Leisure battery charging

[Phil75]

How does the leisure battery charge on the T6 beach? Our internal lights keep running out of juice. I've plugged in our hook up tonight at home which seems to have done the job but Surely the LB should also recharge as we drive around? I've looked on the forums and manual but can't seem to find a definitive answer. Any guidance?? Thanks

 

[Amarillo]

How does the leisure battery charge on the T6 beach? Our internal lights keep running out of juice. I've plugged in our hook up tonight at home which seems to have done the job but Surely the LB should also recharge as we drive around? I've looked on the forums and manual but can't seem to find a definitive answer. Any guidance?? Thanks

As I understand, it trickle charges once the starter battery is fully charged. On hookup it charges, and once charged, the starter battery trickle charges.

If you have a solar panel on the roof, it charges when the sun is out. We have two solar panels on our roof, and after 105 days camping away from home, we've only once drained the leisure battery - after four nights camped directly under a tree, and then trying to boil a 12 volt kettle.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Skewif]

On the SE there is a large relay under the passenger seat that connects the LB to the alternator once the engine is running which provides a fairly fast charge. If you are driving regularly, only using lights and the battery keeps going flat I'd say there is a fault. Either take it in to get it checked out or get a cheap cigarette lighter volt meter, plug it into a lighter socket thet is powered by the LB and see if the voltage goes up when running the engine. Should go up to about the same as when charging on hook up and same ish as a socket connected to the engine battery. Regularly running the LB flat will quickly damage the battery. If they do find a fault I'd ask for a new battery as well.

 

[Hotel California]

Beach owners probally could give more intel but the way i see it ,
A beach has only one lesure bat. so you need to save energy i guess to survive sevral days without hook-up
Also where you cautious when off grid to switch off the interieur lights in the front , charging noting in the dashbord 12v sockets , not to play the radio ,....as that wil drain the starterbattery .( everything in front of the cabin runs from the starter bat. so don't use anything there.
Also electric sliding door an tailgate uses power from starter bat.
Running the engine for a short distance does not re-charge both bats. fully .
Where the bats. in good contition before you took off , fully charged?

 

[jts46]

Slightly off topic, I have just bought a small 10w 12v/24v solar panel for my cali. It is giving out 20.2 vdc, (not under load) will this damage my 12v starter battery if left connected for a long period?

 

[Loz]

Slightly off topic, I have just bought a small 10w 12v/24v solar panel for my cali. It is giving out 20.2 vdc, (not under load) will this damage my 12v starter battery if left connected for a long period?

have you connected the panel to a small charge controller or is there one built into the panel?

 

[rod_vw]

I'm interested in how you Cali owners get on with leisure battery charging with a 'Bluemotion' vehicle. It is a known fact that a Bluemotion only charges it's batteries to about 80% under normal circumstances to provide capacity for the regenerative braking function.
Those of us now converting Bluemotion vehicles into campers are abandoning the simple split charge relay (as VW still use) for an intelligent Battery to Battery unit which will charge the leisure batteries fully.
There is lots of information on this subject on the T6 Forum (https://www.t6forum.com/).

Rod

 

[WelshGas]

I'm interested in how you Cali owners get on with leisure battery charging with a 'Bluemotion' vehicle. It is a known fact that a Bluemotion only charges it's batteries to about 80% under normal circumstances to provide capacity for the regenerative braking function.
Those of us now converting Bluemotion vehicles into campers are abandoning the simple split charge relay (as VW still use) for an intelligent Battery to Battery unit which will charge the leisure batteries fully.
There is lots of information on this subject on the T6 Forum (https://www.t6forum.com/).

Rod

No Problem. I have Solar that keeps the Leisure Batteries at full charge most of the time. However, they don't charge the Engine Battery.
I still, during the winter months plug into the Mains and within a very short time the Engine Battery is being trickle charged.
Stop/Start works virtually every time although less at night with lights/radio and Air/Con on.
Basically it just works. Maybe the California with BlueMotion has some different programming compared with a standard Panel Van without a Leisure Battery circuit.

 

[rod_vw]

Hi WelshGas, that's what we all hoped when the Bluemotion came out but it seems that the coding is the same. I used to wire the leisure batteries and re-code the BCM (Body Control Module ) to operate the relay just the same as the Cali on my previous conversions but have now had to resort to a B to B unit to get the efficiency required, admittedly the current B to B unit is also an MPPT solar controller as well so there is a gain there.

Rod

 

[jts46]

have you connected the panel to a small charge controller or is there one built into the panel?

