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jik22
14th October 2007, 05:48 PM
Well, finally got the spare 45 mins today to do the dual battery install using one of Drivesafe's kits.

Started off mounting the SC40 in the recess in the aux battery compartment:
4637

Then attached the other end of the supply to the SC40 to the spare terminal on the starter battery:
4639

With the lid back on the battery box, this is all you see:
4638

And the cable runs neatly along the back of the engine bay, tied to the ledge through the slots:
4640

In what I thought was a final step, I put the deep cycle battery I had spare into the aux compartment, and was feeling very smug in that it seemed to just fit.....
4642

But then the damn lid wouldn't go on, so I now have to search for a smaller battery. So that was as far as I got today. :mad:

jik22
14th October 2007, 05:49 PM
Though I was tempted to leave it like this....but I suppose I better just stop being tight and stump up for an Optima or similar.

4643

drivesafe
14th November 2007, 07:50 AM
Hi Jeff, have you had any luck with finding another battery.

By the way, could cutting down the battery terminals give you enough room to close the cover. I have a couple of dealers that do just that and don’t seem to have any problems.

I use the 55 A/H Optima battery but I think they are way over priced and would like to find an alternative battery that fits.

The pomes have 70 A/H battery that fits but I have not found a similar battery here.

Cheers.

Will
14th November 2007, 08:29 AM
Have you looked at cutting the front battery terminal a little shorter so that the plastic lid will fit on?
I used a battery clamp that would go right to the bottom of the terminal, flat level with the battery and then cut off about 10mm of lead terminal - now a perfect fit.

drivesafe
14th November 2007, 10:53 AM
Hi Will what is the battery that you have fitted.

Cheers

jik22
14th November 2007, 07:40 PM
The battery I was trying to fit (A REMCO) doesn't have terminals, just screw holes and stainless screws, so there was nothing I could do to shorten it''s height.

I have details of something that might fit, based on dimensions listed on the web compared to what I have, and a contact at the local supplier to go try a few in the bay, but haven't had the time. As soon as I have, I'll report back.

drivesafe
14th November 2007, 08:47 PM
The battery I was trying to fit (A REMCO) doesn't have terminals, just screw holes and stainless screws, so there was nothing I could do to shorten it''s height.

One of my other D3 customers fitted a Remco but I’m not sure whether it was under the bonnet or fitted in the rear.

I’ll se if I can find out and see, if it was under the bonnet, how it fitted.

Cheers.

RichardK
14th November 2007, 10:40 PM
I've fitted a Varta 55AH, it has been replaced under warranty due to a cell that died but the replacement appears OK

drivesafe
14th November 2007, 11:12 PM
Hi Richard, how does it fit or better still, got any pictures.

Cheers.

PS, how much did it cost.

RichardK
14th November 2007, 11:31 PM
Hi Richard, how does it fit or better still, got any pictures.

Cheers.

PS, how much did it cost.

Cost around $180, I did have pics but I think they are in my Disco3 gallery, I'll take some more and put them up ASAP

drivesafe
15th November 2007, 07:11 AM
Cost around $180, I did have pics but I think they are in my Disco3 gallery, I'll take some more and put them up ASAP

That’s half the price of the of the Optima and has to be serious option.

At this stage I have to be in Melbourne next week but when I get back, I’ll do some research on this battery.

Thanks Richard and I think you told me about this battery some time ago but I don’t think you knew what the price at the time and although the Optima is a good battery, it’s just way to expensive for what it’s intended use is in a D3.

Cheers

Will
15th November 2007, 11:47 AM
I fitted a Super Charge MRV48. Never used these before but hopefully it will give reasonable service.

drivesafe
15th November 2007, 02:00 PM
I fitted a Super Charge MRV48.

Hi Will, does that fit OK and how much was it.

Cheers.

jik22
16th November 2007, 07:04 PM
I fitted a Super Charge MRV48. Never used these before but hopefully it will give reasonable service.

That was the exact one I was looking at....seems you've saved me the effort of checking it fits. ;)

AULRO discount on them too.

Will
17th November 2007, 07:07 AM
Can't remember the exact price but think it was around $135. Purchased the new battery clamp at the same time and a piece of aluminium as the Land Rover battery bracket will not fit over this type of battery. Made a new hold down bracket using a piece of alloy about 25mm wide and 6mm thick. Fitted it across the batttery on an angle, drilled two holes to take the hold down bolts and all is well.

