Battery questions

[TonyC]

Hi All,
Prompted be my fault messages that I posted yesterday, and the helpful responses, I now have even more questions, so I'll move then to this separate thread.

2012 2.7 D4.
Traxide dual battery, cranking battery is a AC Delco, Sealed, Maintenance Free, Premium AGM 900CCA 95Ah reserve cap 160 minutes, it's just under a year old.
Auxiliary battery is a Optima yellow top unknown age.

We collected it on Wednesday and drove 220km home.
On the trip home both batteries were 13.9V

Yesterday morning we got "Restricted Performance", "Gearbox Fault", "Handbrake Fault" all cleared OK.
Yesterday afternoon I spent several hours sitting in the car with the manual working out how all the stuff work, pairing my phone and the like, the ignition was on for a fair bit of that time.

Today I checked the battery voltage, unlocked the car, opened the bonnet, what I assume is the Traxide has a green LED, both batteries 12.16V. Closed bonnet with leads still attached double locked the car, an hour later battery is 12.26.

I'll get a better battery charger than I've got and charge both, then load test.

My questions are,

The manual says disconnect and remove the battery before charging, is this necessary?

Do I connect the charger, and load tester to the neg on the battery, or an earth point?

The crank battery has a lead connected to it's neg post, I think it's the volt meter, I thought this was a no no?

Given how much they draw when the door is opened, when camping what do you do? Is leaving the drivers door ajar the go?

Thanks in advance for my newby D4 questions.

Tony

[loanrangie]

I would disconnect the traxide unit and test the voltage of the optima, to me it sounds like its failing and pulling the starter battery down.
I've had this happen on my D3 which caused a limp mode, the traxide led with blink red if battery is holding sufficient charge, the more blinks the better.

[~Rich~]

I also would disconnect the Traxide and isolate each battery. Charge each battery with a good charger and see how each hold their charge, especially the main battery after starting the vehicle and shutting back down.
When camping I leave a back down open on 1 click to stop the car waking up every time you open a front door.

[oldyella 76]

Tony, that optima battery was in the vehicle when I bought it, so I don't know how old it is maybe scarry will know. The cranking battery was new in June last year, so it will not be that.
The car sat in my shed for a month without use and as I said it showed a fault when I took it for a R/worthy and I took it then as that it hadn't been driven.
I think if you charge the cranking battery and switch that switch off near the isolator and then see what happens. It never happened to me until when I took it for the R/worthy so it has probably degraded due to no work.
I will give you a call tomorrow to see how you get on with it.
Lindsay

[scarry]

I can't remember if i replaced the Optima.It will be pretty old if Lindsay hadn't replaced it while he owned the vehicle.
I don't have any records for the vehicle.

It probably has a switch in the thin earth wire from the SC80,which makes it easy to isolate the batteries.

You can charge both at the same time, but i have found a 10A or larger Cteck is needed,a 5.0A won't cut it.

I only had the 5A when i had the D4,so used the switch and charged them separately.
The 5.0 eventually died,and i now use a 10.0A Cteck,and it does a better job.
Although the vehicle we have now has two 100AH batteries,so more capacity than yours.

When camping,just leave any door on the first click,it will help save your batteries.
And for those that use a RTT,it will also stop the vehicle ending on the bumpstops in the morning,as it will continually try to relevel as the occupants of the tent move around.

Happy touring.

[TonyC]

I can't remember if i replaced the Optima.It will be pretty old if Lindsay hadn't replaced it while he owned the vehicle.
I don't have any records for the vehicle.

It probably has a switch in the thin earth wire from the SC80,which makes it easy to isolate the batteries.

You can charge both at the same time, but i have found a 10A or larger Cteck is needed,a 5.0A won't cut it.

I only had the 5A when i had the D4,so used the switch and charged them separately.
The 5.0 eventually died,and i now use a 10.0A Cteck,and it does a better job.
Although the vehicle we have now has two 100AH batteries,so more capacity than yours.

When camping,just leave any door on the first click,it will help save your batteries.
And for those that use a RTT,it will also stop the vehicle ending on the bumpstops in the morning,as it will continually try to relevel as the occupants of the tent move around.

Happy touring.

Hi Paul,
Thanks for that.
I have the batteries on charge, they were both low, but I have been in and out it for two days working out how stuff works.
Lindsay gave me all the receipts, I'll see if I can find one for the yellow top.

One question for you, there is a rocker switch in the front right corner of the engine bay, can you remember what it's for, Lindsay said he never worked out what it does.

Tony

[scarry]

Hi Paul,
Thanks for that.
I have the batteries on charge, they were both low, but I have been in and out it for two days working out how stuff works.
Lindsay gave me all the receipts, I'll see if I can find one for the yellow top.

One question for you, there is a rocker switch in the front right corner of the engine bay, can you remember what it's for, Lindsay said he never worked out what it does.

Tony

I am pretty sure it is in the earth wire from the SC80 so it will turn off the SC80 and separate the two batteries.

[TonyC]

I am pretty sure it is in the earth wire from the SC80 so it will turn off the SC80 and separate the two batteries.

OK.
There is a switch next to the Traxide unit on the left hand side of the engine bay that appears to do that.
This switch is on the right hand/drivers side, nowhere near the battery.
I'll have to follow the wires.

Tony

[scarry]

i can't rmember what that is for,can you take a pic and post it here?

That might revive my memory.

[drivesafe]

Hi Tony and from the above replies, my guess is your batteries are probably partially Sulphrated and some battery maintenance is probably needed to reverse the Sulphation.

These two links below should help.

NOTE as the Optima is so old, it is mostly a GOOD battery but if the Maintenance cycle does not improve its performance, then a new battery is probably needed, BUT do not buy a NEW Optima as they now have a very pour lifespan.