Hi @Loz
No charge controller, don’t no about built in one

 

[Loz]

Hi @Loz
No charge controller, don’t no about built in one

yes you need something small like;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/192128810135

 

[jts46]

Thanks @Loz have ordered similar off amazon

 

[Alec Murchie]

No Problem. I have Solar that keeps the Leisure Batteries at full charge most of the time. However, they don't charge the Engine Battery.
I still, during the winter months plug into the Mains and within a very short time the Engine Battery is being trickle charged.
Stop/Start works virtually every time although less at night with lights/radio and Air/Con on.
Basically it just works. Maybe the California with BlueMotion has some different programming compared with a standard Panel Van without a Leisure Battery circuit.

Hi,
I have a 2015 Cali BlueMotion, just had both leisure batteries replaced under VW warranty. Went away for the weekend battery showed 100% afterwards, then left the van for 5 days and it was down to 70%...doesn't seem right does it???
Any had any similar experiences? Should I trickle charge or use EHC every week/month?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi,
I have a 2015 Cali BlueMotion, just had both leisure batteries replaced under VW warranty. Went away for the weekend battery showed 100% afterwards, then left the van for 5 days and it was down to 70%...doesn't seem right does it???
Any had any similar experiences? Should I trickle charge or use EHC every week/month?

If you have read the Handbook it recommends connecting to EHU for at least 12 hrs monthly.

 

[Alec Murchie]

Yep, Ive seen the handbook but interested in whether others have seen brand new he leisure batteries run down to 70% in just over a week, to 50% in 2 and completely flat in 4 weeks?? I'm pretty sure in the first year I never had these issues even over winter months with usage only every 2 weeks or so.

 

[andyinluton]

Yes you should hook up monthly. But that level of discharge does not sound right, something is draining them.
Usual culprits assuming heater & fridge turned off would be an adapter plugged into the inverter socket, or a USB charger or the like left in one of the 12v sockets. Check the one in the boot & under the seat by the sliding door.

 

[WelshGas]

Also, the Inverter Socket is switched ON by a Micro Switch which is activated when you insert a plug. So if this switch malfunctions, and it can, the Inverter can still be ON without a plug inserted. Lift the Flap cover and check the LED is OFF.
Also check the Control Panel readout. It should show -0.2 amps or less when just the Screen is ON. Switch the Control Panel OFF using L Lower Button.

 

[andyinluton]

Might be a silly question but are you sure both batteries are connected?

 

[soulstyledevon]

Get yourself a CTEK battery charger.
I have a 10A charger permanently wired into the van which starts to charge on 230V hook-up. Has enough capacity to properly charge the leisure battery and power the fridge.
I also have a lead which i can connect to it to charge the vehicle battery through the cigarette lighter socket in the front. However haven't needed it for the van.

Solar is something i may add next year.

 

[flying banana]

How does regenerative braking work on a vehicle with no electric motors driving the wheels on blue motion technology. On hybrids they reverse the motor field to make it a generator on braking. I get that. But how on earth does it work on the cali where the brakes just generate heat

 

[WelshGas]

How does regenerative braking work on a vehicle with no electric motors driving the wheels on blue motion technology. On hybrids they reverse the motor field to make it a generator on braking. I get that. But how on earth does it work on the cali where the brakes just generate heat

All to do with the Smart Alternator I believe.

 

[flying banana]

All to do with the Smart Alternator I believe.

How does it know?. The alternator freewheels when you release the throttle so how does it produce power. It is witch craft.

 

[Loz]

How does it know?. The alternator freewheels when you release the throttle so how does it produce power. It is witch craft.

Old school alternators had built in regulation, these new ones are ecu controllable. The ecu decides when to apply the load now.

 

[GSX1300R]

Just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem as me. I have a 2015 140 SE. Bought new. At just on 3 years I got the leisure batteries replaced under warranty as they were discharging at the rate of 10% a day with nothing in the van switched on other than in the front we have a sat nav and dash cam, I imagine that’s powered by the vehicle battery and not the leisure ones. I have always made sure that the batteries are charged every month but recently I noticed that they weren’t holding a charge again. I last charged them on the 10 Feb and have only used the van for a short journey in between then and now..Checked the battery condition this morning and they are completely flat reading zero. Just can’t understand what’s going on. Anyone have any ideas please....

 

[Loz]

Take them out and charge them on the bench and then see if they hold their charge, that way you can eliminate parasitic draw from the vehicle.