crews control
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 383
 
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| Parking for extended periods? |
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I'm going to have to park my D3 in an airport car park for a little over 1 month very soon. I seem to remember some posts on here from people who've had problems (flat batteries etc) after leaving their cars un-driven for such times, but I can't seem to find those with the search at the moment. I've heard it mentioned that the computer bus fires up every two hours even with the car left asleep?
Are there any tips which could help? - Should I disconnect the battery or will that cause more problems for all the computers in the long run? I really don't want to come back to a flat battery but I also don't want to cause unnecessary problems through ignorance.
Thanks in advance...
(The battery seems to be in good condition at the moment, and it's normally driven daily) Paul
D3 TDV6 HSE
Buckingham Black / Alpacca Leather
...This message written with recycled electrons...
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 Tue Jul 22 2008 11:42pm |
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James R
Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Location: All at Sea
Posts: 593
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You can get a solar battery charger that you plug in to your 12v socket. You leave it on the dashboard and it trickle charges your battery. This might be the way to go if you're worried.
Of course there may be some technical reason that you can't use this on the D3, the 12v socket being switched off when the ignition is off is one that springs to mind immediately. Sharks: Natures way of telling surfers to get a job
07 Silver TDV6 XS Manual + Stainless Tubes + Tints + LR dog Guard
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 5:13am |
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BorderMan
Joined: 02 Mar 2008
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 65
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| Re: Parking for extended periods? |
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crews control wrote:I'm going to have to park my D3 in an airport car park for a little over 1 month...
Taking out a bank loan are we? 
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 6:23am |
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crews control
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 383
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Good idea James, except it'll be in a multi-story! - How much light do they need?
...and yes, the cost of parking makes it almost easier to sell it - and then buy another when I get back! Paul
D3 TDV6 HSE
Buckingham Black / Alpacca Leather
...This message written with recycled electrons...
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 9:39am |
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Bodsy
Joined: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Home, home on the range........
Posts: 5468
 
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If I'm away for that length of time, I'd just get a car to take me there & collect me. Much cheaper than airport parking over that time & it means you can have a drink on the plane on the way back to help you sleep! TDV6 HSE Black, Black Wheels /MTR's(in the shed!), Black RRS front/rear LR badge (tbf) Black Leather, Black Glass, Black TowB, Shiny Tasmods, Dull Mantec, White (& Orange) Reflective D3 Sticker, Black steering wheel badge, black air intake. Optima & Traxide dual battery setup.
Need black RRS wheel centre caps.
Now with added Engel.....
We D3, therefore we are..........
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 9:59am |
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James R
Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Location: All at Sea
Posts: 593
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crews control wrote:Good idea James, except it'll be in a multi-story! - How much light do they need?
...and yes, the cost of parking makes it almost easier to sell it - and then buy another when I get back!
I have no idea how much light they need. A mate of mine bought one or his 928 when it had an ailing battery. he was parking it outside on Tyneside during February and it seemed to work. Tyneside in February is pretty dull, but I don't know how it compares to inside a multi-story.
Bear in mind what I mentioned before........the 12v socket on the D3 is isolated when the ignition is off. You need to seek advice from someone what is more cleverer than me. It may not work.
Like Bodsey said.......getting a taxi may be cheaper and probably more convinient as you'll get dropped straight at the terminal and you won't have to mess about dragging luggage across car parks and into courtesy caoches. Sharks: Natures way of telling surfers to get a job
07 Silver TDV6 XS Manual + Stainless Tubes + Tints + LR dog Guard
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 10:36am |
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SKP
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 154
 
