 | Home > Puma (Tdci) > Battery Troubles. |
 
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5424  
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You need to find the drain. This recent drain episode has killed your battery from the sounds of it. Batteries don’t like being flat, and can only withstand a certain amount of abuse.
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7th Oct 2023 7:51pm |
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| MarkBrown Member Since: 03 Oct 2022 Location: Mid Wales Posts: 327  
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My experience with batteries is one day they're fine, then they're not. The most recent was my tractor which had been no bother for the six years I've owned it but after I ran it flat as I'd left the ignition on - it a pull to stop type, so the key ( screwdriver ) can easily be left on - it wouldn't take a charge. So if that was a coincidence or not I don't know, but it needed a new battery.
A lawnmower battery however, was pretty bad when I had it and needed regular recharges, but has been fine since - about five years. It gets run once a week at least for six months, and once a month for six, but one day it won't play. I think that electrical drain on modern cars will do a battery in pretty quickly, especially an older one. I recently lost one this way on a spare car which wasn't run often enough. I'd get a new battery to start with. |
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8th Oct 2023 8:33am |
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| hornet Member Since: 04 Jan 2010 Location: Western Europe Posts: 330 |
Simply measure the drain as already mentioned, then you will know how high it is and you can theoretically make a statement about when the battery has too little voltage. Unplug the tracker while measuring and compare. Place your meter (amps) between the disconnected terminal (-) and the battery terminal (-). I don't know what the drain is on the defender normally, but when you disconnect your tracker you will see the difference. You can play with locking and unlocking the car and see if it also makes a difference. Would be nice if you coud report back your results. |
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12th Oct 2023 11:57am |
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| Ianh Member Since: 17 Sep 2018 Location: Essex Posts: 1782
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Worth looking at this recent topic on same thing https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic89581.html?highlight=battery
You will see from this topic your battery drain should be circa 0.05 amps The other thing to do is get the correct type of battery for your vehicle and use pattern. As yours seems like it now needs replacing and you leave it for a few weeks without being used i would say the perfect battery for you is a Varta LED95 which is a dual purpose EFB starter / leisure battery built for deep cycling I did a lot of research on the correct battery for my needs which sometimes includes weeks between starting and the LED95 has performed perfectly. See my posts on this battery topic https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic16605...p;start=30 |
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12th Oct 2023 12:25pm |
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| hornet Member Since: 04 Jan 2010 Location: Western Europe Posts: 330 |
Even simpler: read the technical specification of the tracker. For example, if it consumes 100mA current and your battery (new!) has 70Ah, then the battery will last 70,000mAh/100mA = 700h = 1 month/4 weeks.
Roughly calculated! |
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12th Oct 2023 2:28pm |
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| Sjmmarsh Member Since: 01 Jan 2023 Location: Lincs Posts: 57 
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The general rule of thumb is that lead acid batteries can use about 50% of their capacity before you start to have problems, so 2 weeks is about as far as you want to go in the example above.
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17th Oct 2023 10:33pm |
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| lakes Member Since: 08 Jan 2023 Location: Lake District Posts: 20
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The tracker company sent out an auto electrician who done the test - it’s drawing ~0.333A, he disconnected tracker and it didn’t make a difference. I’ve ordered some croc clips for multimeter sand I’ll get on with pulling fuses.
Anyone any suggestions on things to check first? Convinced it’s not the radio as you can’t even turn it on when the ignition is off and it doesn’t have any other bolt on bits. |
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19th Oct 2023 2:29pm |
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| Ianh Member Since: 17 Sep 2018 Location: Essex Posts: 1782
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Have you any usb chargers fitted ?
Also worth checking your earths for voltage drops. |
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19th Oct 2023 4:11pm |
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| lakes Member Since: 08 Jan 2023 Location: Lake District Posts: 20
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I do have a USB from the back of the radio that powers the footwell lighting - but I’ve only had then 6 months and issues have been ongoing for about 18 months with the battery.
Good idea I’ll check the earths |
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19th Oct 2023 4:30pm |
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| Sjmmarsh Member Since: 01 Jan 2023 Location: Lincs Posts: 57
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Check the interior lights are off. It is easy to miss if one is switched on inadvertently. It isn’t always obvious - one flattened my battery.
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19th Oct 2023 5:11pm |
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| JPE Member Since: 19 Nov 2018 Location: South West England Posts: 315 
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It’s likely the battery performance will have degraded if it’s old & been discharged. I found a new battery helped a lot when I was having problems. (Opened the door and alarm going off as loud as hell, until I could get 12v across it.) Also when it’s been standing a week or two unused I stick a trickle charger on it as a precaution.
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19th Oct 2023 5:18pm |
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| Sjmmarsh Member Since: 01 Jan 2023 Location: Lincs Posts: 57
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If you put a trickle charger on, make sure it is suitable - you want a battery conditioner if it is being left on for any length of time. A basic trickle charger will overcharge the battery and basically evaporate the acid ‘boil the battery’.
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19th Oct 2023 5:36pm |
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| lakes Member Since: 08 Jan 2023 Location: Lake District Posts: 20
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Had the multimeter out and connected it on the negative battery lead/terminal.
Starting point with everything off was 0.333A. Pulled all fuses and relays under the steering column and under the seat all of which had minimal/if any drop. Pretty stumped - have checked the earthing points as mentioned as far as I can - is there any particular ones that come loose on a puma to double check? I’m tempted to do the exercise again just incase I’ve missed something… all ideas/advice welcome. |
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22nd Oct 2023 9:40pm |
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| Ianh Member Since: 17 Sep 2018 Location: Essex Posts: 1782
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With the earths it is not just tightness of the nut, but how clean the contacts are and how well the wire is crimped to the terminal.
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22nd Oct 2023 10:15pm |
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