Leisure batteries dead?

[BenCar]

Apologies, I've searched and searched but cant find something my simple non-electrical mind can understand so:

I've got a 2019 California ocean. The previous owner didnt take much care of it and only used it occasionally as a van. I've added solar as I didn't think the batteries were lasting very long but wouldn't know how to check that. I dont have a meter and wouldn't know what it meant anyway.

With the control panel saying the batteries were at 12.98v I went to put the heater on and the control panel battery icons flashed and batteries were indicated at 0%. Are my leisure batteries dead and need replacing?

Thanks
Ben

 

[Resfeber]

Apologies, I've searched and searched but cant find something my simple non-electrical mind can understand so:

I've got a 2019 California ocean. The previous owner didnt take much care of it and only used it occasionally as a van. I've added solar as I didn't think the batteries were lasting very long but wouldn't know how to check that. I dont have a meter and wouldn't know what it meant anyway.

With the control panel saying the batteries were at 12.98v I went to put the heater on and the control panel battery icons flashed and batteries were indicated at 0%. Are my leisure batteries dead and need replacing?

Thanks
Ben

View attachment 131245


View attachment 131243View attachment 131244

What does the panel say when you plug into the mains?

-9.8 amps current is the heater start up and looks like you may only be accessing one battery that may be in v poor condition to go from 12.9v to 11.3 in a few seconds when having to sustain 9.8 amp discharge.
It may be that the cube fuse is blown hence only half the battery capacity is available.
At very least you need to get both leisure batteries tested and if they show vastly different voltage readings certainly a blown cube fuse on the rear battery.

 

[Resfeber]

What does the panel say when you plug into the mains?

-9.8 amps current is the heater start up and looks like you may only be accessing one battery that may be in v poor condition to go from 12.9v to 11.3 in a few seconds when having to sustain 9.8 amp discharge.
It may be that the cube fuse is blown hence only half the battery capacity is available.
At very least you need to get both leisure batteries tested and if they show vastly different voltage readings certainly a blown cube fuse on the rear battery.

Apologies, I've searched and searched but cant find something my simple non-electrical mind can understand so:

I've got a 2019 California ocean. The previous owner didnt take much care of it and only used it occasionally as a van. I've added solar as I didn't think the batteries were lasting very long but wouldn't know how to check that. I dont have a meter and wouldn't know what it meant anyway.

With the control panel saying the batteries were at 12.98v I went to put the heater on and the control panel battery icons flashed and batteries were indicated at 0%. Are my leisure batteries dead and need replacing?

Thanks
Ben

View attachment 131245


View attachment 131243View attachment 131244

Also the solar controller shows that it has been charging and monitoring one of the batteries, consistently showing 12.7 to 12.8v Which seems right but showing no power consumption from the battery it is monitoring suggesting it is connected to the rear battery below the cube fuse and, if blown, it is not connected to anything.

Does the fridge start and run or does it too cut out after a few seconds?

You will need help in diagnosing and repairing this one. If you replace the cube fuse but do not have roughly equal
Charge in each leisure battery it will just blow due to the equalising current that will flow.
It is worrying that the control panel shows good voltage that “disappears” as soon as a decent current is demanded.

It may be that a blown cube fuse has been present for some time and this has meant the front leisure battery has had to do all the “heavy lifting” and failed due to the much more frequent charge and discharge cycles.

Over to others on the forum for their thoughts

 

[BenCar]

Also the solar controller shows that it has been charging and monitoring one of the batteries, consistently showing 12.7 to 12.8v Which seems right but showing no power consumption from the battery it is monitoring suggesting it is connected to the rear battery below the cube fuse and, if blown, it is not connected to anything.

Does the fridge start and run or does it too cut out after a few seconds?

You will need help in diagnosing and repairing this one. If you replace the cube fuse but do not have roughly equal
Charge in each leisure battery it will just blow due to the equalising current that will flow.
It is worrying that the control panel shows good voltage that “disappears” as soon as a decent current is demanded.

It may be that a blown cube fuse has been present for some time and this has meant the front leisure battery has had to do all the “heavy lifting” and failed due to the much more frequent charge and discharge cycles.

Over to others on the forum for their thoughts

OK thanks for the answers. I thought this might be an easy replace job. Jeez.
SO If I replace both batteries and the cube fuse I should be ok?
(Is there another cube fuse under the front seat too?)
Thanks
B

 

[Resfeber]

OK thanks for the answers. I thought this might be an easy replace job. Jeez.
SO If I replace both batteries and the cube fuse I should be ok?
(Is there another cube fuse under the front seat too?)
Thanks
B

No cube fuse under front seat.

Points to note
You may have a number of issues
1) Have the cube fuse checked to see if blown or not.
2) If blown then have each leisure battery tested “Under load” to see if the hypothesis is valid that one battery has failed.
3) If a battery is defective and the cube fuse is blown, new batteries and a cube fuse should restore your vans leisure side to normal operations.
This guide may help

New Varta batteries seem good value

LA80 Varta Professional Dual Purpose AGM Leisure Battery 840 080 080

LA80 VARTA Professional Dual Purpose AGM Leisure Battery <i>Innovation with Purpose, Premium Experience, Powerful History</i> VARTA was founded in 1887 Germany, and was established fully in 1904 by delivering the first electric vehicle battery, famously driven by Thomas Edison. Soon after, VARTA...

www.tayna.co.uk

The other item to check is that the mains charger is working when on hook up (hence my question about the display both Voltage and current draw (-ve symbol before number of Amps A or charging (+ve symbol or >> 20 Amps.