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I am just back after leaving my 2005 D3 at Melbourne Airport for 31 days in winter, it was 4c when I fired her up
at midnight, started first go.  Took her in for service today, battery showed 12.5 volts 
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 11:39am |
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ThatMartinChap
Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Location: Deepest Darkest Berkshire
Posts: 217
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Bodsy wrote:If I'm away for that length of time, I'd just get a car to take me there & collect me. Much cheaper than airport parking over that time & it means you can have a drink on the plane on the way back to help you sleep!
Me to - or if you really need to drive and park. I strongly suggest booking in advance since the rate you get is usually massively lower then the turn-up price. This is especially true for the airport NCP's.
Anyway - sorry for diverting from your questiom... MY08 TDV6 HSE : Stornoway + Alpaca + Privacy + an Empty Wallet
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 11:57am |
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AndrewW
Joined: 06 Aug 2007
Location: Saddleworth
Posts: 1218
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I've just finished a pauper's  fortnight away with no problem. D3 hadn't missed me 
My Maplin £9.99 solar panel puts 40-80mA into the caravan battery on a cloudy day and there is one twice the size (20 x 30cm) for about £17. The little one kept SWMBO's (knackered) Punto battery in top nick for the fortnight at John Lennon (crap weather I believe ).
Not being sure that it WOULD, I packed my "yellow peril" in the boot - one of those dreadful plastic 12v battery boxes with inbuilt lights, flashers, inverter ( ) and jump leads. On previous dead battery occasions that has started the ole Punto with more verve than the fitted battery AND survives 3 months with no top-up charge. Didn't need it, though, at John Lennon.
I know the D3 needs more cranking oomph than a petrol 1.2 Punto , but the yellow box only supplies additional cranking amps to a tired battery, not all of the required power.
Hope that helps - and enjoy your trip.
A
PS It's worth anything to have a decent car waiting for you at the airport  06 TDV6 SE Tonga Green
Mantec Plate (with three "dings"), BCB rope, Hidden winch (hidden in garage...), Webasto timer (in box), TorqTuned ((tee hee)²), Origin b2 (in case), Traffic master jam warner (in expectation), FT8800, Motorola GM360, INTEK H-520+ (in a tangle)
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 12:46pm |
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crews control
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 383
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Thanks all for the suggestions, the "yellow peril" is a great idea and I might just invest in one of those. Normally I'd just get a taxi as suggested, but this is a work trip and I have to leave (with a lot of kit) from an airport 200 miles away from home, so a car park is cheaper. Did book online though and saved quite a bit. I'm just not looking forward to a long haul return that lands at the crack of dawn only to find a flat battery with 200 miles still to go - it's happened to me before (not on the D3) and can ruin your day!
 Paul
D3 TDV6 HSE
Buckingham Black / Alpacca Leather
...This message written with recycled electrons...
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 6:26pm |
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simon
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Do you really need to know ?
Posts: 14396
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Mine (MY05 at the time) was left at Stanstead for three weeks and aprt form all the bird poo that appeared, it started first time.
I can't see you'll have a problem as long as your battery is in good condition.
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 7:05pm |
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discocuzzy
Joined: 02 Feb 2008
Location: surrey
Posts: 777
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Crews if your going to Heathrow, PM me the flight details and ill give you my mobile number, im 15 mins away and more than happy to bring jump leads along if required "you cannot teach stupid people to do clever things"
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 7:20pm |
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philhunt
Joined: 16 Sep 2007
Location: MI5 not 9 to 5
Posts: 396
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| Solar Powered Trickle Charger |
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James R wrote:
Of course there may be some technical reason that you can't use this on the D3, the 12v socket being switched off when the ignition is off is one that springs to mind immediately.
I have one of these that I bought for about £9.99p in Maplins about 6 months ago. I bought it to use on my 1998 D1 but it needs a 'live' cigar lighter type socket when the key's out of the ignition. I've bought another socket to wire in as an auxiliary with a permanent live feed but haven't got round to fitting it yet! According to the blurb on the box it doesn't need sunlight, it will trickle charge even on a cloudy day.
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 8:28pm |
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AndrewW
Joined: 06 Aug 2007
Location: Saddleworth
Posts: 1218
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... don't forget the £9.99 Maplin one (and most others) comes with alternative battery post clips to connect direct. That's what I did. No fuse, but you could fit one... 06 TDV6 SE Tonga Green
Mantec Plate (with three "dings"), BCB rope, Hidden winch (hidden in garage...), Webasto timer (in box), TorqTuned ((tee hee)²), Origin b2 (in case), Traffic master jam warner (in expectation), FT8800, Motorola GM360, INTEK H-520+ (in a tangle)
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 8:35pm |
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simon
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Do you really need to know ?
Posts: 14396
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Why are you all talking about chargers and  to keep the battery topped up for a few weeks ? 
If your D3 is flat after leaving it for a few weeks you have problems... get the dealer to check it over if your concerned.
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| Wed Jul 23 2008 10:40pm |
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