Traxide Dual Battery install in LHDrive |
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Aux Battery showing ground cable bolt "upside" down 1568 viewsIn order to obtain sufficient height clearance to get the plastic cover back on, I had to install the ground cable to the underside of the battery post connector.
Note the battery vent hose, (approx 5 ft required) is run down into where the windshield washer fluid container is located. There is not much electrical or metal in that area to be corroded by battery gas plus the open end of the vent hose tends to be protected from dirt and stays clean as well.
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Battery Disconnect side post with + & - caps under view738 viewsThe upper and lower pieces of metal are clamped together but electrically seperate from each other. The connection between the two pieces is via the threaded part attached to the knob. When the knob is turned tight, current will flow between the two sections of metal.
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Battery Disconnect side post with + & - caps, top view616 viewsThis disconnect is designed for side post batteries. It can be used on either the + or - terminals. It can also be installed at the "other" end of the battery cable as well. In my install of the Aux battery, I installed this on the negative ground cable where the cable attaches to the body sheet metal. I have never used it but it seemed like a good idea at the time. The main battery hookup is pure stock.
For the hot side of the Aux battery, an Anderson PowerPole was used inline for the cable between the Aux and connecting to the spare bolt hole at the + post of the Main battery cable.
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Battery Disconnect Wirthco 20308 Knob Top Post 889 viewsThis is a battery post style disconnect, usually for the negative terminal. There is a hole drilled in the round end off the battery so that flat terminal can be attached as well as the normal battery post terminal. I did not use this hookup arrangement, however I show it for information only.
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Battery Maintainer pigtail sticking out of Grill723 viewsThis is all you see when everything is put back together - just the pigtail and Weather Pack blanking plug. Most often, I have it all tucked back behind the grill.
In winter, there may be a second cord hanging out as well - the 120 VAC power cord for the engine block heater, a tea kettle like element inserted in the engine block. NAS petrol V8's do not have the Fuel Burning Heater, (FBH), installed, but instead in cold area markets have the block heater element assembly available as a dealer installed option. There is an argument to say that the heating element is factory installed in all cold climate V8 gasoline engines, however the appropriate power cord is not. If true, this means that all one needs to purchase is the area specific power cord and plugging in / attachment to the engine block located block heater.
As such, you will often see a conventional 120VAC three prong power plug hanging loose out of the grill of most vehicles here in the wintertime. In summer, most drivers tuck the plug back behind the grill as it is no beauty mark.
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Battery Maintainer switch box and connector 716 viewsThe Hammond box contains a DPDT toggle switch with centre off. The Positive and Negative from each battery feeds to the switch. Depending on the setting of the toggle, (full left, full right,or centre off),the respective batteries connect into the pigtail that can stick out thru the grill when one wishes to connect the charger.
This allows one to charge each battery independently via a suitable battery maintainer. I use a CTEK unit that feeds a maximum of 3.3 amps at 14.4 or 14.7 VDC, depending upon setting. The wiring therefore allows for a slow recharge of either of the batteries separately if either one requires such.
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Battery Maintainer switching box plug and CTEK Multi US 3300 charger. 703 viewsThe CTEK Multi US 3300 maintainer is just sitting there for the picture. In addition to topping up both batteries, the CTEK can provide power such that if the batteries were completely dead, there would be power to the door locks and hence, one could most likely still gain access via the remote once the starting battery charged up a bit.
The Land Rover recommended method is via the hidden key hole which is mechanical, however that presumes the mechanism is not frozen from lack of use. As such, the manual lock should be exercised at least once a year to ensure that it still functions.
The blanking plug sitting on top of the plastic box is of the GM Weather Pack series. That is what I like to use for vehicle wiring that is subject to moisture, (or not).
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BCI Group 40R Deka 640RMF battery showing vent hose run forward to windshield washer reservoir area 1424 viewsRecessed post "Euro profile" battery to "match" OEM and stock Land Rover bracket; note that the Traxide SC80-LR module is mounted at an angle to allow for the main cable to sit under the cover so cover still closes.
The battery is a nominal 7", (180mm), high, but sits on a 1" battery spacer set under to raise the bottom front end of the battery such that the approx 11", (290 mm), length of the BCI 40R battery rises above the angled plastic nibs at the forward end bottom of the case front; hence sufficient space, (1/4", 5mm) remains at the brake reservoir end.
Also the 40R battery does not have hold down "flanges" on each end; on the sides yes, but not the ends so no additional length is required.
When I had to replace the 40R, this time I installed the shorter, (9.625"), taller, (7.5") Interstate BCI 47 / DIN H5 battery which eliminated the spacer on the bottom and better fit the stock LR tie down bolt lengths. Deka also has a BCI 47 / DIN H5 that would work fine as well.
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Caterpillar Battery Size cross reference chart and battery profiles including post layout749 viewsThis pdf has a dimension, (metric and inches), cross reference chart plus another sheet that provides BCI and DIN cross reference numbers and shows post locations plus bottom ridge tie down locations, (or the lack of).
