Leisure Battery Specific Advice

[Robin Brooke]

Hi All

Thanks to all who read, and offer any advice.

Background:
VW California SE 2015 which Ive owned since new.

Ive maintained the batteries consistently for 3.5 years charging on hookup every month for 24 hours.

We have been travelling in the vehicle for past two years so daily use but also daily charge from altenator.

Never usually goes below 80%/70%. Recently been getting down to 80% much quicker.

This morning is read 40% !

We charged on hookup only a week ago and since had a 4 hour drive.

I can see the altenator charging says its working i.e. G on control panel and 14.5V with engine running.

Appreciate any worldly advice on:

1. Expected life of batteries given usage describe above and age? Are they approx. due replacing or should they have a bit longer to run?

2. Any classic problems we should check first? Fuses, cold weather, things we should check or ask French mechanic to check?

3. We are in France, dont speak fluently? any insight into normal cost of replacing both batteries would help us stop getting ripped off if we go that route?

Many Thanks for any info!!

 

[WelshGas]

Hi All

Thanks to all who read, and offer any advice.

Background:
VW California SE 2015 which Ive owned since new.

Ive maintained the batteries consistently for 3.5 years charging on hookup every month for 24 hours.

We have been travelling in the vehicle for past two years so daily use but also daily charge from altenator.

Never usually goes below 80%/70%. Recently been getting down to 80% much quicker.

This morning is read 40% !

We charged on hookup only a week ago and since had a 4 hour drive.

I can see the altenator charging says its working i.e. G on control panel and 14.5V with engine running.

Appreciate any worldly advice on:

1. Expected life of batteries given usage describe above and age? Are they approx. due replacing or should they have a bit longer to run?

2. Any classic problems we should check first? Fuses, cold weather, things we should check or ask French mechanic to check?

3. We are in France, dont speak fluently? any insight into normal cost of replacing both batteries would help us stop getting ripped off if we go that route?

Many Thanks for any info!!

Check that the + Pole Cube Fuse 50 amp on the Rear Leisure Battery has not blown. If so then the Mains Charger will be charging the rear battery and the Engine Alternator the Passenger seat Battery. Unfortunately ALL the power for the habitation area comes from the connections to the front battery.
With that fuse blown you are basically running on 1 battery only.

I think newer vehicles have a 75amp Cube fuse fitted.

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/fuse-on-positive-leisure-battery-terminal.19122/#post-220228

 

[MattBW]

My battery started to do similar, it was loose connections on the batteries, tightened them up and suddenly all is good again,

 

[Robin Brooke]

Thanks both!!

Will have a look this evening.

 

[Travelling Togs]

On a similar subject may I ask - our Cali Ocean is 4 months old and after leaving her unused, with nothing 'on', for just 2 nights the controller says its down to 30%, I assumed the batteries, with no draw on them, would be fine when unused for lot longer period than that. We are shortly out of the country on holiday and will need to leave our Cali unused for a couple of weeks, goodness knows how low the batteries will go then.

Interested to know from all you experienced members, before I call my dealer, what is the 'norm' regarding 4 month old leisure batteries and power loss when sat unused, thanks.

 

[VW Guru]

On a similar subject may I ask - our Cali Ocean is 4 months old and after leaving her unused, with nothing 'on', for just 2 nights the controller says its down to 30%, I assumed the batteries, with no draw on them, would be fine when unused for lot longer period than that. We are shortly out of the country on holiday and will need to leave our Cali unused for a couple of weeks, goodness knows how low the batteries will go then.

Interested to know from all you experienced members, before I call my dealer, what is the 'norm' regarding 4 month old leisure batteries and power loss when sat unused, thanks.

Hi if your battery’s have discharged that quickly you will need to go to your dealer. They will need your vehicle for at least 2-3 days to carry out the relevant checks on the battery’s and charging system.

 

[Travelling Togs]

Hi if your battery’s have discharged that quickly you will need to go to your dealer. They will need your vehicle for at least 2-3 days to carry out the relevant checks on the battery’s and charging system.

Wow, thank you, I will call them in the morning and have it booked in. How long should the batteries hold charge for when nothing is switch on or plugged in ?

 

[Brembo]

John,I think the computer display draws power from the batteries,although should not be much of a drain.
If you press the off switch ,(bottom left), twice,it will stop drawing power.
Hope your both well.
Dougie.

 

[Jabberwocky]

John,I think the computer display draws power from the batteries,although should not be much of a drain.
If you press the off switch ,(bottom left), twice,it will stop drawing power.
Hope your both well.
Dougie.

You are quite correct and it's always good to switch off the control panel when the van is not in use for extended periods but the control panel will not draw enough to flatten the batteries in two days. There is sadly something else amiss here.

 

[Travelling Togs]

John,I think the computer display draws power from the batteries,although should not be much of a drain.
If you press the off switch ,(bottom left), twice,it will stop drawing power.
Hope your both well.
Dougie.

Hi Dougie, alls well here thanks, hope you are too. Thanks, yes, we always switch off the control panel and everything else, so its a mystery as to why the batteries are being drained so fast. I will chat to Clarks in the morning and get it booked in. Hope to meet up again before too long, cheers, John and Karen.

 

[GrannyJen]

On a similar subject may I ask - our Cali Ocean is 4 months old and after leaving her unused, with nothing 'on', for just 2 nights the controller says its down to 30%, I assumed the batteries, with no draw on them, would be fine when unused for lot longer period than that. We are shortly out of the country on holiday and will need to leave our Cali unused for a couple of weeks, goodness knows how low the batteries will go then.

Interested to know from all you experienced members, before I call my dealer, what is the 'norm' regarding 4 month old leisure batteries and power loss when sat unused, thanks.

