Leisure battery questions please for 2013 Beach

Hobbit's Mum · Mar 18, 2017

Hi, have just joined as hubby bought a 2013 Cali Beach last Thursday, though I found this forum about a week before & have already learned a lot!
So, from being a complete novice, I know that the Ocean has an external electrical hook up socket, but the Beach does not. However, it does have a leisure battery and various 12V sockets.

I have 2 questions about this.

Firstly: We want to buy a compressor fridge & charge phones & other electrical devices while we are away, but the manual says "using electric appliances with the engine switched off and the ignition switched on will drain the battery. Therefore only plug electrical consumers into the sockets when the engine is running".

I thought the point of a leisure battery was so you could use devices with the van stationary & engine switched off. I understand that it will drain with use, but isn't that what it's expected to do? Can we really only run electrics when the engine is running?

Secondly: I am thinking that we would only get maybe 24-30 hours use of a fridge unless we did connect to a hook up, and it seems we can buy a connector with an RCD & 3 x 3 pin plug sockets. How do people route the cable into your Cali?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hotel California · Mar 18, 2017

Hi and welcome on your first post , beeing a SE owner (with 2 lesure bats. and hook-up ) i can not give experienced comment but i think that 24h full use (fridge and some things charging ) at least should work.
At a site you can always bring a 220v cable in the Cali.

There is already lots written and discussed in diffrent treads , try and read some electrical posts regarding battery-usage .

One can put afthermarket hook-up and inverter
Or a solarpanel , witch i belive is most popular and also info here on the forum.

WelshGas · Mar 18, 2017

Hobbit's Mum said:
Hi, have just joined as hubby bought a 2013 Cali Beach last Thursday, though I found this forum about a week before & have already learned a lot!
So, from being a complete novice, I know that the Ocean has an external electrical hook up socket, but the Beach does not. However, it does have a leisure battery and various 12V sockets.

I have 2 questions about this.

Firstly: We want to buy a compressor fridge & charge phones & other electrical devices while we are away, but the manual says "using electric appliances with the engine switched off and the ignition switched on will drain the battery. Therefore only plug electrical consumers into the sockets when the engine is running".

I thought the point of a leisure battery was so you could use devices with the van stationary & engine switched off. I understand that it will drain with use, but isn't that what it's expected to do? Can we really only run electrics when the engine is running?

Secondly: I am thinking that we would only get maybe 24-30 hours use of a fridge unless we did connect to a hook up, and it seems we can buy a connector with an RCD & 3 x 3 pin plug sockets. How do people route the cable into your Cali?

Thanks in advance for any help.

The Handbook is very generic.

If you have any 12v sockets, behind the Front seats, then they should run off the Leisure Battery. ( miss-wiring has been known to occur so check ).

The VW fitted Electrical Hookup System consists of a Mains Socket, RCD Breaker Unit which feeds 2 circuits. 1 circuit powers a 240v Mains Socket and the other circuit powers a 12v Battery Charger that charges the Leisure Battery.

Such a system would allow the vehicle to be locked and secure whilst on Mains Hookup. A 12v fridge would run indefinitely.

Using the Lead you suggested would require the cable being passed into the vehicle interior via a partly open door/window, which means the vehicle would not be secure.
If you use a Driveaway Awning then you could just run the power cable into the awning, but unless the fridge was Mains/12v then you would require a unit to provide 12v for the fridge.

Personally, I would fit a proper system. It would be easier to use on site.

This link is to a site that has a lot of useful information. Sells good gear at good prices and if you talk to them could provide a full kit for self installation or for a good auto electrician to do. They also do installations.

https://www.travelvolts.net/

Hobbit's Mum · Mar 19, 2017

Thank you very much - I'd seen a post by soul style Devon in the Beach section (on the 5th page of posts) of the forum about doing your own 230v connection, but wasn't sure how safe it was, so that's really helpful to know.

WelshGas · Mar 19, 2017

Hobbit's Mum said:
Thank you very much - I'd seen a post by soul style Devon in the Beach section (on the 5th page of posts) of the forum about doing your own 230v connection, but wasn't sure how safe it was, so that's really helpful to know.

If you got in touch to the firm I listed, they could sell you a complete kit and if you have someone who could follow instructions and change a fuse then you should be able to do it yourself.

Hotel California · Mar 19, 2017

Hobbit's Mum said:
Thank you very much - I'd seen a post by soul style Devon in the Beach section (on the 5th page of posts) of the forum about doing your own 230v connection, but wasn't sure how safe it was, so that's really helpful to know.

Try and make it to a meeting and check out some other members Cali's who done this or have solar power . Most will be happy to advise and that way you have seen it in the flesh.
There's a meet the end of may
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/club-meet-warren-farm-brean-sands-18-21-may-2017.17554/

Hobbit's Mum · Mar 19, 2017

Try and make it to a meeting and check out some other members Cali's who done this or have solar power . Most will be happy to advise and that way you have seen it in the flesh.

That sounds great! A bit far to travel for a weekend from Gateshead unfortunately & we already have plans that weekend. Are there ever any further north? I can see they are highlighted in blue at the top of the page, so can look out for any more being listed.

Hobbit's Mum · Mar 19, 2017

If you got in touch to the firm I listed, they could sell you a complete kit and if you have someone who could follow instructions and change a fuse then you should be able to do it yourself.

The page looks good - lots of detail & explanation. Hubby has some electrical awareness so I'll point him towards it.

owen_h · Mar 19, 2017

First of all welcome and hope your enjoying your Cali.

Have you seen this thread from a while back?

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/retrofitting-an-electric-hook-up-to-my-beach.10782/#post-101248

Adding hookup to a Beach used to be a regular question but less so since it became standard (in the UK) from the factory.
Without hookup you would probably still get a couple of days use out of a compressor fridge / general 12V lighting phone charging etc from the leisure battery. Depend a bit on the type of fridge, ambient temp etc. I have spend plenty of weekends without hookup (and never run the engine). Most compressor fridges will have a voltage check feature to turn off if there is a danger of the battery getting to low. (keep power leads to the fridge short to avoid voltage drop due to wiring).
Before any trips It would be worth charging the leisure battery fully from home using a plug in charger. The alternator will charge the battery but it isn't as 'smart' as a good 240V charger (CTEK always get good reviews). The 12V socket on the B pillar can also be used to charge the leisure battery via a cigarette lighter adaptor. Or fit a dedicated connector (& fuse) to the leisure battery.