Could my Traxide isolator be failing

[weeds]

For the last few weeks the isolator LED has been flashing every now and than after being left overnight....this is with no load on the AUX (that I am aware off)

The last three or four days the LED starts to flash before I get it of the car.....or every time I return to the car

I assumed it was my AUX but the voltage was 12.73 30min after turning the car off, checked my start battery and it was 12.53.

Started the car and the LED went to a solid colour

I change out the start with a battery that had been on charge 12.7, started the car and the LED changes to solid.....turn the car off and after 10 sec or so the LED would flash

I have checked all connections and everything appears good

I was in a rush to go out and didn't check the alternator output but that aside the volts in the two batteries should mean the batteries stay connected??

[scarry]

Tim will probably chime in....

Mine often flashes as well,you need to check the MAIN battery voltage,the LED will flash at around 12.1 volts,and isolate the two batteries.

Next time you go to it flashing,check the main battery voltage with a good meter before you start the engine.This will give you a clue as to what is going on.
Mine flashes as the D4 does not get used a lot and they have a fair bit of drain while asleep,unlike a defender.

From what you have said,the traxide isolater may be faulty.

The guys at Austral LR here did tell me once that they had a few fail,but have seen no problems on this site.Didn't know whether to believe them or not.

The other thing to do would be send Tim at traxide a PM.

[drivesafe]

Hi Kelvin, as Paul suggested, try measuring your alternator voltage but the SC80 sounds a bit suss.

If the alternator voltage is OK, send the SC80 to me, it doesn’t matter how old it is, it is still under warranty.


Hi Paul, while Austral have fitted a few of my isolators, they have never reported any problems, so were they specifically referring to mine or just isolators in general?

[scarry]

They were talking about yours,it was a while ago,like i said i didn't know whether to believe them or not,as i had/have never heard of one fail.

I asked them to check the battery on mine while it was in there having something else looked at.

Mine has actually been fine and works extremely well,if it ever flashes the voltage is below 12v and it is time to put the battery charger on.:)

[weeds]

Hi Kelvin, as Paul suggested, try measuring your alternator voltage but the SC80 sounds a bit suss.

If the alternator voltage is OK, send the SC80 to me, it doesn’t matter how old it is, it is still under warranty.


Hi Paul, while Austral have fitted a few of my isolators, they have never reported any problems, so were they specifically referring to mine or just isolators in general?

Will check in the morning

[weeds]

Hold ya horses everybody............I re-did the join for the earth wire, it looked OK bit it was the only likely component that might not have been OK.

Just spent the weekend away camping and all appear to be working as it should

[weeds]

I think it's gone......

The light constantly flashes now....sometimes there is no light at all until you start the car

And yep you guessed it ......I'm on moreton island running a fridge until the 26th April....

my aux battery is in the cargo area, I'm not sure I have any cable to do a temporary fix....looks like I will have to drag the solar panel around with me to keep things running

Tim did offer for me to express post it to him prior to the trip but I just didn't have time and thought it would survive.

It will be a struggle to manage the battery but should survive.

Might be time to store the AUX under the seat so that temp fixes are easier.

[Vern]

Can you just join the batteries togethor at the isolated and monitor the voltage?

[drivesafe]

Hi Kevin and everything you are posting seem to point to a bad earth in the isolator.

Do you have a few simple tools with your, like a 13mm spanner and a small Philips screwdriver.

We may be able to do a repair on the run!

[DiscoMick]

Not sure about what Traxides are set to react at, but if your starter battery was only 12.5 wouldn't that be low enough to cause the isolater to separate the batteries to protect the starter? I think, from memory, my isolater reacts at 12.8, but I'm travelling and can't check now.

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[Blknight.aus]

so far the only issues I've personally seen with my own eyes that Ive put mu hands on to fix on any of the traxride units has ALWAYS come down to a bad connection on the earth of the AUX battery or the bad connections of the power and control wires of the Traxride unit itself....

everything from corrosion inside the crimp lugs to the main earth lead on the AUX battery not being connected and all the charging current trying to get in via dodgy chance earths through the accessories the aux battery was driving...

IF it wasnt for my inherent distrust of landrover earths Im certain theres more than one of those units I would have replaced un-necessarily by now

[weeds]

Can you just join the batteries togethor at the isolated and monitor the voltage?

I could at a pinch ie cut the two wires at the isolator and twist them together......will sleep in it

[weeds]

Hi Kevin and everything you are posting seem to point to a bad earth in the isolator.

Do you have a few simple tools with your, like a 13mm spanner and a small Philips screwdriver.

We may be able to do a repair on the run!

I tapped the isolator one one accession and the LED went solid for that drive....

Have 13mm and screwdrivers......no soldering equipment, do have a few crimps/connectors

All connections appear to be solid....

[DiscoMick]

Sounds like redoing the earths could be worth a try.

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[weeds]

Driving to blue lagoon this morning and the two batteries have decided to connect.

Opened the black box and everything looks to be OK. checked the connections at start and AUX batteries and they are solid. Haven't trace the earth wire as I have had a crap morning the batteries is the least of my problems......one kid spewing up everywhere like throughout the tent in the middle of the night

[weeds]

Next installment

Nothing better to do at blue lagoon than crawling around under a defender check ing the earth going to the back of the gear box is good......the last piece of the puzzle

Well it appears it had been relocated to the PTO linkages WTF it's now under a nylon nut that is not done up tight as the pivot pin for the linkage needs to move.......this may just explain the intermittent faults...........

I'm guessing the mechanic who replaced my gearbox has relocated it.....he went to a lot of trouble using cable ties making it look nice and neat......how on earth they though this would be a god earth is beyond me.

So moral of the story, check everything first...........I just assumed it was OK as the main earth for the battery was on the same stud and I wasn't having trouble with the main battery

Annoyed.......

[drivesafe]

Hi Kevin and I hope both your Defender and your child are better now ( not necessarily in that order )

Keep an eye on the SC80, it still may be PART of your problem!

[DiscoMick]

Hope that fixes it. That vomiting thing seems t be going around - both our grandkids in Sydney have had it in recent days.Joys of parenthood.

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