Frozen leisure batteries. Help to remove them. Or fuse?

[Dan_Swe]

Hello

My leisure batteries froze this winter and i am waiting for a set of new ones to arrive. The car is drivable because the starterbattery is fresh but im not able to remove the leisure batteries myself until the workshop helps me.

Am i safe to drive with 2 frozen leisure batteries with swollen sides on both or should i remove the minus pool on them soon as possible?

I havent been able to reach the minus so i was thinking if its possible to remove the fuses and which fuses should i remove? And where they are?

I read i could remove the fuse from starter battery but it seems risky.

I also read there is a bigger fuse under driverseat but im not able to reach it without unscrewing the seat.

So is it possible to unplug the DC DC charger in the rear above the rear battery instead? Or is there any fuses close to there which i can remove?

Thanks...

 

[Dan_Swe]

Oh i forget to mention.

My California is a 2022. T6.1 . Ocean

 

[Viktorgeorge]

I cannot help you with much of your questions, and wish you well with the predicament, but here at least is a RHD fuse diagram which hopefully matches your LHD vehicle:

2022 Volkswagen California fuse box diagram - StartMyCar

www.startmycar.com

There are several posts here on removing leisure batteries, searching the forum can be improved by becoming a VIP member (not expensive) and using ‘advanced search’ to reduce the period of search to your model (I.e. 2022 onwards); also you will find some forum members, for example @WelshGas and @Perfectos, are particularly knowledgeable and you can advanced search just their posts. There is another forum member who is expert on electrics but I forgot the name others may recall.

 

[WelshGas]

Oh i forget to mention.

My California is a 2022. T6.1 . Ocean

There is a large, Brown, 80 amp fuse under your Drivers seat. Removing that disconnects the leisure batteries from the engine alternator/generator, so the Leisure batteries will Not be charged when driving.
Turn drivers seat 90o and slide towards kitchen and the fuse should be visible near the front of the seat base.

If you want to remove leisure batteries it is fairly straightforward.
Front battery - seat facing forward and recline seat back backwards, undo 4 nuts/bolts holding seat to slide runners and then lift and lean whole seat against steering wheel. Remove battery cover and disconnect leads on battery terminal and insulate RED lead from metal work using a rubber glove or dry cloth.
Rear battery - access through flap in bottom of rear wardrobe. Undo bolt of battery clamp at bottom front. Remove clamp and pull battery out using a paint scraper or broad knife to ease it over the lip. The leads on the battery are long enough to lift battery out into the boot without disconnecting. Then disconnect the Red and Black leads and insulate the RED lead as mentioned above.

You can then drive without the Leisure Batteries connected and being charged.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

I had only just posted and @WelshGas was already on the case. Our very own Guardian Angel!

 

[Dan_Swe]

@WelshGas Thank you very much for this.
much appreciate it.

I will try with the fuse first and remove it so i can drive until the new batteries arrive but save these instructions on how to remove the batteries so i can do it in the autumn.

I was Dumb enough to leave the car out in the the cold from November to February..the batteries where inside but fully charged but they were totally ruined anyway. So i guess they might have been bad from the start.

I ordered a set of 95Ah so i hope they will fit when they Arrive.

Now my Cali is equipped with an engine heater and 1900watt fan so next winter will be better one might hope.

 

[Dan_Swe]

There is a large, Brown, 80 amp fuse under your Drivers seat. Removing that disconnects the leisure batteries from the engine alternator/generator, so the Leisure batteries will Not be charged when driving.
Turn drivers seat 90o and slide towards kitchen and the fuse should be visible near the front of the seat base.

If you want to remove leisure batteries it is fairly straightforward.
Front battery - seat facing forward and recline seat back backwards, undo 4 nuts/bolts holding seat to slide runners and then lift and lean whole seat against steering wheel. Remove battery cover and disconnect leads on battery terminal and insulate RED lead from metal work using a rubber glove or dry cloth.
Rear battery - access through flap in bottom of rear wardrobe. Undo bolt of battery clamp at bottom front. Remove clamp and pull battery out using a paint scraper or broad knife to ease it over the lip. The leads on the battery are long enough to lift battery out into the boot without disconnecting. Then disconnect the Red and Black leads and insulate the RED lead as mentioned above.

You can then drive without the Leisure Batteries connected and being charged.

View attachment 144909

Should i remove both the Right brown big "Battery fuse from split charge relay" and the green upper one marked "battery charger" or is the Brown one enough?

 

[Dan_Swe]

@WelshGas this is how my fuses under the passenger seat sits.

But they are different from the one in your picture.

The 2 40aH green fuses are they the Equivalent to the one brown 80ah fuse you showed?

Maybe 40ah each is for each leisure battery?

Should i remove both of them?

 

[Dan_Swe]

Do i need any special tool to release the fuses? They dont come off by just pulling straight up

 

[Foggy51]

@WelshGas Thank you very much for this.
much appreciate it.

I will try with the fuse first and remove it so i can drive until the new batteries arrive but save these instructions on how to remove the batteries so i can do it in the autumn.

I was Dumb enough to leave the car out in the the cold from November to February..the batteries where inside but fully charged but they were totally ruined anyway. So i guess they might have been bad from the start.

I ordered a set of 95Ah so i hope they will fit when they Arrive.

