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Long term hook up

Jukebox70

Jukebox70

Messages
70
Vehicle
T5 SE 180 4Motion
Hi all. I'm going away for 2 months in the winter and leaving the van in my garage. Will it be OK to leave it hooked up to the mains electric for that length of time?
 
Not a problem. You could also use a timer on the socket so the van gets charged periodically.

Make sure you also take care of the car's starter battery.
 
Jukebox70 said:
Hi all. I'm going away for 2 months in the winter and leaving the van in my garage. Will it be OK to leave it hooked up to the mains electric for that length of time?
Click to expand...
No problem. You could user a Mains timer to switch on once a week to save a little on the electric bill. This will charge the Leisure Batteries.
You have a T5 so you may be lucky and due to an anomaly the engine battery may be trickle charged as well. Check by measuring engine battery voltage then plug into the mains and check the engine battery voltage 24hrs later. If it has gone up then your engine battery should be OK. Otherwise use a CTek 10amp charger to seperately charge the engine battery. That is also OK to leave on.
 
Does using a timer for long term hookup apply to a 6.1 too? When I’ve connected to EHU the van, or the control panel at least, hasn’t recognised the external mains feed unless I’ve followed the handbook procedure of turning the rear RCD switch to off, connecting EHU and then turning the rear RCD switch back to on.

Using a timer to turn power on and off won’t accomplish the same effect with the RCD and so will it charge the leisure batteries without the control panel recognising the hookup?

Anyone with a 6.1 tried or have I just volunteered to try it out?
 
Nick from Bath said:
Does using a timer for long term hookup apply to a 6.1 too? When I’ve connected to EHU the van, or the control panel at least, hasn’t recognised the external mains feed unless I’ve followed the handbook procedure of turning the rear RCD switch to off, connecting EHU and then turning the rear RCD switch back to on.

Using a timer to turn power on and off won’t accomplish the same effect with the RCD and so will it charge the leisure batteries without the control panel recognising the hookup?

Anyone with a 6.1 tried or have I just volunteered to try it out?
Click to expand...
I think you have just volunteered. The T5-6 don't have that requirement. But you don't need to use a timer.
 
Nick from Bath said:
Does using a timer for long term hookup apply to a 6.1 too? When I’ve connected to EHU the van, or the control panel at least, hasn’t recognised the external mains feed unless I’ve followed the handbook procedure of turning the rear RCD switch to off, connecting EHU and then turning the rear RCD switch back to on.

Using a timer to turn power on and off won’t accomplish the same effect with the RCD and so will it charge the leisure batteries without the control panel recognising the hookup?

Anyone with a 6.1 tried or have I just volunteered to try it out?
Click to expand...
When I attach my 230V output on the EF Delta 2, my T6.1 has no problems registering it as EHU on the display. No need to toggle the RCD.
 
Nick from Bath said:
… unless I’ve followed the handbook procedure of turning the rear RCD switch to off, connecting EHU and then turning the rear RCD switch back to on.
Click to expand...
Is this the best way to hook up? I have been just plugging in a live EHU cable, whenever I park for any length of time.

I just found this which I had not seen before:

1697192617715.png
 
Last edited:
Viktorgeorge said:
Is this the best way to hook up? I have been just plugging in a live EHU cable, whenever I park for any length of time.

I just found this which I had not seen before:

View attachment 115440
Click to expand...
That’s the procedure I’ve been following, which I only discovered after trying to just plug an EHU cable in on a site and nothing happening.

I’ll set up a timer over the weekend and see what happens
 
Nick from Bath said:
That’s the procedure I’ve been following, which I only discovered after trying to just plug an EHU cable in on a site and nothing happening.

I’ll set up a timer over the weekend and see what happens
Click to expand...
My regular EHU hookups, simpy plugging in a live connection, have always worked - I am just, now, concerned that by not following the VW Manual circuit breaker procedure as above, I could be risking electrical damage (for example from surge).
 
Crikey :eek: All I have ever done is just plug in and that’s it. Been doing this since 2013 in two Non VW vans and now the Coast since Feb last year……. have I been lucky?
 
chockswahay said:
Crikey :eek: All I have ever done is just plug in and that’s it. Been doing this since 2013 in two Non VW vans and now the Coast since Feb last year……. have I been lucky?
Click to expand...
me too
 
Around 2006, when I bought my first CTEK charger I spoke to the technical team at CTEK in Sweden: their product was then new to the UK market and I wanted to clear a specific application. The engineer I spoke to said I should best always connect the CTEK to the battery unpowered, then power on; and similarly power off then disconnect the battery connections.

I am just wondering if it would be similarly good practice (because presumably their is CTEK or similar charger behind the EHU) to connect the EHU, then power on (either at the circuit breaker or at the other end of the EHU cable).

Expert comment invited ...
 
Viktorgeorge said:
Around 2006, when I bought my first CTEK charger I spoke to the technical team at CTEK in Sweden: their product was then new to the UK market and I wanted to clear a specific application. The engineer I spoke to said I should best always connect the CTEK to the battery unpowered, then power on; and similarly power off then disconnect the battery connections.

I am just wondering if it would be similarly good practice (because presumably their is CTEK or similar charger behind the EHU) to connect the EHU, then power on (either at the circuit breaker or at the other end of the EHU cable).

Expert comment invited ...
Click to expand...
I presume crocodile clips on the charger leads?
So, if the charger was On, both clips would be live, so could short circuit or spark easily.

