Which Californias (trickle) charge the starter battery?

[TripleBee]

So what year of Californias do charge the starter battery?

 

[TripleBee]

Let's start with mine:

Built in 2009, model year 2010 does charge the starter battery:

 

[WelshGas]

Let's start with mine:

Built in 2009, model year 2010 does charge the starter battery:

View attachment 57889

But you haven’t voted.

 

[Bryan2411]

Really interested to confirm this. Do I just measure voltage across Starter battery terminals without hook up, plug hook up in then measure again? Do I wait to let leisure batteries top up first?

 

[EddieEagle]

I use this device. Just hookup and watch the engine battery voltage ..
if it goes up , bingo.

 

[2into1]

Answering this may prove as tricky as finding a vaccine for Covid 19, but it could prove a valuable thread. I'll test mine when I'm next hooked-up.
As per the question above... Is it worth giving your leisure 12 hours before trying to assess?.... Ie is the system clever enough to charge the leisure THEN the engine battery, or would the engine battery get it's trickle from the moment you plug in?

 

[Trollhunter]

Easier if you said which years Don't.... then I know, definitely not mine (2006)

 

[ArunAlec]

Answering this may prove as tricky as finding a vaccine for Covid 19, but it could prove a valuable thread. I'll test mine when I'm next hooked-up.
As per the question above... Is it worth giving your leisure 12 hours before trying to assess?.... Ie is the system clever enough to charge the leisure THEN the engine battery, or would the engine battery get it's trickle from the moment you plug in?

Good thinking!

 

[WelshGas]

Really interested to confirm this. Do I just measure voltage across Starter battery terminals without hook up, plug hook up in then measure again? Do I wait to let leisure batteries top up first?

Yes, the Leisure Batteries take priority so they must be full.

 

[westfalia]

You didn't add - Don't know.

 

[Loz]

The poll options should be in MY (Manufacturing Year ) order!
Mine is a MY17 October 2016 which is not the same as a 2015... MY17 started August 2016 and runs to June 2017 where it changes to MY18 during the July shutdown.
If you want to be more accurate you need the Vin ranges for each MY

 

[TripleBee]

You didn't add - Don't know.

I had no more slots for another answer left ...

But you haven’t voted.

Thanks for reminding. I voted, but didn't confirm!

Answering this may prove as tricky as finding a vaccine for Covid 19, but it could prove a valuable thread. I'll test mine when I'm next hooked-up.
As per the question above... Is it worth giving your leisure 12 hours before trying to assess?.... Ie is the system clever enough to charge the leisure THEN the engine battery, or would the engine battery get it's trickle from the moment you plug in?

The leisure batteries are charged first. Just then it starts trickling the starter battery, so yes, wait for 12 hours to see any change in starter battery voltage (hopefully upwards...).

 

[TripleBee]

The poll options should be in MY (Manufacturing Year ) order!
Mine is a MY17 October 2016 which is not the same as a 2015... MY17 started September 2016 and runs to August 2017 where it changes to MY18

As said, I had no more possibilities left for more options. And besides, not much people know what year the van is made.
Mine is a 2010, bought in may, but as it was a stock vehicle, it was made in november 2009.

 

[Loz]

No priority as far as I measured, both voltages rise soon after plugging in but more current going to the leisure side so you see them rise quicker.

 

[Loz]

As said, I had no more possibilities left for more options. And besides, not much people know what year the van is made.
Mine is a 2010, bought in may, but as it was a stock vehicle, it was made in november 2009.

So yours is a MY10

 

[TripleBee]

Mine is model year 2010, but production year is 2009. It is one of the first ever T5.1 made. (They started in october).
And you can tell it's an early one. Blue backlight in RCD310 display, old "fisheye" parking sensors in the "old" T5 rear bumper, my roof was also from that bad batch of roofs that corroded (hmm?), and maybe there are some more "old" features I have that changed in the late 2010 - early 2011 Californias.

 

[Wesel]

No priority as far as I measured, both voltages rise soon after plugging in but more current going to the leisure side so you see them rise quicker.

Me too

 

[Stuart]

I wouldn't be surprised if this differs between Beach / Ocean. Do you want Beach votes?

 

[Stuart]

As an aside, for those who don't get the benefit of starter battery charging, would something like this plugged from a leisure 12v socket to the starter 12v socket do the job?

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[Ch1pbutty]

2012 Beach - No

 

[rod_vw]

Identify the model year regardless of when you bought it or the registration letter.

The tenth digit from the left of the 17 digit VIN is the model year...

1992 - 2000 = N - Y respectively (T4)

2001 - 2002 = 1- 2 respectively (T4)

2003 - 2009 = 3 - 9 respectively

2010 - 2021 = A - M respectively

The model year has little to do with the manufacturing year but normally begins somewhere between May and the end of August of the previous year. Frequently at the end of that range.

Your VIN is that on the number visible from the outside through the windscreen in the bottom left corner. If in any doubt, left in vehicle designation is as viewed for the rear.

 

[marchugo]

From april 2009 all T5‘s with a build in outside charger also charge the starter battery with a trickle of 1 Ampere from the moment you are plugged in.

At the same time the charger delivers 15 Ampere to the leisure batteries.

The generator in the motor compartment of the T5 can give 30 Amps or more to the leisure betteries during driving, but as the generator is meant for filling acid lead starter batteries with a lower top-up voltage, it can never fully top up AGM leisure batteries. That’s why you should plug in once a month for 12 hours to prevent the leisure bats from sulfating.

With solar and a decent regulator and enough sunshine you can top up your AGMs perfectly, so less need to plug in monthly.

Marc.

 

[paul_f]

After plugging in my 2019 beach didn't appear to be charging the starter battery(stayed at 12.3v). When I came out after 4 hours it was at 13V so it must trickle charge it

 

[Pd.]

Hi I'm new (ish) and this is my first post and thought that I should get involved and this is something that I had checked out.

My 2013 has model year 2014 indicated by its VIN and it definitely charges both.

Hope everyone keeps well and looking forward to getting out and about.

 

[marchugo]

After plugging in my 2019 beach didn't appear to be charging the starter battery(stayed at 12.3v). When I came out after 4 hours it was at 13V so it must trickle charge it

The plugin charger in a T6 is loading the starter battery with 2.5 Ampere (in the T5 that’s 1 Ampere). The T6 leisure batteries are topped up with 12.5 Ampere.

So if you’re on hook on a camping, the starter battery gets for instance 10 hours x 2,5 Amps = 25 Ampere. That’s seems a lot. But if you play the on board radio, the charger is not able to prevent the starter battery from depleting.

The trickle charge is meant to cope with the normal gradual depletion of the starter battery by opening doors, shutting the sliding door etc.

Marc.