Bushwanderer
5th December 2007, 02:20 PM
Can't remember the exact price but think it was around $135. Purchased the new battery clamp at the same time and a piece of aluminium as the Land Rover battery bracket will not fit over this type of battery. Made a new hold down bracket using a piece of alloy about 25mm wide and 6mm thick. Fitted it across the batttery on an angle, drilled two holes to take the hold down bolts and all is well.

Hi Will,
What was the specific design differences with your design, compared to the LR bracket?

Will
6th December 2007, 07:52 AM
A piece of alloy , 25mm wide, 6mm thick, which fits diagonally across the battery. Two holes drilled to use the existing locating holes below and two locating bolts to fit down to the correct length. Available from most battery outlets, wreckers etc. Cost me $2.

Bushwanderer
6th December 2007, 02:29 PM
A piece of alloy , 25mm wide, 6mm thick, which fits diagonally across the battery. Two holes drilled to use the existing locating holes below and two locating bolts to fit down to the correct length. Available from most battery outlets, wreckers etc. Cost me $2.

And why was the standard LR bracket unsuitable?

drivesafe
6th December 2007, 06:41 PM
Can't remember the exact price but think it was around $135. Purchased the new battery clamp at the same time and a piece of aluminium as the Land Rover battery bracket will not fit over this type of battery. Made a new hold down bracket using a piece of alloy about 25mm wide and 6mm thick. Fitted it across the batttery on an angle, drilled two holes to take the hold down bolts and all is well.

It never happened without pictures ;)

Bushwanderer
13th December 2007, 02:05 PM
I fitted a Super Charge MRV48. Never used these before but hopefully it will give reasonable service.

Today, I rang SuperCharge, intending to find a local supplier. Instead, I got an Indian receptionist, asking for my business name. When I replied that it was a private call, she again, asked if I had a business name. In frustration, I hung up.

Shortly after, I rang back, asking to speak to her supervisor. She asked for my name, but when I said that it didn't matter, she insisted I give her a name. So I gave her "John Smith".

Following that I was apparently put through to her manager who, as he said, was in a very important meeting. As he was being short with me, I told him that I didn't want to speak with him either and hung up.

I hope that someone comes up with an alternative to the SuperCharge MRV48, as I really don't want to deal with this company.

jik22
13th December 2007, 02:50 PM
I hope that someone comes up with an alternative to the SuperCharge MRV48, as I really don't want to deal with this company.

That's pretty poor service alright! :(

There is a guy on here who works for them, who gave me the local Perth contact (Who I still haven't got round to ringing!) so a quick search should turn up his AULRO name and hopefully he'll be able to get you a local contact.

jik22
21st December 2007, 05:11 PM
Finally sourced a battery today. This is the little 50Ah Varta that RichardK mentioned earlier. Bought from Challenge Batteries in Osborne Park for $176.

Perfect fit, factory bracket even goes on. Just need a very slightly longer earth lead to neaten up the cable run, which is only cosmetic but I'm fussy, and then I'm done.

5644

Bushwanderer
1st January 2008, 04:47 PM
Finally sourced a battery today. This is the little 50Ah Varta that RichardK mentioned earlier. Bought from Challenge Batteries in Osborne Park for $176.

Perfect fit, factory bracket even goes on. Just need a very slightly longer earth lead to neaten up the cable run, which is only cosmetic but I'm fussy, and then I'm done.

5644

Hi jik22,
Looking at the Varta website & comparing the DIN No. on the top of the battery (955002000), your battery would seem to be a 60Ah deep cycle battery. I must say, it is looking very appealing to me.

Now to find a supplier.:(:(:(

Best Wishes,

Bushwanderer
1st January 2008, 05:06 PM
That's pretty poor service alright! :(

There is a guy on here who works for them, who gave me the local Perth contact (Who I still haven't got round to ringing!) so a quick search should turn up his AULRO name and hopefully he'll be able to get you a local contact.

Is this the same guy who runs a Yellowtop Optima as the dual battery. If so, I don't think I need to find a local supplier.

jik22
1st January 2008, 07:16 PM
Hi jik22,
Looking at the Varta website & comparing the DIN No. on the top of the battery (955002000), your battery would seem to be a 60Ah deep cycle battery. I must say, it is looking very appealing to me.

