Phantom Leisure Battery

[Deleted member 76805]

Hi All

Stupid question but the situation is getting a bit daft.

Briefly I bought a VW TRANSPORTER T28 S-LINE TDI BMT Campervan and noticed the Leisure Battery was not keeping charge.

I checked all the usual locations (driver's seat, r&r bed) but could not find the battery.
The converters who did the job suggested it could be behind the gas bottle cabinet at the rear of the vehicle.

I put the van in for a check at a local dealers and gave them this information. After a thorough check, they said they could not find a leisure battery anywhere on the van.

It has an eco worthy solar panel with mppt controller. Can the van have been built without a leisure battery installed?
It works on hookup ok.

If there is a battery somewhere in the van, (and there's a Leisure Battery charge indicator on the cabinet wall alongside the car battery indicator)
Its just weird that the conversion company would put a battery in such an inaccessible place, knowing it would need replacing one day.

Stupid question
But can campervans use electricity with just a converter for hook up and no leisure battery?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Stay Frosty]

I reckon yes for the 13A skts and any mains powered stuff you might have then if there's a mains to 13.8 volt DC battery charger or proper smart charger that would power the 12 volt stuff while you're on hook up.
Now if you have a fridge that runs on mains or 12 volt when not on hook up or in fact anything that still runs at 12 volts when you're not on hook up then you either have a leisure battery or won't be able to start your van when you come to leave the site.
Ideally add some background info and pictures to pad out this mystery.

 

[Deleted member 76805]

Thanks for replying so quickly.
Here's a pic of my setup in the back.
I hope it's clear enough.
Does that give you any further clue?
Thanks again

 

[oldiebut goodie]

I see a Voltage Sensitive Relay (VSR) on the wall there which would not be fitted if there were no leisure battery.
See if you can trace where that red cable goes from the VSR - it should go to the leisure battery.

 

[Deleted member 76805]

Thanks
Seems daft to have installed it in a hard to access location.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Not a Birchover is it as they seem to bury the leisure battery?
The SVR is not a good sign as if it's a T6 or T6.1 you have a smart alternator and they don't play nicely with the SVR and have a tendency to kill the ordinary lead acid leisure battery fairly quickly by under and overcharging.
Keep looking for the battery it often hides under the driver's seat.

 

[Deleted member 76805]

Thanks, yes I've checked the driver's seat but not a sign.
Weird.
Thanks all the same

 

[Anakin]

Tried the passenger seat?

 

[Deleted member 76805]

Tried the passenger seat?

Yes, its a swivel seat with storage inside so it's not there.
Thanks though

 

[Captain Quick]

Some converters fit an underslung leisure battery. The most common location is within a metal frame underneath the van below the drivers seat.

 

[Deleted member 76805]

I hadn't considered that. Thanks a lot for the tip.

 

[Lubrown]

I see a Voltage Sensitive Relay (VSR) on the wall there which would not be fitted if there were no leisure battery.
See if you can trace where that red cable goes from the VSR - it should go to the leisure battery.

Is it not odd there is only one red wire?

 

[oldiebut goodie]

No - the other end is obscured. It will be at the top or at the back.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Am I missing something? The converter doesn’t know where they’ve put the LB.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

My leisure battery is in the kitchen cabinets below my microwave.
Do you have a kitchen? And is there enough room in there for a battery?
I have to remove a panel under the sink to access it.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Knowing the converter might help if someone else has one from them.

 

[Deleted member 76805]

My leisure battery is in the kitchen cabinets below my microwave.
Do you have a kitchen? And is there enough room in there for a battery?
I have to remove a panel under the sink to access it.

Yes, there are two cupboards beneath the microwave and i have a fridge under the sink so I doubt there's room there. Thanks for your interest

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Yes, there are two cupboards beneath the microwave and i have a fridge under the sink so I doubt there's room there. Thanks for your interest

Definitely nothing under the Sargent fuse box in the back?
It’s got to be somewhere.
Do you know which company converted it?

 

[Deleted member 76805]

Definitely nothing under the Sargent fuse box in the back?
It’s got to be somewhere.
Do you know which company converted it?

Yes and I've contacted them. They say it was so long ago they don't have a record but they've been very helpful to be fair.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Knowing the converter might help if someone else has one from them.