Solar panel/leisure charging/battery problem. Help

[JohnGuppy]

Can I ask where is the location of this fuse or fuses is it on the rear battery positive + supply or are both battery leads fused , I am considering installing 2 off 100w panels this should run your fridge for ever

 

[WelshGas]

Can I ask where is the location of this fuse or fuses is it on the rear battery positive + supply or are both battery leads fused , I am considering installing 2 off 100w panels this should run your fridge for ever

Rear Leisure Battery on the Red Positive. It is there to protect the long run of that lead to the front Leisure Battery. Solar panels are normally connected to the Rear battery.

 

[Paulro]

Can I ask where is the location of this fuse or fuses is it on the rear battery positive + supply or are both battery leads fused , I am considering installing 2 off 100w panels this should run your fridge for ever

It's on the positive terminal of the rear battery.

 

[JohnGuppy]

Thanks for the location now I see why there is a 50 amp fuse for sale in the shop ill buy a couple for the tool kit ,

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for the location now I see why there is a 50 amp fuse for sale in the shop ill buy a couple for the tool kit ,

Could you post a link for the 50amp, Battery Post fuse, you have found in the Shop?

I can see the 80 amp blade fuse which is part of the Engine charging circuit for the Leisure batteries .

 

[JohnGuppy]

I see the comment posted saying it did not work ( the battery was fully charged ) it would shut down , I have 8 off 12v solar panels charging 4 x 400amp hr batteries that charge in 2 hours most days and run my whole house for around 23 hours a day 100% free when the batteries are full the system shuts down
This includes having my vehicle plugged in , you will find in weather like we are having that your panels will be off most of the time anyway when the voltage drops the charge commence but do buy a good tracking controller , also remember batteries don't last for ever if you have 2 replace together
I wonder why VW don't fit a solar panel as std.

 

[Max-Felix]

Interesting stuff John - how do you get to 240v though?

 

[JohnGuppy]

1 have a 4kw solar system on the front of the house , any surplus is stored in the battery bank , on the back I have 8 panels to only charge the battery bank hence they charge all the time during the day they system will only draw 240v from the mains when the batteries go flat around 5.30am solar charging starts 6am and fully charges before 8am from them on its free my bill is around 65p a day 25p is the meter charge

 

[Max-Felix]

Sorry, what I meant is how do you get 240v from the 12v system with enough capacity to power a house?

 

[JohnGuppy]

you have an 12/24 invertor in my case I have a 7kw invertor the world experts are a company called Victron look them up every boat and farmer in Australia has a set up

 

[Roger Donoghue]

Sorry, what I meant is how do you get 240v from the 12v system with enough capacity to power a house?

My Uncle in Arizona has two large panels that track the sun without power (they use the weight of gas moving from one side to the other as it evapourates and then liquifies again). He then has banks of 6v batteries under his house, and an inverter then produces 110v. Admitedly it's Arizona! but it works great. I've stayed there and you use the mains as normal (home cinema, the lot!) , and at about 11pm, you start to get warnings from the battery monitor. Never ran out when I was there. There is a generator to take over should you totally run the batteries down.

 

[Paulro]

Great news. Replaced the 50a fuse and the solar panel is working well.
I used the fuse from a company 12voltplanet.co.uk recommended to me by WelshGas. They were £4 rather than the VW £10.
Thanks to Roger who convinced me to look beyond his panel and for his help and to everyone here.
Happy man now.

 

[Hotel California]

Good to hear you solved it , now find out how the fuse got blown.
Could be a one timer , hope it is!

 

[Amarillo]

@Roger Donoghue , all good that you state the above and clear yourself from any responsibility , i don't know all the small letters in your sales agreement , all we got to read here is someone saying he bought panels that worked only one day , having problems , and the seller can't help him , witch to me is a strange thing.
So if i was buying solarpanels on my Cali ( witch i probally never be doing) i'd like to buy them at a company who gives full support....(as with other things you buy )
Each draw theire own conclusion....

If you bought a kettle, would you expect the person you bought the kettle from to take responsibility for a fault in the internal wiring of your home?

 

[WelshGas]

As the OP's vehicle is 2007 vintage then the present Leisure Batteries must have been replaced prior to the present owner purchasing the vehicle.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they replaced the rear battery first and then went on to replacing the front battery. Removed the Red Power Leads, not realising one of the two leads was connected to the Rear Leisure Battery. Pushed the leads aside and pop went the rear fuse.

Question - is there a similar fuse on the front battery?

