Hello I’m a new member to the forum and don’t have a great deal of experience of being in a camper so looking for advice. I have a 2018 Kepler One and have only now started to wild camp in Europe in it. I’m unclear as to what I should expect from the onboard facilities whilst camping without electric hook up. I have a solar panel fitted and 1 leisure battery. I’ve got the compressor fridge on low during the day and have recently been turning it off overnight. During the daytime whilst the solar is charging the battery I’ll charge my phone and iPad. Other than having a light on for a few hours at night this has been the general usage. The leisure battery reading has shown a high of around 14 after being on hook up overnight and then subsequently in full sunshine decreasing to 11 at times during the early hours of the morning and on a couple of occasions it’s cut out. I can’t fathom out whether the battery is at fault or whether I just don’t have the capacity to be off grid for any length of time? I’d ideally like to use the diesel heating system on colder nights but fear that based on the current situation this isn’t going to be an option unless I’m on hook up. Does anyone have any experience of wild camping in their Kepler One or any advice....is the battery faulty or am I expecting too much? Thanks
Couple of questions:
What model of fridge is it ?
What capacity is the leisure battery ?
What power is the solar cell ?
How is your leisure battery charged when you are driving ?
How is your battery charged when on hookup ?
How long are you “off grid” i.e. does this happen after one night ?
Pete
What model of fridge is it ?
What capacity is the leisure battery ?
What power is the solar cell ?
How is your leisure battery charged when you are driving ?
How is your battery charged when on hookup ?
How long are you “off grid” i.e. does this happen after one night ?
Pete
Hi
Fridge is Vitri Frito
Battery is Banners 100amp
Solar 100amp
Battery is charged from alternator when driving
When on hook up we use a charger cable
After we’d charged from hook up we lasted 2 nights and 1 night using solar only.
This morning reading is 12.2 without anything on, just turned fridge on low now
Fridge is Vitri Frito
Battery is Banners 100amp
Solar 100amp
Battery is charged from alternator when driving
When on hook up we use a charger cable
After we’d charged from hook up we lasted 2 nights and 1 night using solar only.
This morning reading is 12.2 without anything on, just turned fridge on low now
Thanks. A few more questions/comments
I think you mean solar is 100W
Do you know the specific device that charges your leisure battery from the alternator - this is important.
Same for hookup - what is the specific type of charger used ?
I don’t know that fridge, but I am sure Westfalia would fit a decent one.
We also have a 100w solar panel, and I think we would need sunny days to keep the leisure battery charged when off grid. Cloudy days would be a problem.
Pete
I think you mean solar is 100W
Do you know the specific device that charges your leisure battery from the alternator - this is important.
Same for hookup - what is the specific type of charger used ?
I don’t know that fridge, but I am sure Westfalia would fit a decent one.
We also have a 100w solar panel, and I think we would need sunny days to keep the leisure battery charged when off grid. Cloudy days would be a problem.
Pete
Last edited:
I’m really sorry but I don’t have the information about the charger device to the battery but I’ve emailed our dealer to ask the question. The solar panel is 100w. Yes I do have a control panel that shows what power is going in. Unfortunately It’s awkward to get t at the moment. I will have a look when I get the opportunity to. Thanks for your help and advice.
I’m an electrical numpty so can’t offer an explanation as to why your system seems to be draining your battery so quickly but just offer what ours does by way of comparison. Don’t have a Kepler but the following system:
dometic compressor fridge
2 102amp banner batteries
150w solar panel
Redarc b2b charger (Travelvolts replaced our useless split charger)
Victron battery monitor
In Scotland in October we would have fridge on 24 hours a day and cold enough to keep ice frozen in the freezer ‘box’ and heater on from about 5pm to 10am next day, lights on and charging phones, kindle etc. So we were using considerably more power than you’ve been using. Some input from solar but Limited and variable.
typically we would use about 10% of battery capacity ie 20 amps which if we didn’t drive anywhere would give us about 5 days of battery.
the Redarc is so effective that even driving for a short time put the batteries back up to 100%.
If we only had 1 battery I would expect to be able to run fridge and heater for 2 days before needing to plug in or go for a drive.
dometic compressor fridge
2 102amp banner batteries
150w solar panel
Redarc b2b charger (Travelvolts replaced our useless split charger)
Victron battery monitor
In Scotland in October we would have fridge on 24 hours a day and cold enough to keep ice frozen in the freezer ‘box’ and heater on from about 5pm to 10am next day, lights on and charging phones, kindle etc. So we were using considerably more power than you’ve been using. Some input from solar but Limited and variable.
typically we would use about 10% of battery capacity ie 20 amps which if we didn’t drive anywhere would give us about 5 days of battery.
the Redarc is so effective that even driving for a short time put the batteries back up to 100%.
