Battery Drain - how to find it?

[nickg77]

Hi all - looking for some help please.
2018 2.0 TDCI T6 - Leave the van for a few days and the battery is duff. VW have already changed the battery under warranty so its not a dead battery. Something is causing a drain.

What is the best way to see what is causing the problem? Can you speed it up with Carista or is simply take every fuse out individually and watch the current drain change on a multi meter?

Anyone else had a similar issue that could possibly give me a head start where to look?

Thanks all.

 

[Loz]

Firstly what have you added to the stock vehicle?
Do you leave in any plug-in chargers?
Is there anything in the ODB port?

 

[Dellmassive]

Post a pic of the battery and it's connections.

 

[nickg77]

Thanks all - its a conversion now, but always had this issue prior to that.
Things added (outside of the camper) are detachable towbar (westfalia - not installed by me) genuine VW sat nav head unit, and lazer lamps on the front the latter being the add ons to the battery terminals, but again, this issue was present long before I fitted these. On a good run, its fine and start stop will kick in well so the EU6 side of things and the charging system is working.

My thoughts are interior sensors or perhaps not great wiring from the tow bar? or a known issue that mine didnt get recalled for or sorted at the time?

 

[nickg77]

and sorry @Loz no nothing in the OBD

 

[Dellmassive]

Here is your first problem.

That cable needs to be moved from the NEG post to the chassis or body.

Not sure what it's freeding... Maybe trailer electrics?.

But it's bridging out the battery sensor.

VW should have spotted that and advised you about it.

Especially if they have signed off a warrety battery.


+++++++

 

[Dellmassive]

If it's a conversion.

Do you have a leisure battery?

Dc-dc charger? Or split charge.

The battery pic above indicates this.

Can you post some pics of that setup?

Prob under the seat.

 

[nickg77]

Thanks @Dellmassive that cable is the neg for the lazer lamps. I can move that no problem. VW never said a word (Listers Coventry).
It has a leisure battery in the rear cabinet. Split charger .

Attached are best I can get without pulling stuff out. Main leisure battery, tow bar electrics and the sargeant split charger.

 

[Dellmassive]

Ok. Can you get a pic of the wire connectors on the Stirling dc-dc.

And it's settings.(preset)

That could be a possible issue.



Also have you got a smart charger that you can connect to the van for 24,hrs?

I can't see a EHU or battery charger in your setup?

 

[DXX]

Clamp meter measuring current and pull fuses until it reduces / stops.
Take a photo of the fuse panel first.

 

[Sim60]

Clamp meter measuring current and pull fuses until it reduces / stops.
Take a photo of the fuse panel first.

Start with the Fuse in the centre of your battery picture - That's the connection to your sterling and other conversion electrics. - rule that out first.

(As Dellmassive says . your lazer lamp connection is really not helping - Every time you turn them on , you'll be discharging the starter battery more as the current is not being measured)

Simon

 

[musttriharder]

Not wishing to hi jack this thread, but my electric setup is effectively the same as the diagram below (without the inverter). I don't have a connection from the negative bus to ground though - should I?

Thanks

 

[Deaky]

Not wishing to hi jack this thread, but my electric setup is effectively the same as the diagram below (without the inverter). I don't have a connection from the negative bus to ground though - should I?

Thanks
View attachment 176513

Not if you run all the -ve's of your accessories back to the bar. But your -ve on the DC-DC charger should not be connected to the -ve post on the starter battery like in your diagram

 

[nickg77]

Thanks gents @Sim60 do you mean the engine bay one or on the leisure?

Difficult to get half decent pictures.

@Dellmassive i have a smart charger i can plug it in yes - to be fair its been on it most of the time recently as i dont trust it and never know when i need to jump in the van.

 

[Sim60]

Thanks gents @Sim60 do you mean the engine bay one or on the leisure?

Difficult to get half decent pictures.

@Dellmassive i have a smart charger i can plug it in yes - to be fair its been on it most of the time recently as i dont trust it and never know when i need to jump in the van.

View attachment 176514

View attachment 176515

View attachment 176516

Engine bay

 

[musttriharder]

Not if you run all the -ve's of your accessories back to the bar. But your -ve on the DC-DC charger should not be connected to the -ve post on the starter battery like in your diagram

Thanks for that @Deaky I borrowed the diagram from a SplitCharge website - I hadn't noticed that

-ve from the starter battery connects to the negative bus

DC-DC has -ve from negative bus, +ve from Starter Battery and +ve to Leisure Battery

 

[nickg77]

@Sim60 cheers - my thoughts are pull that which removes any load from the conversion, then check current draw across the terminals (after the modules have shut down) then pull each fuse if there is a drain until i find which one is doing the dirty?

 

[Deaky]

Thanks for that @Deaky I borrowed the diagram from a SplitCharge website - I hadn't noticed that

-ve from the starter battery connects to the negative bus

DC-DC has -ve from negative bus, +ve from Starter Battery and +ve to Leisure Battery

That's still a no no. Do you have an isolated Orion DC-DC ie 2 -ve connections.

 

[musttriharder]

That's still a no no. Do you have an isolated Orion DC-DC ie 2 -ve connections.

Sorry no - it's a Orion-Tr Smart 12/12-30A non isolated. 3 ports +ve in, grd and +ve out, connected as:

-ve from negative bus, +ve from Starter Battery and +ve to Leisure Battery

 

[Deaky]

Sorry no - it's a Orion-Tr Smart 12/12-30A non isolated. 3 ports +ve in, grd and +ve out, connected as:

-ve from negative bus, +ve from Starter Battery and +ve to Leisure Battery

Ok. So if I've read everything correctly, you need to disconnect the -ve from the starter battery that's connected to your bus bar and connect your bus bar to the van body.

As it stands at the moment, any power used to charge your leisure battery by the Orion is not going through the van's shunt. Eventually you'll get a flat starter.