will the hookup icon switch to the battery icon?
Regards Toshette.

 

[GrannyJen]

Yes.

I've had that problem.

Hook-up but no symbol on CCU and no charging going on ... or .... hooked up, charging fine, then just stops.

What should happen is that once the batteries are fully charged then charging from Hook-up reduces to trickle charge ... the net amps in on the ccu registering around 2A max.

What does happen is the thing just cuts out. It is a fault. Alternatively, it just cuts out when batteries are still low. Alternatively it doesn't even start. All manifestations are erratic and intermittent.

VW technical are now well versed in this sort of erratic behaviour, as are VW customer care. There are reams written about it in a recent thread ... here. Hopefully if it is the same then you do not have to go through the enduring misery that I went through, there is now quite a fiery trail blazed all the way to Milton Keynes - VWUK.

When the dealer finally fixes it insist on new leisure batteries.

 

[Hotel California]

If the campsite fuse triped while you were on hook-up the problem may wel be not in your Cali .
Did you test it back home...?
Did your main switch in the wardrobe booth left , tript also?

 

[Toshette]

Yes.

I've had that problem.

Hook-up but no symbol on CCU and no charging going on ... or .... hooked up, charging fine, then just stops.

What should happen is that once the batteries are fully charged then charging from Hook-up reduces to trickle charge ... the net amps in on the ccu registering around 2A max.

What does happen is the thing just cuts out. It is a fault. Alternatively, it just cuts out when batteries are still low. Alternatively it doesn't even start. All manifestations are erratic and intermittent.

VW technical are now well versed in this sort of erratic behaviour, as are VW customer care. There are reams written about it in a recent thread ... here. Hopefully if it is the same then you do not have to go through the enduring misery that I went through, there is now quite a fiery trail blazed all the way to Milton Keynes - VWUK.

When the dealer finally fixes it insist on new leisure batteries.

 

[Toshette]

Oh! sounds like we have a similar problem,hope your Cali gets sorted soon,I think it's a trip to the dealer for us Many thanks

 

[Toshette]

If the campsite fuse triped while you were on hook-up the problem may wel be not in your Cali .
Did you test it back home...?
Did your main switch in the wardrobe booth left , tript also?

 

[Toshette]

Thinking back that particular night we had heavy rain maybe the reason for the campsite post to trip not sure,yes have tried hookup at home but still no plug icon have mains going into charger but beyond this no idea,main switch in van did not trip, just seems a coincidence we lost the icon after the campsite switch tripped in the night
Thanks.

 

[jeff]

Have you tried turning the trip off and back on in the van?

 

[Toshette]

Hi, yes have tried that but still no plug icon unfortunately.

 

[CaliforniaDAN]

Try resetting the central control panel above the mirror and see if that helps.

 

[Hotel California]

Try resetting the central control panel above the mirror and see if that helps.

Also possible , inverter could picked up an fault and then it goes in safety ,giving a code on the controlpanel

 

[GrannyJen]

Thinking back that particular night we had heavy rain maybe the reason for the campsite post to trip not sure,yes have tried hookup at home but still no plug icon have mains going into charger but beyond this no idea,main switch in van did not trip, just seems a coincidence we lost the icon after the campsite switch tripped in the night
Thanks.

Again a symptom of my problem.

A good test is to hook-up, if no charge registering, try the 240v socket on the side of the fridge. That will tell you that electrical feed, circuit breakers, etc to the van and into the van are working. The problem therefore is with the charging systems.

Switch on the fridge, if you can, if you then have negative amps rather than positive the fault is a charging one not a display one.

 

[rich-s]

I suspect the wiring on the campsite could be at fault, hence the hookup tripping but not the Cali RCD.

Alan

I doubt this is the case. The RCD on the campsite post is designed to trip if there is a fault beyond it - ie between the post and the van or within the van. The parks hook-ups should be professionally tested and certified annually. In between these tests, RCD's do occasionally fail and won't hold in at all, but it's far more likely a problem on your side. The heavy rain would only be likely to cause the trip if there is a fault in the hook up lead letting the damp in. If the trip on the post is up, one tip is to try the test button on the trip inside the van. If it trips then you have power to that point (ruling out your cable being at fault). Similarly the test button on the post RCD works the same. The reason the campsite RCD tripped before the Cali's one is that they would both be rated at 30ma. The campsite one was probably a little more sensitive. They all trip out at a very slightly different rate, but have to be within certain parameters - this is part of the campsite electricians annual tests.

I had the same problem on my Cali from the day we picked it up. Batteries not charging, but power to 230v socket ok. Dealer replaced the charging unit, and so far touch wood, the problem has not reappeared. Obviously Granny Jen has suffered far more issues with her van though. Good luck.

 

[Toshette]

Try resetting the central control panel above the mirror and see if that helps.

 

[Toshette]

Will do worth a try thanks

 

[Toshette]

I doubt this is the case. The RCD on the campsite post is designed to trip if there is a fault beyond it - ie between the post and the van or within the van. The parks hook-ups should be professionally tested and certified annually. In between these tests, RCD's do occasionally fail and won't hold in at all, but it's far more likely a problem on your side. The heavy rain would only be likely to cause the trip if there is a fault in the hook up lead letting the damp in. If the trip on the post is up, one tip is to try the test button on the trip inside the van. If it trips then you have power to that point (ruling out your cable being at fault). Similarly the test button on the post RCD works the same. The reason the campsite RCD tripped before the Cali's one is that they would both be rated at 30ma. The campsite one was probably a little more sensitive. They all trip out at a very slightly different rate, but have to be within certain parameters - this is part of the campsite electricians annual tests.

I had the same problem on my Cali from the day we picked it up. Batteries not charging, but power to 230v socket ok. Dealer replaced the charging unit, and so far touch wood, the problem has not reappeared. Obviously Granny Jen has suffered far more issues with her van though. Good luck.

I doubt this is the case. The RCD on the campsite post is designed to trip if there is a fault beyond it - ie between the post and the van or within the van. The parks hook-ups should be professionally tested and certified annually. In between these tests, RCD's do occasionally fail and won't hold in at all, but it's far more likely a problem on your side. The heavy rain would only be likely to cause the trip if there is a fault in the hook up lead letting the damp in. If the trip on the post is up, one tip is to try the test button on the trip inside the van. If it trips then you have power to that point (ruling out your cable being at fault). Similarly the test button on the post RCD works the same. The reason the campsite RCD tripped before the Cali's one is that they would both be rated at 30ma. The campsite one was probably a little more sensitive. They all trip out at a very slightly different rate, but have to be within certain parameters - this is part of the campsite electricians annual tests.

I had the same problem on my Cali from the day we picked it up. Batteries not charging, but power to 230v socket ok. Dealer replaced the charging unit, and so far touch wood, the problem has not reappeared. Obviously Granny Jen has suffered far more issues with her van though. Good luck.

 

[Toshette]

Thanks for your explanation,it all seems to point at the charger, a trip to the dealer I think many thanks.

 

[Toshette]

Also possible , inverter could picked up an fault and then it goes in safety ,giving a code on the controlpanel

Will do worth a try thank you.

 

[briwy]

Have you tried a different cable ?? Take the plug/socket apart and check the connections are tight.

 

[Toshette]

Will do,thanks for your advice.