petersw wrote:

...can some one tell me how long the cable on CTEK Multi MXS 7.0 /10 is, the one that plugs in to the wall (power)...

Landylad wrote:

....But anyone upgraded their standard OEM battery for something beefier?....

BLFarrar wrote:

Everyone on here suggested getting & using a CTEK that in reality masked the problem

drivesafe wrote:

BLFarrar wrote:

Everyone on here suggested getting & using a CTEK that in reality masked the problem

Hi BLFarrar and I don’t consider you are “masking the problem” by using a battery charger.



Back to the currant battery problems. As above, lead acid batteries, including AGMs, need to not only have the starting energy replaced but they need to have a maintenance charge to keep a battery in good condition and to be able to store energy at or near a given battery’s maximum capacity.

The use of a battery charger and/or solar is one way to do this and the use of high recharge capacity batteries like Optimas is another way, so your Varta may well help, but even high recharge capacity batteries require sufficient driving times, so BLFarrar, it will be interesting to see if your battery replacement solves the problem or just extends the time before the battery fails.

Please keep us informed on how your new battery performs.

I couldnt get an OPTIMA of the right capacity that would fit my D3 - maybe the place I went to having the right stock

48 Volt systems...yes agreed there was work done back in the 90's on 48 volt (I worked for a Joe Lucas company that made rectifier silicon so can confirm this).....it didnt get taken up either by Lucas, Marrelli (Ford owned vehicle electrics or any others I know of.

The point I made & still contend is that CTEKing a battery frequently - masks the issue....OK so if I did plug my D3 in every month / week / day as some seem to do....what happens when you dont or cant plug in say if you are away from base camp ?.....problems with your battery or charging are then very evident as not having CTEK'd the system as per routine - you may not start the D3. Also CTEKing any battery on the mode that is meant to once in while "rejuvinate" boosting to over 15 volts for the last part of the cycle - will affect battery life & performance (read from the CTEK manual as brief as it is).

I wont know if the move I have made in fitting a VARTA Stop-Start plus was or is the answer - & I am only going to CTEK my system say every 4 or 6 months. The readings I have taken so far indicate I have a very healthy system & I dont intend to use my D3 in any other way...(every weekend or so...with many weekdays the D3 being parked up). From what I have read & been told is the VARTA Stop-Start Plus AGM battery I have bought has the ability to take on a charge very very quickly i.e in the first 5 or 10 mins of starting the vehicle - with the standard alternator. Leaving the vehicle for long periods didnt discharge any of the original & previous batteries. The current drain when parked was negligable when the D3 finally went to sleep..I mucked about for weeks proving this to myself & wondering.

What I wasnt going to do was fit the same (LR or LR type battery) & expect something better or different.....& I was getting cheesed off buying the same & have it fail.....not being able to start when I wanted to was a tad inconvenient....not really a problem for me to jump start the D3.......but a for SWMBO....even though I bought her a cracking set of jump leads as a christmas present.

Hairy Dan wrote:

Landylad, there have been quite a few people had problems with this and Land Rover know about it, they have a 'fix for it which I think updates the software on the battery monitoring system (BMS) I didn't have the probelm when I had my 2011MY D4 but I did have this saved in a word document

Reference SSM54517
Models New Range Rover
Discovery 4
Range Rover Sport

Title Fuel Fired Burning heater/ Battery Monitoring System 11/12MY
Category Electrical
Last modified 21-Dec-2011 00:00:00
Symptom 205000 Electrical Accessories
Content Issue: A customer may report that the Fuel Fired Burning Heater (FFBH) appears to operate for a shorter than expected cycle time (approximately 5 to 10 minutes) before the FFBH is switched off.

Cause: The concern may be as a result of the Battery Monitoring System (BMS) strategy for battery condition/ load detection.

Action: A new level BMS has recently been introduced at Manufacturing for the following model lines:

Range Rover VIN CA371169 onwards
Range Rover Sport LHD VIN CA731475 onwards
Range Rover Sport RHD VIN CA731269 onwards
Discovery 4/ LR4 LHD VIN CA608658 onwards
Discovery 4/ LR4 RHD VIN CA608504 onwards

Check the operation of the Fuel Fired Burning Heater using Symptom Driven Diagnostics (SDD). If the FFBH appears to be functioning correctly during SDD interrogation, it is likely that the BMS strategy is the cause of the concern and the BMS will require replacement.
If the FFBH does not appear to operate correctly during SDD interrogation, continue with diagnosis of the FFBH as guided by SDD.

Land Rover are currently in the process of obtaining new components for stock at Caterpillar with an anticipated date of arrival of 22nd December 2011.

The new part numbers are:
Range Rover - LR037872
Range Rover Sport/ Discovery 4/ LR4 Left Hand Drive - LR037867
Range Rover Sport/ Discovery 4/ LR4 Right Hand Drive - LR037862

Note: The BMS LIN connection (flylead) should not be disconnected as this will cause a red warning to appear on the Instrument Pack and the system will enter a default charging strategy.

Also if you have a read of THIS POST in particular the posts by Wiggs it explains what the problem is.

There is another post on the subject HERE So I would suggest you get it booked into the dealers

Update on the above (and thanks to HairyDan for pointing this out).

Had the car booked in to LR dealer and they eventually changed the BMS. So we'll see how it pans out. Certainly getting the weather now to ensure I get full use of the remote FBH mode