Now to find a supplier.:(:(:(

Best Wishes,

It's labelled as both 50Ah and 60Ah, actually. Dunno what the 50Ah figure means, but thought it safer to expect the lower.


Is this the same guy who runs a Yellowtop Optima as the dual battery. If so, I don't think I need to find a local supplier.

The only person I know running a Yellow top as an aux in a D3 on here is Drivesafe. Good battery, but not >$350 good!

Bushwanderer
2nd January 2008, 02:49 PM
It's labelled as both 50Ah and 60Ah, actually. Dunno what the 50Ah figure means, but thought it safer to expect the lower.



The only person I know running a Yellow top as an aux in a D3 on here is Drivesafe. Good battery, but not >$350 good!

That's the guy of whom I was thinking.:D:D

(Did you like that, Ron?);)

PCH
2nd January 2008, 02:51 PM
The only person I know running a Yellow top as an aux in a D3 on here is Drivesafe. Good battery, but not >$350 good!

I run a Yellow Top in my D3. I picked it up from the Oct 07 Melb 4x4 outdoor show for $328 which I thought was a good price.

It's been working fine as well.

Chris

jik22
2nd January 2008, 05:52 PM
I run a Yellow Top in my D3. I picked it up from the Oct 07 Melb 4x4 outdoor show for $328 which I thought was a good price.

It's been working fine as well.

Chris

That's certainly the cheapest price I've seen, with $350 being common and $400 not unheard of...but it's still nearly double the price of the Varta!

I have a pair of Exide Orbitals in my Defender, which are similar to the Optimas, and they're great, but they don't fit the D3 either. :(

drivesafe
2nd January 2008, 06:33 PM
So far the Optima and Varta ( not personally had a look at the Varta Battery yet ) seem to fit without any modifications to the battery and the Super Charge battery will fit if the battery terminals are cut down.

I bought one of the Super Charge batteries but I have not had time to play with it, when I do I’ll take some pics.

The pomes have access to a 70 A/H battery that fits in the D3’s auxiliary battery compartment but I have not found an outlet in Australia for this battery yet.

Cheers.

jik22
2nd January 2008, 08:19 PM
The pomes have access to a 70 A/H battery that fits in the D3’s auxiliary battery compartment but I have not found an outlet in Australia for this battery yet.

Cheers.

Do you know which one is used in the UK now? I used to use Optimas when I was in the UK (Though admittedly didn't have a D3 then) there as they were cheap (£100 for a Red Top and £115 for a Yellow top, though they seem to have gone up a little since I've been here)

talltales
11th January 2008, 03:25 PM
I used a gel battery from battery world. It is 45Ah and is normally used in a wheel chair, so it can handle constant charge and discharge. We just keept fitting all sorts af batteries until this one fitted. the guy was really helpful. The battery is so good that my main battery collapsed and the auxiliary still had enough grunt to start the TDV6. Very impressed.

TDMP
17th March 2008, 09:16 PM
I run a Yellow Top in my D3. I picked it up from the Oct 07 Melb 4x4 outdoor show for $328 which I thought was a good price.

It's been working fine as well.

Chris


Hi Chris,

Can you remeber the name of the supplier? It might be worth a call to them to see if they still want to sell at this price (or near it).

Tristan.

PCH
18th March 2008, 01:47 PM
Tristan,

I can't remember the company name but they were from Ballarat.

I know SKP (on the D3 UK forum) bought one recently for $360 (inc GST) from Autobarn (I think). It was $400 less 10%.

Regards,

Chris

Rob Bruce
25th March 2008, 05:52 PM
The first aux battery I fitted in my D3 was a Vitira, it kept useing heaps of electrolite, so was alwayse adding water, it also seemed not to like the high charge voltage of the D3. In the end an Optma Yellow Top was the go.
It has run my Engel fridge for 3 days in 40 degree heat without being charged. and no more adding water, totally maintance free:D

Rob

drivesafe
26th March 2008, 09:56 PM
Out of curiosity, how many others are using batteries other than the Yellow top and how are the going.

I’ve got a Supercharge battery that I intend to test in the D3, just haven’t had time so any feed back would be appreciated.

Cheers

jik22
26th March 2008, 11:43 PM
Out of curiosity, how many others are using batteries other than the Yellow top and how are the going.

I’ve got a Supercharge battery that I intend to test in the D3, just haven’t had time so any feed back would be appreciated.

Cheers

My Varta is going well - very pleased with it at half the cost of an Optima.