Member Since: 18 Feb 2016
Location: Effingham
Posts: 237
Split Charge
I know there are quite a few threads on this subject, but I have a question I haven't found an answer to yet...
I wish to fit a second battery to the D3 because it has let me down on 3 or 4 occasions now. All of them 'understandable', but none the less inconvenient. Eg when parked in the car park when we sent skiing, it was unlocked every morning for removal of skis, locked again for the day, unlocked in the evening when we returned etc. etc. every day for a week. Bearing in mind all the systems that 'prime' on un-locking, there wasn't enough juice left to crank it over at the end of a week.
So my plan is to fit a second battery in the spare compartment with a proprietary split charge system. But I would like to take the feed to the starter motor from this new battery rather than the existing one.
Which means the new battery should be conventional lead acid rather than a yellow top, and the existing battery could be a yellow top, better able to handle being drained to a much greater extent.
But the aux battery tray is a bit small for a cranking battery...
Red tops are designated as cranking or starter batteries, that said I've started tractors and my D3 from yellow tops without issue Altox GSM FBH controller thread
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2nd Aug 2016 10:15 pm
Compusmentis
Member Since: 18 Feb 2016
Location: Effingham
Posts: 237
Yellow tops small enough to fit in the aux battery tray...?
Or should I swap their roles over - lead acid (or red top) in the conventional location operating starter motor only, yellow top in aux tray operating everything else?
2nd Aug 2016 10:17 pm
Landy_andy
Member Since: 05 May 2013
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 676
Fit an Oddesy, they are dual purpose battery.
Rather than connect your new battery to the starter why don't you just install a split charge really that you can override and jump start yourself by joining both batteries. Or just run both batteries joined so it will take a lot more to flatten both?
Mine.
2nd Aug 2016 10:53 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13908
I have an Odessey fitted with my T-Max split charge. Its been in about 5 years and runs my expedition fridge for about 50% of the year.
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2nd Aug 2016 10:56 pm
JustaGeek
Member Since: 25 Apr 2015
Location: Round the Twist
Posts: 79
Any type 027 battery will fit in the aux battery space, they are exactly the same height and width as the type 019 cranking battery, just 50mm shorter. This means you can use the OEM brackets and no issues fitting the cover.
I fitted an aux battery to mine, using a t-max controller, for exactly the same reasons, just leaving the ignition in position 2 whilst listening to the radio for 40 mins, was enough to drain mine to the point of needing a jump.
Member Since: 25 Apr 2015
Location: Round the Twist
Posts: 79
I forgot to mention, if you haven't changed the interior bulbs for LED's yet, consider this;
There are 9 bulbs (4 puddle, 2 foot-well, 3 dome), rated at 5W each, thats 45W total, a 4 Amp draw on the battery, every time you open the door......
2nd Aug 2016 11:53 pm
Compusmentis
Member Since: 18 Feb 2016
Location: Effingham
Posts: 237
Thanks all
The reason for having the starter on a separate battery was to prevent the huge voltage drop on cranking from making the ecu's forget their settings - particularly the reversing mirror dip that drives me bonkers!
3rd Aug 2016 8:07 am
comedyharvey
Member Since: 04 Jul 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 1727
JustaGeek wrote:
I forgot to mention, if you haven't changed the interior bulbs for LED's yet, consider this;
There are 9 bulbs (4 puddle, 2 foot-well, 3 dome), rated at 5W each, thats 45W total, a 4 Amp draw on the battery, every time you open the door......
Good point. I had a problem a couple of years back. I could be parked up for several days and she'd start without problems but twice, on days out, we were parked up, lots of opening and closing of doors, tailgate left open etc over a couple of hours and no power for cranking when time came to leave.
Changed internals to LEDs and problem resolved.
I did change the battery the following year too.Arthur.
Comedy was a horse, Harvey a dog, both sadly gone. Thought I was choosing a password!
Currently;
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101" Fwd. Control 1976
Nuffield 10/90 Tractor (10/60 with 6 cylinder conversion) 1964
Previously;
Series III Lightweight. 1976.
3rd Aug 2016 10:52 am
John P
Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1275
As pointed out above, install a split charger system. I have one on mine, and if the main battery looks low on the controller, I press the connect button which joins the 2 batteries, and the car starts no problem. In fact I have got to my car where the main battery was completely dead. I had to manually open the passenger door with the key. Once inside I hit the connect button and the car started first time. The controller will then recharge the main battery, and only when charged, will switch over the charge to the second battery.
3rd Aug 2016 11:43 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72787
Another option is the Enduronline batt from Tayna, half the price of the YT and half as much more capacity.
Click image to enlarge
New longer pos wire fitted after that pic was taken as terminals were on the wrong side cf YT so batt had to be rotated 180 degrees. Simple solenoid so if it detects a 12v feed from the crank battery then always staring with 2'batteries, just the crank battery doesn't feed the Engel etc. Worse case is a totally dead crank battery, in that case out with the jump leads. Siiiiiiiiiimples.
I was thinking of doing this but basing it on the two battery layout in my transit van, one battery is always available for car systems etc the other is charged with main battery but is only available when cranking the engine, the amount of times i came back to the van to find i had flattened the battery by leaving internal lights on but once i turned the ignition key the second battery was linked by a relay and the van started, this is the option id like to take and once ive sorted out the bits needed ill post how it was achievedRange Rover Westminster 4.4 TDV8 what a car
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3rd Aug 2016 11:54 am
ar1972
Member Since: 11 Mar 2016
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 106
Interesting read, I'm not looking for a split charge system, but I'm looking to replace my battery, what is the best to buy?
I have a video in motion module that needs to be plumbed in properly, but left it in the on position for 2/3 days and it flattened the battery
Any recommendations would be helpful
3rd Aug 2016 4:51 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72787
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