EHU cable and batteries. Ramblings of a stuck mad man.

[acer]

Background: Mrs Acer needs to keep her medicine cold, so the fridge is important to us. We have two ‘Roger’ solar panels, but the leisure batteries on our year old 6.1 are poor. This means that if the sun doesn’t shine we get two nights maximum before we get down to 11.9v (it use to be four in our 5.1). VW Breeze have tested them and say they are fine.

So, I feel the need to take our EHU with us when we are roaming Europe just in case. The problem is justifying the storage space for “just in case”, so maybe leave it behind and just idle the engine for 20 minutes if necessary? But isn’t this bad for the engine? While we generally move on after an average of two or three nights, that average includes some 4/5 night stays.

Maybe its prudent to cut our 20m cable down to 2 lengths of 8m or 12m and take one with us for ‘emergencies’. Mrs Acer thinks to buy a new 10m cable and take that. Maybe the fancy supple EHU packs down smaller too, making it a better option? But I do remember plenty of places where I’ve used all of my 20m cable.

Maybe I should go to the root of the problem and pay to replace the batteries, even though I’ve got four years of warranty left. How much would that cost? I would feel ripped off whatever the amount and it might not improve things.

I don’t know what to do. I know it’s my decision. I really don’t expect you to answer this for me, but you never know with this forum - someone might say something revelatory that could cure my paralysis.

 

[tobyprivett]

I bought the same solar panels last year for my 21 t6.1.
With a couple of days of snow cover the batteries drained fast.
So I bought new ones recently Paid something under 300 for both.
I’d recommend that.

 

[andyinluton]

the leisure batteries on our year old 6.1 are poor. This means that if the sun doesn’t shine we get two nights maximum before we get down to 11.9v (it use to be four in our 5.1). VW Breeze have tested them and say they are fine.

So, I feel the need to take our EHU with us when we are roaming Europe just in case. The problem is justifying the storage space for “just in case”, so maybe leave it behind and just idle the engine for 20 minutes if necessary? But isn’t this bad for the engine? While we generally move on after an average of two or three nights, that average includes some 4/5 night stays.

Do you use max charge button & get them up to 100% before stopping?
Are you 100% sure there isnt anything else draining the batteries - inverter light on, electric sliding door, overhead lights in the cab area?

Idling the engine for 20mins a few times a year isnt going to do any harm at all, especially if it's interspersed with giving it a decent run. The people that say it does, seem to be the same people that turn off auto stop start to keep it idling as they think that kills the engine as well.

I have to ask - how full is your van not be able to fit in a hook up lead?

 

[nigpdreadingfc]

Background: Mrs Acer needs to keep her medicine cold, so the fridge is important to us. We have two ‘Roger’ solar panels, but the leisure batteries on our year old 6.1 are poor. This means that if the sun doesn’t shine we get two nights maximum before we get down to 11.9v (it use to be four in our 5.1). VW Breeze have tested them and say they are fine.

So, I feel the need to take our EHU with us when we are roaming Europe just in case. The problem is justifying the storage space for “just in case”, so maybe leave it behind and just idle the engine for 20 minutes if necessary? But isn’t this bad for the engine? While we generally move on after an average of two or three nights, that average includes some 4/5 night stays.

Maybe its prudent to cut our 20m cable down to 2 lengths of 8m or 12m and take one with us for ‘emergencies’. Mrs Acer thinks to buy a new 10m cable and take that. Maybe the fancy supple EHU packs down smaller too, making it a better option? But I do remember plenty of places where I’ve used all of my 20m cable.

Maybe I should go to the root of the problem and pay to replace the batteries, even though I’ve got four years of warranty left. How much would that cost? I would feel ripped off whatever the amount and it might not improve things.

I don’t know what to do. I know it’s my decision. I really don’t expect you to answer this for me, but you never know with this forum - someone might say something revelatory that could cure my paralysis.

I have a 20m cable that I store in between one of the foldable seats in the tailgate. It is in a cover and slides in perfectly. It's free space.

 

[acer]

Do you use max charge button & get them up to 100% before stopping?
Are you 100% sure there isnt anything else draining the batteries - inverter light on, electric sliding door, overhead lights in the cab area?

