Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Landylad wrote:
I'll leave that charging a couple of hours and see what it says.
Hi again Landylad and you posted while I was typing.
Try leaving the battery charger connected for at least 10 hours.
Even though the charger may show it’s gone into float, your battery is not fully charged and it takes anything up to 10 hours of constant charging in float mode before a battery reaches a 100% fully charged state ( or there abouts )2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
25th Nov 2012 10:07 pm
GlosBoy
Member Since: 16 Oct 2009
Location: Chandlers Ford
Posts: 2444
I have same issue with remote climate
If I run it for about 20 minutes and then get in and start up it comes up with low battery and shuts down the sat nav
Our runs are short so guessing I have to either stop using remote climate or connect to battery charger
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Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
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I see a lot of batteries that never achieve a full charge. Land Rover quote an 8 hr drive with no additional load to charge a low D3 / D4 battery. If you battery has been sat on a dealer's forecourt for a while and you have only done short winter journeys plus a bit of FBH then it will have taken its toll.
As Drivesafe has said, it takes an age to properly charge a battery when it hits float. A decent charger is a must but test you battery with a proper voltmeter, rather than the type built into a charger and remember that the initial readings post-charge will be false as it will show you the surface charge only. Testing the following day or after running with a load for a bit gives better fidelity.
Ctek chargers are a very popular addition for UK Discovery owners and charging via the tow electrics takes the effort out of it. It also provides a point to power and unlock the car should the battery fail.
The BMS text above is interesting and worth discussing with the dealer.Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Hi GlosBoy and the problems caused by short drives and low batteries has always been with us, it’s just that modern vehicles need so much more power just to run everything they have on board.
As for remote climate control, we don’t have it over here so I can’t measure the current draw while it’s on but it would be interesting to see how much of the vehicle’s electronics is woken up to be able to use the remote climate control.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
25th Nov 2012 10:24 pm
Landylad
Member Since: 23 Dec 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 366
Cheers folks.
I'll leave it on overnight in that case.
Dumb ass question, but the charger has 4 ampage modes - 2, 4, 6, 8. Which one should I choose? It seems to have more power at 8 but is better to charge at lower ampage in order to get that 'trickle' charge rate? The instructions are next to useless. It's a Ring charger - you know, the folk that make the cheap light Still, £65 is not exactly cheap. I may box it up and take it back, pretending I never used it and buy a CTEK If in doot, flat oot!!
25th Nov 2012 11:21 pm
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Hi Landylad, the lowest current for the longest time is the best way to charge any lead acid battery.
The only thing to look for is that the charger has a Calcium charging mode, as this is essential to get your cranking battery into a fully charged state and again, the current is not that important, voltage is.
You need a boost charge of at least 15.1v or higher to be able to keep a Calcium/Calcium battery, like your cranking battery, in good condition, long term.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
26th Nov 2012 12:08 am
grizzlymac
Member Since: 01 May 2010
Location: Blair Atholl
Posts: 67
Okay this might be a daft question but how do you charge through the towing socket? Didn't spot an adapter in the add on bitties for the CTEK charger. Do you just make one up with a trailer plug and wire the charger into it. If yes how do you do it as I'm not very good with the squigglies Thanks.
26th Nov 2012 11:35 am
SHARKYSHARKS
Member Since: 20 Dec 2008
Location: Saddleworth Oldham
Posts: 1954
Yes GM you make your own up get some decent gauge auto cable and a s type plug( the white trailer conn) and use
Pin 4 for the positive
Pin 3 for the earth
I have then used one of the ctek cables connected to the cable, plug it in switch the Ctek to supply and off you go.
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26th Nov 2012 11:53 am
Landylad
Member Since: 23 Dec 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 366
OK, update on my battery.
