P38A Happy Battery.

DanClarke · Oct 6, 2021

The P38 is a very battery hungry animal if it doesn't have the latest RF fob receiver and you don't use it as an every day driver.
But I can say that since I fitted the RF filter from MartyUK to my P38 the parasitic drain was greatly reduced. But.... it still dropped volts over several days and the Ctek "Tell-tale" traffic light led's would go from Green, to Amber and then to Red; which was always a worry.

As Keith ( @Datatek ) will attest, a simple Solar panel on the dash or the real parcel shelf negates the minimal 20-50mA drain once your other issues are resolved. Since I put the cheap Aldi Panel on mine the tell-tale lights have not dipped below "GREEN" (Battery >12.7v).

Just a retelling of something many people already know.

Grrrrrr · Oct 6, 2021

DanClarke said:
The P38 is a very battery hungry animal if it doesn't have the latest RF fob receiver and you don't use it as an every day driver.
But I can say that since I fitted the RF filter from MartyUK to my P38 the parasitic drain was greatly reduced. But.... it still dropped volts over several days and the Ctek "Tell-tale" traffic light led's would go from Green, to Amber and then to Red; which was always a worry.

As Keith ( @Datatek ) will attest, a simple Solar panel on the dash or the real parcel shelf negates the minimal 20-50mA drain once your other issues are resolved. Since I put the cheap Aldi Panel on mine the tell-tale lights have not dipped below "GREEN" (Battery >12.7v).

Just a retelling of something many people already know.

Try taking the battery indicator off and it will probably last weeks. Mine does. I have a solar panel somewhere but not needed it since going gen 3 receiver and upgrading the set point on my alternator.

Fl@pper · Oct 7, 2021

Using the same panel in the camper

Was dubious but was too cheap not to try and swear it keeps it topped up just right never a problem. Wish they still had em as would get one on the beast too

kermit_rr · Oct 7, 2021

My battery is disconnected at the mo

hopefully there's no parasitic drain going on!!! But it is a p38

myfirstl322 · Oct 7, 2021

kermit_rr said:
My battery is disconnected at the mo hopefully there's no parasitic drain going on!!! But it is a p38

I liken that to Project Binky, they mentioned they are using Alfa Romeo track-rod ends and have therefore resigned themselves to having electrical glitches down the line.

tomcat59alan · Oct 7, 2021

kermit_rr said:
My battery is disconnected at the mo hopefully there's no parasitic drain going on!!! But it is a p38

If the battery drains when it's disconnected I'd be looking at the condition of the battery.

kermit_rr · Oct 7, 2021

tomcat59alan said:
If the battery drains when it's disconnected I'd be looking at the condition of the battery.

Datatek · Oct 7, 2021

DanClarke said:
The P38 is a very battery hungry animal if it doesn't have the latest RF fob receiver and you don't use it as an every day driver.
But I can say that since I fitted the RF filter from MartyUK to my P38 the parasitic drain was greatly reduced. But.... it still dropped volts over several days and the Ctek "Tell-tale" traffic light led's would go from Green, to Amber and then to Red; which was always a worry.

As Keith ( @Datatek ) will attest, a simple Solar panel on the dash or the real parcel shelf negates the minimal 20-50mA drain once your other issues are resolved. Since I put the cheap Aldi Panel on mine the tell-tale lights have not dipped below "GREEN" (Battery >12.7v).

Just a retelling of something many people already know.

I have 20watt panels with charge controllers stood on the ground and connected via the trailer socket to the batteries of most of my vehicles when they are parked. The Transit has a 10 watt panel permanently installed in the rear window again with a charge controller. Not had a flat battery for years and the batteries last longer it seems.

P38A Happy Battery.

DanClarke

Well-Known Member

Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Fl@pper

Active Member

kermit_rr

Very

myfirstl322

Well-Known Member

tomcat59alan

Well-Known Member

kermit_rr

Very

Datatek

Well-Known Member

Similar threads