Where to buy: Leisure battery charger

[Laura B]

First time I hooked-up my recently bought 1992 T4 Caravelle/California it seems the socket was damp and wires rusty and next thing I know, I have a burnt out leisure battery charger, and all the wire connections need replacing and, and, and. At least things still work and the batteries are still charging from the engine.
Anyway, I have a trusty chap helping me out, but he's asked me to help source a new charger. I'll get the specifics from him but does anyone know where's the best place to find such things? He's in Milton Keynes, I'm currently in south London.
Thanks folks

 

[WelshGas]

https://www.fraron.de/en/a-85859176/

Fits the T4

Or you can use other makes but might lose some Control Panel functionality.

 

[sidepod]

Here is the original Westy unit.
Well worth the money.
Dual output so it charges your starter battery also.

http://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/Guen...hops/GuenzlClassicParts/Products/982025345111

 

[Laura B]

Here is the original Westy unit.
Well worth the money.
Dual output so it charges your starter battery also.

http://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/Guen...hops/GuenzlClassicParts/Products/982025345111

Wow! £500? Is that seriously necessary? Are there other solutions to the starter battery issue? - Ive seen a couple of posts about it but the technospeke has me baffled.

But thanks for your quick reply.


Fits the T4

Or you can use other makes but might lose some Control Panel functionality.[/QUOTE]

 

[Laura B]

https://www.fraron.de/en/a-85859176/

Fits the T4

Or you can use other makes but might lose some Control Panel functionality.

thanks Welshgas

I've now got the spec and it's a Philips type PE2169/00. It is an AC 230V 50-60HZ. 250VA - 160 W. DC 13.8V/9A.

There's a newer model around: PE2169/01F . DC 13.8V/10A. would that do as well? The Fraron one looks a different shape though, but I much prefer the price!

someone elsewhere was saying that a CTEK smart charger would be fine - do either of you know whether that is true?
Thanks

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

A CTEK, or any leisure battery charger that supports gel batteries (assuming you have the original battery type), will work but you'll lose the prongs on the control panel display to tell you that you are hooked up and charging. You may also need to do some wiring changes to get the voltage displaying (there's a thread on here somewhere about that).

You will also lose the temperature sensing abilities (it stops charging so fast if it's really hot in the battery box).

If it was me, I'd be going for the Farron. Pod will probably throw something at me now, but I'm young and quick and can duck*

dan
*not all that is true. actually, not much of that is true.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

Here is the thread about the wiring issues after a non-standard charger install in case you decided to take that route. Nothing major:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/t4-westy-fridge-control-panel-advice-please.13248/

 

[Laura B]

Here is the thread about the wiring issues after a non-standard charger install in case you decided to take that route. Nothing major:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/t4-westy-fridge-control-panel-advice-please.13248/

And thanks again.

Re the Fraron battery charger for T4, this is the reply I got from them (very quick), and the instructions for connecting it up for anyone else in this predicament.

If there are any glaring mis-translations eg 'shore' for Mains (I assume), maybe someone could point them out as my friendly chap who is doing the work his mother tongue is not English.

FraRon electronic GmbH https://www.fraron.de/en/a-85859176/

1. Does it charge the starter battery as well?
Yes, the charger can charge 2 batteries (I've sought clarification as to whether this is 2 leisure batteries or leisure + starter)
2. Will your Model operate all control panel functionality in this model Campervan?
It have the outputsignal for the Plugsymbol in the panel. The rest is managed by the internal system of your vehicle.
3. Are the adapters and connectors the same - will they be suitable?

Attached pls. find the manual for the installation.

Bei Fragen stehen wir Ihnen gerne zur Verfügung.

Mit freundlichem Gruß
FraRon electronic GmbH
Frank Schuette
Tel.: +49 6029 999 8821 Mobil:+49 171 35 25 311
Fax: +49 6029 999 8828 Email: kontakt@FraRon.de

Exchange original charger VW T4 / Ford Nugget / Westfalia / James Cook / California Camping Bus

In general, there is installed the 10A charger Philips PE 2169/00, 2169/01 PE or PE 2169/02 and Westfalia. This charger can be relatively easily replaced by our IUoU 20A charger BLG20M12V.

Quick installation :

- Removal of the old / defective charger
- Remove the 6-pin connector from the old / defective charger=
- Disconnecting the 230V IEC power connector (this cable can be reused)
- Installing our charger BLG20M12V
- Our charger is supplied with charging cable set, move it from the charger output to / the batterie(s) and connect to plus and minus. Depending on the installation type, it is necessary a fuse in the positive lead wire near the battery.