I just received a digital volt meter for plugging in to the cigarette lighter. It registered 12.2 when engine cut and under no load. When I started it up, went up to 13.2 ish, but then the heated windscreens were on, as was radio and probably FBH started up. When I killed all items (apart from FBH), it went up to 14.5-14.8 approx
So, is 12.2 a normal reading you would expect to see under no load and without engine running? This is after me having 'fully charged' the battery last weekend. In saying that, I'm not convinced the charger I bought is actually that good and said FUL when left overnight, but then when I moved crimps slightly, and it went back to under 13.5v on a charge circulation. Probably take it back and end up getting a CTEK.
But on the battery front.... is it maybe that the battery is not up to much, or is something else? I did a reasonable drive on Saturday (100 miles) after having it on charge the night before. Since then, no FBH (other than 10 mins this morning) and regular 20-25 mins trip morning and evening.If in doot, flat oot!!
29th Nov 2012 12:15 pm
Martin Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
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It sounds like the battery is not in very good order I was going to post earlier but thought I would let all the others with there superior knowledge
But I think now it is time to step in you need a new battery you do not do trips that are too short the previous owner may have done and this has shortened the battery's life somewhat the voltage readings above tell me the alternator is fine but the tiered battery is making it work very hard
By the time you have bought a ctec wired up special plugs and messed about you could have put a new battery on for the same cost and have forgotten about this by nowClub original turbo
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29th Nov 2012 1:19 pm
Landylad
Member Since: 23 Dec 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 366
pinhead wrote:
It sounds like the battery is not in very good order I was going to post earlier but thought I would let all the others with there superior knowledge
But I think now it is time to step in you need a new battery you do not do trips that are too short the previous owner may have done and this has shortened the battery's life somewhat the voltage readings above tell me the alternator is fine but the tiered battery is making it work very hard
By the time you have bought a ctec wired up special plugs and messed about you could have put a new battery on for the same cost and have forgotten about this by now
Thanks Pinhead.... I tend to agree with you.
The vehicle is ex LR UK, so they probably just used it for trips down the shops for the bacon rolls every morning It's 21k after 18 months so done a few miles, but I doubt they were very long trips, hence, lik you say, putting drain on battery.
AGM battery me thinks.
I presume batteries are not covered under warranty and form part of the 'wear and tear' fine print?If in doot, flat oot!!
29th Nov 2012 2:35 pm
kp
Member Since: 27 May 2011
Location: Sticking the Ex back in the skanks bin
Posts: 2824
err I would be asking for it to be replaced under warranty as off the shelf batteries come with a 3 or 5 yr warranty anyway
Get it to fail again, Call LRA and ask them if they can book you in for a replacement battery to the local stealer. If not just keep calling them out. You pay for the privilage so may as well use it FFRR Owner, very nearly became a D3 owner
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29th Nov 2012 2:44 pm
Landylad
Member Since: 23 Dec 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 366
It's in to the local stealers tomorrow for towing electric connections, so they're gonna check battery health then.
As you say, if it's goosed, it gets replaced under warranty. If not, weeks upon weeks of proving that it's goosed ensue!! If in doot, flat oot!!
29th Nov 2012 4:03 pm
Landylad
Member Since: 23 Dec 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 366
Another update - after getting towing electrics hooked up, dealers check my battery and said no fault, looks ok.
Told them about Hairy Dan's LR memo about the Battery Monitoring System, and forwarded this on, so they're gonna investigate that side of it.
But still doesn't explain why battery is sitting around 11-12v when I get in.
I'll probably end up buying an AGM battery and saying sod it... I know how enfuriating it is trying to argue the toss with LR dealers about warranty issues.
Anyone recommend a good place to buy a battery, and makes? Euro Car Parts don't stock AGM batteries in D4 size.If in doot, flat oot!!
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Still, £65 is not exactly cheap. I may box it up and take it back, pretending I never used it and buy a CTEK 
It's 21k after 18 months so done a few miles, but I doubt they were very long trips, hence, lik you say, putting drain on battery.
