The Cosmo has its own power system, different from the smart battery system in the other Spaceships campervans.
Lithium leisure battery
There is a lithium leisure battery located under the driver's seat (please do not touch this battery). A solar panel is connected to it to keep the battery topped up while the vehicle is in use - this supports camping off grid and being less reliant on powered campsites.
Solar - 200W panel on the pop-top roof
Raise the pop-top roof whenever practical to face the direction of the sun - this angles the solar panel towards the sky and significantly improves its exposure.
Park with the rear of the campervan facing towards the sun. When the pop-top is raised, the roof slopes upwards towards the rear of the van.
Avoid shade where possible - even partial shading from trees, buildings or other vehicles can considerably reduce the power produced.
Reposition the van if necessary: the sun moves throughout the day, so if you are staying in one spot and maximum charging matters, consider the sun's position when choosing your parking spot.
Tip: for maximum solar charging, raise the pop-top, keep the solar panel free from shade, and point the rear of the campervan towards the sun.
Battery monitoring (Red Vision display)
In SoC display mode, the display indicates the battery's current level. When charging, the segment that is charging will flash.
Press the Power button to turn the display illumination on/off (standby mode) or to exit the settings menu.
Press the Control button to cycle through the settings menu.
Start battery flat? Vehicle Battery Recovery mode
If the vehicle's start battery is flat, the Red Vision display can safely transfer charge from the leisure (auxiliary) battery to the start battery:
Press the Control button to cycle to the Recovery setting (flashing green).
Long-press the Control button to start the Recovery process (press the Control or Power button to cancel).
The top five segments of the display will illuminate, then count down as the vehicle battery charges for approximately 15 minutes. When Recovery is complete, the top 5 segments will flash.
You can then start the vehicle.
The 240V mains plug: what is it, where and how to use it
A "mains plug" may sound technical, but it is simply the external power connection of your Cosmo - a power inlet on the campervan that you connect to the electricity supply at a campsite (called "shore power"). Think of it as the campervan equivalent of plugging an appliance into the wall at home.
Where to use it: you can plug the Cosmo in at powered campsites - campsites with powered sites have an electricity outlet (a standard New Zealand three-point socket) you can connect to. If you stay at an unpowered site or freedom camp, there is no outlet to connect to, so the van runs on its own battery and solar power.
How to use it:
Connect the mains connection of the Cosmo to the powered campsite's outlet.
Make sure the red Master Power switch under the sink is ON (I). When plugged in and switched on, the system converts the campsite's 230V AC power to run the van's 12V leisure circuits and normally uses any spare capacity to charge the leisure battery.
When plugged in, the fridge and any gadgets you have will be powered by the mains.
Can I use the 240V/220V sockets when the mains plug is NOT plugged in?
No. The mains-powered sockets in the van only work while the Cosmo is connected to shore power at a powered campsite. When you are not plugged in, there is no 240V mains power available in the campervan - you are running off the lithium leisure battery, topped up by the solar panel on the pop-top roof. That is fine for the van's own systems (lights, water pump, tap, hob electronics and the touch screen), but high-power mains appliances will not work off grid. Planning to use things like a hairdryer or a laptop charger on mains power? Book a powered campsite for that night.
Tip: a powered site is not required every night. Thanks to the leisure battery and the 200W solar panel, the Cosmo is well suited to camping off grid - just be smart about your power use and park with the rear towards the sun (see the solar tips above).
More info about Cosmo VW Campervan.