Idling the engine for 20mins a few times a year isnt going to do any harm at all, especially if it's interspersed with giving it a decent run. The people that say it does, seem to be the same people that turn off auto stop start to keep it idling as they think that kills the engine as well.

I have to ask - how full is your van not be able to fit in a hook up lead?

We do use max charge. Not sure what the inverter light is so will check this out. Thanks. Our van is very full and very organised. Our trips are six weeks long these days.

I have a 20m cable that I store in between one of the foldable seats in the tailgate. It is in a cover and slides in perfectly. It's free space.

Nice idea, but that is only free space if nothing is already there. We slide a couple of footstools and the sliding mosquito nets in there.

 

[acer]

I bought the same solar panels last year for my 21 t6.1.
With a couple of days of snow cover the batteries drained fast.
So I bought new ones recently Paid something under 300 for both.
I’d recommend that.

Thanks. That’s less than I thought it would be, but I’d be miffed if it didn’t improve things.

 

[andyinluton]

"Not sure what the inverter light is so will check this out"

There is an LED on the inverter on the base of the drivers seat, if its shinning it means the inverter is running irrespective of whether you have anything plugged in or not.

There used to be sufficient space in our old 140SE to store a hook up lead under the bonnet next to the battery. Not sure if a T6.1 still has the space there?

 

[acer]

I bought the same solar panels last year for my 21 t6.1.
With a couple of days of snow cover the batteries drained fast.
So I bought new ones recently Paid something under 300 for both.
I’d recommend that.

I suppose I ought to have VW do the work if I were going to replace the batteries so as to not invalidate my warranty. Was that price using VW?

 

[trev0rk]

"Not sure what the inverter light is so will check this out"

There is an LED on the inverter on the base of the drivers seat, if its shinning it means the inverter is running irrespective of whether you have anything plugged in or not.

There used to be sufficient space in our old 140SE to store a hook up lead under the bonnet next to the battery. Not sure if a T6.1 still has the space there?

I have a 20m lead stored in front of the starter battery

 

[KGCali]

I suppose I ought to have VW do the work if I were going to replace the batteries so as to not invalidate my warranty. Was that price using VW?

Think you'll pay at least double that if VW fit new leisure batteries!

 

[tobyprivett]

Think you'll pay at least double that if VW fit new leisure batteries!

I bought them from Tayna. And followed instructions suggested on this forum.

 

[Wannabecamperman]

dare I mention a power bank? a 1kWh pack costs under £400 now - not much more than new batteries, and will keep you going for 10 years+. Charges at 100w while driving via the 12v socket.

 

[Roger Boeken]

Background: Mrs Acer needs to keep her medicine cold, so the fridge is important to us. We have two ‘Roger’ solar panels, but the leisure batteries on our year old 6.1 are poor. This means that if the sun doesn’t shine we get two nights maximum before we get down to 11.9v (it use to be four in our 5.1). VW Breeze have tested them and say they are fine.

So, I feel the need to take our EHU with us when we are roaming Europe just in case. The problem is justifying the storage space for “just in case”, so maybe leave it behind and just idle the engine for 20 minutes if necessary? But isn’t this bad for the engine? While we generally move on after an average of two or three nights, that average includes some 4/5 night stays.

Maybe its prudent to cut our 20m cable down to 2 lengths of 8m or 12m and take one with us for ‘emergencies’. Mrs Acer thinks to buy a new 10m cable and take that. Maybe the fancy supple EHU packs down smaller too, making it a better option? But I do remember plenty of places where I’ve used all of my 20m cable.

Maybe I should go to the root of the problem and pay to replace the batteries, even though I’ve got four years of warranty left. How much would that cost? I would feel ripped off whatever the amount and it might not improve things.

I don’t know what to do. I know it’s my decision. I really don’t expect you to answer this for me, but you never know with this forum - someone might say something revelatory that could cure my paralysis.

Are you sure the block type fuse on the rear battery is not damaged ? If it does you only have 50% capacity and only front leisure battery delivers power.

