Leisure Battery drains despite being isolated

[Richardkershaw]

I have a 2021 Grand California 600. The leisure battery drains in 1-2 weeks when the van is unused despite the battery being isolated via the big switch in the rear electricals cupboard. My dealer tells me that this is to be expected because there are other feeds coming off the leisure battery that are not isolated by the switch. Has anyone else had this experience? Any suggestions? Many thanks

 

[dennfo]

Can’t help with ‘why’ but just to say that I do have the same experience.

 

[mpill990]

This seems to be a GC rabbit hole.

Our van is fine when left for long periods with the isolator off even during winter. The battery is usually at 100% when I turn the isolator back on after layups. I'm not saying this to make you feel bad but just as a reference.

If I were to guess the most likely cause of your issues it would be that that the van after it was commissioned was left with the isolator on for a 'long' period of time I.e. during shipping, customs and before pre delivery inspection etc.

Lead acid batteries (and lithium for that matter) do not recover successfully after long periods + 0 volts meaning that it's always going to cause you problems.

These batteries are expensive and VW will not want to replace them when they can keep fobbing you off with excuses.

Of course the battery may be fine and you may have a wiring fault- but if it were me I'd try the new battery first.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

 

[The Yorkshireman]

I have a 2021 Grand California 600. The leisure battery drains in 1-2 weeks when the van is unused despite the battery being isolated via the big switch in the rear electricals cupboard. My dealer tells me that this is to be expected because there are other feeds coming off the leisure battery that are not isolated by the switch. Has anyone else had this experience? Any suggestions? Many thanks

You don’t mention if you have a solar panel or not.

 

[Richardkershaw]

No I don't have a solar panel

 

[Richardkershaw]

This seems to be a GC rabbit hole.

Our van is fine when left for long periods with the isolator off even during winter. The battery is usually at 100% when I turn the isolator back on after layups. I'm not saying this to make you feel bad but just as a reference.

If I were to guess the most likely cause of your issues it would be that that the van after it was commissioned was left with the isolator on for a 'long' period of time I.e. during shipping, customs and before pre delivery inspection etc.

Lead acid batteries (and lithium for that matter) do not recover successfully after long periods + 0 volts meaning that it's always going to cause you problems.

These batteries are expensive and VW will not want to replace them when they can keep fobbing you off with excuses.

Of course the battery may be fine and you may have a wiring fault- but if it were me I'd try the new battery first.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

Thank you. Can I ask you the same question that I've just been asked, do you have a solar panel?

 

[dennfo]

I have a solar panel and I have the same issue and in summer this isn’t a problem but in winter in the UK there isn’t enough solar. The comment from mpill990 about the battery standing is useful - I think that is what will have happened with my vehicle.

 

[mpill990]

Thank you. Can I ask you the same question that I've just been asked, do you have a solar panel?

Yes but we use a cover when it's stored during the winter so solar won't help.
As far as I understand the solar panel is isolated when the main switch is off - although I haven't checked the wiring diagram to confirm this.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

 

[The Yorkshireman]

This seems to be a GC rabbit hole.

Our van is fine when left for long periods with the isolator off even during winter. The battery is usually at 100% when I turn the isolator back on after layups. I'm not saying this to make you feel bad but just as a reference.

If I were to guess the most likely cause of your issues it would be that that the van after it was commissioned was left with the isolator on for a 'long' period of time I.e. during shipping, customs and before pre delivery inspection etc.

Lead acid batteries (and lithium for that matter) do not recover successfully after long periods + 0 volts meaning that it's always going to cause you problems.

These batteries are expensive and VW will not want to replace them when they can keep fobbing you off with excuses.

Of course the battery may be fine and you may have a wiring fault- but if it were me I'd try the new battery first.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

Yes but we use a cover when it's stored during the winter so solar won't help.
As far as I understand the solar panel is isolated when the main switch is off - although I haven't checked the wiring diagram to confirm this.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

I have a solar panel and have had no problem with the battery discharging over winter but I clean it regularly and it’s parked south facing. Suggest you have the battery tested. Long term you might want to look a some sort of solar charging.
Good luck with it.

AGM & EFB Automotive Batteries Explained - Yuasa battery

Information guide to AGM and EFB Start-Stop automotive batteries

www.yuasa.co.uk

 

[Jester]

Seems to be a 600 issue as had it on my original 600 maybe because the solar panel is situated at the front rather than on top.
Mine 680, has not been plugged in since 6th January and as of today 100%, oh and the isolation is on permanently.
Even when we have had the occasional site with no hookup it falls to 90% overnight but back up in the morning to 100% that’s with the fridge on. This was in the summer.

You can retro fit a OEM solar panel to the 600 as all the wiring is in place apparently.

 

[Richardkershaw]

As an update to my original post. I fitted a new battery, and a battery monitor (which remotely produces a graph of battery charge). After the new battery was fitted it continued to discharge despite being isolated. The van needed to be plugged in weekly. It then went to the garage for unrelated repairs, including a software update (for radio and step). Subsequent to which, the battery remains very stable when isolated. Losing minimal amounts of charge (see attached). The garage cannot tell me whether there has been a software update to resolve the issue.

 

[GordonH]

As an update to my original post. I fitted a new battery, and a battery monitor (which remotely produces a graph of battery charge). After the new battery was fitted it continued to discharge despite being isolated. The van needed to be plugged in weekly. It then went to the garage for unrelated repairs, including a software update (for radio and step). Subsequent to which, the battery remains very stable when isolated. Losing minimal amounts of charge (see attached). The garage cannot tell me whether there has been a software update to resolve the issue.

View attachment 114257

That’s interesting. I would think the radio software is unrelated but the ‘step software’ will likely be an update to the J608 KFG which is a central special function unit that control most of the habitation area things and communicates with the control panel.

 

[itsSteve]

My best guess is that there is a fault with the battery. Our June 22 600 was losing fifty percent charge after only four hours of fridge use, and after testing it, VW said it was a faulty battery, but in the meantime, before we had it replaced under warranty, it held enough charge to start first time after as long as three weeks stationary, even during the winter. BTW, we have found our Swansea dealer, Sinclair's, very helpful, even though they have not had a lot of GC experience.