The RCD and charger on the California are hard wired and only work when the EHU is plugged into the vehicle.

I have never switched the RCD off before connecting the mains on this 9 yr old vehicle and the caravans we had before. I just test the RCD when plugged in.
 
Viktorgeorge said:
My regular EHU hookups, simpy plugging in a live connection, have always worked - I am just, now, concerned that by not following the VW Manual circuit breaker procedure as above, I could be risking electrical damage (for example from surge).
Click to expand...
I think it's just to stop arcing on the plug as you push it in. If you have a heavy electrical load on and engage the plug as you do it you can sometimes hear a crackle. Which I suppose eventually could degrade the plug contacts by pitting them. But they are big and strong so very unlikely. It's the same as your sockets at home you should have a power point switched off when you plug something in really, but you wouldn't be that bothered if you didn't even if it crackles a bit
 
Steve1 said:
I think it's just to stop arcing on the plug as you push it in. If you have a heavy electrical load on and engage the plug as you do it you can sometimes hear a crackle. Which I suppose eventually could degrade the plug contacts by pitting them. But they are big and strong so very unlikely. It's the same as your sockets at home you should have a power point switched off when you plug something in really, but you wouldn't be that bothered if you didn't even if it crackles a bit
Click to expand...
No on/off switch in EU or USA. No problems connecting to live socket.
 
Corradobrit said:
No on/off switch in EU or USA. No problems connecting to live socket.
Click to expand...
Perhaps they are taking the precaution a little further too, because it could also be damp conditions outdoors making the slight crackle more likely. I have heard it a few times, but personally I wouldn't turn off the breaker myself. It might make a little noise but as you say it doesn't cause any problems.
 
Steve1 said:
Perhaps they are taking the precaution a little further too, because it could also be damp conditions outdoors making the slight crackle more likely. I have heard it a few times, but personally I wouldn't turn off the breaker myself. It might make a little noise but as you say it doesn't cause any problems.
Click to expand...
You should see the sparks I get when I plug my US 2-pin laptop power adapter into the socket. It's like someone lit a sparkler.
 
Nick from Bath said:
That’s the procedure I’ve been following, which I only discovered after trying to just plug an EHU cable in on a site and nothing happening.

I’ll set up a timer over the weekend and see what happens
Click to expand...
Did a bit of testing over the weekend and discovered / clarified a few things with the EHU:

1) Just plugging in a live cable doesn't do anything, the RCD needs to be cycled. So RCD off, live plug connected, RCD on. The EHU connected light on the CP then comes on.
2) Connecting a safe (switched off) EHU cable and then switching the cable to live doesn't need the RCD to be cycled.

So back to the original question, T6.1 van will happily charge the leisure batteries using a timer on a long-term hookup.
 
Nick from Bath said:
Did a bit of testing over the weekend and discovered / clarified a few things with the EHU:

1) Just plugging in a live cable doesn't do anything, the RCD needs to be cycled. So RCD off, live plug connected, RCD on. The EHU connected light on the CP then comes on.
2) Connecting a safe (switched off) EHU cable and then switching the cable to live doesn't need the RCD to be cycled.

So back to the original question, T6.1 van will happily charge the leisure batteries using a timer on a long-term hookup.
Click to expand...
Interesting. As I said, have never switched the RCD off in 9 yrs, BUT I have never plugged in a live cable, always van first and then campsite supply.
 
Nick from Bath said:
Did a bit of testing over the weekend and discovered / clarified a few things with the EHU:

1) Just plugging in a live cable doesn't do anything, the RCD needs to be cycled. So RCD off, live plug connected, RCD on. The EHU connected light on the CP then comes on.
2) Connecting a safe (switched off) EHU cable and then switching the cable to live doesn't need the RCD to be cycled.

So back to the original question, T6.1 van will happily charge the leisure batteries using a timer on a long-term hookup.
Click to expand...
I have an older van, but have always plugged in live cable with no problem. I thought the breaker box and charger on the 6.1 were the same as the older ones though.
Is it possible this is a fault with your system. I would have thought others would have noticed it and chipped in about this by now if it was common ?
 
Steve1 said:
I have an older van, but have always plugged in live cable with no problem. I thought the breaker box and charger on the 6.1 were the same as the older ones though.
Is it possible this is a fault with your system. I would have thought others would have noticed it and chipped in about this by now if it was common ?
Click to expand...
I have a 6.1 and my experience is the same.
 
Same with our 6.1. No issues just plugging it in. You can also see the indicator on the control panel lighting up from the hook up point.
 
Jukebox70 said:
Hi all. I'm going away for 2 months in the winter and leaving the van in my garage. Will it be OK to leave it hooked up to the mains electric for that length of time?
Click to expand...
Do consider that the onboard systems were never designed to run constantly, I suspect the cali system is better quality than typical caravans or motorhomes but as far as I can make out are not smart, but I’m no expert in that area. I work within the leisure sector and we have seen many batteries being overcharged by poor systems and too much care so my advice would be to use solar and charge controller or similar if possible to just keep everything topped up, it’s advantage is every 12hrs the system is rested during the night. The panel could be placed outside your garage. Or use a smart charger rather than than onboard systems which are designed for on pitch use which they do well.

Its the starter battery I would be be more concerned about as alarm, immobiliser will depleting it constantly and once the battery level drops even a relatively small amount it may struggle to start.

I use a separate smart charger mainly, or I have a simple 40w solar panel and that’s enough To keep everything topped up.
 
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