Thread: D4 2015 Alternator loading

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

So Tim, where to from here? Can your setup be used in D3/4 as for your setup, and/or for those of us with your dual battery setup, but wanting to use lithium in our campers and caravans?

You can’t disable the smart alternator in a D4 so no.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

So Tim, where to from here? Can your setup be used in D3/4 as for your setup, and/or for those of us with your dual battery setup, but wanting to use lithium in our campers and caravans?

Hi Gavin and using a DC/DC device to charge lithium batteries in a caravan or camper trailer or even in a motor home, is the perfect way to set up with any vehicle with a SMART alternator.

As DiscoJeffster posted, so far there is no way to be able to disengage the SMART alternator function in any Land Rover.

The other point is that all the research and testing I have done has not found a single in-car DC/DC + Lithium setup that can compete with one of my systems, but I have to compete with the grossly exaggerated advertising and misinformation that is used to pedal DC/DC and Lithium setups.

A perfect is this crap that every lithium battery seller uses, is the claim that lead acid batteries can not be discharged below 50%.

This is a blatant lie and I challenge anyone to find a lead acid battery manufacture that states this in their battery specs.

Most lead acid battery manufactures specifically state that their batteries can be cycled down to 20% SoC and some of the newer AGMs can be cycled down to 0% SoC.

Yet most Lithium batteries can not be cycled below 20%.

These DC/DC toy devices they sell here are, in my opinion, a waste of time and money, particularly if you are a heavy user of accessory power while free camping.

Both Sterling and ProMariner in the USA have versions of DC/DC device that go up to 400 amps.

Now while you don't need anything that big with a D4, but a 100 amp unit, used with the right lithium batteries, would give you a setup that would make using a Lithium batteries a true rival to my systems.

Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

You can’t disable the smart alternator in a D4 so no.

The 3.0L did,but did the D4 2.7L have a smart alternator?

I cant remember mine ever charging much lower than 13.7V,so i doubt it,but stand to be corrected.

It also hardly ever went any higher than 13.9V.

Hi Paul, the 2.7L D4 actually has the D3 SMART alternator operation.

The D3 was probably one of the first vehicles in Australia to have a SMART alternator operation.

The D3 is not as SMART as the D4, but it still has a SMART alternator operation.

During the first 30 seconds after you start the motor on a D3, the vehicle analyses the condition of the Cranking battery and then sets the voltage of the alternator, based on Battery Condition and ambient temperature and will then operate at that voltage for the next 30 minutes. Then the voltage drops back to what ever setting the vehicle dictates.

It's a long story but here is a shortened version, not long after the D3 was introduced, I was supplied this and more info about Land Rovers new SMART alternator operation by LRAs Technology section, when they were trying to sort out problems being caused by other makes of isolator, and mine were not causing any problems.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Much to Tim’s frustration I fitted a Dc/Dc a while ago and I’m shifting to Lithium in both camper and Aux in vehicle to make some under bonnet space.

I have a 50a version and no issues at all with it, or the 65a worth of frontal auxiliary lighting I run!

Hi Tombie, Thanks, that is good to know.

I am looking at the Redarc over the Enedrive atm. If you have fitted your charger in the vehicle - any issues with heat or noise (Enedrive has fan).

Thanks for all the good advice everyone - I went with the 50A Redarc charger - Redarc advise me it might draw 60A under full boost operation - so with the intel from Tim, Tombie, kelvo and others - this indicates that that the alternator will have plenty to spare. Thanks to all. I am but a mechanical simpleton and really appreciate your inputs (but if you want some advice on ecology - I can help).

Originally Posted by Sandy

Hi Tombie, Thanks, that is good to know.

I am looking at the Redarc over the Enedrive atm. If you have fitted your charger in the vehicle - any issues with heat or noise (Enedrive has fan).

None at all.

Apologies Tombie - I should have said fitted in the cab of the vehicle