Leisure battery charging

[WelshGas]

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....

Check that the Inverter powered mains socket at the base of the Passenger B pillar is not On, lift up the flap, there is a green LED, top L, this will be On if the inverter is On.
It should be Off and only powered when a plug is inserted.

With regards the 12v sockets on the Dashboard. The 12v socket in the Pull Out drinks holder is powered from the engine battery BUT the socket on top of the Dashboard is powered from the Leisure Batteries.

 

[GSX1300R]

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.

Yes I will probably give that a go. It’s just a pig to get them out..

 

[TripleBee]

Yes I will probably give that a go. It’s just a pig to get them out..

You could also let them in place, and just disconnect the terminals.

 

[GSX1300R]

You could also let them in place, and just disconnect the terminals.

Yes I think that would be a lot easier, I was thinking the same thing myself.

 

[TripleBee]

It will still be a fiddle, and certainly the one under the front seat, but to have the batteries out completely, would be more work, for just the same measurement.

Charge them on the mains in the van. And after 24 hours, disconnect the mains, disconnect the terminals of the batteries (make sure you have access to them beforehand), wait 2 hours, measure the voltage.
After 2 hours, a good battery will still show about 12,8V.

 

[GSX1300R]

It will still be a fiddle, and certainly the one under the front seat, but to have the batteries out completely, would be more work, for just the same measurement.

Charge them on the mains in the van. And after 24 hours, disconnect the mains, disconnect the terminals of the batteries (make sure you have access to them beforehand), wait 2 hours, measure the voltage.
After 2 hours, a good battery will still show about 12,8V.

They don’t discharge that quickly. when I charge them which I am doing now after 24 hours they will stay on 100% for quite some time, I would really need to see what happens after a week or so..Anyway I will try a few methods and give them all a go...

 

[GSX1300R]

I was just wondering if it would show any discharge on the display with nothing connected. It seems that it always shows a discharge of 0.2 amps with nothing connected. I have got a rear facing dash cam but just after disconnecting it still had the 0.2 amps. What if I switch off the display, could it be that? Any help appreciated.

 

[Loz]

I was just wondering if it would show any discharge on the display with nothing connected. It seems that it always shows a discharge of 0.2 amps with nothing connected. I have got a rear facing dash cam but just after disconnecting it still had the 0.2 amps. What if I switch off the display, could it be that? Any help appreciated.

the .2 is the display draw, double pressing the off button will turn the panel off completely.

 

[AlanC]

Not

Check that the Inverter powered mains socket at the base of the Passenger B pillar is not On, lift up the flap, there is a green LED, top L, this will be On if the inverter is On.
It should be Off and only powered when a plug is inserted.

With regards the 12v sockets on the Dashboard. The 12v socket in the Pull Out drinks holder is powered from the engine battery BUT the socket on top of the Dashboard is powered from the Leisure Batteries.

Not strictly correct. It depends on the age of your vehicle and seems to vary quite a lot.

My 2010 cup drawer socket is powered from the leisure batteries, confirmed by a tech at Breeze in Poole some time ago. I have 4 x blue 15amp fuses under the passenger seat and not the usual three.

Alan

 

[GSX1300R]

I I’ve worked out that with the 0.2 discharge the 2 batteries from fully charged would last about a month. Or 2 weeks at 0.4 amps It seems to waver in between 0.2 and 0.4 on the display. I’ve just charged it for 24 hours and after 2 hours with display turned off it reads 12.8 v and 100%. I’ve now turned the display off completely and will have another look in a day or so.

 

[GSX1300R]

I I’ve worked out that with the 0.2 discharge the 2 batteries from fully charged would last about a month. Or 2 weeks at 0.4 amps It seems to waver in between 0.2 and 0.4 on the display. I’ve just charged it for 24 hours and after 2 hours with display turned off it reads 12.8 v and 100%. I’ve now turned the display off completely and will have another look in a day or so.

Also it is true that the 12v socket on the top of the dash runs off the leisure batteries.I switched Sat Nav on and straight away there was a 0.8 amp drain.. Everything is now unplugged or switched off..Just wait and see now.

 

[WelshGas]

I I’ve worked out that with the 0.2 discharge the 2 batteries from fully charged would last about a month. Or 2 weeks at 0.4 amps It seems to waver in between 0.2 and 0.4 on the display. I’ve just charged it for 24 hours and after 2 hours with display turned off it reads 12.8 v and 100%. I’ve now turned the display off completely and will have another look in a day or so.

The 0.2a seen on the Control Panel screen is the power required to run the screen. Once the screen goes black, into Stand-by Mode, the power drain ceases.

 

[TripleBee]

My guess is that the display will power off when you disconnect the two leisure batteries. Am I right?

 

[GSX1300R]

My guess is that the display will power off when you disconnect the two leisure batteries. Am I right?

Yes i would have thought that but it does power up even if the batteries read zero %

 

[Loz]

The control panel has a feen from both the leisure and the ignition side, that is how it knows you have the ignition on for lowering the roof.

 

[GSX1300R]

The control panel has a feen from both the leisure and the ignition side, that is how it knows you have the ignition on for lowering the roof.

I’m just going to see now after turning off and disconnecting everything hopefully the batteries will hold a charge...for more than 2-3 weeks.

 

[TripleBee]

I’m just going to see now after turning off and disconnecting everything hopefully the batteries will hold a charge...for more than 2-3 weeks.

They may not drop below 12,6V over that period of time. If they do, they are not good anymore.

 

[GSX1300R]

They may not drop below 12,6V over that period of time. If they do, they are not good anymore.

Considering that they were replaced under warranty less than 2 years ago I should hope they are..

 

[WelshGas]

Considering that they were replaced under warranty less than 2 years ago I should hope they are..

They, or at least one can fail acutely. I had that on mine. Working perfectly wild camping powering fridge and Parking Heater overnight and then literally the next night failed after 6 hrs of the same usage. One battery was at fault. It would hold charge but when a large power drain was connected failed within a few hours.
Changed both and back to normal.

Unless you are still within warranty VW then VW will not exchange any faulty battery as Warranty Exchange items only take on the remainder of the original warranty.

 

[Cloudbreak]

Sorry a basic question should the battery icon show a level of charge ie filled in? My battery is just black ie background colour?

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry a basic question should the battery icon show a level of charge ie filled in? My battery is just black ie background colour?

Which icon are you referring to?

 

[Cloudbreak]

The one that is fully. Weight on the right of your image. Mine is black, took delivery two weeks ago and today is the first time I’ve plugged it into the house mains. Showing 14.4v and 2 amp draw when interior light is on.

 

[Cloudbreak]

White not weight!

 

[WelshGas]

The one that is fully. Weight on the right of your image. Mine is black, took delivery two weeks ago and today is the first time I’ve plugged it into the house mains. Showing 14.4v and 2 amp draw when interior light is on.

What % is shown next to the 14.4 volts?

 

[Cloudbreak]

Ah I’ve unplugged the cable and it now shows 12.7 v and 100%. When you plug in your mains cable do you have to do anything else ?
Sorry I should know this, appreciate your assistance.