- The original vehicle built in battery temperature sensor cannot be used anymore. Therefore, use the optional battery temperature sensor BTS_M. Connect this to the jack on the charger and route the cable to the battery and also connect with the negative terminal of the battery.

- Plug the power cord into the 230V BLG20M12V charger
- Select on the front of the charger the battery type (WET, GEL, AGM) by slide switch and select the desired float voltage.
- Turn on, that's it .... almost!

If the shore power indicator (230V plug icon in the display panel of the vehicle) continue to be displayed when shore power connection, a separate control output must be set out from our charger.

 

[Loz]

Shore power is a boating reference not a translation error...

 

[Laura B]

Here is the thread about the wiring issues after a non-standard charger install in case you decided to take that route. Nothing major:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/t4-westy-fridge-control-panel-advice-please.13248/

A CTEK, or any leisure battery charger that supports gel batteries (assuming you have the original battery type), will work but you'll lose the prongs on the control panel display to tell you that you are hooked up and charging. You may also need to do some wiring changes to get the voltage displaying (there's a thread on here somewhere about that).

You will also lose the temperature sensing abilities (it stops charging so fast if it's really hot in the battery box).

If it was me, I'd be going for the Farron. Pod will probably throw something at me now, but I'm young and quick and can duck*

dan
*not all that is true. actually, not much of that is true.

 

[Laura B]

Hi Dan

I've found this:
http://www.smarterchargers.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=57

It would appear to be a higher spec than the one JustKampers sells which is a CTEK MKS7.0 vs this MKS10. It also has a variable charge depending on battery and ambient temperature - so they assure me. Apparantly it will do everything I need - although perhaps (can't remember what he said!) the prong charging icon might not appear. But then the battery voltage function should do the same thing, right?

 

[Laura B]

A CTEK, or any leisure battery charger that supports gel batteries (assuming you have the original battery type), will work but you'll lose the prongs on the control panel display to tell you that you are hooked up and charging. You may also need to do some wiring changes to get the voltage displaying (there's a thread on here somewhere about that).

You will also lose the temperature sensing abilities (it stops charging so fast if it's really hot in the battery box).

If it was me, I'd be going for the Farron. Pod will probably throw something at me now, but I'm young and quick and can duck*

dan

*not all that is true. actually, not much of that is true.

Apparantly the Fraron - already price 200 euros - will need an optional heat sensor anyway. And then shipping costs......


Here's the guff on the Smartchargers one :

CTEK MXS 10 General Information

• Comfort Connect compatible: Yes*.
• Input voltage: 220-240VAC, 50-60Hz
• Output voltage: 14.4V, 14.7V, RECOND 15.8V, SUPPLY 13.6V
• Charging current: 10A
• Ripple: <4%
• Ambient Temperature: -20 deg.C to +50 deg.C, output power is reduced automatically at higher temperatures.
• Charger Type: Eight step, fully automatic charging cycle
• Batteries: 12V lead-acid batteries (WET, MF, Ca/Ca, AGM and GEL)
• Battery size: 20 - 200Ah
• Dimensions (L x W x H): 197x93x49mm
• Insulation: IP65
• Weight: 0.8kg
• Quick coupling - Yes

* Excludes accessories with a rated current below 10 amps.

The MXS 10 is a charger that offers state of the art technology. It is ideal for professional use and excellent in workshops, caravans, motorhomess, boats or cars. The MXS 10 is perfect for solving a broad range of battery problems. It offers features such as battery diagnosis which shows if a battery can receive and retain a charge, a special reconditioning function which restores stratified and deeply discharged batteries, unique maintenance charging and a temperature sensor for optimised charging regardless of the weather conditions. It also has a power supply mode which allows the battery to be disconnected from the vehicle without losing important configurations. The unique display allows the user to follow the entire charging process.

The MXS 10 is a fully automatic 8-step charger that delivers 10A to 12V batteries from 20-200Ah. The charger is IP 65 rated (splash and dust proof), designed to protect vehicle electronics, non-sparking, reverse polarity protected and short-circuit proof. It is delivered with a 2-year warranty.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

But then the battery voltage function should do the same thing, right?

Yes, you'll see the voltage increase on the display when it is on hookup.

If you go that route, just be careful with the thin red and black wires into the current charger. As the other post I linked to covers, they are used to tell the main controller what the voltage is.

 

[Dubster75]

Did you ever fit a replacement? And if so which one? I find myself in the same situation as you were; I have a Philips PE2169/00 that has just gone up in smoke and I am looking at finding the best replacement charger out there.

