Thread: How long does your battery last when idle

Originally Posted by Jaybee

When my MYD4 battery died after 5 years service the tech from RACQ told me that I should always lock it when it sits idle (in the garage for weeks on end) as the electrics wake up regularly to check the vehicle status thereby running the battery down. This may not make a notable effect on a new battery but will be more draining as the battery gets older and if the vehicle sits idle for longer periods.

Cheers

Jaybee

Is there any "simple" way to stop this "waking up" routine ?... apart from actually disconnecting the leads from the battery (of course then the car would be unlocked...damn)... I go to Europe for six weeks and return to find my D3 (sitting in my carport) with a flat battery... annoying to say the least... I love my D3 but there's times when I also hate it... and one of those pig-ugly D5's aren't going to replace it... that model just doesn't work on so many levels !!!!
why (oh why) are modern cars so "stupid"... when I lock my car - I want it to lock and not have the battery do anything - is that too much to ask...???
I'll just have to take a few deep breaths and then go back and re-read this full post and get the appropriate switches and solar panel all fitted up... oh well...more money spent on my D3...so what else is new...aghhhhhhhhhh

Sorry for the rant - but "modern" cars really get on my goat sometimes...my wifes Audi Q5 has it's share of computer related "problems"... and the dealer says "Oh..that's normal - it's all designed for your convenience".... sorry - that's just B.S.

6 weeks is pushing the limit for ANY vehicle...
Even the old Falcons/Kingwoods wouldn’t go 6 weeks not being started.

$20 solar panel will sort it...

Originally Posted by oldsalt

Is there any "simple" way to stop this "waking up" routine ?... apart from actually disconnecting the leads from the battery (of course then the car would be unlocked...damn)... I go to Europe for six weeks and return to find my D3 (sitting in my carport) with a flat battery... annoying to say the least... I love my D3 but there's times when I also hate it... and one of those pig-ugly D5's aren't going to replace it... that model just doesn't work on so many levels !!!!
why (oh why) are modern cars so "stupid"... when I lock my car - I want it to lock and not have the battery do anything - is that too much to ask...???
I'll just have to take a few deep breaths and then go back and re-read this full post and get the appropriate switches and solar panel all fitted up... oh well...more money spent on my D3...so what else is new...aghhhhhhhhhh

Sorry for the rant - but "modern" cars really get on my goat sometimes...my wifes Audi Q5 has it's share of computer related "problems"... and the dealer says "Oh..that's normal - it's all designed for your convenience".... sorry - that's just B.S.

My understanding is that if the car is locked then the electrics do not drain the battery by periodically waking up to check the cars status, so lock it up. Previously I've left my MY12 D4 unlocked when we've gone to Europe for 6 weeks and I used to leave it unlocked all of the time when traveling with the caravan around Australia and the original battery lasted 5 years. So lock it up and you shouldn't have any problems other than normal loss of charge as per any other vehicle regardless of brand or age. At 5 years the battery lasted longer than I expected.

On the D5, I tend to agree in that I'm not interested in trading up(?). However, despite the higher price here in Australia, the sales numbers for the D5 in Europe are well up on the D4 sales averages (up 22% which is a remarkable feat considering the vehicle wasn't available until February and the figures don't include December). Source: Land Rover Discovery European sales figures
The numbers are nearly back up to the sales volumes for the D2 (1997 to mid 2000 sales). And the D5 won 2017 Car of the Year by Carsales Australia, so it can't be all that bad. It's just that the targeted purchaser has changed/widened as it appears to be designed to compete with the Audi Q5, BMW X5 or Volvo XC90 in the bigger markets of Europe and the US.

Cheers

Jaybee

Thanks Jaybee,
I'm about to fit a brand new battery to my D3 (and drive it more often) and then get a solar trickle charger all set up - so all should be O.K. for the future...
as to the D5... It's lovely to drive (I tried it) but that single rear door did it for me - I banged my head at the dealers... damn annoying...
and to top it off the pimply faced "young" salesperson kept pointing out the wonderful benefits of all the USB plugs and the fact that I could get an "app" for my I-phone to change the back seat arrangement ... wow !!! to say I was underwhelmed would be an understatement... he really didn't read me at all... I'm not young - I wasn't clutching a phone like it was a holy talisman - and my D3 was parked in plain sight (he watched me drive up and pounced on me) , covered in dirt, fitted with a roof top tent, did he really think I was the least bit interested in USB plugs and seat "apps"... I think he missed the first day at "salesman 101" school.... so the old D3 will have to keep going for a few years yet and then I'll consider what replaces it... maybe one of the new Mercs...??? at least it has a nice "square" back end for the storage of all my camping junk....

cheers

Hi,

I have found a few things that have helped me extend the sitting battery life. I have had a few cars now with the traxide dual battery set up. All have had the SC80 kit.

First is to double lock the car when sitting. There is a noticeable difference between single lock and double lock (deadlock) in battery life.

Second is to watch for other accessories that sap power. In my case the electric brake controller was a real leach. The Tekonsha p6 is horrid for battery draining. I can extend the battery by about a week by unplugging it. The redarc towpro does not seem to be anywhere near as bad.

By double lock and unplugging the p6 I can easily get 2 weeks idle in my D4.

Hi Tim,
earlier in this thread you recommended using a 10W solar panel to trickle charge the batteries. When looking around, I found this
10W 12v Polycrystalline Energy Solar Panel Battery Module+ Alligator Clips

or the same thing with a 10A Controller for a few $$s more.

Is the controller actually beneficial for some reason and worth the few extra $$s?
Could I connect the solar panel to the auxiliary and starting batteries in parallel?

Thanks, Nigel

I've just tonight fitted 2 of these to my D3 - one on the main battery and one on the aux battery.

CTX BATTERY SENSE

CTX.jpg

It is currently showing my main battery at 88% and aux at 85%.It shows voltage and battery temp for both.
Have not driven it or anything else yey, and I'll have my solar panel and victron regulator to keep the batteries topped up when it is at home.
Both the CTEK and victron are bluetooth, and send the data to my phone.
Time will tell on the CTEK, but they are a quality unit, and have minimal current draw.

Originally Posted by mikegf

Can't be specific on the D4 but can offer a couple more general points:

1. Noting your location, from personal experience Cbr seems to be overly hard on batteries (compare to more mild climates such as Syd and Per) and so the original may well be on its way out after 3-4 years. In my Defender the battery was fine after three years in Per - one half winter in Cbr and it was shot!

2. Is the vehicle normally locked, or do you leave it unlocked (eg in a garage)? I now live on a farm and several of the cars are often left unlocked with keys in (easier with multiple people using the vehicles!). On a couple of vehicles I have taken the keys out when leaving the farm unattended but left them unlocked out of habit - I then failed to either lock or re-insert the keys when I returned. Within a week or so the battery was flat. One was a relatively new Euro with keyless entry but one was not (AU Ford). In the Ford case it was a brand new battery and after two weeks so flat I need a manual charger to start the charge (the auto one just read "dead"). I understand that many more modern vehicles (esp keyless) do not actually shut down their electronics until they are locked. In the keyless vehicle case an Interwebs search led me to believe that the vehicle in question "fully woke" every 60 sec or so when not locked (until the battery was dead. The same keyless car that died in a week unlocked went over a month without issue when locked, while both had no troubles when left with the keys in. Hmmm - makes me think that my ute is the smartest of the fleet as it auto locks if the keys are out!

Normally in garage locked

Rich