Hope these help

 

[Resfeber]

No cube fuse under front seat.

Points to note
You may have a number of issues
1) Have the cube fuse checked to see if blown or not.
2) If blown then have each leisure battery tested “Under load” to see if the hypothesis is valid that one battery has failed.
3) If a battery is defective and the cube fuse is blown, new batteries and a cube fuse should restore your vans leisure side to normal operations.
This guide may help

New Varta batteries seem good value

LA80 Varta Professional Dual Purpose AGM Leisure Battery 840 080 080

LA80 VARTA Professional Dual Purpose AGM Leisure Battery <i>Innovation with Purpose, Premium Experience, Powerful History</i> VARTA was founded in 1887 Germany, and was established fully in 1904 by delivering the first electric vehicle battery, famously driven by Thomas Edison. Soon after, VARTA...

www.tayna.co.uk

The other item to check is that the mains charger is working when on hook up (hence my question about the display both Voltage and current draw (-ve symbol before number of Amps A or charging (+ve symbol or >> 20 Amps.
The charger unit is under the passenger seat See post #9 here

Leisure Battery not charging from hook up

I've read through a few of the charging issues folks have had before but this one seems different... I'm currently at a camp site and hooked up to the electric here. The battery is at 70% but not registering as charging at all. I've plugged a kettle into the 230 3-point socket and it's working...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Hope these help

Sorry sent an incorrect link re the leisure battery charger, it is in the rear battery compartment.

This thread has a good summary of all the checks to make before parting with your cash for new batteries

Something strange going on with leisure batteries

Something strange is going on with the readout of the leisure battery, which might be the batteries or how they are reading I picked up then van from its 1st service at the dealer, a few days later (the first time I drove it since I picked it up) I noticed the battery was on 30%. The fridge has...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[BenCar]

Thank you Redfeber, superstar.
I'm going to do exactly what you've suggested. I may wait to see if there are any battery discounts in the new year as Father Christmas has had a hard month so far.
Thanks again.
Ben

 

[Resfeber]

Thank you Redfeber, superstar.
I'm going to do exactly what you've suggested. I may wait to see if there are any battery discounts in the new year as Father Christmas has had a hard month so far.
Thanks again.
Ben

No problem.
Please try a control panel reset first before anything else. (Item 1 in post #15)
1. Have you reset the control panel?
Post in thread 'Help with control panel warning symbol' https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/help-with-control-panel-warning-symbol.19386/post-221713
The OP’s issue was very similar to yours and the other forum members who responded and endorsed this check methodology all have considerable experience in this area.
With a bit of luck it could help Father Christmas and cash flow.

 

[chockswahay]

This won’t be what you want to hear but it does sound as if your batteries are shot. We all (understandably) prefer to think that it will be something simple and cheap to fix when these things happen, however in view of the batteries ‘history’ I reckon you’re done for. I had very similar issues to you, went round the houses……… then replaced them. Boom! job done!

The leisure batteries do not get a proper charge under normal use so really do need topping up frequently…….. the solar panel will do this admirably

Yup, I reckon my batteries are done for!

After standing outside for 7 days with no use, no systems on etc, the panel is showing 11.9v and for the first time I have seen the warning to charge immediately. When I left the van it had just driven 120 miles that day and 180 the day before, the panel showed full and 12.8 at rest. I have...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[BenCar]

No problem.
Please try a control panel reset first before anything else. (Item 1 in post #15)
1. Have you reset the control panel?
Post in thread 'Help with control panel warning symbol' https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/help-with-control-panel-warning-symbol.19386/post-221713
The OP’s issue was very similar to yours and the other forum members who responded and endorsed this check methodology all have considerable experience in this area.
With a bit of luck it could help Father Christmas and cash flow.

Yes, thanks. I've reset the control panel. No change.
Father christmas is going on a diet.
b

 

[BenCar]

This won’t be what you want to hear but it does sound as if your batteries are shot. We all (understandably) prefer to think that it will be something simple and cheap to fix when these things happen, however in view of the batteries ‘history’ I reckon you’re done for. I had very similar issues to you, went round the houses……… then replaced them. Boom! job done!

The leisure batteries do not get a proper charge under normal use so really do need topping up frequently…….. the solar panel will do this admirably

Yup, I reckon my batteries are done for!

After standing outside for 7 days with no use, no systems on etc, the panel is showing 11.9v and for the first time I have seen the warning to charge immediately. When I left the van it had just driven 120 miles that day and 180 the day before, the panel showed full and 12.8 at rest. I have...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Yeah, Ive accepted my fate and I"ve just ordered 2 x new batteries and a 75a cube fuse.
Since I bought this camper last spring, I've had to do the control panel, head unit, wheels/tyres, paint correction, gas regulator, deep clean the interior, and now the batteries. I've only got the water pump/belt before I get to shout bingo but it should be totally mint by then.

However I have to say we had the best holiday of our lives in it last summer so it's all totally worth it.
Thanks for your help.
B