Member Since: 27 Nov 2016
Location: London
Posts: 2
Disconnecting the battery when standing for 2 months
Hello I'm new here.
Considering buying a 2011/2012 disco4 as my current car (Y2000 RS4) is simply getting too cramped for family holidays. Plus I want to tow a motorbike behind to our next holiday destination
I live some of the time in central London (rest of the time at our family home in Germany) and my underground parking (where the car would be stored) has no hook-ups for battery maintenance.
For my Audi, I installed a manual screw-type breaker on the negative terminal of the battery, and it will start first time after a few months of disuse, upon reconnection. Yes lead acid batteries do self-discharge, and I'm sure that it's not great for the battery, but disconnecting it whilst the car isn't used is the only way I can stop the drain. 20mA drain isn't much of a residual drain on a 200Ah battery, but it adds up over months!
There's *a lot* more electronics in a 2012 landrover vs my 2000 Audi and I'm wondering if anyone can advise what would go wrong if I left the car with the battery disconnected for a few months. With my Audi, the only noticeable issue is resetting the code on the radio.
Underground carpark is dry so don't need to worry too much about rusting discs etc. With Uber and my brompton, there is no point in driving around London, but I don't want the hassel of a flat battery every time I come to want to use the car for trips out of town. I've done the whole portable battery starter pack thing, and I'm pretty sure that this is even more unhealty for the battery.
I suppose the other option is that I just rent a car for the time that I'm away. Given depreciation, insurance, tax and servicing I suppose I could allocate £4k / year for car hire and still break-even... Of course it's much more convenient to have your own stead when you need it!
Cheers,
Tom.
27th Nov 2016 3:31 pm
DrRobH
Member Since: 10 Oct 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 924
I'd go hire car route if I was you. Lot less hassle!
http://www.4x4suvhire.com Visitor from fullfatrr.com
RR Vogue SE 2011 4.4 TDV8
1974 Lightweight
27th Nov 2016 5:48 pm
Tanglewood
Member Since: 27 Feb 2011
Location: Wilts
Posts: 1376
Quote for a D4 for 34 days over the Christmas period.
27th Nov 2016 6:04 pm
Pedros
Member Since: 25 Jun 2011
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 454
Having read other threads on the subject, leaving the car for a couple of months shouldn't flatten the battery, assuming you have a good quality, good condition battery. But of course if it turns out you leave it longer, then obviously eventually it'll discharge to the point that it won't have the power to start, and the first time you realise that the battery is failing is when you are stuck with it not starting!
Having to disconnect then connect the battery would, I guess be a bit of a pain. I wonder if you looked into it, you could have some sort of battery isolator fitted, thus being able to disconnect/connect the battery with a switch, maybe easier than the arrangement you had on the Audi.
I'm not sure that, apart from having to fiddle with the audio and clock, there's anything else that would be affected.
28th Nov 2016 3:54 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Left my D3 for many months and it started fine in the depths of winter and the D4 uses less current when parked. Unless you have a fault the massive battery on a D4 will last for ages at typical quiescent current levels.
The main issue will be the state of charge before being left and the driving/charging style once restarted. Getting the energy in is the challenge, not the normal quiescent draw, and this can still be a problem with a disconnected battery too.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 05 Aug 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 506
Daft question time...
How do you lock the car to secure it once the battery has been disconnected??D4 - Stornoway Grey
D2 V8 - Zambesi Silver (rust free JDM import 😎)
FL2 - Sd4 HSE
110 Td5 DCPU - Bonatti Grey - sold
FL2 Td4 - Zambesi Silver - sold
D2 Td5 - Epsom Green - sold
F1 Td4 - Giverney Green - sold
90 300 Tdi - White – sold BIG mistake should have kept it!
F1 Td4 - written off by a taxi!
D1 300 Tdi - written off by a Fiesta...
D1 200 Tdi - sold
90 Turbo Diesel - sold
Ser 2a SWB - sold and glad I 'got rid'
Ser 2 SWB - sold but wish I still had it!
28th Nov 2016 9:01 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Power to starter motor or tow electrics or perhaps a bespoke socket, or chance it with the macaroni lock.Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 27 Nov 2016
Location: London
Posts: 2
Thanks guys - I added a screw adaptor to the Audi as you can see in the attached photos.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
I would open the bonnet - lock the car and then open the battery screw connection and then leave the bonnet down on it's catch. It's pretty secure in the underground car-park so it's not a problem. In any case my old Audi has a key so I can always open the drivers door and the boot without power... er... The D4 has a physical key no?
If not, how the hell do you get into the bonnet when the battery is flat!?!?
Speaking of which, is the battery under the bonnet, and do you think there would be room to install one of these breakers if I wanted? I also have a Renault panel van as my 'shed', which is more convenient to access and cheaper than big yellow storage per sq ft - City living eh... I use the same breaker on that otherwise after 2-3 months the battery is also flat.
Finally, a note to those to commented on rentals. Yes I seriously considered it. Avis was about £3.5k for a 4 week hire in August, but only if I book now, which is not always so convenient. It's certainly an idea, but goes a bit wrong if I need a family car in Easter or for some other trip... also I bet they don't offer roof rails.
TBH, the money to buy one isn't an issue, but I run my own businesses so I've learned to be a bit thrifty by habit. Just want to do a bit research before I take the plunge
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