Where is the leisure battery?

[Newvanfam]

Hi all,
We have a Cali beach 2015 and I’m embarrassed to admit that I have no idea where the leisure battery is.
Was I daft to assume that all beaches have one?
Would someone kindly take and share a couple of photos of where theirs is so I know what to look for? How we know if it charged etc.
I have trawelled the internet but haven’t found anything yet.
We don’t have a panel above the windscreen as others seem to have.
Many thanks for your help.
Catie

 

[Alied]

Hi all,
We have a Cali beach 2015 and I’m embarrassed to admit that I have no idea where the leisure battery is.
Was I daft to assume that all beaches have one?
Would someone kindly take and share a couple of photos of where theirs is so I know what to look for? How we know if it charged etc.
I have trawelled the internet but haven’t found anything yet.
We don’t have a panel above the windscreen as others seem to have.
Many thanks for your help.
Catie

It’s underneath the passenger seat.

 

[Alied]

To check the battery condition I use one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BSXFCM8/?tag=eliteelect-21

VW recommend that you put the vehicle on charge via hook up at least once a month.

 

[Newvanfam]

Hi Alied, this is so embarrassing I really am totally unbelievably clueless. But instead of never asking, I’ll put my cards on the table. I have seen that there wires and ‘stuff’ under there but not sure what the battery even should look like. Or how to test it, even with the kit ( thanks for the links I’ll purchase in due course) . I also have never charged it. Eeeek! How big is this battery? Perhaps I’ll take a photo when I go out later and you can tell me. Every YouTube video I’ve found shows a control panel( which we don’t have) and yet I haven’t found one showing the battery. I’ve moved the seat back and still can’t get a good look. I guess I was expecting something that looks like a car battery. Plainly not! Catie

 

[Alied]

Hi Alied, this is so embarrassing I really am totally unbelievably clueless. But instead of never asking, I’ll put my cards on the table. I have seen that there wires and ‘stuff’ under there but not sure what the battery even should look like. Or how to test it, even with the kit ( thanks for the links I’ll purchase in due course) . I also have never charged it. Eeeek! How big is this battery? Perhaps I’ll take a photo when I go out later and you can tell me. Every YouTube video I’ve found shows a control panel( which we don’t have) and yet I haven’t found one showing the battery. I’ve moved the seat back and still can’t get a good look. I guess I was expecting something that looks like a car battery. Plainly not! Catie

It does look like a car battery. Only the Ocean has a control panel but if you have the parking heater you will have a small rectangular panel that looks like this.

 

[Loz]

You can only really get a good look at it by removing the seat, so have a look at mine and save yourself the hassle.

 

[Newvanfam]

It does look like a car battery. Only the Ocean has a control panel but if you have the parking heater you will have a small rectangular panel that looks like this.

Thank you. But ours doesn’t have a heater either. It seems so basic compared to everyone else’s.

 

[Newvanfam]

You can only really get a good look at it by removing the seat, so have a look at mine and save yourself the hassle.
View attachment 34901

Fabulous! Now I know what I’m looking at ( ish) !
The battery is under the cover. I see! I’ll be keep this photo for reference. thank you Thank you!

 

[Newvanfam]

Thank you Alied and Loz! I couldn’t sleep thinking about it!

 

[SimonB]

You might want to update your profile so if you have any other issues you want to ask about people will know which vehicle you are talking about.

The aux heater is one of the options that most people, including me, will rate really highly. It enables you to extend your camping season all the year round and still be very comfortable all the year round. I camp very happily when it is -5C and a lot of really harder souls here continue when it is way lower than that.

There is a firm in the South East that fits them retrospectively and if you put a question on here I'm sure someone will tell you.

 

[Newvanfam]

Brilliant! Thank you. SimonB Catie

 

[MattBW]

You could just as easily get a basic volt meter for a few quid on ebay to test your battery. Les than a fiver for a rough idea.

If you want something more detailed (so you can see how many amps you are using etc) you can get a battery monitor installed like the Nasa BM1 or the Victron BMV., there are reviews of them on here in some old threads worth a look if you are interested.

My beach is also 2015 and I had no heater but I had one fitted afterwards. They are a brilliant bit of kit. If you get a webasto I highly recommend getting the extra temp sensor fitted. I also added an awning from the club shop.

I also highly recommend the VanEssa Window bags or California Camping DE ones both pretty much the same. They make a massive difference in the beach for camping.