 

[Blanco]

I have the same dilema with an EHU cable I probably won't use but feel safer carting around just in case .. one solution I came up with, admittedly untested, is something along the lines of an airtight therefore watertight plastic cake caddy large enough to take the coiled EHU cable that can be kept within the spare wheel under the van. It'll be there for an emergency and the rest of the time won't take up space inside. Something like this ..

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/33152/la...JGSfr7IBCFMKkkFhwMAcmVbCfKgLEocEdsc5P0BCQ0u6E

 

[Resfeber]

I keep my 20 metre Hookup above the engine battery in my T6.1
My old T6 had a dedicated battery cover & side panel to form the battery compartment.
I scavenged a battery felt cover that someone had thrown away and made the side panel from a £2.99 B&M square waste bin.
The compartment is big enough for the 20metre cable, gloves and a set of jump leads.

 

[acer]

dare I mention a power bank? a 1kWh pack costs under £400 now - not much more than new batteries, and will keep you going for 10 years+. Charges at 100w while driving via the 12v socket.

I know you love your power banks! . But, the fridge is our main concern and I don’t think these power banks are connected to the fridge.

 

[acer]

Are you sure the block type fuse on the rear battery is not damaged ? If it does you only have 50% capacity and only front leisure battery delivers power.

I asked VW to check this - cube fuse I think people call it? They said that nothing would work if this had blown. I know others on here say otherwise, but I don’t know enough about it to argue confidently, even though I did push back. I went to Breeze, Poole, a BIG journey for me, because of their standing on this forum and just have to trust in their test / judgment.

 

[acer]

I have the same dilema with an EHU cable I probably won't use but feel safer carting around just in case .. one solution I came up with, admittedly untested, is something along the lines of an airtight therefore watertight plastic cake caddy large enough to take the coiled EHU cable that can be kept within the spare wheel under the van. It'll be there for an emergency and the rest of the time won't take up space inside. Something like this ..

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/33152/la...JGSfr7IBCFMKkkFhwMAcmVbCfKgLEocEdsc5P0BCQ0u6E

Excellent idea! I think access might be a bit awkward though. And where would I put my cakes!?

 

[acer]

I keep my 20 metre Hookup above the engine battery in my T6.1
My old T6 had a dedicated battery cover & side panel to form the battery compartment.
I scavenged a battery felt cover that someone had thrown away and made the side panel from a £2.99 B&M square waste bin.
The compartment is big enough for the 20metre cable, gloves and a set of jump leads.
View attachment 146240View attachment 146241

Brilliant! I used to store a litre of oil around there somewhere in my 5.1. Maybe I’m getting old, but it feels less than perfectly safe to me now. I don’t think I’d have the confidence to do that particular modification. At the same time, I’m sure that you know exactly what you’re doing.

 

[Blanco]

Personally I like to suggestion of storing the cable under the hood, so much the better if a couple of jump leads can be squeezed in as well. I tried the cable today it fits. Perhaps a neater fix than inside the spare even though the spaces is otherwise cubic cm’s unused

 

[Blanco]

Ps. How much I dislike sell chechsrs!!

 

[Roger Boeken]

I asked VW to check this - cube fuse I think people call it? They said that nothing would work if this had blown. I know others on here say otherwise, but I don’t know enough about it to argue confidently, even though I did push back. I went to Breeze, Poole, a BIG journey for me, because of their standing on this forum and just have to trust in their test / judgment.

The cube fuse in my cali T6.1 ocean had blown 2 months ago, I had only 50% of normal capacity until I replaced the fuse .

 

[colintfcolintf]

I might be tempted to change the cube fuse, and see if that makes any difference, and buy another as a spare. I really hope you get this all sorted, and have a great holiday

 

[Wannabecamperman]

I know you love your power banks! . But, the fridge is our main concern and I don’t think these power banks are connected to the fridge.

Indeed : - )

You'd have to find the 12v plug and plug it in to said powerbank. There are some that plug the power bank into the EHU socket, though I understand that without a grounding plug, this can have a risk attached, so not my recommendation.

 

[acer]

Ps. How much I dislike sell chechsrs!!