Useful Digital Voltmeter + Alarm + USB

[andyinluton]

Any chance some sockets have a voltage regulator limiting the voltage?
Only 100% sure way of checking I suppose would be to disconnect batteries in turn & see what still works.

 

[TwoDogs]

Any chance some sockets have a voltage regulator limiting the voltage?
Only 100% sure way of checking I suppose would be to disconnect batteries in turn & see what still works.

Yep...will do it sometime....wish the leisure battery wasn't such a pain to get at!

 

[andyinluton]

Isnt there a big fuse somewhere that can be pulled?

 

[TwoDogs]

Isnt there a big fuse somewhere that can be pulled?

Probably....will have a dig

 

[CYCLOPATH]

OK...my control panel says leisure battery voltage is 13.6
Socket on top of dash 13.55
Ashtray socket 12.4
Socket on front of cupboard 12.4
Socket by rear seat 13.6

Doesn't that mean my cupboard socket is wired up to the starter battery?

O my goodness . 2 dogs, I went out and rechecked mine, and it is the same as yours. The ashtray and the sink unit are the same. The top dash and the rear socket are the same.
To double check, I turned on the satnav and radio, and ashtray and unit dropped, not the other two.
Then I turned in the fridge and heater, and the top dash and rear dropped, and not the other two.
Pretty conclusive.
As long as we know, ....so the salesman was double wrong!!
I used to charge iPads and things on the unit......not any more!
Thanks for that

 

[MattBW]

That sounds like an installation error though, maybe warranty claim to fix it?

The rear sockets should surely all be on the leisure battery. In the beach it is where I plug in my fridge... When mine arrive Im definitely checking that first!

 

[CYCLOPATH]

That sounds like an installation error though, maybe warranty claim to fix it?

The rear sockets should surely all be on the leisure battery. In the beach it is where I plug in my fridge... When mine arrive Im definitely checking that first!

To be honest it doesn't bother me, just as long as I know.
The only thing that would worry me would be not to know and end up flattening my motor battery in the middle of nowhere

 

[Stoneybroke]

To be honest it doesn't bother me, just as long as I know.
The only thing that would worry me would be not to know and end up flattening my motor battery in the middle of nowhere

But you would think it would be clearer where a socket is getting it's power from without having to experiment!
Does the manual give any clues?

 

[CYCLOPATH]

But you would think it would be clearer where a socket is getting it's power from without having to experiment!
Does the manual give any clues?

Just looked in my manual, it said that the dash socket....mine in the ash tray...is supplied by the veichle battery, and will drain it if used with the engine off.
This clearly implies the others are not, which does suggest the one on the sink unit is wrongly wired .
It also reminded me there is another one in the very back on the drives side

 

[Spotlight Kid]

Just looked in my manual, it said that the dash socket....mine in the ash tray...is supplied by the veichle battery, and will drain it if used with the engine off.
This clearly implies the others are not, which does suggest the one on the sink unit is wrongly wired .
It also reminded me there is another one in the very back on the drives side

On page 230 of the T6 manual it says that all 12v sockets in the living area are powered by the additional batteries.

 

[TwoDogs]

O my goodness . 2 dogs, I went out and rechecked mine, and it is the same as yours. The ashtray and the sink unit are the same. The top dash and the rear socket are the same.
To double check, I turned on the satnav and radio, and ashtray and unit dropped, not the other two.
Then I turned in the fridge and heater, and the top dash and rear dropped, and not the other two.
Pretty conclusive.
As long as we know, ....so the salesman was double wrong!!
I used to charge iPads and things on the unit......not any more!
Thanks for that

Well, glad it's not just me! As you say, I'm not particularly bothered, just glad I know! I might ask the dealer at some point......

 

[Sp0_0k]

Got similar alarm some time ago. Has alarm for a low voltage and overcharging.
Started beeping insanely during the ride. Leasure battery showing over 14,8v

 

[CYCLOPATH]

On page 230 of the T6 manual it says that all 12v sockets in the living area are powered by the additional batteries.

I would just check it if I was you. It may well be different, but it might not be

 

[andyinluton]

The california technical manual - see VIP downloads, clearly shows the 12v socket by the sink as being powered by the leisure batteries. That was in a prefacelift T5

 

[Spotlight Kid]

I would just check it if I was you. It may well be different, but it might not be

I will...

