Member Since: 11 Feb 2014
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 753
Aux Battery Jump Start.
For the past few days the D3 has been sitting in the garage not doing a lot while I've been tinkering with the roof rack/roof lights. I've had the radio on a bit and the interior lights have come on and blah blah blah... I've come to start it, got the dash lights but no turn over. Tried a second time, (just encase the battery had forgotten what to do the fist time!) but this time I didn't even get dash lights! Dead battery!
I wasn't worried... Secretly I'd been hoping for this to happen!
For a while now I've been running the Traxide dual battery system with an Optima Yellow top. I have plans for the future to install a solonoid with a switch in the cab to link the two batteries in an occasion such as this.
Since I've not made a start on this yet, I just joined up the two positive terminal using a jumper lead I had lying around.
I put the key in and give it the first turn, result.... Dash lights!
Once the glow plug light had gone out I contined to turn the key... Still no crank!
The only thing I can think of, is that the jump lead I was using was too scrawny to do the job!
I'm just glad no one was around to see it... I would of been gloating about my self recovery methods...
Anyway, it's plugged into the mains now... I should get some kind of road tax refund, spends more time on charge than a Nissan Leaf! (Other electric cars are available!)07 Land Rover Discovery III HSE
07 BMW 1200 GS Adventure
08 Mercedes Sprinter
18th Mar 2015 11:51 pm
will247
Member Since: 05 Jan 2013
Location: York
Posts: 709
Quote:
Anyway, it's plugged into the mains now..
I hope you've put a charger in line... 26 and on the 4th LR..
Series 2a 1963 88'' 2.25 Derv as original with Galv chassis
Disco 1 1996 V8 on LPG (sold now)
Disco 3 2005 TDV6 S (sold now)
Disco 4 MY15 XS Commercial
19th Mar 2015 12:03 am
lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
I know nothing about the traxide system but even if the jump lead is to weeny it would still try and turn it over and if lead was undersize it would start to overheat and smoke.
Maybe the second battery was down on power as well?
19th Mar 2015 7:58 am
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8187
I have been using this method to jump start in emergencies for years successfully without problems, originally just carried a spare fully charged battery in the spare battery compartment. I now have a remote solenoid switch operated from inside the car. Check the voltage in your second second battery and get some decent jump leads.
If the Traxade is wired up correctly you only need to put a jump lead on the +ive terminals, if the battery is totally flat wait a few minutes after connecting the jump leads before operating the starter, this allows the charged battery to put some power into the flat battery
I'm afraid with a D3 its not if you get cought out but when and it always happens at the most inconvenient time or place.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
Last edited by M3DPO on 19th Mar 2015 9:38 am. Edited 1 time in total
19th Mar 2015 9:29 am
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2081
I had the same problem( only 7.7V) working on the vehicle. called out LR assistance but they could not get near enough to my vehicle to connect their leads. As I had a 2nd battery installed, engineer just put his jump lead across the two batteries and it started straight away. It was a heavy duty jump lead and I had a starter size cable connecting my 2nd battery to the body.
19th Mar 2015 9:35 am
Jay666d
Member Since: 11 Feb 2014
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 753
M3DPO wrote:
I have been using this method to jump start in emergencies for years successfully without problems, originally just carried a spare fully charged battery in the spare battery compartment. I now have a remote solenoid switch operated from inside the car. Check the voltage in your second second battery and get some decent jump leads.
If the Traxade is wired up correctly you only need to put a jump lead on the +ive terminals, if the battery is totally flat wait a few minutes after connecting the jump leads before operating the starter, this allows the charged battery to put some power into the flat battery
I'm afraid with a D3 its not if you get cought out but when and it always happens at the most inconvenient time or place.
Have you got any details on the solenoid you used and how you wired it all up?07 Land Rover Discovery III HSE
07 BMW 1200 GS Adventure
08 Mercedes Sprinter
19th Mar 2015 9:51 pm
nighthawk
Member Since: 24 Jul 2010
Location: Malta
Posts: 1163
An Optima Yellow Top is a very weak starting battery, only rated to 550CCA, compared to the 900CCA or so that the LR main battery provides. I did have success using a traxide + Yellow Top + jump lead between positives to jump start my D3 when the main battery was losing a cell intermittently (sometimes it showed 12.3V, sometimes 10.5V), but
1. It was summer and very hot... 33C ambient temperature
2. The car was not bone cold (I had driven it around 4 hours earlier)
With the above conditions, it turned over sluggishly and only just came to life.
I seriously doubt the Yellow Top will successfully turn over a bone cold engine at this time of the year, assuming the main battery is totally dead. If the main battery is just weak... then this jump starting method works beautifullyDennis
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 Commercial Manual Buckingham Blue
I have this setup on my traxide setup, I just used a new Ford escort solonoid and wire it to a push button on my dash, when I need it I just push the button and it joins my second battery to the cranking battery.
All you need is some heavy cable to join from the solonoid to each battery, then run a live feed to one side of the push button, then from the other side just run the wire to the solonoid 12 volt relay connection, usually inbetween the contacts on the solonoid.
Flack
19th Mar 2015 10:08 pm
John P
Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1278
I've got a Yellow top and a National Luna split charge system, with monitor. The D3 stood for a while over winter, and the main battery went flat. I had to manually enter the car via the passenger door with the key. Once inside I hit the connect button on the National Luna system, and started the car no problem.
19th Mar 2015 10:11 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
A new Ford Escort part?
What did I miss?
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
The secret with jumping from the yellow top ( that I have fitted) is to use good cable, and not the thin cheap stuff.
I have started my car from a battery showing 9 volts in freezing weather, from my yellow top with no problems, if you use heavy enough cable it works fine.
There is a lot of cheap supposedly jump cable that can be bought, its not worth it by good cable and you wont have a problem.
Flack
19th Mar 2015 10:13 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8187
Jay666d;
I'll try and take some photos tomorrow, I've been using a battery off a Puegoet 307 diesel for the last 3-4 years and it has started the car numerous times when the main battery has let me down. I just put a charger on it for a few hours to keep it fully charged, I don't use it or any other purpose.
It is imperative that you use components including cable that have the capability of carrying starting loads, failure to comply can result in a burned out car.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
19th Mar 2015 10:14 pm
Jay666d
Member Since: 11 Feb 2014
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 753
Thanks M3DPO & Flack... Confidence is high! 07 Land Rover Discovery III HSE
07 BMW 1200 GS Adventure
08 Mercedes Sprinter
20th Mar 2015 1:56 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8187
Concealed switch illuminates when on.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
Last edited by M3DPO on 20th Mar 2015 3:59 pm. Edited 1 time in total
20th Mar 2015 3:49 pm
John P
Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1278
Yes good quality cable is important. I have my yellow top connected to my main battery via the National Luna solenoid with 35sq cable on both - & +.
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