Retro fitting a leisure battery

Nicky · May 4, 2015

Hi

We have just looked at a 2013 vw california that does not have a leisure battery. Does anyone know the cost of retro fitting a battery?

Thanks

Nicky

CaliforniaDAN · May 4, 2015

Has the owner stated why there is no battery?

Nicky · May 4, 2015

No. He said there was no battery fitted when he bought it as an ex demo machine from vw dealer. It is a beach. There are lots of wires under the passenger seat though. Could there be one that we can't see?

owen_h · May 4, 2015

It's well hidden under the seat and also has a rubber cover over it..
Do the lights and 12v socketsin the rear "living" area work? They should all be fed from the leisure battery.

Nick CB · May 4, 2015

Have you looked in the back on the left in front of the gas bottle compartment that's where mine is. Tucked behind a panel secured with a screw.

Nicky · May 4, 2015

The rear lights do work. The owner says they are running off the car battery so you can't use them whilst not running the engine. Would they not work if there was no leisure battery?

WelshGas · May 4, 2015

Either someone has done a lot of rewiring or the previous owner doesn't know what he is talking about. I cannot believe that a dealer would go to that much trouble.
Try disconnecting the engine battery and see if the rear compartment lights work?

dannosail · May 4, 2015

You can see the rubber cover for the battery if you push the front seat forward. If you are still unsure it's also very easy to remove the trim at the bottom of the front seat and look properly. It's got to be one of 3 things surely?

The van wasn't fitted with a leisure battery - not sure on standard beach spec these days?
The van was fitted with a leisure battery and it's been taken out - I agree with WelshGas, unlikely wiring has been removed.
Incresingly possible....the current owner has misunderstood the arrangement/has not found the leisure battery.

Nicky · May 4, 2015

Thanks for all your replies. Would anyone be able to send me a photo of the front and back of their passenger seat? I had a close look but didn't pull anything out. If I could see what a normal one looks like, maybe that would help.

Thanks

Nicky

Hotel California · May 4, 2015

Nicky , this is posted in " california BEACH chat"
Is it a beach you got or an SE ?
Seem some replies are on SE types....

Anyway if there is a battery short on your recently purchased Cali , i would go back to the seller ....it is an essential thing on a Cali . Selling one without one of the batteries is a scam....

Nicky · May 4, 2015

Thanks. It is a second hand beach we are looking at. We have not bought t yet. The guy we are buying off says it does not have a leisure battery but as far as I can see this has always been a standard part of the beach. We saw it today and there was a box under the passenger seat but we didn't try and pull any cover or anything off. I'm trying to get more info as this is the only thing putting us off buying it. Thanks

WelshGas · May 4, 2015

If it is a 2013 model then it is still under warranty. The Leisure battery is Original Equipment, so if removed by Dealer or original Purchaser then this might well invalidate the Warranty. I would ask the seller, after giving him the info where the battery should be ie: under the front passenger seat, to confirm in writing that there is / is not a Leisure Battery fitted and if not ask him for a letter confirming that the VW warranty is complete and in force for the change in wiring specs. He can do this very simply by going back to the Dealer he purchased it from.
I would think the battery is present and that the original owner is a bit of a numpty. If the battery is present and flat because of a problem with the charging circuit ( you said the back lights can only be used with the engine on) then VW warranty should sort this out.

Hotel California · May 4, 2015

Ok , beach it is !
If it is not a car dealer i would ask to drive it to a VW dealer ( or ask for a testdrive and just go to a VW dealer meanwhile) and ask for a quick overlook by them.
If it is a cardealer he must sell a Cali in good condition , with a lesiure bat.
So , now wait and see if anyone with a beach here can give you some pic's on how it suppose to loke like.

Nicky · May 4, 2015

Thanks. I'll get back to him. The lights did work without turning the engine on. I just assumed this was using the car battery.
Thanks again for all your responses.

dannosail · May 4, 2015

Nicky,

To take the cover off, or get the seller to, move the seat forward, place your hand on the top of the cover and tuck the end of your fingers underneath. Lift slightly allowing the plastice to bend a little and pull backwards. The cover should slip off without much pressure. It will then become blindingly obvious whether or not there is a battery with the black cover on it. See photos:

After:

WelshGas · May 4, 2015

Leisure battery under passenger seat. Ignore charger unit at top of picture as this part of a retrofit Electrical Hook Up system.

The battery is right at the front of the seat base. Best way of viewing is to swivel passenger seat round and then slide it fully forward ie: towards the rear of the vehicle, thus exposing the battery on the footwell side of the seat base. It may have a plastic cover on it.