How long is the life of your D4 battery?

**gotaflat** · 1st March 2013, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi gotaflat, and as Graeme suggested, you should remove the negative wire from your cranking battery’s negative terminal.

The positive is fine.

BTW, in your case it will be a quick and simple job.

Just remove the wire from the battery’s negative terminal and bring the wire to the front of the cranking battery compartment.

In the inner guard wall, just in front of the cranking battery compartment, are two M6 earth studs. Just refit your wire to one of these and that’s all there is to do.

I also heard some info to day that may or may not relate to the LR AGMs, the Exides.

Some of Exide AGMs are being made by Optima.

If this is the case, and even better still, if the LR AGMs are rebadged Optimas, would be a very good move.

Thanks Drivesafe and Graham. Not wanting to hijack the thread by the way...

Ok, I am concerned, and what you say makes sense to me, and its something I should and do know.... Any way wanting to be annoyed at the installer/auto sparky (and myself), but I went and checked the install instructions, which I gave to him before I left him with the car....here is what the install instructions say.

"50 Amp Heavy Duty Charge Kit Fitting Instructions
1. Mount the module fitted with the Anderson plug in the rear of your vehicle – close to where you would like your Thumper to be located.
2. Run the Twin Core cable under the carpet or kick panel from the engine bay to the location of the rear module
3. Mount the remaining control box under the bonnet as close to the existing battery as possible
4. Connect the 6mm black wire (cable with bare ends) to the positive and negative of your existing battery
5. Connect the 6mm cable to the yellow joiners on both the rear module (mounted in step 1) & the module mounted under the bonnet.
6. Connect the remaining thin black wire to an ignition activated wire (most often found within the loom to the windscreen wiper motor).
7. Start the engine of your vehicle and the voltage should start to increase on the Thumper display gauge."

http://www.australiandirect.com.au/n...Info%20Pdf.pdf

So, I can't get to upset really, and on reflection, I think I checked this in relation to the instructions when I got back. I guess Blue Apple have it wrong... Which is a worry. I actually really like the Thumper as it handy for what i do (80% utilised around the farm and the rest back of the disco for the fridge). I had better pull my finger out and get the Traxide system ordered and in.

I will move in the morning to the earth stud as you say.

Thanks

**Graeme** · 2nd March 2013, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by gotaflat

Not wanting to hijack the thread by the way...

Not hijacking the thread as it may have contributed to the premature demise of your battery. However you now have an AGM which is better suited to these vehicles the way they consume power.

**sniegy** · 2nd March 2013, 09:36 AM

@ Graeme LR033179 Factory Part Number.

Cheers

**drivesafe** · 2nd March 2013, 10:44 AM

Hi again gotaflat, and I would not be to concerned with the set you have, it’s easily fixed.

As for the what the auto electrician did, most auto electricians are unaware that many new vehicles, not just Land Rovers, now come with some form of BMS ( Battery Monitoring System ) and many of these BMS use the cranking battery’s negative cable to carryout the BMS requirements.

Remember, most auto electricians still think 6mm Auto ( 4.5mm2 ) is the thickest cable you need to use in dual battery systems.

Oh how things have changed. When I started working with dual battery “systems” nearly 25 years ago, we all used 6mm AUTO cable and it worked.

But back then, most vehicles had either a 45 or 55 amp alternator and the second battery was another small cranking battery and which was always fitted in the engine bay.

Today, people need ( “want” whether they need it or not ) more and more 12v power and this is really starting to stretch what can be sucsesfully achieved.

A company I work with has just finished setting up an LC200 with a 60 amp Battery-To-Battery set up in the rear of the LC200 and another 60 amp Battery-To-Battery set up in the caravan.

I’ve been carrying out tests with these 60 amp Battery-To-Battery set ups and if the auxiliary/house batteries are in a low state, the 60 amp Battery-To-Battery set up can draw as much as 90 amps from an alternator to be able to deliver an output of 60 amps.

Thats a potential current draw of 180 amps, just for the two 60 amp Battery-To-Battery set ups.

The LC200 also has had a 390 amp alternator installed.

Now this set up works well but I would be very interested to see the owners fuel consuption figures now?

BTW, when the owner was asked why he was setting up such a large capacity system? His answer was “Because he could”

**drivesafe** · 2nd March 2013, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by sniegy

@ Graeme LR033179 Factory Part Number.

Hi Peter and will that battery fit in the Vogue?

**sniegy** · 2nd March 2013, 12:35 PM

@ Tim, the battery will physically fit into the cavity, but not sure if the rating is correct.

Will advise on Monday when I am back at work.

Cheers

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

**101RRS** · 2nd March 2013, 12:48 PM

A question from a dummy on such things - why is the new D3/D4 battery an AGM - I understood these were basically deep cycle and high current draw like starting was a no no for them and they die quick.

The main reason I am interested is that I expect to have to replace my battery this winter and I will not be paying the dealer price for a battery (not sure why people are buying from the dealer anyway) and will be looking for suitable alternatives. Up do now I would have been looking for suitable calcium batteries rather than AGMs.

Garry

sheerluck · 2nd March 2013, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by garrycol

A question from a dummy on such things - why is the new D3/D4 battery an AGM - I understood these were basically deep cycle and high current draw like starting was a no no for them and they die quick.

The main reason I am interested is that I expect to have to replace my battery this winter and I will not be paying the dealer price for a battery (not sure why people are buying from the dealer anyway) and will be looking for suitable alternatives. Up do now I would have been looking for suitable calcium batteries rather than AGMs.

Garry

X2. I'm on the lookout to replace the battery now on my D3, there's a dead Century DIN85LMF in there at the minute, and the replacement choices are confusing me a little. Not to mention the prices

**drivesafe** · 2nd March 2013, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by garrycol

A question from a dummy on such things - why is the new D3/D4 battery an AGM - I understood these were basically deep cycle and high current draw like starting was a no no for them and they die quick.

Hi Garry and while most AGMs in RV use are deep cycle type ( actually they are mostly Standby Type ) AGMs, there are a number of AUTOMOTIVE grade type AGMs that can be used as a direct replacement for a flooded ( wet ) cell cranking battery.

The main difference between Standby type AGMs and AUTOMOTIVE AGMs is the maximum operating voltage and current levels.

Most Standby types will not tolerate voltages over 14.4v ( some now can take 14.7v ) and are current Charging and Discharging limited.

Whereas, AUTOMOTIVE AGMs will tolerate 15v and higher and accept high currents and an Optima Yellow Top actually has NO CHARGE CURRENT limit.

Here is a link to the charging specs for the Optima Yellow Tops. Some very impressive specs!

Support - Battery Care - Charging :: OPTIMA® Batteries

**Ferret** · 2nd March 2013, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by garrycol

A question from a dummy on such things - why is the new D3/D4 battery an AGM - I understood these were basically deep cycle and high current draw like starting was a no no for them and they die quick.

Like I said before there appears to be little info about these batteries except on foreign web sites. When you translate the text of these websites to English it says these batteries are specified for vehicles which employ 'stop start' technology. - ie the engine shuts itself off while stopped at traffic lights, traffic queues etc. and re starts again when you put your foot on the accelerator to move off. ie lots of engine starting - not a lot of driving.

Wife bought a new BMW a few weeks ago which features 'stop start'. I wonder how long the battery will last when used solely for city driving.

Thread: How long is the life of your D4 battery?

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