Do I need to disconnect the vehicle battery in my 2018 VW T6, which has stop/start, before I use a battery charger?

[Leadfold]

I have a Vitron 12/30 Blue Smart Charger, that is due to go into the van when the leisure electrics are done. For now, I want to charge up the vehicle battery. I have just read the VW Manual, which makes no reference to using a battery charger but gives the impression that to jump-start the van from another vehicle, will lead to almost certain death (well not quite, but it certainly makes it sound risky).

Can I just connect my charger to the two vehicle battery terminals and if so do I need to disconnect the battery from the van before doing so?

 

[Pete C]

You don't need to disconnect the battery.
Connect the positive lead of the charger to the positive battery terminal, and connect the negative lead to a suitable earth point near the battery.

Pete

 

[Leadfold]

Cheers Pete, I thought it was more straightforward than the manual made it appear. Just out of interest why connect to an earth point and not the negative battery terminal?

 

[Skyliner33]

Cheers Pete, I thought it was more straightforward than the manual made it appear. Just out of interest why connect to an earth point and not the negative battery terminal?

If you connect it to the neg terminal you will bypass the shunt that measures the state of charge.

 

[Jim Rey]

If you connect it to the neg terminal you will bypass the shunt that measures the state of charge.

That's the answer I was looking for this morning. I had left a USB device plugged which has dropped the main battery level a bit, Hooked up charger and wasn't sure to go to the chassis or straight onto the battery -ve terminal