How long does your battery last when idle

**wbowner** · 1st January 2018, 09:56 AM

I have a 2014 d4 tdv6

It still has the original battery and I have a traxide dual battery set up

I have found for a long time that I can’t leave the car for more than a week before getting the low battery warning

I have had it checked a few times and have been told this is typical for a d4. Not sure on that.

May be now it may be the battery but this has been a problem for a long time

I have to leave the car on charge when away or even at home if not being used. I now monitor the battery status regularly via a redarc remote battery monitor.

So my question is how long do other people find they can leave their d4s before experiencing the low battery warning message.

Rich

**drivesafe** · 1st January 2018, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by wbowner

I have to leave the car on charge when away or even at home if not being used.

There be your problem.

This is now very commonplace, where vehicles, not just D4s, are not driven enough to keep the cranking battery fully charged, and over time, as the battery self-discharges, you need to use a secondary charging supply, like a battery charger or, and this is the best way to maintain any lead acid battery, with a solar panel.

Where practical, a simple 10w solar panel, connected to either battery will keep both batteries fully charged and in top condition and will help to extend the battery's life spans.

If you use a 10w solar panel, no solar regulator is needed as the batteries internal resistance will act as a quasi voltage regulator.

**wbowner** · 1st January 2018, 11:06 AM

Thanks Tim

I have one of those 5amp trickle charges I leave on a timer that runs Saturday and Sunday when battery gets a bit low

This works ok.

So you are saying a week is typical.

Rich

**drivesafe** · 1st January 2018, 11:50 AM

Hi Rich and it is better to try to keep the battery fully charged, rather than just charge it when it’s low.

Allowing a battery to sit for any time, in a low state, will progressively reduce the battery’s total capacity, and this leads to it being harder to fully charge the battery when you do apply a charge.

**wbowner** · 1st January 2018, 12:14 PM

Tim
Thanks again

I should get into the habit of putting on charge if I am not using it for a few days

Some times it just happens that the car isn’t used.

At the mo ent the battery are at 12.4v and it am going for a bit of a drive.

Will put it on charge later

I had on on charge a few days ago for a day or so.

Richard

TB · 1st January 2018, 01:58 PM

Followup question for Tim...

My D4 is a "weekender". It lives on the street rather than in a garage and will go days or occasionally weeks without use. So would you think it a good idea to place a 10W panel on the dash to keep things topped up? I only have the cranking battery to worry about – my 120Ah fridge battery is in a box that I keep plugged in to a smart charger in the garage.

If the solar panel is a good idea, where would be the best place to attach it to the car's electrical system?

Thanks
TB

DiscoMick · 1st January 2018, 02:09 PM

Just plug it into the cigarette lighter.

**RHS58** · 1st January 2018, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Just plug it into the cigarette lighter.

Depends, I think.

This won’t work if the ignition is off, as standard cig lighters are then isolated from the battery.

Should work if plugged in to one of Tim’s Traxide DBS live sockets in the back of the D4, or the Anderson plug.

TB · 1st January 2018, 03:23 PM

I don't have a Traxide system, and my Anderson plug is both outside the vehicle and behind a Redarc isolator. So I'm assuming some custom wiring is going to be needed – the question is about where is the best place to attach the solar panel's output to the vehicle's circuit.

**scarry** · 1st January 2018, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by wbowner

I have a 2014 d4 tdv6

It still has the original battery and I have a traxide dual battery set up

I have found for a long time that I can’t leave the car for more than a week before getting the low battery warning

I have had it checked a few times and have been told this is typical for a d4. Not sure on that.

May be now it may be the battery but this has been a problem for a long time

I have to leave the car on charge when away or even at home if not being used. I now monitor the battery status regularly via a redarc remote battery monitor.

So my question is how long do other people find they can leave their d4s before experiencing the low battery warning message.

Rich

Similar problem with mine as we have company vehicles,but mine doesn't come up with the message,as it is an earlier model.
I also have the traxide kit,which works well.Seen my battery voltage around 11.8V and no message.
I use a fluke meter,and have a cigarette lighter voltage indicater,available from Jaycar.

I charge the batteries regularly,but find doing each separately with a Cteck charger is the go.I have the plug that comes in the Cteck kit permanently wired to the battery and the end sticking out the plastic battery cover,so it is easy to connect to the main battery.Aux battery i use the alligator clips.

I have also put a switch in the thin neutral wire going from the SC80 to ground,so i can separate the batteries using the switch.This also stops the SC80 using any battery power,as well as being able to isolate the batteries for whatever reason.

I usually charge them every 2 to 3 weeks,overnight for each,depending how much use and the length of trips the vehicle does.Short trips seem to run the battery down quicker than leaving the vehicle sit.

Going back to your question,if both batteries are fully charged,the vehicle should sit 2 to 3 weeks no problems,at least mine will,but i will turn the SC80 off.

One of your batteries may not be in very good condition,charging them separately may give an indication which,if any,are not in good condition.

Hopefully the above is useful.

The other thing is my SC80 is the older model so it uses more current than the newer model.Yours may be the newer model.

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