Charging from a hook up at home

Mush666 · Apr 28, 2014

Hi there , still finding my feet with my Cali . As I've used some of the battery now I bought an electric hook up to plug in at home to charge the battery for my trip this weekend . My only worry is that the battery bars on the indicator don't seem to be going up . They're stopping at half way . Does this mean its not charging ? That the new cable is faulty or I haven't done so etching right ? Any advice gratefully received as I have no hook up on my trip and want to use the fridge and heater . Help please :mrgreen: :headbang

GrannyJen · Apr 28, 2014

If you can see the battery bars with the van plugged in then you are not charging. When charging both the starter battery voltage indicator and the leisure battery level indicators are replaced by two prongs,

Check the circuit breaker, above the gas compartment, at the back in either top or middle shelf part of the rear wardrobe. Make sure you have s good connection. Make sure that you have paid your electricity bill and are not disconnected.

teeboy · Apr 28, 2014

What Granny Jen says is true

This picture shows the logo you are looking for. The logo in the bottom right is what you are looking for when you are successfully charging:

Tony

gatvol · Apr 29, 2014

Have you pushed the plug far enough into your Cali ? Mine has always been a very, indeed un-necessarily, snug fit.

You should hear a click when it is fully inserted, as they are designed to lock in place to prevent them falling out. There is then a plastic lever you need to press to subsequently remove the plug from the van

Or just leave the van with the engine running all night as that will also charge the batteries :bananadance

If neither of these work, and the above suggestion about the fuses does not work, then pour 5 litres of petrol into the inside of the van and torch it. Much as people like a diesel these days, petrol comes into its own at times like this.

johnv · Apr 29, 2014

I think Mush may have done exactly what I did and confused the water tank symbol for a battery charge one - it looks just the same as a laptop/phone battery indicator

SimplyDubs · Apr 29, 2014

johnv said:
I think Mush may have done exactly what I did and confused the water tank symbol for a battery charge one - it looks just the same as a laptop/phone battery indicator

Sounds about right... I guess an easy mistake. :crazy :lol:

The battery level is shown as a percentage and not the bars mentioned in the original post.

All the other point still apply however, check you've got the little plug symbol in the bottom right corner to show the hook up is connected and powered. If not, check the circuit breakers and switch on the socket.

Rgds

M

GrannyJen · Apr 29, 2014

The battery level, i.e. Leisure battery, shows up as a four barred graphic on mine. The vehicle battery shows up as a percentage, if you select to display that option.

teeboy · Apr 29, 2014

I don't think anything on the camper control unit has any information about the state of the engine battery (which is why we get caught out with over use of the stereo and the sliding electric door).

There are two areas of the display, one which shows where your power is coming from (the bottom right) this is visible when ever the camping unit is turned on.

Then you can chose to set the display to show the status of the leisure batteries, which tells you %age charge remaining and the rate of discharge:

Tony

GrannyJen · Apr 29, 2014

dying ... ignore

Mush666 · Apr 29, 2014

Thank you all for your suggestions . I think however that some of you have newer models than my 1996 model and the settings are different . It is plugged in properly , I have paid my lucky bill and it is definitely displayed as increasing bars rather than a percentage so I'm not confusing it with the water tank . Just can't seem to get the bars to increase past the mid point . Anyone ????

teeboy · Apr 29, 2014

Good point, the pictures I have been posting are from the 2004 training manual. Not sure if there is an earlier version.

T

SimplyDubs · Apr 29, 2014

Mush666 said:
Thank you all for your suggestions . I think however that some of you have newer models than my 1996 model and the settings are different . It is plugged in properly , I have paid my lucky bill and it is definitely displayed as increasing bars rather than a percentage so I'm not confusing it with the water tank . Just can't seem to get the bars to increase past the mid point . Anyone ????

Ah... You've a T4 Westy California, that makes more sense.

Probably worth posting this in the T4 section, I'm sure one of the expert owners in there may have an answer.