Battery questions

**TonyC** · 23rd May 2025, 02:33 PM

Hi All,
Prompted be my fault messages that I posted yesterday, and the helpful responses, I now have even more questions, so I'll move then to this separate thread.

2012 2.7 D4.
Traxide dual battery, cranking battery is a AC Delco, Sealed, Maintenance Free, Premium AGM 900CCA 95Ah reserve cap 160 minutes, it's just under a year old.
Auxiliary battery is a Optima yellow top unknown age.

We collected it on Wednesday and drove 220km home.
On the trip home both batteries were 13.9V

Yesterday morning we got "Restricted Performance", "Gearbox Fault", "Handbrake Fault" all cleared OK.
Yesterday afternoon I spent several hours sitting in the car with the manual working out how all the stuff work, pairing my phone and the like, the ignition was on for a fair bit of that time.

Today I checked the battery voltage, unlocked the car, opened the bonnet, what I assume is the Traxide has a green LED, both batteries 12.16V. Closed bonnet with leads still attached double locked the car, an hour later battery is 12.26.

I'll get a better battery charger than I've got and charge both, then load test.

My questions are,

The manual says disconnect and remove the battery before charging, is this necessary?

Do I connect the charger, and load tester to the neg on the battery, or an earth point?

The crank battery has a lead connected to it's neg post, I think it's the volt meter, I thought this was a no no?

Given how much they draw when the door is opened, when camping what do you do? Is leaving the drivers door ajar the go?

Thanks in advance for my newby D4 questions.

Tony

**loanrangie** · 23rd May 2025, 03:08 PM

I would disconnect the traxide unit and test the voltage of the optima, to me it sounds like its failing and pulling the starter battery down.
I've had this happen on my D3 which caused a limp mode, the traxide led with blink red if battery is holding sufficient charge, the more blinks the better.

**~Rich~** · 23rd May 2025, 04:32 PM

I also would disconnect the Traxide and isolate each battery. Charge each battery with a good charger and see how each hold their charge, especially the main battery after starting the vehicle and shutting back down.
When camping I leave a back down open on 1 click to stop the car waking up every time you open a front door.

**oldyella 76** · 23rd May 2025, 08:05 PM

Tony, that optima battery was in the vehicle when I bought it, so I don't know how old it is maybe scarry will know. The cranking battery was new in June last year, so it will not be that.
The car sat in my shed for a month without use and as I said it showed a fault when I took it for a R/worthy and I took it then as that it hadn't been driven.
I think if you charge the cranking battery and switch that switch off near the isolator and then see what happens. It never happened to me until when I took it for the R/worthy so it has probably degraded due to no work.
I will give you a call tomorrow to see how you get on with it.
Lindsay

**scarry** · 24th May 2025, 11:56 AM

I can't remember if i replaced the Optima.It will be pretty old if Lindsay hadn't replaced it while he owned the vehicle.
I don't have any records for the vehicle.

It probably has a switch in the thin earth wire from the SC80,which makes it easy to isolate the batteries.

You can charge both at the same time, but i have found a 10A or larger Cteck is needed,a 5.0A won't cut it.

I only had the 5A when i had the D4,so used the switch and charged them separately.
The 5.0 eventually died,and i now use a 10.0A Cteck,and it does a better job.
Although the vehicle we have now has two 100AH batteries,so more capacity than yours.

When camping,just leave any door on the first click,it will help save your batteries.
And for those that use a RTT,it will also stop the vehicle ending on the bumpstops in the morning,as it will continually try to relevel as the occupants of the tent move around.

Happy touring.

**TonyC** · 24th May 2025, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by scarry

I can't remember if i replaced the Optima.It will be pretty old if Lindsay hadn't replaced it while he owned the vehicle.
I don't have any records for the vehicle.

It probably has a switch in the thin earth wire from the SC80,which makes it easy to isolate the batteries.

You can charge both at the same time, but i have found a 10A or larger Cteck is needed,a 5.0A won't cut it.

I only had the 5A when i had the D4,so used the switch and charged them separately.
The 5.0 eventually died,and i now use a 10.0A Cteck,and it does a better job.
Although the vehicle we have now has two 100AH batteries,so more capacity than yours.

When camping,just leave any door on the first click,it will help save your batteries.
And for those that use a RTT,it will also stop the vehicle ending on the bumpstops in the morning,as it will continually try to relevel as the occupants of the tent move around.

Happy touring.

Hi Paul,
Thanks for that.
I have the batteries on charge, they were both low, but I have been in and out it for two days working out how stuff works.
Lindsay gave me all the receipts, I'll see if I can find one for the yellow top.

One question for you, there is a rocker switch in the front right corner of the engine bay, can you remember what it's for, Lindsay said he never worked out what it does.

Tony

**scarry** · 2nd June 2025, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by TonyC

Hi Paul,
Thanks for that.
I have the batteries on charge, they were both low, but I have been in and out it for two days working out how stuff works.
Lindsay gave me all the receipts, I'll see if I can find one for the yellow top.

One question for you, there is a rocker switch in the front right corner of the engine bay, can you remember what it's for, Lindsay said he never worked out what it does.

Tony

I am pretty sure it is in the earth wire from the SC80 so it will turn off the SC80 and separate the two batteries.

**TonyC** · 2nd June 2025, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by scarry

I am pretty sure it is in the earth wire from the SC80 so it will turn off the SC80 and separate the two batteries.

OK.
There is a switch next to the Traxide unit on the left hand side of the engine bay that appears to do that.
This switch is on the right hand/drivers side, nowhere near the battery.
I'll have to follow the wires.

Tony

**scarry** · 3rd June 2025, 06:52 AM

i can't rmember what that is for,can you take a pic and post it here?

That might revive my memory.

**drivesafe** · 3rd June 2025, 08:02 AM

Hi Tony and from the above replies, my guess is your batteries are probably partially Sulphrated and some battery maintenance is probably needed to reverse the Sulphation.

These two links below should help.

NOTE as the Optima is so old, it is mostly a GOOD battery but if the Maintenance cycle does not improve its performance, then a new battery is probably needed, BUT do not buy a NEW Optima as they now have a very pour lifespan.

Nothing for the old Opimas to last up to 10 years, while the new ones are lucky to last 2 years.

Scroll down the page till you get to “LOAD TEST”
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/the-verandah/246755-line-auto-electrical-info-10.html

Scroll down the page till you get to “Battery Maintenance”
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/the-verandah/246755-line-auto-electrical-info-8.htm

Thread: Battery questions

Thread Tools

Battery questions

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions