Changing a Leisure Battery (Advice)

[Iainh23]

Hi, I am sorry if this is a daft question and I have done a forum search to see if it's been answered before but I couldn't find anything that answers my (probably daft) question.

I have had a T6 Camper for 3 years and the leisure battery is basically totally dead now and not holding a charge, it charges when driving but within an hour or so it;'s totally dead so I need to get a new one, that bit isn't a problem and the battery is located under the drivers seat which I am pretty sure is a job I can do, remove the seat and get the battery out, get the new one in and reassemble, I am a bike mechanic (Mountain Bikes, Road Bikes etc, not Motor Bikes) and so I am proficient with taking things apart and assembling etc so I am happy to tackle the job myself.

The problem I have is I am totally clueless on anything electrical and so I am wanting to know if changing the leisure battery is as simple as remove the seat and battery and then swap? or is this a job where an idiot like me can mess up the electrics, my van had a new starter battery fitted a couple of months ago at a garage but they did not do leisure battery fitting so I am wondering if this is a simple job I can do myself.

All I know about my leisure battery is that it is under the drivers seat, it's connected to a split charger by the main battery and I have an electric hook up fitted at the back of the van, no solar panels or anything else.

So any advice would be most appreciated, is there anything I need to do/know and is this a simple DIY job or do I need to find someone who will do this locally (I am based between Warrington and Wigan)

 

[Pete C]

In simple terms, yes it is that easy.

Practically, you need to get a replacement that is ideally exactly the same size and layout as your current one, otherwise you may have to redo cables and battery securing clamps.

If you have a DC-DC charger, then that may need to be connected to the 2 batteries in the correct sequence.

I would recommend removing the seat first to get info on the old battery and charger (take lots of photos). Then replace the seat and work out your next steps. Post some photos here for advice.

Pete

 

[Iainh23]

In simple terms, yes it is that easy.

Practically, you need to get a replacement that is ideally exactly the same size and layout as your current one, otherwise you may have to redo cables and battery securing clamps.

If you have a DC-DC charger, then that may need to be connected to the 2 batteries in the correct sequence.

I would recommend removing the seat first to get info on the old battery and charger (take lots of photos). Then replace the seat and work out your next steps. Post some photos here for advice.

Pete

Thank you very much for the super quick response.

I am planning to take the seat out and do as you say re getting the battery info and I will take pics, I also thought it would be a good idea to get an idea of how to remove and replace the seat so that is not a worry when I do the battery. I am not too worried about the seat in and out, it was more just checking I can screw up the whole electrics on the van by messing up on the battery, like I say, I am totally clueless on electrics on new cars and the last time I changed a car battery was probably in the 90's when everything wasnt linked up to a computer.

Also posting the pics here is a great idea I hadn't thought of and I will gladly take any advice on a good battery once I get the old one identified.

Weather permitting I may get the seat out at the weekend and get some pics.

Once again, thank you for the quick response, it's very much appreciated.

 

[Pete C]

From memory it’s just 4 bolts/nuts and one wire underneath to be disconnected to get the seat out.
Higher spec vehicles than mine may have more wires to disconnect.

Pete

 

[Howzat]

Slide seat forwards, undo 2 back bolts, slide back then undo 2 front bolts and lift out. Dead simple.
Neg off the battery, then pos, replace like for like then redo all the previous in reverse.
30 minutes to do the lot.

EDIT: Just thinking, might be better to undo front bolts first, then slide forward and undo back bolts. Makes it easier to lift seat out as it will be in the forward position.

EDIT2: Forgot the handbrake. That's connected to the seat. Do a search for driver seat removal.

 

[Pete C]

I don't think you need to worry about the handbrake if you are leaving the seat base in place.
I certainly don't need to touch it on my van.

Pete

 

[drinfinity]

There might be some cables clipped under the seat base, if you have heated seats for example. I poked about with my phone camera to see what I needed to unclip, and then where to put it back.

