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MrWold



Member Since: 26 Feb 2022
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 130

England 2014 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Barolo Black
Do *I* need a new battery - yet another thread

So my car seems to live in a constant 'low battery - start engine' state and I've decided to look into it.

In a nutshell, my ctek charger charges main battery up to about 12.69V but the car only gets it up to about 12.5V and the voltage drops at up to 0.2V per day hence constant low voltage.


This is a MY14 2 battery non stop/start model with a Lion AGM 95Ah main and an Exide (LR branded) AGM 70Ah auxillary. Both batteries were fitted to the car (ie may not have been new batteries and I think not) for me when I bought it in March to solve the low battery message which then went away for a few months. I do mostly short journeys and not a lot of them.

I now have a BM2 battery monitor fitted to each so can see what is going on. The BM2s report charging at about 14.49V on both batteries. The auxillary battery seems to get itself a little top up charge each time the engine is run and settles down at about 12.9V after that and drop about 0.3V over 5 days.

The main battery charges all the time the engine is running but once switched off voltage drops to around 12.4V and then continues to drop at up to 0.2V per day. A recent journey of about 55 mins ended at 12.43V, break for lunch then journey home but still only 12.44V. I called the AA out after this whose machine pronounced the battery fine but needed charging!

Took battery out of the car today and ctek'd it, bulk load phase only so about 80% charged and now nothing connected to it at all and checking occasionally with multimeter.
Results are: at time of disconnect 13.10V, +1hr 12.63V, +2hr 12.61V, +3hr 12.59V, +4hr 12.58V, +5hr 12.57V, +6hr 12.56V

This is my first L405 so don't know what I should expect so does this look like the battery, a drain problem or BMS or what??? To me it looks like the battery is not charging fully and voltage dropping too quickly but what do I know? Chris

2014 FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Barolo Black
2012 RRS SDV6 HSE Baltic Blue
and before I saw the light:
2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara SZ5
1998 Ford Mondeo V6 Ghia X
1990 Citroen BX GTi
1973 Triumph GT6

Post #652339 2nd Jan 2023 4:41pm
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Gremlin500



Member Since: 11 Mar 2022
Location: Newcastle, UK
Posts: 1185

United Kingdom 2017 Range Rover Vogue TDV6 Corris Grey

Hi, sounds like your main battery is getting weak and can’t hold charge, hence the messages. A decent battery fully charged shoul read about 12.6V and hold that for several days in storage. Search “Battery” on here, there are loads of threads, some with links to a cheap but decent battery capacity tester. Thumbs Up “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Post #652344 2nd Jan 2023 5:43pm
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Alistair



Member Since: 11 Feb 2011
Location: Peterborough / Bordeaux / Andorra
Posts: 7724

United Kingdom 2013 Range Rover Vogue SE SDV8 Santorini Black

I'm no expert, but if the voltage is dropping like that with nothing connected, it certainly seems like an issue with the battery.

If it's already out - and you have another car - I'd take it to Halfords or Euro Car Parts and ask them to test it.

Post #652345 2nd Jan 2023 5:45pm
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Gremlin500



Member Since: 11 Mar 2022
Location: Newcastle, UK
Posts: 1185

United Kingdom 2017 Range Rover Vogue TDV6 Corris Grey

Also, as advsed on other posts, check tailgate operation is not sluggish, its a good sign of a weak battery Thumbs Up “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Post #652346 2nd Jan 2023 5:45pm
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luxmoggy



Member Since: 19 Jun 2020
Location: Trier
Posts: 432

Germany 2019 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Montalcino Red

The main battery that I took out of the car acted like that one. Was told by a dealer that it just needed charging. I also charged it after I replaced it (to keep it for spare if was OK). But the voltage dropped quickly.

My new main battery only dropped 0.14V in 7 days while parked in temps of -8C to 4C. I am happy that I replaced it.

I think that the second battery masked the state of the main battery. SDV8 AB MY 2020
MINI Cooper S Cabrio
Kit: Jaguar XK140 (in progress - the website is link to build)

Post #652351 2nd Jan 2023 6:07pm
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MrWold



Member Since: 26 Feb 2022
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 130

England 2014 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Barolo Black

Thanks guys, I think we're in agreement that i need a new one.

Gremlin500 wrote:
.. a cheap but decent battery capacity tester. Thumbs Up
If you're referring to the Kingbolen BM580 which I have. This is after I'd finished taking readings today:
Res 3.43mOhms
CCA 674A
STD 850A
Vol 12.44V
SOH 63%
SOC 73%
Result Normal
I guess the CCA should equal the input value of 850 on a perfect battery or is it just calculating that from the voltage which is low anyway.

Alistair wrote:
If it's already out - and you have another car - I'd take it to Halfords or Euro Car Parts and ask them to test it.
That would mean going in my wife's 1.0L 3 cylinder VW Up Rolling with laughter and it's back in now anyway so locked and alarmed but I will take it and see what they can tell me that I can't find for myself. Chris

2014 FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Barolo Black
2012 RRS SDV6 HSE Baltic Blue
and before I saw the light:
2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara SZ5
1998 Ford Mondeo V6 Ghia X
1990 Citroen BX GTi
1973 Triumph GT6

Post #652352 2nd Jan 2023 6:18pm
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MrWold



Member Since: 26 Feb 2022
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 130

England 2014 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Barolo Black

luxmoggy wrote:
The main battery that I took out of the car acted like that one. Was told by a dealer that it just needed charging. I also charged it after I replaced it (to keep it for spare if was OK). But the voltage dropped quickly.

My new main battery only dropped 0.14V in 7 days while parked in temps of -8C to 4C. I am happy that I replaced it.

I think that the second battery masked the state of the main battery.


That's all very useful. I've noticed that my second battery is called on to help unlock the car judging by the synchronised voltage drops on the two batteries. So the second one seems to do more than just the documented help with starting. Chris

2014 FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Barolo Black
2012 RRS SDV6 HSE Baltic Blue
and before I saw the light:
2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara SZ5
1998 Ford Mondeo V6 Ghia X
1990 Citroen BX GTi
1973 Triumph GT6

Post #652353 2nd Jan 2023 6:22pm
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adara



Member Since: 09 Dec 2008
Location: Eastern Europe
Posts: 736

Romania 2019 Range Rover Vogue 2.0 PHEV Santorini Black

Quote:
So the second one seems to do more than just the documented help with starting.


It does indeed, at least on the PHEV variant:

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/post650227.html#650227 2019 Vogue P400e

Post #652357 2nd Jan 2023 6:47pm
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dhallworth



Member Since: 10 Oct 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 2950

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Autobiography TDV8 Baltic Blue

Having had Lion batteries in cars I’ve bought before, I’d never have another again. They don’t last 5 minutes in my experience.

If you’re having issues, the first thing I’d do is bin that battery but that’s just me Smile

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Post #652390 2nd Jan 2023 10:06pm
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