 

[CYCLOPATH]

The california technical manual - see VIP downloads, clearly shows the 12v socket by the sink as being powered by the leisure batteries. That was in a prefacelift T5

But mine, like yours, is a 2015 facelift. They do change things regularly, my manual, which is 2014/11 shows an option to have those groovy pull across blinds they have in the T6

 

[T6 CFO]

Well at £4.47 delivered I have taken a wild gamble


Mike

Mine arrived today. Will be nice when I have a Cali to plug it into but for £4.47 a very useful battery indicator.


Mike

 

[Loz]

OK...my control panel says leisure battery voltage is 13.6
Socket on top of dash 13.55
Ashtray socket 12.4
Socket on front of cupboard 12.4
Socket by rear seat 13.6

Doesn't that mean my cupboard socket is wired up to the starter battery?

I would allow one of the batteries to run down a bit more say, with the fridge on for 24hours, and re measure as you need a bigger voltage difference to tell for sure, as long cable runs and poor connections could easily lose a volt..

 

[MattBW]

I ordered two of these, they're about 0.5v different on the same socket. So not v accurate sadly.

Mine looked the same until I let the van rest. Top and rear sockets definitely higher than the ashtray one.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[motacyclist]

Just ordered one thanks WG

 

[TwoDogs]

I would allow one of the batteries to run down a bit more say, with the fridge on for 24hours, and re measure as you need a bigger voltage difference to tell for sure, as long cable runs and poor connections could easily lose a volt..

good idea....I'll try that

 

[SimonB]

Just been out and checked my sockets. Also a late 2015 model California SE.
The socket in the cupholder/ashtray is 12.5v as is the one on the kitchen unit behind the passenger seat.
The one on top of the dash is 13.4v, like WG I have a solar panel charging the leisure batteries, the one under the seat by the sliding door and the one right at the back are also 13.4v. Would make it easier to wire the radio onto the leisure batteries I suppose, but not what I was lead to believe.
"Everything in front of the door pillar is off the engine batteries and everything behind is off the leisure batteries." We also charge things from the socket on the kitchen unit as it is easier to put the items on the unit.

 

[motacyclist]

Just been out and checked my sockets. Also a late 2015 model California SE.
The socket in the cupholder/ashtray is 12.5v as is the one on the kitchen unit behind the passenger seat.
The one on top of the dash is 13.4v, like WG I have a solar panel charging the leisure batteries, the one under the seat by the sliding door and the one right at the back are also 13.4v. Would make it easier to wire the radio onto the leisure batteries I suppose, but not what I was lead to believe.
"Everything in front of the door pillar is off the engine batteries and everything behind is off the leisure batteries." We also charge things from the socket on the kitchen unit as it is easier to put the items on the unit.

Should be able to identify if any are powered off the engine battery by checking for a voltage drop when the ignition and lights etc are switched on.

Still waiting for my little gadget to arrive to do the check myself.

 

[WelshGas]

Just been out and checked my sockets. Also a late 2015 model California SE.
The socket in the cupholder/ashtray is 12.5v as is the one on the kitchen unit behind the passenger seat.
The one on top of the dash is 13.4v, like WG I have a solar panel charging the leisure batteries, the one under the seat by the sliding door and the one right at the back are also 13.4v. Would make it easier to wire the radio onto the leisure batteries I suppose, but not what I was lead to believe.
"Everything in front of the door pillar is off the engine batteries and everything behind is off the leisure batteries." We also charge things from the socket on the kitchen unit as it is easier to put the items on the unit.

Having read your post I realised I hadn't checked the Kitchen socket as I have a 12v 6 socket + 2 usb extension I plug into that socket for 2 phones, iPad, Kindle and iBoost + a rechargeable radio/mp3 player.
Fortunately it was showing 13.5v same as all the other 12v sockets EXCEPT the Dashboard Tray 12v socket which was showing 12.5.

 

[WelshGas]

I ordered two of these, they're about 0.5v different on the same socket. So not v accurate sadly.

Mine looked the same until I let the van rest. Top and rear sockets definitely higher than the ashtray one.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

True they may not be totally accurate but I was more interested in the Alarm function when used on the Starter Battery 12v socket. Mine equates with the Control Panel readout so is acceptable.