 | Home > Technical > Battery holding its charge so so - signs of age? |
 
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816   
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My truck will turn 9 years young in September and I am still running my original factory battery (Varta).
The truck went in storage the last time with what must have been a fully charged battery as we had made a 300 km trip in one single day. Now three weeks later I brought it out of storage and when first checking the battery, the voltage was only 10.7V. In the three weeks in storage the only things that have been drawing juice were the factory alarm, plus about 20 times using the central unlocking/relocking mechanism. Even with the 10.7V the starter motor worked normal, no slow down at all. When arriving home after a good 10 km drive, the battery voltage had increased to 11.3V, so put it on the Ctek charger which for the first time behaved strange. The Ctek (mxs-5.0) first would not charge the battery, did not indicate any fault, but would go within a few minutes to all yellow plus the green led on position, which normally only happens after the battery is fully charged. I did a recon battery charge which worked, took only a few hours, and then the fully charged led indicator was on. With the Ctek still in place the battery voltage showed a steady 13.6V, but once unplugging the Ctek, the voltage dropped right away to 13.0V, and within the next hour dropped further to about 12.65V and remained steady thereat. Now, is above all normal, or is this a sign that battery is weakening and up for replacement before another winter kicks in? Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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6th Aug 2017 1:51pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3372  
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Don't expect the replacement to go nine years......
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6th Aug 2017 3:30pm |
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| Gurmot Member Since: 01 Apr 2016 Location: Somerset Posts: 36 
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I would check the charging voltage when it's on the car. Should be around 14v, if lower the battery won't be getting a full charge.
It is an old battery and this may be the problem but I would not assume this yet. I replaced the voltage regulator in a car which had similar symptoms and this cured the problem. A bad earth or battery lead can also create a voltage drop which can prevent a full charge when on the car. |
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6th Aug 2017 4:00pm |
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| roel Member Since: 08 Aug 2009 Location: Lelystad Posts: 2039  
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If the voltage is still around the 12.6 V after a day the battery is still OK. Roel
1984 90 2.5 na Diesel - RR V8 (1994-2001) 1997 Camel Trophy Discovery 300TDI (2001-2009) 2005 G4 Discovery III 4.4 V8 (2008-2018) It's gone but it still hurts. 2003 90 Td5 (2009-now) |
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6th Aug 2017 9:39pm |
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| zsd-puma Member Since: 09 Aug 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 2720 
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You can get decent ones that will, it just depends how they're used and looked after. My Mini had it's third battery fitted last year. After the 9 year old Varta (which replaced the 6 year old factory fit Lucas) gave up. I'd admit it is pushing the limits of what they'll do. |
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6th Aug 2017 10:01pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Just checked, and after 1 night it is down to 12.35V this morning. Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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7th Aug 2017 4:39am |
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| pannawonica Member Since: 21 Nov 2010 Location: Clackline Western Australia Posts: 568 
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Ericvv my original battery carked it after two years normal use (varta) due too environmental conditions! Your batteries symptoms are similar to what I experienced, save the grief and replace before it lets you down.
 I have got too say though well done!, never had any battery go that long! |
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7th Aug 2017 5:36am |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Checking with my dealer now what they will charge for installing a new genuine Varta 95Ah, and if this will be a standard wet battery or the AGM version.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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7th Aug 2017 11:39am |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Two posses with Land Rover now. Standard Varta wet battery, or a Varta AGM at about a 60% premium. Dealer will order a standard Varta for installation Monday.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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7th Aug 2017 4:04pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2571 
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Any decent motor factors could probably have found you a decent battery cheaper than Land Rover. Not to mention what they will charge you for 5 mins work with a few spanners!
For what it's worth the battery in my 90 is 9 years old and still working well. |
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7th Aug 2017 7:31pm |
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| zsd-puma Member Since: 09 Aug 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 2720
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I agree with Retroanaconda, there are those on here who seem to think Land Rover batteries have some magical quality to them. You can easily find equally good batteries for half the price that Land Rover charge.
Genuine batteries aren't bad, but they're very much over priced. And as far as i know they only come with the standard 2 year parts warranty, if one of them does happen to fail after 3 years tough luck. Personally i fitted a Yuasa one, same size but larger capacity and CCA than the original one too. |
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7th Aug 2017 7:38pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Dealer yesterday installed a new genuine battery. Still the same Varta 90LFD as used at assembly in Solihull, so 90Ah, 800CCA. Hopefully good for the next 9 years.
One thing is for sure, when plugging the Ctek to the old one it would invariably charge for 3, 4, or many more hours the last few years. This new one showed full after barely a few minutes on the Ctek. Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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15th Aug 2017 9:35pm |
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