Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
  
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Hello
For the second time since I drive my DIII the battery failed on start up...
The first time was a bit of my own fault as I had opened the car, lighted the headlights (Hey, I was in an underground carpark...  ) and checked the different levels (Oil, water and so on...) and probably drained the battery myself... The car was started by L.R assistance using an external battery...
But today, I was unable to start the car on first try even though I did not use anything special or power-hungry like the headlights... Had to call L.R assistance again ! (I am now thinking really hard about buying one of those external "boosters" for such occurence...)
I had not used the car for a whole week (Since Eurodisney in fact...) and the guy from L.R put it to that plus the fact that it was cold...
Now, the battery is probably quite dead from those two incidents and will have to be replaced... But I am still surprised by how thin the margin seems to be between enough power and none at all !
So I am considering a dual battery system... Did anyone try that ? I had no luck using the search function...
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 28th Jan 2006 8:43 pm |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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Sounds like you may just have a dodgy battery, I'd get it swapped (under warranty) before trying anything else
With regards to dual battery set-ups.. watch this space  The End
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| 28th Jan 2006 9:31 pm |
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Vo Rogue
Member Since: 16 Jan 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 123
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Its not clear whether your battery was still only half charged from the previous incident before you left it for a week however a battery should be still good to start the vehicle for at least 2 or 3 weeks even if half flat to start with. Dud Battery by the sound of it.
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| 28th Jan 2006 10:23 pm |
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10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
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Gurvan, lots of short journeys or extended periods stuck in the Parisian traffic will gradually deplete your battery  typically you need to do about 10 - 12km at engine revs above 1700 rpm to put back the charge that was consumed by starting the engine, lights and seat heaters etc. will extend the time.... not a D3 problem, just the way it is with vehicle alternators
As long as I have one decent journey per week, everything's OK, otherwise I get the nav. screen flickering at startup - which is generally the first sign of battery depletion
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| 28th Jan 2006 11:29 pm |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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My boss has a DB9, he has to put the battery on charge every night  They too have LRA come out to them. DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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| 29th Jan 2006 9:00 am |
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martin4x4
Member Since: 23 May 2005
Location: Norfolk, UK
Posts: 362
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Defiantly sound like a bad battery, or alternator Any local garage or tyre shop should be able to check the battery for you – why didn’t Land-Rover assist?
If your looking for a dual battery set up then take a look at http://www.ibs-tech.ch/ I have their BM3 installed in my Defender. It’s a little expensive but has some very nice features. Like monitoring the battery and alternator status, as well as allowing you to link the two batteries at the press of a button.
If you have power in your underground parking then look at http://www.ctek.com/index2.asp and either the XS3600 or XS7000 to keep you battery in good condition Discovery 3 XS Auto, Stornaway, Active rear diff.
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| 29th Jan 2006 9:16 am |
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Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
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Just a few words to be clearer...
Between the first and the second incident, I have had the opportunity of driving more than 500km on highways and thus I would say that the battery should have been replenished by the time I was finished...
But it is true that the car was not used for one week and that the T° were in or around zero°C...
I am also looking into a second battery because I think about installing at one point an Engel or something equivalent. I am a bit afraid of depleting the battery too fast and that is why I was wondering if someone had done such an installation so far...
Thanks Martin4x4... I'll keep those adress in mind when I'll go shopping for such a system... Thanks !
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| 29th Jan 2006 9:49 am |
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Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
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I've fitted a dual battery under the opposite cover, next to the ABS thingy.
I agree with the others though, short hops will deplete the battery. it takes more energy to start the car than you would think. The usual sign for me is a short Transmission warning at startup. A lowish battery confuses the sensors. Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
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| 29th Jan 2006 9:59 am |
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Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
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Do you have pictures of your setup ?
Did you do it yourself or had it installed by a professionnal ?
Would you recommend that kind of setup to anyone ?
I do agree with you as far as what the "vital signs" of a low battery are... I do see them too often ! I guess that an argument with L.R will be scheduled in the near future... 
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| 29th Jan 2006 10:03 am |
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Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
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I'll take some pics tomorrow and post them in a day or so.
I had it done professionally, but its not too difficult to do yourself. I had a company here do it because I wanted a dedicated fridge connection put in the back and I couldn't be bothered pulling off the trim myself to route the wires. Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
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| 29th Jan 2006 11:23 am |
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Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
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Ok thanks... That is probably what I'll do in the future... I juste need to find a reliable auto electrician...
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| 29th Jan 2006 4:56 pm |
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Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
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Battery is down...
Again...
Last time I used the car, was 4 days agao and I drove then more than 200km... It should have been plenty replenished but today, on start up, it failed... Again...
SWMBO is pretty  off by this...
I will now have to fight L.R to get it replaced under warranty... Should be hard as I am not too confident in their "customer support"... Maybe the fact that it is the third time I am calling them on the same problem will help someone realize that using an autombile recovery service on a sunday will in the long run cost them more than replacing that dead battery...
Anyway...
Still no pictures of that dual battery setup ?
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| 5th Feb 2006 12:45 pm |
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Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
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Sorry Gurvan, been busy.
I'll do it this week. Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
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| 5th Feb 2006 1:26 pm |
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Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
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Jamo wrote:Sorry Gurvan, been busy.
No worries...
Just my impatient self...
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| 5th Feb 2006 1:33 pm |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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Gurvan, there is something more than just the battery because the car has been used and the battery has let you down before. I think it is something to do with the charging and maintanance system on the car. Something is dragging down the battery.
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| 5th Feb 2006 3:34 pm |
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