Now my Cali is equipped with an engine heater and 1900watt fan so next winter will be better one might hope.

Not sure if you have the size.
These are the dimensions of the leisure batteries for a 2019 t6 I imagine it would be the same for yours? Someone will put me right I’m sure.

 

[Dan_Swe]

Not sure if you have the size.
These are the dimensions of the leisure batteries for a 2019 t6 I imagine it would be the same for yours? Someone will put me right I’m sure.View attachment 144921

This is my Rear battery

 

[Dan_Swe]

This is my Rear battery

View attachment 144922

View attachment 144923

 

[WelshGas]

Should i remove both the Right brown big "Battery fuse from split charge relay" and the green upper one marked "battery charger" or is the Brown one enough?

The Battery Charger fuse is the output from the EHU/ Mains Charger.

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 144924

The actual physical dimensions of the Leisure Batteries are very important. Anything bigger will not physically fit easily.

 

[WelshGas]

Do i need any special tool to release the fuses? They dont come off by just pulling straight up

I'm afraid I've not seen that fuse type before.

 

[WelshGas]

Do i need any special tool to release the fuses? They dont come off by just pulling straight up

Further research, the green fuses should just pull up off 2 spade connectors.

 

[sidepod]

Why go to the bother of removing fuses. Just tape up the positive leads on each battery!!

 

[vbk1975]

Why go to the bother of removing fuses. Just tape up the positive leads on each battery!!

Similar answer, but better to disconnect the earth side of the batteries if you want to isolate them, that means the still powered / positive battery cables are securely held on the battery post and even if the battery earth terminal touches something it isn't a problem.

 

[Dan_Swe]

Problem is i cant reach the +leads without loosen the seat . Thats why i want the workshop to do this when new batteries arrive.

I might reach the - lead. Is it better to just loosen the minus then the fuses? And why should i remove the + first you say? I heard you have to remove - first and in that sequence then the +.

 

[Dan_Swe]

Similar answer, but better to disconnect the earth side of the batteries if you want to isolate them, that means the still powered / positive battery cables are securely held on the battery post and even if the battery earth terminal touches something it isn't a problem.

Yes the - i might reach without loosen the driver seat. So its better to go this way then to remove the fuse?

 

[Dan_Swe]

I'm afraid I've not seen that fuse type before.

Its very strange. When i pulled out the 2 40A fuses the only thing that happen was my Popuproof warned that it was malfunction and to visit workshop no matter which of the 2 fuses i pulled it still showed the same. The battery did not connect to these i still had my camperpanel active and battery voltage 11.8v showing.

I wonder if there is any other place the fuses to the battery sits. I looked everywhere and cant understand this

 

[flying banana]

Are you sure your leisure batteries were 'frozen' ? I've never heard or seen that before. If they're swollen they're overcharged surely? I've camped up in Norway in winter and my batteries didn't 'freeze' . I think you need ro look elsewhere at this issue.

 

[Dan_Swe]

Are you sure your leisure batteries were 'frozen' ? I've never heard or seen that before. If they're swollen they're overcharged surely? I've camped up in Norway in winter and my batteries didn't 'freeze' . I think you need ro look elsewhere at this issue.

Unfortunetly my Cali was standing outside from november to february. I live far north so we had around -35 as coldest. And average -20 to -25 Celsius almoust all january to february.
I wasnt able to charge the batteries or drive the car during this time 4months and in beginning of march i towed her to the vw workshop. The Started battery was completly dead. And both leisure batteries had ice build up on them and swollen sides.
In my camping panel they show 11.7/ 11.8v
The lights turn on in camping unit but i guess its not much power in the batteries on so low voltage.

The workshop told me they were frozen probably because of low voltage before i put her away.

I learned from this winter so now i have a car heater and 1900watt heatingfan mounted to the cabin so i can plug her in next winter if i dont put her in a heated shed during next winter and remove the batteries.

 

[flying banana]

Unfortunetly my Cali was standing outside from november to february. I live far north so we had around -35 as coldest. And average -20 to -25 Celsius almoust all january to february.
I wasnt able to charge the batteries or drive the car during this time 4months and in beginning of march i towed her to the vw workshop. The Started battery was completly dead. And both leisure batteries had ice build up on them and swollen sides.
In my camping panel they show 11.7/ 11.8v
The lights turn on in camping unit but i guess its not much power in the batteries on so low voltage.

The workshop told me they were frozen probably because of low voltage before i put her away.

I learned from this winter so now i have a car heater and 1900watt heatingfan mounted to the cabin so i can plug her in next winter if i dont put her in a heated shed during next winter and remove the batteries.

Wow. Still, never heard of that happening before. One to be aware of

 

[WelshGas]

Wow. Still, never heard of that happening before. One to be aware of

Not uncommon at all.

Prevention and Tips:

• Keep Charged: A fully charged AGM battery is less likely to freeze, but a discharged one (below 50% state of charge) can freeze at relatively high temperatures (e.g., 0.0F to -18F )
  
  
  
• Store Properly: If not in use, keep AGM batteries in a cool, dry place, ideally fully charged.
• Avoid Extreme Cold: If possible, store equipment with batteries inside during severe winter conditions.
  

While AGM batteries are more resistant to freezing than traditional batteries, they can still suffer internal failure if the electrolyte inside the fiberglass mat freezes