This data was for me, hard to find, and helps one in selecting a suitable physical size of Aux battery for the space available.
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Deka Battery Dimension Data613 viewsThe battery size that I installed for my auxiliary was a BCI 40R battery as it was for me the easiest to fit and was also a cranking battery. The case profile was such that no tie down fins were located on either bottom end, (sides yes), and length wise, it was only about 11" (290 mm) long. As such, I did not have to grind the nibs at the front bottom of the plastic surround.
I did however raise the bottom of the battery above the angled nibs as I set the battery on a 1" (25mm) high plastic spacer. The total height, (battery plus spacer), was about 8" (200mm) so the battery top still fit under the Land Rover factory cover.
For the Aux battery, when I replaced the 40R, I installed an Interstate BCI 47 which is similar in size to a DIN H5. I was therefore able to eliminate the vertical spacer as the Group 47/H5 is the same height as the DIN H7/H8 stock LR spec starting battery. As such, the standard battery tie down bolts can be used without modification. The Group 47 battery is 9 11/16" long x 6 7/8" wide x 7 1/2" (190mm) high.
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Interstate Battery Dimension sheet640 viewsThis sheet is hard to find - the sheet is not on the Interstate corporate web site but some dealer web sites display it. The pdf shows most of their available batteries including the H7 and H8 sizes that are the LR North America replacement batteries for the main starting battery. These batteries are of the Land Rover desired "shallow" cycle high discharge current Maintenance Free, (Ca Ca), internal construction, (not AGM, but instead, Wet Flooded Lead Acid with battery "caps" and Ca grid separators).
For the AUX battery , the H6, (BCI Group 48), is probably similar in dimensions to the Varta E12V75N that is popular in Australia. For that battery to fit in the second battery compartment, you must grind out the angled nibs on the inside front bottom of the LR black plastic surround, something I did wish to do and hence installed a Group 40R on a spacer. Alternately, one can choose an Interstate BCI Group 47 which is similar to a DIN H5 for the AUX location. I did this when I had to replace my 40R. No vertical spacer is required and the stock battery tie down bolts and clamp work well.
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Main Battery showing aux cable feed running off positive battery post.771 viewsThe black wiring loom around the battery cable to the aux battery was a part provided with the Traxide kit. My goal was to run the cable low enough such that the battery box cover would go back on as previous.
Note the hole drilled in the side of the battery box such that the new cable could thread thru to allow the battery box top to still fit the same as prior to the addition of the cable to the auxiliary battery.
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Main starting battery showing 1/2" hole drilled for power cable egress905 viewsView of OEM battery in Left Hand Drive LR3. This is supposed to be a Battery Group BCI 49 or H8 sized battery but in reality is the slightly shorter BCI 94R or H7 battery that fits easier lengthwise, (12 3/8" vs 14").
Note the 10mm hole drilled in plastic of surround to allow for entry of main power cable that runs between batteries. The cable bolts to a spare 6mm threaded hole in the OEM battery cable end; the light gauge wire runs to the front of vehicle to a connector for the CTEK MULTI US 3300 charger. Coloured felts, (red and green), are a material treated to reduce battery post corrosion. The OEM battery ground cable is only about a foot long and runs to an 8mm stud located on the inner fender just to the rear of the fuse case.
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Overview of engine compartment from Main Battery side, (Passenger, LHD), looking across to Aux Battery749 viewsNote labels on main battery cover. The one you cannot read says that an auxiliary battery is installed on the other side. This is to warn service people should they wish to shut off all battery power.
The main starting battery is supposed to be of CaCa separator construction and DIN H8 or BCI Group 49 size. This means Calcium separators Wet Flooded Lead Acid, 13.9" long, 7.5" high and 6.9" wide.
On the Aux battery cover is a label saying to disconnect the blue Anderson single pole connector located under the cover by the brake reservoir. BCI Group 40R battery is small enough that the cover goes back on.
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Varta Battery Dimension chart568 viewsThis pdf provides Varta dimensions for among others, the E12V75N, (old DIN H6 or 85605 or BCI Group 48 size). This appears to be a deep cycle battery and the choice for many re the Aux battery install as long as you are willing to grind away the angled nibs at the bottom front of the battery surround. My choice was a shallow cycle battery intended for cold weather related engine starting rather than winch use.
Note the pdf Varta batteries are all deep cycle batteries suitable for running fridges, winches etc, rather than for engine starting and hence a good Aux battery if those are the intended uses rather than engine starting.
Varta now makes a Varta G14 with AGM technology and known as a Stop Start Plus battery. It is 95Ah, CCA of 850A; length 353mm; Width 175mm; Height 790mm and is specific for these newer stop start vehicles such as some D4's. For the 3's, one is still probably better off with an H8 sized battery but of the older Wet Flooded Lead Acid type and battery caps rather than a sealed AGM.
The Land Rover part number for the recommended battery is LR033179.
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