Batteries charging from mains

[John]

Original post Calikev

There have been similar questions asked before about this does anybody know the answer
Maybe Alex from smg will know.
When my Cali is plugged into the mains it charges the leisure batteries but does it also charge the vans starting battery my van is a 2010 facelift.
Also will it harm anything to leave it plugged in whilst not using it for like a week at a time?

 

[John]

original post T5WOB


think you will find only does the big leisure batt .not front one in engine bay .and not the one under seat .

 

[John]

Great question Kev the electric system is quite a mystery.

Certainly not many clues in the owners manual.

However, the Cali self study 329 (see forum information store) gives a few more clues.

Battery concept

When fully equipped with the starter battery A, (engine bay) a second battery A1 (under px seat) and a battery for special vehicle A24,( under Wardrobe)
the second battery and the special vehicle battery are connected parallel to each other and to the starter battery
(and thus the alternator) via an isolation relay. The starter battery is a lead acid battery, the other two are
valve-regulated lead batteries. All batteries have an output of 75AH.
When charged by the alternator, the starter battery is charged first and then the second battery or the special
vehicle battery. The second battery and the special vehicle battery can also be charged with the charging unit.
In this case, the isolation relay for the starter battery is open.

So all battery's are charged by the engine driven alternator.

Only the leisure batteries A1 A24 are charged when connected to the mains hook up by the charger unit A11 (located between the refrigerator box and its compressor). The starter battery is isolated by the isolation relay.

The next interesting question is what do each of the batteries supply.

 

[John]

Original post Calikev

Thanks John that's sort of cleared it up,only today I got the voltmeter out.
The battery in the back read 13.2v when connected to the mains it read 14.5v which sounds about right. The van battery unconnected to the mains read 12.85v then when I hooked up it read 13.2v almost as if it was receiving a trickle charge.the battery under the passenger seat I could not get to I couldn't even get the rubber cover off hence the reason for the other post

 

[John]

Thats interesting it looks like the starter battery A is being charged from the mains charge unit A11. I wonder if that is a facelift update. :?:

 

[John]

Original Post by Calikev

I've heard it could be a facelift update was hoping Alex could give me a definite answer
Maybe he still will.you know what it's like there a lot of information out there not always good

 

[John]

Original Post california 180

I'm sure I have read somewhere that the mains charger does indeed charge the engine battery......I will get back if I can find the literature

 

[John]

Original post smgcowfold

I am unaware of any changes for the facelift version as I believe John's first answer was spot on. I will have a look and see if I can come up with an answer for you.

cheers

 

[John]

Original post brother 10
Some valuable information was obtained quite some time ago from the Facebook Cali site. When charging from home, a 24 hour charge is the most desireable. The reasoning behind this is that a secondary charge (known as the float charge) takes place after the initial charge and this is the essential element of a `full` charge. Please don`t ask me any technical questions, I am merely passing on information that seemed to have come from a knowledgeable source.

Bob

 

[John]

Kev looks like the starter battery A in the engine bay on a pre face-lift Cali does not get charged when the mains hook up lead is connected.

Just checked the voltage on my 2007 pre face-lift Cali and it did not change when the mains lead was connected and powered.

Read more: http://www.vw-california-owners-forum.c ... z1fglIXoAL

 

[John]

Original post Martin

I was also under the impression the engine bay battery is charged when on hook up, I have just carried out same test as Kev and got the same results. 12.8V when not connected, then when I connected to mains hook up it went up to 13.4v

 

[John]

Yes Martin it looks like a Face-lift mod which is very handy for giving your starter battery a boost in the winter.

 

[John]

Original post Calikev

Thanks guys it's a really interesting subject.looks like a little plug into the mains will
Help if I'm not using the Cali for a week or two to keep her topped up.

 

[John]

Original Post smgcowfold

It does look like this is the case on the facelift California.

 

[John]

orginal post Calikev

Thanks everybody for there input.

 

[Freeley]

Mine is a 2009 pre facelift cali and i'm sure that my starter battery is charged on hook up.
This was covered on the facebook forum some time ago and i'm reasonably certain that the older cali's (say pre 2007) didn't charge but they changed it from then on.
Or perhaps i just dreamt it........

 

[wyn]

On page 10 of my California Supplement in the section "230-volt electrical feed" is an information paragraph which reads "When connected, the 230 volt electrical feed will charge the vehicle battery as well as the additional batteries" Does this mean that when on hook-up I can use the radio/audio as much as I like without any danger of flattening the vehicle battery and causing starting problems.

 

[calikev]

Wyn that's a brilliant discovery this has puzzled me for age's but there it is in black and white.
If the vans battery is receiving a charge as well then yes you can listen to your radio without any probs.
Many thanks.

 

[california180]

Although it will turn off after 30mins unless the key is in the ignition

 

[TGAshton]

Original post brother 10
Some valuable information was obtained quite some time ago from the Facebook Cali site. When charging from home, a 24 hour charge is the most desireable. The reasoning behind this is that a secondary charge (known as the float charge) takes place after the initial charge and this is the essential element of a `full` charge. Please don`t ask me any technical questions, I am merely passing on information that seemed to have come from a knowledgeable source.

Bob

Hi Bob,

That was me along time ago when I was problem with not charging my teo auxiliary batteries. Remember good 24 hr charge once a month. Not had a problem ever again.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/arti ... id_battery

http://www.motorcaravanning.com/vehicles/electrics.htm

Toby

 

[TGAshton]

Hi all new this forum,

Anyway I have a 2008 Cali which was an ex-display and for the first time last summer 2011 we had a holiday in same place for 2 weeks (didn't move the van for over 10days) and I can confirm that my starter battery did not charge from the main electric cable. We had to call out the AA man to start the van at the end of the holiday. I have alway in the past turned on the engine for 10 or 15 mins when in a campsite for longer than 3 or 4 days.

Our radio (stay on for 1 hour) without the key in the ignition and charging the phones at the front panel was not a good idea. VW said it was typo in the manual and we should not be able to charge the starter battery from the main electric cable.

Toby