How long can you leave your California Parked Up?

[WelshGas]

Well, I don’t know the maximum length of time, but arrived back in the UK this morning from down-under. The California was parked up for 27 days at Heathrow T5 Long Stay Car Park.
When we left it we had driven 180 miles to Heathrow. The vehicle was locked with the Internal Alarm active. The Leisure Batteries showed 12.9 v and 100% charge on the Control Panel before it was switched Off.
Today, the vehicle was covered in ice at 0600hrs. The Contro Panel showed 12.7v and 100% Charge. The Parking Heater fired up as normal and the engine started immediately with no problems as did the Webasto engine Heater. After 15 minutes it was toasty warm and frost/ice free and off we went back home to South Wales.

Bit of a shock from 35c in Sydney to 1c at Heathrow. Now the jet lag is beginning to tell, but sat in front of a nice warm coal fire while the wind blows and the rain pores down.

 

[David Eccles]

as they used to say - if only everything in life was as reliable as a VW!
Last month I helped a mate drag a Split Westy from a Barn (under loads of rubbish) stood for 30+ years
but when brakes freed off & bus pulled out and carb cleaned up a bit, engine fired up first time without touching plugs or anything else! Its prob worth loads of sily money too

 

[Hotel California]

Mine sits parked up inside my garage for longer over winter but i hook it on 220v every two weeks for 24h .
Yours was outside and without hook-up so thumbs-up VW
Just shows how good the batterysystem is when you maintain it propperly .
You sure took the time away back there....wish i was retired...

 

[GrannyJen]

There are so many really good, even great things, about the California. It's lovely to hear a post pointing a few of them out instead of so many moans and groans.

I have just spent the last two days towing a caravan for 350 miles, Woke up this morning, a bit of a shock to see white frozen ground and met reports of minus 7 last night, I was so warm and snug in my little palace.

Alfie is a dream to drive and has been happily cruising in all weathers with Frieda on the back and 27.2 mpg.

The Cali is a really brilliant vehicle so thanks WG for reminding us of that,

 

[Amarillo]

Today, the vehicle was covered in ice at 0600hrs. The Contro Panel showed 12.7v and 100% Charge.

Do you have a solar panel on your roof keeping the leisure battery topped up? Was the 12.7v the leisure or starter battery?



Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Hotel California]

Do you have a solar panel on your roof keeping the leisure battery topped up? Was the 12.7v the leisure or starter battery?



Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Oh yes forgot about it Paul has a solar panel ...

 

[westfalia]

There has been quite a few parked up in Hannover the last couple of months.

 

[WelshGas]

Do you have a solar panel on your roof keeping the leisure battery topped up? Was the 12.7v the leisure or starter battery?



Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Oh yes forgot about it Paul has a solar panel ...

No. Solar panel had been disconnected. Wanted to find out what could be done without the panel.
The Leisure Batteries should be able to last 4 weeks If nothing connected and Control Panel OFF, if they have been properly looked after.
I was more concerned with the Engine Battery lasting 4 weeks powering the vehicle alarm for that left of time.
What I did notice was that the Stop/Start worked on the first junction which indicates that the Engine Battery must have been pretty well charged.
A Solar Panel will charge the Leisure but not the Engine, well not the way mine is wired up.

 

[Velma's Dad]

I was more concerned with the Engine Battery lasting 4 weeks powering the vehicle alarm for that left of time.

I'd have been very surprised if that was a problem. I've often left vehicles of all kinds parked for longer than that and without any problems re-starting. I don't know how much power an alarm draws (assuming it doesn't go off!) but I assume it's not much - I'd guess 10-20 milliamps but maybe someone has an actual figure?

 

[Kmann]

Ours stood in the drive for a week during Christmas. The leisures showed 70% and the radio went out after 5 min. claiming the battery (engine) was becoming critically low. There was nothing on to drain the batteries - so I was quite surprised. And now I am a bit worried about the state of things. I have had it on hook up and am using it as my daily driver again and things look normal now - should I continue to be worried?

 

[Pinkietee]

I flew back from Spain last night, I spend the winter down there in my great white. My Cali has been sitting here since 25th November, untouched. I am pleased to say that she started first turn although the leisure battery did read 20%.

 

[AlanC]

I'd have been very surprised if that was a problem. I've often left vehicles of all kinds parked for longer than that and without any problems re-starting. I don't know how much power an alarm draws (assuming it doesn't go off!) but I assume it's not much - I'd guess 10-20 milliamps but maybe someone has an actual figure?

My daughter had a Daihatsu Copen for a while. It was fitted with a retro fit alarm that was so thirsty it completely flattened the battery after a month parked up which then needed to be replaced. Mind you, the battery was very small on that car.

Alan

 

[oilydavid]

My Ocean loses its leisure battery charge very quickly... 66 hrs after second trip to dealers to sort problem it read 60% charge 12.2 v and it seems despite evrything being checked there is still a problem... it always draws 0.4 Amps as shown on the display unlike my 2 previous calfornias.. I just dont know what to do as the VW dealers alsways say everything is fine!!!!!

 

[WelshGas]

I'd have been very surprised if that was a problem. I've often left vehicles of all kinds parked for longer than that and without any problems re-starting. I don't know how much power an alarm draws (assuming it doesn't go off!) but I assume it's not much - I'd guess 10-20 milliamps but maybe someone has an actual figure?