 

[sidepod]

Best replacement is the original Westy unit from Günzl.

https://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/Gue...hops/GuenzlClassicParts/Products/982025345111

 

[Dubster75]

No replacement required after all, managed to repair my faulty one

 

[sidepod]

No replacement required after all, managed to repair my faulty one

Eh....whhoooooaaahh. Not so fast. Details please?

 

[Dubster75]

Well after taking the charging unit out of the van and opening it up it was pretty obvious what the first thing to sort was. One of the capacitors (yellow rectangular one near the smaller pcb connector) had exploded and covered part of the pcb in a tar like substance. I desoldered what was left of it and cleaned the pcb up as best as i could.
I replaced the capacitor and the fuse next to it that it had took out and hoped there wasn't any more damage.
Turned out there was - the track on the pcb which runs from one leg of the capacitor to the mains filter was open circuit, even though it looked ok, so I put a link in on the under side of the pcb to rectify this.
I also found several dry joints on the smaller mains input pcb, which would simply have been caused by age (25 years old!) so I re-soldered these.
Popped it back in the van and jobs a good'un - everything charging as it should and the control panel working as it should.

 

[sidepod]

Excellent. At least the damage was mainly visual.

I've got a heater control box fried from water ingress.
I'm pretty sure I can see what needs fixing on the board.

Well done.

 

[vw_man]

Well after taking the charging unit out of the van and opening it up it was pretty obvious what the first thing to sort was. One of the capacitors (yellow rectangular one near the smaller pcb connector) had exploded and covered part of the pcb in a tar like substance. I desoldered what was left of it and cleaned the pcb up as best as i could.
I replaced the capacitor and the fuse next to it that it had took out and hoped there wasn't any more damage.
Turned out there was - the track on the pcb which runs from one leg of the capacitor to the mains filter was open circuit, even though it looked ok, so I put a link in on the under side of the pcb to rectify this.
I also found several dry joints on the smaller mains input pcb, which would simply have been caused by age (25 years old!) so I re-soldered these.
Popped it back in the van and jobs a good'un - everything charging as it should and the control panel working as it should.

Seems like exactly what happened to mine!
And this is the route I wanted to take.
Good to know there is hope!
I did not want to deal with a purchase of a new unit.

 

[qyou]

https://www.fraron.de/en/a-85859176/

Fits the T4

Or you can use other makes but might lose some Control Panel functionality.

 

[qyou]

Hi I'm a newish Cali owner I bought mine last year and all was well, except the battery went flat bought a new Sonneschein 110

https://www.fraron.de/en/a-85859176/

Fits the T4

Or you can use other makes but might lose some Control Panel functionality.

 

[qyou]

Hi WelshGas, you can tell I'm new can't quite use the forum very well. I've had a problem with my charger, have you replaced yours with
IUoU Automatic Battery Charger BLG20M12V_S? I'm thinking of doing it I have a 2002 Westfalia California Event the LB is new had it on charge for 48 hours after which battery symbol still flashed. Plug in symbol was showing, all cables and fuses and trip switch all in order but still flashing battery symbol??
When I turn the ignition on for a few seconds and rev a little turn ignition off battery symbol stops flashing and the scale appears small battery read out gap then large battery read out. However this only lasts for a few seconds then the battery symbol starts flashing again. My thinking is the engine is charging the LB slightly but the hook up isn't charging hence I may need a replacement. How easy are these to fit if your a beginner like me?
qyou

Fits the T4

Or you can use other makes but might lose some Control Panel functionality.[/QUOTE]

 

[WelshGas]

Hi WelshGas, you can tell I'm new can't quite use the forum very well. I've had a problem with my charger, have you replaced yours with
IUoU Automatic Battery Charger BLG20M12V_S? I'm thinking of doing it I have a 2002 Westfalia California Event the LB is new had it on charge for 48 hours after which battery symbol still flashed. Plug in symbol was showing, all cables and fuses and trip switch all in order but still flashing battery symbol??
When I turn the ignition on for a few seconds and rev a little turn ignition off battery symbol stops flashing and the scale appears small battery read out gap then large battery read out. However this only lasts for a few seconds then the battery symbol starts flashing again. My thinking is the engine is charging the LB slightly but the hook up isn't charging hence I may need a replacement. How easy are these to fit if your a beginner like me?
qyou

Fits the T4

Or you can use other makes but might lose some Control Panel functionality.

[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately I don't have a T4 but a T5.1 California. All I can say is that on my vehicle, If you can wire a plug then you should be able to change over the Charger. Hopefully someone with a T4 may be able to give you a fuller answer. Sorry.

 

[qyou]

Thanks, that's helpful, I'm going to remove the charger tomorrow to see if I can spot any obvious damage.
qyou