 

[JohnGuppy]

I have recently had a conversation with Roger regarding fitting of solar panels to my vehicle Roger has explained what he does to make the kit he sells for DIY the ease of installation and to the fact no holes are drilled although the thought of drilling a hole and sealing it does make the installation more professional looking I am considering a hole
But the problem people seem to have regarding fitting two wires to a battery when connecting from the solar charger seems to cause problems Rogers pictures show an inline fuse in the red positive wire
The problem is happening because people don't follow the most simple rule Every Haynes printed since the 1050s the first thing it says is DISCONECT THE BATTERY !!!! BOTH
In our case we have two one in the back and one under the seat if you blow a 50amp fuse you have not only placed a great stress on all of your electrics you could damage your charger and other delicate electronics , if you put two 100amp hr batteries with jump leads you will see there is quite a flash or crack making the connection because of all the energy stored inside each battery , so if you disconnect your rear battery just remember there are two cables you disconnect still have 12v at 100amps on the disconnected leads and an easy mistake to just flash one lead to take out the fuse , in the case of a friend who was disconnecting two lorry batteries wearing a ring in 5 sec he lost his finger and wedding ring

Just understand you have two batteries that at connected together with a 50amp fuse I would also expect VW to have both a fuse in the positive and negative cables
The problem would be easy to explain if the two batteries where located side by side but as you are working in there rear why would you remove the front seat

Fitting two wires to a battery is very easy fit the black wire and then the red wire with fuse disconnected , double check all the wiring then inset your correct fuse

I took delivery of my California a week ago consider the most important item one should buy is a solar panel this will keep both batteries fully charged and extend there working life when you come to replace them replace both at the same

I was trained as auto electrician at a Rolls Royce dealership but the principles are the same mostly a red wire and a black wire

hope this helps

 

[WelshGas]

I have recently had a conversation with Roger regarding fitting of solar panels to my vehicle Roger has explained what he does to make the kit he sells for DIY the ease of installation and to the fact no holes are drilled although the thought of drilling a hole and sealing it does make the installation more professional looking I am considering a hole
But the problem people seem to have regarding fitting two wires to a battery when connecting from the solar charger seems to cause problems Rogers pictures show an inline fuse in the red positive wire
The problem is happening because people don't follow the most simple rule Every Haynes printed since the 1050s the first thing it says is DISCONECT THE BATTERY !!!! BOTH
In our case we have two one in the back and one under the seat if you blow a 50amp fuse you have not only placed a great stress on all of your electrics you could damage your charger and other delicate electronics , if you put two 100amp hr batteries with jump leads you will see there is quite a flash or crack making the connection because of all the energy stored inside each battery , so if you disconnect your rear battery just remember there are two cables you disconnect still have 12v at 100amps on the disconnected leads and an easy mistake to just flash one lead to take out the fuse , in the case of a friend who was disconnecting two lorry batteries wearing a ring in 5 sec he lost his finger and wedding ring

Just understand you have two batteries that at connected together with a 50amp fuse I would also expect VW to have both a fuse in the positive and negative cables
The problem would be easy to explain if the two batteries where located side by side but as you are working in there rear why would you remove the front seat

Fitting two wires to a battery is very easy fit the black wire and then the red wire with fuse disconnected , double check all the wiring then inset your correct fuse

I took delivery of my California a week ago consider the most important item one should buy is a solar panel this will keep both batteries fully charged and extend there working life when you come to replace them replace both at the same

I was trained as auto electrician at a Rolls Royce dealership but the principles are the same mostly a red wire and a black wire

hope this helps

The problem is, the majority of owners who undertake electrical work on their Californias tend to research what they are doing, take care and use a modicum of common sense. This is not always the case when passing it over to a 3rd party who, in some circumstances, just want to get the job done and paid.

As far as " Drilling a hole makes it more professional ", sorry but I Disagree on that point and have fun with VW if you should ever suffer from the dreaded bi-metallic corrosion on your roof and expect a warranty repair.

 

[JohnGuppy]

Point taken too me 10 sec to see your point so no hole

 

[WelshGas]

Point taken too me 10 sec to see your point so no hole

Rogers System was designed in conjunction with a Forum member for that reason, so that in case of any roof bi-mettalic corrosion you wouldn't void the warranty.

 

[Teejay]

It appears to me that Roger went out of his way to assist and diagnose the problem. It makes me all the more positive to take a trip down his way and have one fitted sometime in July.

..message ends..

 

[JohnGuppy]

I am going to do the same perhaps we could meet up , its the number one item everyone should consider , and i cannot understand why VW dont fit them but i am sure its down to warranty

 

[KGCali]

As the OP's vehicle is 2007 vintage then the present Leisure Batteries must have been replaced prior to the present owner purchasing the vehicle.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they replaced the rear battery first and then went on to replacing the front battery. Removed the Red Power Leads, not realising one of the two leads was connected to the Rear Leisure Battery. Pushed the leads aside and pop went the rear fuse.

Question - is there a similar fuse on the front battery?

@WelshGas Is there a fuse on the front battery as well as the rear?

 

[WelshGas]

@WelshGas Is there a fuse on the front battery as well as the rear?

No, but their is a Large 80 amp Blade Fuse between the Split Charge Circuit and the Front Battery in a in-line Fuse holder , under the Front Passenger Seat. It is rarely problematic but difficult to come by. I think the Forum Shop sells them and I carry a spare, just in case.
Without it there will be no charging from the Alternator.

 

[KGCali]

Thanks, on order

Pearl Maxi Fuse 80A - CampervanBits

Maxi 80amp fuse by Pearl - essential item to keep in the tool kit

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Feggers]

Its

all sorted, it was the fuse..

Hi so where was the Fuze...it seems I'm having similar problems...thanks