DaveC
Member Since: 29 Sep 2009
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1033
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isn't there something like smart charging on the disco 4 where by the alternator waits for optimum time to recharge to avoid excess load on the engine (thus saving fuel & planet the thining goes).
what if you've got an indecisive one? bloody thing will be waiting and waiting like an old duffer at a busy junction and you may never get charged?  XC90 T8 R Design Pro
MY14 D4 HSE Lux (sadly gone)
Mariana Black with Ivory interior and lots of toys!
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 23rd Oct 2009 2:30 pm |
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Supercharged
Member Since: 07 Oct 2006
Location: Northants
Posts: 171
 
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I've no idea 
All I know is that the trickle charge has fixed the problem as recommended by the dealer. If the problem occurs again the car will go back for a new battery or other fix under warranty  Paul
D4 HSE Zermatt Silver / Ebony
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| 23rd Oct 2009 3:15 pm |
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GraemeS
Member Since: 17 Mar 2008
Location: NSW
Posts: 706
 
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DaveC wrote:isn't there something like smart charging on the disco 4 where by the alternator waits for optimum time to recharge to avoid excess load on the engine (thus saving fuel & planet the thining goes).
what if you've got an indecisive one? bloody thing will be waiting and waiting like an old duffer at a busy junction and you may never get charged?
Yes, when its coasting rather than accelerating, to save fuel. A bit too smart for its own good I suspect.
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| 23rd Oct 2009 8:57 pm |
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Delta Mike
Member Since: 24 Feb 2009
Location: Highland
Posts: 53
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Supercharged this makes sense. I bought the car from the dealers stock, in the showroom with doors being opened all the time with people having a look inside etc. Then I got tints done as well so that wont have helped any.
Looks like I'll have to price a trickle charger!
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| 23rd Oct 2009 9:28 pm |
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Supercharged
Member Since: 07 Oct 2006
Location: Northants
Posts: 171
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Just to update - I've been away for a week, and on my return the car showed no battery warning and started at the touch of the button.
So, the simple trickle charge fixed it - fingers crossed no recurrence. Paul
D4 HSE Zermatt Silver / Ebony
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| 2nd Nov 2009 4:48 pm |
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rosberond
Member Since: 01 Nov 2009
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 6
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The dealer told me, when I took delivery of my D4, that the suspension remains 'active' when set to anything other than access height, even with the ignition off. Apparently performs some kind of checks and adjustment every so often, and he advised setting 'access' height when parking overnight or leaving the car for extended periods to conserve the battery. I'm a LR newbie, so don't have the technical understanding to know whether this is plausible, but it could be a factor (in addition to the other things mentioned.)
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| 6th Nov 2009 11:32 pm |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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I admire your dealer's patter...............it is complete and utter soft, dangly bits.
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| 6th Nov 2009 11:34 pm |
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DiscoDuck
Member Since: 23 Jan 2005
Location: West Sussex UK
Posts: 126
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I also have a hair trigger on my low battery alarm! I have the cabin heat option fitted which only seemed to run for 10 minutes or so before " check battery" appears. It also comes on very readily if I have the doors open on the radio on while cleaning out the car. It does not seem to make a difference if I have just been on a long run or not and have also tried trickle charging the battery but still the next morning the cabin heat would only run for 10 minutes or so and not the half an hour as it is supposed to. Either the battery is lacking capacity or the charging system not charging correctly or the threshold for the warning set too high.
DD D4 HSE
Blue
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| 11th Nov 2009 9:44 am |
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thriftwood
Member Since: 27 Sep 2009
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 156
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I got the battery low message at the weekend after leaving the tailgate open (interior lights only on) while I fitted the spare wheel protector. I guess I messed around for a bit but even so can't have been much more than 40 mins before getting the Shutting Down message. Car started perfectly immediately so I was wondering if it just the L/R way of telling you you left something on and protecting itself rather than the battery really being that low? I guess time will tell when I am stuck somewhere with no power. 
Do I really need to disconnect the battery before I trickle charge it?
Richard
ps
Still don't understand how a trickle charge can fix this (other than temporary charge of battery)
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| 17th Nov 2009 9:43 pm |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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Dug this out, which might assist:
"To charge the battery, connect the positive booster cable to the positive terminal on the battery. The negative booster cable MUST be connected to a suitable earth point on the vehicle. The earth point should be at least
0.5 meters, (20 inches) away from the battery and as far away as possible from any fuel pipes, brake pipes and moving parts. Failure to charge the battery in this manner will cause the BMS, to NOT register the charge
increase. This can cause certain systems to be inhibited during the first few days of driving while the BMS recalibrates."
Those of you who were getting error messages soon after delivery of the vehicle may well have been the victim of part of the dealer's PDI setup being conducted without a battery charger being connected - essentially, all the interior electrical set up.
thriftwood wrote:Do I really need to disconnect the battery before I trickle charge it?
They don't during the PDI inspection........
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| 22nd Nov 2009 10:53 am |
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Willy Eckerslike
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: N Yorks
Posts: 1612
 
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I would be slightly narked that, having paid a small fortune for my new pride and joy I had to start arseing about charging batteries. We are a forgiving lot Land Rover owners Club Pie n Pea
One life....Fish it
D3 Gone but not forgotten
Club Men of Oak
Club Walnut sniffers
D4 Van owner
Ents long lost Uncle
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| 22nd Nov 2009 11:09 am |
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thriftwood
Member Since: 27 Sep 2009
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 156
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Winger
Thanks for the info and guidance about the need to disconnect the battery.
I'll give it a charge - just as soon as the local monsoon season has finished.
Given the instructions you quote, it seems odd to me that L/R don't provide a specific earth point to charge the battery through. I would have thought that was easier than relying on the customer knowing where was a safe place. Merc provide this and it makes jump-start, trickle charge etc. so much simpler (In fairness, the battery is under the rear seat so access is more difficult)
Your comment on PDI procedures made me smile (  not  ) - just had my "discussion" with the garage about the quality of their PDI process re tyre pressures etc. 
Richard
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| 22nd Nov 2009 4:00 pm |
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Supercharged
Member Since: 07 Oct 2006
Location: Northants
Posts: 171
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To be honest when I trickle charged I just connected the clips on the charger to the respective negative and positive terminals on the battery 
It has, however, worked absolutely fine with no further warnings since Paul
D4 HSE Zermatt Silver / Ebony
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| 22nd Nov 2009 5:05 pm |
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Supercharged
Member Since: 07 Oct 2006
Location: Northants
Posts: 171
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Whoops! A day after leaving the last post - the warning is back! 
Tried the trickle charge, no luck this time. Obviously something deeper.
Just phoned the dealer, who suggested that they could take a look on December 9th, about three weeks hence! After a polite reminder that I have just spent nearly £50k on a car and that I need to rely on it, it is going in on Friday for a proper check. Paul
D4 HSE Zermatt Silver / Ebony
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| 23rd Nov 2009 7:11 pm |
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thriftwood
Member Since: 27 Sep 2009
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 156
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Paul
Did they manage to get to the bottom of your message whan it went in to the dealer?
I got the message again this morning as soon as I opened the doors  There must be something wrong here, either with the charging or the warning. Guess I am less concerned if it is just the warning but it is still annoying
Richard
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| 5th Dec 2009 2:57 pm |
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