How long should a Defender battry last

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mikescuba

mikescuba

Well-Known Member
Posts
2,733
Location
France, Loire, Rhone Alpes
I replaced my battery about three years ago on my 200tdi.
I bought a Banner 100 AMP. When it gets cold and has been standing for a couple of days there is hardly enough power to turn the engine over.
Luckily my engine is a good starter and only needs one turn and it fires up.
I gave the battery a charge about two weeks ago and have been using the Defender daily for at least 20 minute trips except for the last two days when it has been standing. When I went to start it there was just about enough power to just give it one turn. The Alternator was also replaced. It had all been tested to make sure there were no electrical drains etc and the Alternator was giving out the right output. How long should one expect a battery to last in a Defender. I replaced my car battery at the same time with a Banner and that one is still going strong. The battery in my Sprinter is 4 years old and it stands for several days but still keeps its charge.
What does everyone else get out of there Defender batteries? Oh and when I start it I depress the clutch.
 
My 03 TD5 110 still has the original battery in it. I have been expecting it to fail for the last two winters but no problems so far...:)
 
I've had 7-8 yr old batteries which are faultless. Sounds like an electrical drain but if its been tested... Possibly just a dodgy battery?
 
Hope you meant a 1000amp battery, a defender needs a minimum 600amp really. A battery can live 10+ years but can also go just as easily after 3, they can be unpredictable things. Go to a garage and get it tested, it's likely the cold is killing it...
 
Its CCA or cold cranking amps that matter.

I have a 110Ah battery with a claimed 1000CCA for 30 seconds at -18c from Numax on my TD5. So far it does what it says on the tin. I've not had to test the -18c cold cranking performance yet.

My old battery was a 110Ah with 800CCA but it was starting to show signs of distress during the last cold snap (which was not really that cold). Hence I changed it out before it became a problem. The old battery with a float charger attached now works my Webasto diesel night heater which heats my shed nicely and runs on filtered engine oil and parafin with no problems.

I have had batteries last over 10 years and still be going strong but I've also had them last less than 3 years. Diesels are hard on batteries when starting so everything needs to be in good order - including clean battery posts and earth connections.
 
I've got a 6 or 7 year old 663 tractor battery in mine - it's massive but just about fits in the box.

Still going strong!

Stick a multi meter on your alternator before you splash on a new battery
 
my guess is as good as yours, could be as little as 12 weeks or 12 years like the original panasonic one fitted to my dads honda prelude,, was still going strong when he sold it.
 
I use a battery optimizer on my batteries (especially for the bike) the one i have has a fault indicator on it which tell you if the battery has a dead cell.
 
As shifty said, check all connections at the battery !
My van battery light came on, caused by the earth connection being only finger tight, this was enough to drain the battery!
My ninety has sat for weeks not being used, but starts on the button !(tempting fate now)
 
Finally replaced original battery on my 190k X reg 110 last winter - it was sulking a bit about cold starts and I didn't want to be let down. Good deals on commercial batteries from truck dealers I found - think its a 130ah beauty, and whizzes into life any weather.

20 min runs are going to be hard on a battery I'd think, esp over winter and as others say depends entirely on demend/load/sound circuitry ...... A
 
Just to let people know the AH (amp hour) rating has no relation to the purpose of a starting battery, you need high CA (or CCA/EN). My starting battery is 800CCA but only 45 AH, my secondary battery is 1000CCA and 75AH and my trailer tent battery doesn't have a CCA rating (I suspect it would be about 150amps) but is a 125AH battery and wouldn't start a land mower I suspect but will keep the lights on all weekend!
 
Jongould said:
Just to let people know the AH (amp hour) rating has no relation to the purpose of a starting battery, you need high CA (or CCA/EN). My starting battery is 800CCA but only 45 AH, my secondary battery is 1000CCA and 75AH and my trailer tent battery doesn't have a CCA rating (I suspect it would be about 150amps) but is a 125AH battery and wouldn't start a land mower I suspect but will keep the lights on all weekend!
Click to expand...

Good point, well made! A
 
As a normal rule L=(W+1) where W=warranty purchased in months.

However there is a secondary formular which states that L= (W*(R*RND(0)) when R = chance of finding receipt in %.
 
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