Leave van with roof up

[acer]

If on a campsite does anyone leave their van with the roof up when they go off for the day (on a walk)? I was thinking of doing this because I’m going to be camped for a week and raising and lowering the roof every day without a drive might leave me with a flat battery. (I think the roof is powered by the engine battery rather than leisure battery). Any views on this conundrum?


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[Sad]

We leave ours up...

Good tip I heard from Amarillo was pull the upstairs bed down and close the hatch to avoid the interior alarm being set off...

 

[larrylamb]

I think common sense regarding the area/position of the campsite comes into it but we have no qualms about leaving our roof up when out for the day. We lock the Cali but disable the alarm motion sensors.

 

[Emma Hughes]

slightly off topic.... but how do you disable the sensors? I haven't figured that out yet. I found a button on the pillar by the sliding door that I thought did it but the alarms still went off.

 

[larrylamb]

slightly off topic.... but how do you disable the sensors? I haven't figured that out yet. I found a button on the pillar by the sliding door that I thought did it but the alarms still went off.

You have to disable the sensors using that button but via the drivers door. So, sliding door etc closed, open drivers door, press button (changes colour), close drivers door and lock van using remote.

 

[Emma Hughes]

ah that's brilliant thanks! think I'd got all the doors shut. Will try again!

 

[larrylamb]

ah that's brilliant thanks! think I'd got all the doors shut. Will try again!

Double check in the manual but I think I got it right .

 

[TwoDogs]

Lock the doors with the remote, but press the lock button a second time and the alrm is disabled

 

[Skewif]

Lock the doors with the remote, but press the lock button a second time and the alrm is disabled

Caution. Pressing a second time also unlocks the deadlocks so doors can be opened if window broken or open enough to pull inside handle.

 

[jts46]

procedure on my cali is:
1 - ignition on drivers door open, all other doors closed
2 - switch ignition off and remove key
3 - activate alarm switches (from red to yellow), two on my vehicle
4 - shut drivers door
5 - lock van with one press of key fob
All above to be completed within 30 secs after removing key from ignition.
I have used this procedure on ferries and campsites for the past 11.5yrs, and had no problem.

But i expect someone on the forum will tell me i am doing it wrong

 

[gear box oil]

Exactly right if you have any doubt try sitting inside the van use both settings to see what happens the important bit is make sure the light on the switch changes colour orange for motion senser off in my van if it's not changing colour try ignition on and off drivers door open to reset the system
I leave the roof up if I am staying put again all down to where you park and weather conditions

 

[Emma Hughes]

great will have a play. thanks everyone!

 

[motacyclist]

Can’t you just lock the van without the alarm by turning the key in the door lock? That’s what they tell you to do on ferries ....

 

[acer]

Really useful info on alarm disabling etc. I had no idea what that button was for.

I suppose the safest option, and my preference, is to close up each day. Does anyone have a view on whether lifting and lowering the roof a dozen times over the course of a week would drain the starter battery?

If so, would it be better to start the engine before moving the roof? Or, would that just increase the drain on the battery?


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[ejmoore]

We always leave the roof up if we are staying on a campsite, & have never done anything particular with locking it, but have never had any problem with the alarm going off.
In fact the only time the alarm went off was when I was trying to remember which of all the potential ways of locking it was the right one to avoid the alarm going off!

 

[AlanC]

Really useful info on alarm disabling etc. I had no idea what that button was for.

I suppose the safest option, and my preference, is to close up each day. Does anyone have a view on whether lifting and lowering the roof a dozen times over the course of a week would drain the starter battery?

If so, would it be better to start the engine before moving the roof? Or, would that just increase the drain on the battery?


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Isn't the roof powered from the leisure batteries?

Alan

 

[jts46]

Isn't the roof powered from the leisure batteries?

Alan

yes but you have to have ignition on to raise and lower roof. i presume that action would deplete engine battery unless ran engine for a time.

 

[Julian_Camper_Man]

I think common sense regarding the area/position of the campsite comes into it but we have no qualms about leaving our roof up when out for the day. We lock the Cali but disable the alarm motion sensors.

Hi Larry - how do you disable the alarm motion sensors please?

 

[larrylamb]

Hi Larry - how do you disable the alarm motion sensors please?

You have to disable the sensors using that button but via the drivers door. So, sliding door etc closed, open drivers door, press button (changes colour), close drivers door and lock van using remote.

post no 5.

 

[BikerGran]

I think the procedure for disabling the internal alarm varies with the year of the van!

 

[AlanC]

yes but you have to have ignition on to raise and lower roof. i presume that action would deplete engine battery unless ran engine for a time.

That would be the true.

I dropped our roof one night wild camping after we had gone to bed downstairs. But forgot to turn off the ignition when it was down. Was woken at 3 in the morning with the van beeping at us.

I turned off the ignition hoping the battery would recover by the morning, unfortunately it didn't.

This was the only time I have ever called out the RAC...very embarrassing!
I reckon the ignition had been on for about 4 hours.

Alan

 

[Quentin SF]

We have to press the door-pillar button very regularly because we often leave the dog in the car and/or the windows open for ventilation.

Fairly standard VW procedure - it was the same on our Golf.

 

[andrew bazeley]

You have to disable the sensors using that button but via the drivers door. So, sliding door etc closed, open drivers door, press button (changes colour), close drivers door and lock van using remote.

You can press the alarm buttons in the door pillar just as succesfully and easily from the open rear sliding door - it doesn't have to be from the driver's door. As long as you look to see if the button has changed colour. Always worked for me (although it took me about 6 months and some very angry fellow campsite occupants to figure it out! No forum in those days!)

 

[Quentin SF]

Aha - so there is an advantage to having the sliding door on the driver's side

 

[BRC]

Surely if you leave the roof up it’s not insured? Maybe still have to break in but really it’s not secure is it?