The battery appears to be about a year old, (and massive). It rests at 12.5 volts (having been charged) and at idle revs rises to @13.4V. Obviously I haven't checked what it's at with higher revs.
I have just disconnected the coaxial cable (I hope.. I took off the single blue wire on the RF receiver running up into the pillar) and indeed the remote now works only intermittently at a range of @1 foot. I will see if this makes a difference. (The RF receiver had a blue circular sticker on it incidentally, does that mean something?)
have you searched here for r/f antenna? The central locking receiver often wakes the vehicle in response to wifi or other radio transmissions on similar frequencies and drains the battery.
Also, you've got L322 as a category, which might deter some people from reading this thread.
There you go - looks like you've found it!
Also, you've got L322 as a category, which might deter some people from reading this thread.
There you go - looks like you've found it!
Oh dear I am sorry :S Must have slipped the mouse on selecting it. How do I change that? Can I change that?
Datatek
Well-Known Member
A fully charged battery should read 12.8 volts. The alternator should show 14.2 to 14.8 volts at 2k rpm. At 12.5 volts the battery has around 50% charge. I would say your battery is never getting fully charged because the alternator is not putting out enough volts, although a duff battery can also cause the voltage to be held down.
Thanks for that Datatek. I've just run the test and got the following data:
Engine off: 11.4V
Engine on at any revs: 13.9V
What does this mean? 13.9>12.8 therefore it will charge. Is it reading low while off because it has yet to be properly charged with a good run? Or are there other factors? Also, since from what I've seen you are the expert, having now disconnected the RF antenna, if this doesn't help, where should I go next?
Thanks
dougdotcom
Active Member
11.4v sounds like a duff battery to me. but test it after a run the following morning. should be over 12.2v
I agree, it's just that with the drainage problem I could completely understand it having been reduced to 11.4. She just needs a decent long run I expect (and the source of the drain found and purged...)
Battery should be at 12.6 volts after standing for a while after charge. Each cell holds 2.1 volts X6 = 12.6. If after standing your battery is reading 11.4 either the electrolite is weak across all cells or you have a failing cell. Charge your battery for a while then disconnect the charger and put a volt meter across it, if it falls from the charged voltage which maybe 13.5 or so to below 12.00 volts as you watch it, you have a failing cell or the electrolite is weak and acid needs adding. But that is not usual unless the battery has been overcharging and boiled off the electrolite and you have had to top up the water several times. Maybe the battery is just knackered. They don't last forever, usually go tits up the day after the warranty runs out.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
Sorry Tony, I have to dissagree with some of that. A modern battery should show 12.8 volts after resting (2.2 volts per cell = 13.2 volts immediatly after removing the charge source), 12.5 volts and it's 50% charged, 12.2 volts it's as good as flat, 11.4 volts and it's fecked and unlikelty to recover.
Batteries self discharge, in good condition the battery will self discharge slowly over a period of weeks. A duff battery can self discharge in hours often due to the fact that it holding little charge in the first place.
So, my bet is that the battery is fecked with the additional posibility that the alternator is not putting out sufficient charge to maintain the battery whichs leads to rapid deterioration.
At the end of the day, your "battery drain" may just be the battery self discharging.
Last edited:
I have a heavy duty battery (half the size of the one in the Rangie) from my old Disco - the battery's ~ a year old, and currently it's my jump battery. (Basically I know it's a good one).
If my problems persist regarding the discharge, would you recommend just swapping them so I know I have a good battery in there?
Also, I'd like to check the voltage of my alternator, but don't know where to put the leads..? The battery was still showing 13.9V with everything electric the car had to offer running.
Assuming my alternator's good (which I think it is) and the battery's discharged due to the RF issue (ie it too is good) how long under normal driving conditions should it take to charge? Do you think it would be worth running a trickle charger under the bonnet and just pumping it up like that overnight?
Thanks for all your advice
Datatek
Well-Known Member
I have a heavy duty battery (half the size of the one in the Rangie) from my old Disco - the battery's ~ a year old, and currently it's my jump battery. (Basically I know it's a good one).
If my problems persist regarding the discharge, would you recommend just swapping them so I know I have a good battery in there?
Also, I'd like to check the voltage of my alternator, but don't know where to put the leads..? The battery was still showing 13.9V with everything electric the car had to offer running.
Assuming my alternator's good (which I think it is) and the battery's discharged due to the RF issue (ie it too is good) how long under normal driving conditions should it take to charge? Do you think it would be worth running a trickle charger under the bonnet and just pumping it up like that overnight?
Thanks for all your advice
Is this an L322? if so the RF receiver is almost certainly irrelevant, that problem is a P38 problem.
The alternator should show 14.2 to 14.8 volts at the battery terminals at 2k rpm after a short time. If the battery is duff or flat it will never reach this figure.
Driving the car to fully re-charge the battery will take hours because as the battery voltage rises the charge current drops rapidly.
I would remove the battery and get it load tested or at least put it on charge. If your trickle charger puts out 1 amp and the battery is 100 amp hour rated, it will take a very long time to charge it from flat.
You are just going round in circles ignoring the most obvious possible cause of your problem.
Naaah 2.1 volts per cell that is what they are. 12.6 for a standard stored battery. How much voltage per cell after charging depends how big your charger is. 2.4 volts per cell or maybe a little more is not unknown after a boost charge. Don't do the battery much good though. Anyway what's 0.2 of a volt or 0.0333333 volts per cell between friends?
Datatek
Well-Known Member
Naaah 2.1 volts per cell that is what they are. 12.6 for a standard stored battery. How much voltage per cell after charging depends how big your charger is. 2.4 volts per cell or maybe a little more is not unknown after a boost charge. Don't do the battery much good though. Anyway what's 0.2 of a volt or 0.0333333 volts per cell between friends?
0.2 volts is everything since 12.8 is fully charged and 12.2 is flat, a 0.6 volt range from full to empty. I make battery condition indicators for marine applications, the battery data I have says 12.8 not 12.6 for a fully charged battery after resting off charge for 30 minutes. These are normal Lead Acid Calcium batteries as fitted to most cars these days.
that also depends on temperature and whether the surface charge has been removed.
Yes sorry about that :S I clicked the wrong one evidently (can it be changed?)
The trickle charger puts out ~4amps, I have a surgical one which can do up to 20amps so if I choose to do that it is getting charged
Datatek
Well-Known Member
Yes sorry about that :S I clicked the wrong one evidently (can it be changed?)
The trickle charger puts out ~4amps, I have a surgical one which can do up to 20amps so if I choose to do that it is getting charged
So clarify, which is it an L322 or a P38?