 

[Grainfoot]

I changed ours. It is straight forwards. One cable under our seat to disconnect but that was easy once seat unbolted and lifted a little. We have solar panel so I covered it with a blanket. I worry about doing things like that but not sure why I waited so long as it was that straight forwards.

Took a photo of battery and ordered same one from Tanya batteries to prevent any problems with fitment size

 

[The Bear78]

@Iainh23 it might be worth posting a few pictures of your setup in case there's something not quite optimal. 3 years doesn't sound like a terrible result for battery life but depending on how often the leisure battery was used, it may not be that great.
I'm not sure how much you know about vehicles with so called "smart" alternators but Transporters from the T5.1 onwards have them. It's part of the Bluemotion tech. Utimately it switches the alternator on and off to keep the main battery between 80 and 100% capacity.
One downside of this that traditional split charge relays do not function correctly and may not be able to keep a leisure battery charged.
I don't know whether your "split charger" is a split charge relay or a DC-DC charger which are the better option on these vehicles.
Also, with the exception of the (expensive) Lithium based variety, draining a battery below ~50% will cause irreversible damage ultimately leading to failure. I wonder if your setup has any low voltage sensing to warn against excessive discharge?

It will be interesting to see what you've got.

 

[Bigsidavies]

One tip for removing the seat is wind the seat back forwards towards the steering wheel so you are effectively folding up the seat. It makes it much easier to lift and it comes out through the drivers door more easily.
The cable running to the plug in the seat is clipped onto the underside of the seat. It’s just a push on metal barbed clip. It involves a bit of pulling and waggling to get it off with a bit of force. Tip the seat backwards once the four bolts are undone and you’ll have easy access to the clip.

 

[Iainh23]

Slide seat forwards, undo 2 back bolts, slide back then undo 2 front bolts and lift out. Dead simple.
Neg off the battery, then pos, replace like for like then redo all the previous in reverse.
30 minutes to do the lot.

EDIT: Just thinking, might be better to undo front bolts first, then slide forward and undo back bolts. Makes it easier to lift seat out as it will be in the forward position.

EDIT2: Forgot the handbrake. That's connected to the seat. Do a search for driver seat removal.

Thank you for the tips, I have just watched a YouTube vid that shows how to remove the seat and it doesn’t look too difficult.

I don't think you need to worry about the handbrake if you are leaving the seat base in place.
I certainly don't need to touch it on my van.

Pete

Yes I will only be removing the seat and not the base so from watching a couple of vids the handbrake shouldn’t be a problem (I hope)

@Iainh23 it might be worth posting a few pictures of your setup in case there's something not quite optimal. 3 years doesn't sound like a terrible result for battery life but depending on how often the leisure battery was used, it may not be that great.
I'm not sure how much you know about vehicles with so called "smart" alternators but Transporters from the T5.1 onwards have them. It's part of the Bluemotion tech. Utimately it switches the alternator on and off to keep the main battery between 80 and 100% capacity.
One downside of this that traditional split charge relays do not function correctly and may not be able to keep a leisure battery charged.
I don't know whether your "split charger" is a split charge relay or a DC-DC charger which are the better option on these vehicles.
Also, with the exception of the (expensive) Lithium based variety, draining a battery below ~50% will cause irreversible damage ultimately leading to failure. I wonder if your setup has any low voltage sensing to warn against excessive discharge?

It will be interesting to see what you've got.

I probably should have said the 3 years is just what I have owned the van but the van is a 2016, it’s a Hillside Leisure conversion and I have a feeling both the main battery and leisure battery are what were fitted on the van and to be honest the leisure battery wasn’t fantastic when I got the van, it would last less than 48 hours but I mainly use the van for odd nights here and there on cycling trips and anything longer we have usually had an electric hook up so I just made do with the battery, the main battery was changed a couple of months ago when I started getting random error lights on the dash which was being caused by the low voltage and so now I need to sort the leisure battery.