Confirm what others have said. With the panel switched off, nothing plugged into the inventor, the battery level should remain fairly static. Somethings drawing off somewhere.

 

[Travelling Togs]

You are quite correct and it's always good to switch off the control panel when the van is not in use for extended periods but the control panel will not draw enough to flatten the batteries in two days. There is sadly something else amiss here.

Many thanks JW, yes I'm sure we need to get the system inspected and checked over. The vehicle was stood for quite some time after arriving from the factory and it being allowed to be sold so I wonder if the batteries have lost their 'condition' as I'm sure they won't have been charged each month as suggested. I will get the dealer to book her in and get it checked over.

 

[Travelling Togs]

Confirm what others have said. With the panel switched off, nothing plugged into the inventor, the battery level should remain fairly static. Somethings drawing off somewhere.

Thanks Jen, yes that is my first thought and also as described above, the batteries may have lost their 'conditioning' as it was stood for a while between arriving in Blighty and it being sold due to the issues we all know about.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks Jen, yes that is my first thought and also as described above, the batteries may have lost their 'conditioning' as it was stood for a while between arriving in Blighty and it being sold due to the issues we all know about.

When the Control Panel is On it should show a current draw of about 0.2 amp. This is for the screen and drops lower still when the screen switches Off.
Anything higher than that indicates a current draw from something that is On.
If you are sure nothing is On, no USB sockets left plugged in, then lift the flap on the Inverter Socket on the B pillar behind the Passenger Seat. Is there a green LED On.
If not the Batteries are not holding charge. If the LED is On then the Inverter is On and drawing current.

 

[Travelling Togs]

When the Control Panel is On it should show a current draw of about 0.2 amp. This is for the screen and drops lower still when the screen switches Off.
Anything higher than that indicates a current draw from something that is On.
If you are sure nothing is On, no USB sockets left plugged in, then lift the flap on the Inverter Socket on the B pillar behind the Passenger Seat. Is there a green LED On.
If not the Batteries are not holding charge. If the LED is On then the Inverter is On and drawing current.

Thank you, WG, appreciated. I will check those things you mention in the morning before calling our dealer so I have the full story before chatting to them.

 

[Max-Felix]

Remember leisure batteries (like all batteries, even Li-Ion) even if well maintained will see their performance and capacity to hold charge diminish with age and use. They all have only so many charge/discharge cycles (seen up to 500 or so mentioned on here) before they ideally would be replaced. This topic below (although bringing solar into the mix) has lots of useful info:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/leisure-battery-circuit-issues.15019/

 

[RichardH]

The solutions above sound more probable but more on the inverter socket: something plugged in there may draw a current even if the device itself is switched off. Worth checking before starting to take things apart? My anti-mosquito plug-ins used to live there permanently without problems (switched off when not in use and with its indicator light off too), but something must have changed - the batteries began to lose power much faster

even though the Jungle Formula switch was in the off position and its indicator light was off.​

Removing the plug-in solved the problem

(thank you another forum poster).​

Nearly 5 years old now and despite a lot of use my two batteries still hold enough charge to power the fridge on setting 2 for nearly 5 days in warm weather.

 

[Alan]

The solutions above sound more probable but more on the inverter socket: something plugged in there may draw a current even if the device itself is switched off. Worth checking before starting to take things apart? My anti-mosquito plug-ins used to live there permanently without problems (switched off when not in use and with its indicator light off too), but something must have changed - the batteries began to lose power much faster

even though the Jungle Formula switch was in the off position and its indicator light was off.​

Removing the plug-in solved the problem

(thank you another forum poster).​

Nearly 5 years old now and despite a lot of use my two batteries still hold enough charge to power the fridge on setting 2 for nearly 5 days in warm weather.

Dropping to what percent or is that until the fridge cuts out

Alan

 

[WelshGas]

The solutions above sound more probable but more on the inverter socket: something plugged in there may draw a current even if the device itself is switched off. Worth checking before starting to take things apart? My anti-mosquito plug-ins used to live there permanently without problems (switched off when not in use and with its indicator light off too), but something must have changed - the batteries began to lose power much faster

even though the Jungle Formula switch was in the off position and its indicator light was off.​

Removing the plug-in solved the problem

(thank you another forum poster).​

Nearly 5 years old now and despite a lot of use my two batteries still hold enough charge to power the fridge on setting 2 for nearly 5 days in warm weather.

The Inverter Socket has a Microswitch inside. When you plug anything in the socket, whether that "Anything is On or Off", the Inverter is switched On and uses about 0.6 amps/hr on Standby.

 

[RichardH]

Dropping to what percent or is that until the fridge cuts out

Alan

I rarely let it drop much below 11v. I believe the fridge cuts out at about 10.5v but I have never let it go that far. The percentage meter doesn’t seem a very accurate measure so I don’t usually take too much notice of it. However during a particularly sweltering few days in Croatia this summer (daily minimum 30C+) the batteries went from 12.7v, recorded as 100% after a few hours drive, to 10.8v, 40%, in 50 hours with the fridge on setting 3. In more temperate but still warm UK weather we lasted almost 5 days on setting 2.

 

[RichardH]

The Inverter Socket has a Microswitch inside. When you plug anything in the socket, whether that "Anything is On or Off", the Inverter is switched On and uses about 0.6 amps/hr on Standby.

That sounds entirely logical but I don’t think the 0.6a/h drain was happening when our Cali was new, despite having the anti mozzie device plugged in all the time but usually switched off. I can’t swear to it but I don’t think it happened during the first two or three years. It was only last year that I noticed the charge dropping so noticeably when the van was “resting” in the garage.