Hi, I read something here about checking the battery charge state via the menu system. I didn't note it down, so could someone point me in the right direction please?  Mine is a March'16 Octavia and the manuals are incomprehensible. Thanks,  K

To get the SOC display. Ignition off and bonnet must be shut. Press and hold the trip reset button, the maxidot will then show TIME, keep the button held, then it will show BATTERY. Release the button and that's it, the SOC % will be displayed.

10 minutes ago, BATVANVRS said:

To get the SOC display. Ignition off and bonnet must be shut. Press and hold the trip reset button, the maxidot will then show TIME, keep the button held, then it will show BATTERY. Release the button and that's it, the SOC % will be displayed.

There have been comments that this function does not work on newer cars, I'd guess this includes March 2016. Search the forums for "soc" for more info.

on my car the above process increments the clock hour digits...

 

I suspect a voltmeter still works :-) 

Hi Trebor, Skoda UK claims that the SOC meter was disabled on the Octavia sometime early in MY16 - no reason was given for this, the SOC display is still present in the Maxidot display, but it only reads "SOC - 0.0%" Batvanvrs has given the correct display sequence.

Mines a 2016 and reads SOC - 0.0%. Due to electric seats windscreen etc i decided to buy a https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FC42HAA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 with the cigar adaptor charging lead. I was gobsmacked to see how flat my battery actually was. According to the charger it was border line not starting the car. I do about 100 miles a week but make sure i do an over night charge via the rear accessory socket in the boot every couple of weeks now.

I wonder if this can be corrected with vcds.

 

Edited 7 February, 20179 yr by arnold

20 hours ago, arnold said:

Mines a 2016 and reads SOC - 0.0%. Due to electric seats windscreen etc i decided to buy a https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FC42HAA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 with the cigar adaptor charging lead. I was gobsmacked to see how flat my battery actually was. According to the charger it was border line not starting the car. I do about 100 miles a week but make sure i do an over night charge via the rear accessory socket in the boot every couple of weeks now.

I wonder if this can be corrected with vcds.

 

Hi Arnold, what was your battery voltage reading before charging? Don't forget that there will be a certain amount of voltage drop between the rear power outlet and the battery terminals.  

Not sure, it has about seven lights for stages of charge and only 3 were lit on the charger .

http://www.ctek.com/Archive/ProductManualPdf/MXS 5.0_EN.pdf  If you look at the instructions in the link it was on led 3 so below starting power,

Edited 8 February, 20179 yr by arnold

Arnold, I've just checked with a multimeter - after a 30 mile motorway journey this evening, then 2 x 2 mile journeys at 30mph (engine warm - hot during each of theses). Engine & engine bay still tepid, air temperature around 1C. Ignition off.

at battery - 12.67V

at cigarette lighter socket (centre console) 12.59V (first measured at 12.67V, went back and checked and definitely 12.59V)

at cigarette lighter socket (boot) 12.59V

 

using the Google oracle, it looks like 'above 12.6V' is 'good', below 12.6V is 'low'; there is a small voltage drop from battery to lighter sockets.

 

Looking through the ctek instructions, all they are saying are that your battery charger reckons that the battery is at 80% charge or less by selecting no. 3 cycle - which is plausible in cold weather with short journeys. It's a charger, not a battery health monitor.

I don't see anything in the instructions saying that stage / LED 3 is "below starting power" - just that at this stage it bulk charges the battery, in the later stages it slows down the charging rate to prevent damaging the battery. Your car will probablyuse a similar charging regime.

 

I would not over worry about it, I doubt you are doing any harm by charging it occasionally but it should not be necessary. Remember there are a number of algorithms deciding whether to bother charging your battery or not whilst driving, which I'd guess are affected by all number of factors.

If you have cause for concern then any decent garage should do a battery health check for you, either free of charge or for a very nominal sum, using big heavy tools with very thick wiring and lots of insulation :-)

Edited 8 February, 20179 yr by AndyO2

7 hours ago, AndyO2 said:

Arnold, I've just checked with a multimeter - after a 30 mile motorway journey this evening, then 2 x 2 mile journeys at 30mph (engine warm - hot during each of theses). Engine & engine bay still tepid, air temperature around 1C. Ignition off.

at battery - 12.67V

at cigarette lighter socket (centre console) 12.59V (first measured at 12.67V, went back and checked and definitely 12.59V)

at cigarette lighter socket (boot) 12.59V

 

using the Google oracle, it looks like 'above 12.6V' is 'good', below 12.6V is 'low'; there is a small voltage drop from battery to lighter sockets.

 

Looking through the ctek instructions, all they are saying are that your battery charger reckons that the battery is at 80% charge or less by selecting no. 3 cycle - which is plausible in cold weather with short journeys. It's a charger, not a battery health monitor.

I don't see anything in the instructions saying that stage / LED 3 is "below starting power" - just that at this stage it bulk charges the battery, in the later stages it slows down the charging rate to prevent damaging the battery. Your car will probablyuse a similar charging regime.

 

I would not over worry about it, I doubt you are doing any harm by charging it occasionally but it should not be necessary. Remember there are a number of algorithms deciding whether to bother charging your battery or not whilst driving, which I'd guess are affected by all number of factors.

If you have cause for concern then any decent garage should do a battery health check for you, either free of charge or for a very nominal sum, using big heavy tools with very thick wiring and lots of insulation :-)

 

Thanks  Andy thats good to know. Perhaps i wont be quite so panic stricken and charge on such a regular basis. I just wanted to keep things topped up as i had a Mk2 Fabis Vrs where the battery went belly up from new at 7000 miles. I know alot of people recommend a good top up with AGM type battery's.

Go to my YouTube channel I made a how to video on the mater.

I tried this out and after several attempts I got it right and what do I get State of Battery value? ---%.