Flat battery

[Nicholas Bowers]

Had first 2 days away in our ocean, leasure batterys were full no hook-up at camp site, we had the fridge on and in evening auxiliary heating on. When we left after 2 nights main starter battery was flat and leasure battery still 80%. Went to dealer who said the fridge will flatten main battery after 6 hours I don't think that's correct, any ideas where I'm going wrong

 

[Georgeo]

The main battery does not run the fridge. The dealer is wrong to state that.

 

[66tim99]

I have run my fridge (and lights and heater) off hookup for 3 days, with charge remaining.
I’m working out that not all dealers know what they are talking about. Consider Breeze Poole who do know what is what when it comes to Californias

 

[Californication69]

Had first 2 days away in our ocean, leasure batterys were full no hook-up at camp site, we had the fridge on and in evening auxiliary heating on. When we left after 2 nights main starter battery was flat and leasure battery still 80%. Went to dealer who said the fridge will flatten main battery after 6 hours I don't think that's correct, any ideas where I'm going wrong

Had you left ignition key in and on, with radio on ?

 

[WelshGas]

Had first 2 days away in our ocean, leasure batterys were full no hook-up at camp site, we had the fridge on and in evening auxiliary heating on. When we left after 2 nights main starter battery was flat and leasure battery still 80%. Went to dealer who said the fridge will flatten main battery after 6 hours I don't think that's correct, any ideas where I'm going wrong

Radio usage or Fully electric sliding door can do that.

Also change Dealership, they don’t know what they are talking about.

 

[SusiBus]

We've had the electric door, with lots of use, flatten the main battery in less than 24 hours.

 

[dspuk]

Late entry to the “why did I have a flat battery” debacle but we found ourselves in the same situation yesterday. We had been parked up off EHU in my daughters back garden in France for 3 days. The solar panel did a great job of keeping the leisures topped up but when we came to leave we found the main battery flat. Not totally - couple of turns and lights came on. We have a dashcam that is wired in but it has a voltage setting that stops the battery being flattened totally which I had set to 12V.

In the end we have determined it is because we packed up in the morning and dropped the roof but accidentally left the keys in for 2 hours while we went back into her house. That combined with an already lower than full battery due to the dashcam is very likely the issue.

I think the lesson here is that 99/100 it is more likely to be something we have done than something broken in the VW. Have upped the dash voltage cut off to 12.3.

Plugged the EHU into the mains for 20 mins via the EU plug that comes with the Cali and started first time.

 

[Trojax]

Good call on the dash cam voltage cut off as 12volts is less that half the battery charge, Given you have the larger engine that would be the issue.....

 

[myvanrodney]

Ive had same issue twice now.

Surely the key sitting in the ignition, or even ignition on, wouldnt flatten the starter battery in 90 mins or so?

 

[WelshGas]

Ive had same issue twice now.

Surely the key sitting in the ignition, or even ignition on, wouldnt flatten the starter battery in 90 mins or so?

More than likely. The amount of computer power in a modern vehicle is greater than that in the 1st Apollo moon lander. The vehicle is therefore designed to be Off or Driving. Not sitting electrically/electronically live without the engine running.

 

[myvanrodney]

More than likely. The amount of computer power in a modern vehicle is greater than that in the 1st Apollo moon lander. The vehicle is therefore designed to be Off or Driving. Not sitting electrically/electronically live without the engine running.

Yeah it certainly has a lot of electronics, but a fully charged 80ah battery in warm weather - let's assume it needs at least 30% charge to crank the engine. That's 56ah of usable energy. At 12.6v that's just over 700 watt hours. At 90 mins (I'm sure i didn't leave the ignition on for that long) that's nearly 470w of draw. That's gaming PC territory!

Later i'm going to put a clamp meter on it and see if I can get any more insight.

I know it's very cynical of me, but I don't trust the dealer to diagnose this

 

[Californication69]

Yeah it certainly has a lot of electronics, but a fully charged 80ah battery in warm weather - let's assume it needs at least 30% charge to crank the engine. That's 56ah of usable energy. At 12.6v that's just over 700 watt hours. At 90 mins (I'm sure i didn't leave the ignition on for that long) that's nearly 470w of draw. That's gaming PC territory!

Later i'm going to put a clamp meter on it and see if I can get any more insight.

I know it's very cynical of me, but I don't trust the dealer to diagnose this

I wouldn’t trust some dealers either

 

[Chriskend]

More than likely. The amount of computer power in a modern vehicle is greater than that in the 1st Apollo moon lander. The vehicle is therefore designed to be Off or Driving. Not sitting electrically/electronically live without the engine running.

Apparently there was more processing power in a Nokia 6210 that the 1st Apollo

 

[acer]

Apparently there was more processing power in a Nokia 6210 that the 1st Apollo

And more impressively, the former came with Snake II pre-installed

 

[Chriskend]

And more impressively, the former came with Snake II pre-installed

Worth a few bob now

 

[sidepod]

Yeah it certainly has a lot of electronics, but a fully charged 80ah battery in warm weather - let's assume it needs at least 30% charge to crank the engine. That's 56ah of usable energy. At 12.6v that's just over 700 watt hours. At 90 mins (I'm sure i didn't leave the ignition on for that long) that's nearly 470w of draw. That's gaming PC territory!

Later i'm going to put a clamp meter on it and see if I can get any more insight.

I know it's very cynical of me, but I don't trust the dealer to diagnose this

Seeing as you have a clamp meter try putting the van to sleep with it installed (bonnet open/push the catch closed with a screwdriver to fool it into thinking the bonnet is closed). Lock the van with the key and go and have a beer.
Come back and unlock it whilst watching your meter. You’ll see just how much juice it’s using whilst seemingly doing nothing!

 

[Betsycalifornia]

Ive had same issue twice now.

Surely the key sitting in the ignition, or even ignition on, wouldnt flatten the starter battery in 90 mins or so?

What’s the health of the battery like, can you get a discharge test easily? Can’t see the age of it anywhere.

 

[myvanrodney]

What’s the health of the battery like, can you get a discharge test easily? Can’t see the age of it anywhere.

I think it's the battery. Ive booked it in. No way should 25mins with ignition on drain the battery so much it wont crank (from full charge). The draw is around 10A with ignition on, often lower. It may have been getting worse, but Ive never noticed because if we aren't on EHU when camping, the van is on the drive plugged in to EHU. This year was one of the odd occasions we were 'off-grid'.

 

[sidepod]

10A ignition on ! Wow!

 

[myvanrodney]

10A ignition on ! Wow!

I know right !