My van is a Highline T28 Bluemotion with the stop/start but what sort of split charger it is, I have no idea, like I say I’m pretty clueless on the electrical side of things, I don’t think there is any low sensing type of tech on the van to warn about the battery though I just have the control panel at the back which has a press button battery test/indicator needle so I can see the charge that’s left on the leisure battery.

i could post pics (if I knew what pics to post) like I say, I really am useless on this side of things

 

[roadtripper]

Post pics of all the bits you can reach of the leisure electrics and main starter battery - all helps folks get a idea.

I think at that era Hillside were fitting basic split charge systems not DC-DC - which may tie in with poor runtime and battery lifetime on a stop start vehicle.

I had a recent conversation here with @Chris1983 and @EAN around the leisure electrics in a Hillside that might be useful:

Reversing Camera - wiring harness route

Just adding to my cable install. The hardest part was to come. Tracking the OEM cable from the rear light on my pop top inner to the tailgate. Again 1.5mm cable core used along with my LED endoscope to see where the light passed through to help me guide. Once at the tailgate i ran through the...

www.t6forum.com

If your base van is a reasonable spec there may be a chance you have side airbags in the front seats. No big issue if you do but if you remove the seat with an airbag the 2 basic rules are:

Never turn the ignition on with the airbag disconnected (you'll get a persistent airbag fault from the self check - can be cleared if you have the right fault code reader though)

Place the seat where, in the very slim chance some static triggers the airbag, it won't cause injuries. So best upright and the sides not leaning against anything.

Get a camera under the seat and see what connections you have - and take as many pictures and video of anything you take apart before you do in case you need to refer to them to put things back together.

 

[EAN]

@roadtripper Yes, even to this day Hillside don’t fit DC-DC chargers.
That era will be a 3rd party split charge relay (likely Amber Valley from the circuit diagrams I have seen).
Later vehicles go the VW factory 2nd battery route and their split charge relay.

 

[Iainh23]

Post pics of all the bits you can reach of the leisure electrics and main starter battery - all helps folks get a idea.

I think at that era Hillside were fitting basic split charge systems not DC-DC - which may tie in with poor runtime and battery lifetime on a stop start vehicle.

I had a recent conversation here with @Chris1983 and @EAN around the leisure electrics in a Hillside that might be useful:

Reversing Camera - wiring harness route

Just adding to my cable install. The hardest part was to come. Tracking the OEM cable from the rear light on my pop top inner to the tailgate. Again 1.5mm cable core used along with my LED endoscope to see where the light passed through to help me guide. Once at the tailgate i ran through the...

www.t6forum.com

I will get some pics posted of everything I can in the next couple of days.

I really appreciate all the help here from everyone

If your base van is a reasonable spec there may be a chance you have side airbags in the front seats. No big issue if you do but if you remove the seat with an airbag the 2 basic rules are:

Never turn the ignition on with the airbag disconnected (you'll get a persistent airbag fault from the self check - can be cleared if you have the right fault code reader though)

Place the seat where, in the very slim chance some static triggers the airbag, it won't cause injuries. So best upright and the sides not leaning against anything.

Get a camera under the seat and see what connections you have - and take as many pictures and video of anything you take apart before you do in case you need to refer to them to put things back together.

My van is a 2016 Highline T28 so I'm not sure if has seat airbags but will have a look tomorrow in daylight.

From a quick glance under the seat earlier I could only see 1 wire but again I will have a good look in daylight tomorrow.

 

[Gàirnealair]

@Iainh23 I have the same van as you but 2021.

When I bought her at one year old the leisure battery would not hold a charge, maybe not properly loved by previous owner?

Decided to go straight for a new battery rather than mess around and was able to fit it without removing the seat. Yes it was a tricky, seat had to be rammed forward as much as possible and there may have been some pushing, shoving and swearing but we managed. Took photos of all connectors beforehand so I could see what went where.

It may not have been the right way, or the normal way, to do it and I agree that during conversion the battery and under-seat electrics will most likely be installed with the seat out, but it worked for us.