Not concerned any longer.
Modern cars, with all their electronics and with diesels running the glow plugs and high pressure fuel pumps before turning the engine over it doesn’t take much to not start after a prolonged period of inactivity. Also with the regenerative braking of the BlueMotion package requiring a battery charge of approximately 80% charge it doesn’t take much to lower the Starter Battery Voltage and have a Start Failure. Totally different scenario on the older Petrol engines.
Also modern engines tend to have smaller batteries compared to their predecessors being much more dependant on high output alternators to run things, if the engine starts.
Once managed to travel from Cornwall to London, at night with lights on, with a dead dynamo on my old Prefect 107E. Doubt if you would get across the Tamar Bridge with a modern car with a dead alternator.
Those were the days. Duck tape, adjustable spanner, length of wire and a hammer were all you neede to keep an old’un running to get you home.

 

[Bellcrew]

Not concerned any longer.
Modern cars, with all their electronics and with diesels running the glow plugs and high pressure fuel pumps before turning the engine over it doesn’t take much to not start after a prolonged period of inactivity. Also with the regenerative braking of the BlueMotion package requiring a battery charge of approximately 80% charge it doesn’t take much to lower the Starter Battery Voltage and have a Start Failure. Totally different scenario on the older Petrol engines.
Also modern engines tend to have smaller batteries compared to their predecessors being much more dependant on high output alternators to run things, if the engine starts.
Once managed to travel from Cornwall to London, at night with lights on, with a dead dynamo on my old Prefect 107E. Doubt if you would get across the Tamar Bridge with a modern car with a dead alternator.
Those were the days. Duck tape, adjustable spanner, length of wire and a hammer were all you neede to keep an old’un running to get you home.

And a road death rate approx. twice as high as today with half the number of cars on the road, happy days.

 

[WelshGas]

And a road death rate approx. twice as high as today with half the number of cars on the road, happy days.

And an Organ Transplant waiting list of less than 20% it is today.
The Law of Unintended Consequences.

 

[El Greco]

Ours stood in the drive for a week during Christmas. The leisures showed 70% and the radio went out after 5 min. claiming the battery (engine) was becoming critically low. There was nothing on to drain the batteries - so I was quite surprised. And now I am a bit worried about the state of things. I have had it on hook up and am using it as my daily driver again and things look normal now - should I continue to be worried?

Hi Henrik,

My engine battery exhibited similar symptoms after a few weeks from new. In the end the battery had to be replaced as it wouldn't hold much of a charge even over a 24 hr period.

 

[stuarta]

I left mine for around 100 days last summer and it started fine. Leisure batteries were down to 60% though but I think they were on their way out and have since replaced them. They perform much better now in normal use.

 

[Frank Mc]

Good evening
I drove 300kms yesterday and my leisure battery is showing only 70% today, is this a problem as it’s booked for its first service this week so I can raise with the dealer?? I presume this is the leisure battery

 

[GrannyJen]

Good evening
I drove 300kms yesterday and my leisure battery is showing only 70% today, is this a problem as it’s booked for its first service this week so I can raise with the dealer?? I presume this is the leisure battery

View attachment 29332

300k should have charged the battery to around 90% ( it will show 100% soon after stopping but then quickly peg back to 90%).

I have driven a similar distance today, 185 miles. My fridge is on, my heating is on, my internal lights are on, and it's been like this for three hours and my display shows 90%.

It is of course essential to completely charge the battery via hook up every month.

 

[Frank Mc]

Hi Granny Gen
I didn’t know that, how long does it take to full charge the battery on hook up... nobody explained that to me and don’t remember reading that in the handbook??
I also did 300kms on Friday so 600kms on 2 consecutive days.
Thanks for the info

 

[Kmann]

Hi Granny Gen
I didn’t know that, how long does it take to full charge the battery on hook up... nobody explained that to me and don’t remember reading that in the handbook??
I also did 300kms on Friday so 600kms on 2 consecutive days.
Thanks for the info

As I recall from the manual, it has to be feed every month for 24 hours. At least that is what I do ;-)

 

[Frank Mc]

Hi Kmann
Excuse my ignorance but does it not charge the leisure batteries automatically once being driven.
Cheers

 

[Eber123]

Good evening,

May I "use" this conversation to ask a question about the display of the battery information? Frank Mc may I use your picture as an example of my question? (I hope you don't mind):

In the picture above it shows 12.4 V = 70%

• The way I understood this is that the battery is charged up to 70%, which equals 12.4 V

Is that the charge level combined for both of the leisure batteries?

In the picture above it shows - 0.4 A

• The way I understood this is that at the moment some power of 0.4 A is used (but why the - sign?)

Again in the picture above the symbol of the leisure battery (ies) is highlighted. Above that is a little van / car symbol. Is it possible to switch the information display from leisure battery to car battery, or does the display only show the leisure battery? But if this is the case, why is there the symbol of the little car?

I read the manual, but I cannot remember that I saw something about this in there. Also I did a search on the forum, but I couldn't find anything that helps me to understand this a bit better. Sorry if this already came up in another post.If it was already discussed please point me there. I will have a look.

I hope that was not a stupid question, but I try to understand this a bit more. Thank you for your help.

Eberhard

 

[Frank Mc]

Hi Eberhard
You can only get this information on the battery and I presume this is the leisure battery information.
I have read the manual and don’t see anything regarding this information.
I doubt the dealer will be able to help much as he only sells a couple of California’s a year.
Cheers
Frank