If we only had 1 battery I would expect to be able to run fridge and heater for 2 days before needing to plug in or go for a drive.
Hi yes we can see what power is being generated and during the daylight hours the battery is going up to about 13. Here’s a picture of the charger. David
Thanks for your information we are looking at fitting a second battery in the ear future and we’re in touch with Westfalia dealer in Spain as we definitely think there might be a problem with battery (maybe a cell) as loses charge too quickly without hardly anything running from it
Thanks for the picture. A quick Google tells me that is a mains charger for your leisure battery when you are on hook-up on a campsite.
What we need to know next is what is the charging device that charges your leisure battery when you are driving.
Also, what you describe with your solar cell is the voltage (13) the leisure battery is reaching. What you really need to know is how many watts is the solar panel generating and putting into your leisure battery.
Pete
What we need to know next is what is the charging device that charges your leisure battery when you are driving.
Also, what you describe with your solar cell is the voltage (13) the leisure battery is reaching. What you really need to know is how many watts is the solar panel generating and putting into your leisure battery.
Pete
Hello Mrs.,
I'm from Barcelona, I have a Westfalia Kepler One and I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I know about 3 people from the spanish forum www.furgovw.org that have the same problem, so we think that this is a factory error.
The problem has its origin in that the camperizer (Westfalia), forgots that the base vehicle (Volkswagen T6), carries a smart alternator, which is activated according to the demand of the engine battery, ignoring the state of the leisure battery This causes the energy discharges that occur when the vehicle is stationary (not plugged), not recovering and the leisure battery dies prematurely. A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE that Westfalia would have to answer. As for distributors, at least in Spain they wash their hands and say they don't know the problem. Users only have the recourse to notify potential new Westfalia buyers of the unprotection they will have once they leave their dealership, and wait for the brand to make a call for review to solve the problem.
PD: Sorry for the writing mistakes, I wrote this message with the help of an automatic translator.
I'm from Barcelona, I have a Westfalia Kepler One and I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I know about 3 people from the spanish forum www.furgovw.org that have the same problem, so we think that this is a factory error.
The problem has its origin in that the camperizer (Westfalia), forgots that the base vehicle (Volkswagen T6), carries a smart alternator, which is activated according to the demand of the engine battery, ignoring the state of the leisure battery This causes the energy discharges that occur when the vehicle is stationary (not plugged), not recovering and the leisure battery dies prematurely. A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE that Westfalia would have to answer. As for distributors, at least in Spain they wash their hands and say they don't know the problem. Users only have the recourse to notify potential new Westfalia buyers of the unprotection they will have once they leave their dealership, and wait for the brand to make a call for review to solve the problem.
PD: Sorry for the writing mistakes, I wrote this message with the help of an automatic translator.
A great bit of information there @xmetralla
Hello everyone.
We have just changed our old T5 for a new T6 VW keplar one., We are really pleased with the van and in the first three weeks took it down to Portugal and spain and back. We have now got back, we have a problem with the roof not fitting properly. It is the seal at the front, it does not fit properly and its raised slightly so the wind goes under the seal and makes the canvas flap. Has anyone else had a problem with theirs? It is such a great design and van, hopefully the dealer can sort it out for us.
We have just changed our old T5 for a new T6 VW keplar one., We are really pleased with the van and in the first three weeks took it down to Portugal and spain and back. We have now got back, we have a problem with the roof not fitting properly. It is the seal at the front, it does not fit properly and its raised slightly so the wind goes under the seal and makes the canvas flap. Has anyone else had a problem with theirs? It is such a great design and van, hopefully the dealer can sort it out for us.
Ian Kepler6
New Member
Hi fellow Kepler owner, I have a Kepler Six with two leisure batteries fitted and it looks like westfalia terminates them behind the fuse box.
Can you instruct me to how you have fitted solar and to where you have connected them, battery, batteries or main circuit board?
Many thanks
IC
baablebrox
Member
Being a new owner of a Kepler One (and new to this forum, thank you!), I would also like to have a thread to share about the Keplers. Did you find any dedicated communities?
Welcome to the forum!
Not too many modern Westfalias in the UK, I know that @andys has a Joker
Perhaps you should start Team Westfalia in the "show us your T6" subforum?
Don’t forget to post some pics, we love pics, especially if they are a non-standard camper layout
baablebrox
Member
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