Nothing for the old Opimas to last up to 10 years, while the new ones are lucky to last 2 years.

Scroll down the page till you get to “LOAD TEST”
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/the-verandah/246755-line-auto-electrical-info-10.html


Scroll down the page till you get to “Battery Maintenance”
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/the-verandah/246755-line-auto-electrical-info-8.htm

[TonyC]

i can't rmember what that is for,can you take a pic and post it here?

That might revive my memory.

Hi Paul,
Here is a pic of the switch, circled in red.
As I said it's front right/drivers side, near the air cleaner.

There is a switch next to the Traxide that appears to switch it in and off.

The switch for the trailer resistors is in the rear left compartment of the load area.

Tony

[rovers4]

No knowledge of the vehicle or the brain workings of the previous owners, but, that switch is the sort of thing I installed in my previous vehicles --- a work light fitted up in the bonnet, probably blown so that you do not notice it.

Just a thought.

[scarry]

Hi Paul,
Here is a pic of the switch, circled in red.
As I said it's front right/drivers side, near the air cleaner.

There is a switch next to the Traxide that appears to switch it in and off.

The switch for the trailer resistors is in the rear left compartment of the load area.

Tony

Let me know what it is for,i can't remember it being there when i owned the vehicle.....

Or if it was,i can't remember using it.

Unless it was something to do with the bonnet switches as i didn't like having the bonnet open and not being able to lock the vehicle.
This was a pain when charging the battery,as the vehicle was under a carport,not locked up in a garage.

I remember the other two.

[RANDLOVER]

.....

Unless it was something to do with the bonnet switches as i didn't like having the bonnet open and not being able to lock the vehicle.
This was a pain when charging the battery,as the vehicle was under a carport,not locked up in a garage.....

I think you can lock the car with the bonnet open, IIRC it just sounds the horn to warn you it's open.

[scarry]

I think you can lock the car with the bonnet open, IIRC it just sounds the horn to warn you it's open.

Pretty sure any door not closed or on first catch,including bonnet open,on that particular vehicle and it won't lock.

I also believe this has been mentioned on here previously,and some D4s are different to others in relation to this issue.

[RANDLOVER]

Pretty sure any door not closed or on first catch,including bonnet open,on that particular vehicle and it won't lock.

I also believe this has been mentioned on here previously,and some D4s are different to others in relation to this issue.

Just checked it on my D3 and you're right about the doors, but the bonnet can be open, and the car still locks, D4's may be different though.In which case the bonnet switch would be a good idea.

LR does have some silly ideas like not locking the doors if one is on the catch, IIRC other cars I've had would lock as a door not properly closed could not be pulled open, but could be bumped shut. Also, the suspension not really locked at access height is annoying and I would like to be able to get rid of a lot of the warning beeps and interlocks on mine.

[scarry]

LR does have some silly ideas .

From what i have seen they lead the market in this area,and also seem to find a way to overcomplicate every model vehicle they build.

I was talking to a guy the other day, who repairs airbag systems in every brand,his comment was any modern LR were the worse to sort out and work on.

[TonyC]

Let me know what it is for,i can't remember it being there when i owned the vehicle.....

Or if it was,i can't remember using it.

Unless it was something to do with the bonnet switches as i didn't like having the bonnet open and not being able to lock the vehicle.
This was a pain when charging the battery,as the vehicle was under a carport,not locked up in a garage.

I remember the other two.

Hi Paul,
It makes no difference to locking with the bonnet open.

Rovers4,
The is no under bonnet light, or evidence the has been one.

Randlover,
This car, 2012 D4, won't lock with the bonnet open.

I'll chase the wires at some stage, but it's not top of my list at this stage.

Tony

[V8Ian]

The thot plickens, we're all now on the edges of our seats.

[scarry]

Hi Paul,
It makes no difference to locking with the bonnet open.

Rovers4,
The is no under bonnet light, or evidence the has been one.

Randlover,
This car, 2012 D4, won't lock with the bonnet open.

I'll chase the wires at some stage, but it's not top of my list at this stage.

Tony

No worries,maybe it was fitted after the vehicle left our place?
i still can't remember it being there.

Anyway,see how you go tracing the wires.[smilebigeye]

[Homestar]

Just thought I'd pop a comment in here - My Sons D3 had many and varied faults coming up including handbrake, transmission, HDC, Suspension, etc. Engine was slow to crank so we dropped in a new battery. The difference was amazing - not only have all those faults cleared, but the rear parking sensors didn't work when he bought it and now they've come back to life as well. Can't believe how upset they get with a battery that is on the way out. If the current battery is more than 5 years old I'd highly recommend stuffing a new battery in it. [smilebigeye]

[Tins]

J Can't believe how upset they get with a battery that is on the way out.


I can. They got into the sulking habit by listening to their older brothers, and upped the ante.

[TonyC]

Just thought I'd pop a comment in here - My Sons D3 had many and varied faults coming up including handbrake, transmission, HDC, Suspension, etc. Engine was slow to crank so we dropped in a new battery. The difference was amazing - not only have all those faults cleared, but the rear parking sensors didn't work when he bought it and now they've come back to life as well. Can't believe how upset they get with a battery that is on the way out. If the current battery is more than 5 years old I'd highly recommend stuffing a new battery in it. [smilebigeye]

Hi Gav,
The battery is a year old.
But I'm getting faults that suggest a weak battery.
I've followed Tim/Drivesafe's suggestion of charging it daily for a week.
I then hooked up the multi meter, closed the bonnet, double lock it, and next morning watched the voltage as the car was opened and started, it got down to 10.somthing volts as it was cranking, it started fine but then came up with a gearbox fault and restricted performance.

What sort if volts would you expect to see while cranking?

Tony