Starter Battery Drain; How to stop ECU's etc from consuming battery when door opens?

[DenisM]

I’m having pretty significant issues with my factory 2battery set up. Overnight with the car locked, no auxiliary power going out or anything I can lose up to 10% on the dual battery system. Last night it was 72, wake up to drive down at 63. It’s also charging at a rate of amps quite often 2 A or less… and furthermore I’m struggling to ever see more than 82%… But when I first got the car it was in the high 90s

My car is going back to the dealership, I have to get this solved. I travel a lot and the two battery set up was a big selling point…

A quick way to check is to pop the bonnet just before you lock up for the night and take a voltage reading between the positive jump start post and a suitable earth. Next morning, before starting the engine, repeat the exercise and note the difference in readings. I suspect you'll find the system voltage displayed is reading lower than the actual on the volt meter.

Elsewhere on this forum are posts explaining that the 'smart alternator ' is designed to operate to maintain an 'overhead/surge capacity' of 20% in the charged capacity of the battery to make space for the 'harvested' charge when the vehicle is slowing down /over-running down a long grade etc. If you watch the behaviour of the charge meter on the display you'll see the charge rate increases significantly at this time.

The idea is to minimise draw from the alternator and supposedly save fuel when under throttle, but get rapid charge in bursts when there's min. throttle required.... fear not! It's a common adaption in many vehicles even without the dual battery arrangement peculiar to the Grenadier.

As explained elsewhere, the primary purpose of the second battery in the Grenadier is to pulse charge the main battery to maintain it in optimal condition and provide backup redundancy. The Smart pass 120s enables both batteries to automatically operate in parallel to provide sufficient juice to start the engine in the event that both have been somewhat depleted....

 

[Grumpy]

Levi,
When we first got ours we were in a similar position with a good charge when first recieved, but then initial first few months of ownership, drops of 8 or 9%. We too spoke with a service centre, more to get it lodged as an issue for future reference, and we're told nothing to concern about.
Roll on a year and it seems to settle into a pattern around it's usage. We sit on average 75-85% and have varying drops overnight but also the odd gain! She's never not started and we have run a 50ltr fridge off her when away and can leave that 2-3 days with no issues starting.
We now play lotto battery % bingo when first getting in the truck, to see who can guess the correct % before start up. Sad really!
Truck is nott a daily drive and is left for days without a start.

G

 

[ADVAW8S]

Only if Neusoft were engaged to develop and deliver the software then released without a maintenance contract. But that's nothing to do with being a Chinese company. If IA purchased the source code or it's held in escrow then it doesn't matter who did it - competence aside...

Just to test, have you try just locking your doors via key and leaving the alarm off. See if that makes any difference.

 

[Levi]

A quick way to check is to pop the bonnet just before you lock up for the night and take a voltage reading between the positive jump start post and a suitable earth. Next morning, before starting the engine, repeat the exercise and note the difference in readings. I suspect you'll find the system voltage displayed is reading lower than the actual on the volt meter.

Elsewhere on this forum are posts explaining that the 'smart alternator ' is designed to operate to maintain an 'overhead/surge capacity' of 20% in the charged capacity of the battery to make space for the 'harvested' charge when the vehicle is slowing down /over-running down a long grade etc. If you watch the behaviour of the charge meter on the display you'll see the charge rate increases significantly at this time.

The idea is to minimise draw from the alternator and supposedly save fuel when under throttle, but get rapid charge in bursts when there's min. throttle required.... fear not! It's a common adaption in many vehicles even without the dual battery arrangement peculiar to the Grenadier.

As explained elsewhere, the primary purpose of the second battery in the Grenadier is to pulse charge the main battery to maintain it in optimal condition and provide backup redundancy. The Smart pass 120s enables both batteries to automatically operate in parallel to provide sufficient juice to start the engine in the event that both have been somewhat depleted....

Thanks mate. I will do that check off the terminals that’s a good idea.

I did read some of these posts… but mine is not behaving in this manner. For example, today I’ve driven six hours, when I started the battery was in the low 60s SOC, it only just gotten to 70%, and during this time I’ve watched it and the display has never exceeded 1 to 2 A input. This includes city , highway, uphill or downhill. Simply won’t put any more than 2 A in.

And some other occasions however I do see it charging more appropriately, and it can go from 60 to 70% in 30 minutes…

Big problem finding is when I go away for even one or two nights I can bo longer rely on it to charge my fridge. In the past I could go for three nights no problems. I’ve been caught out where the protection mechanism shuts off Power after less than 24 hours now.

 

[Levi]

Levi,
When we first got ours we were in a similar position with a good charge when first recieved, but then initial first few months of ownership, drops of 8 or 9%. We too spoke with a service centre, more to get it lodged as an issue for future reference, and we're told nothing to concern about.
Roll on a year and it seems to settle into a pattern around it's usage. We sit on average 75-85% and have varying drops overnight but also the odd gain! She's never not started and we have run a 50ltr fridge off her when away and can leave that 2-3 days with no issues starting.
We now play lotto battery % bingo when first getting in the truck, to see who can guess the correct % before start up. Sad really!
Truck is nott a daily drive and is left for days without a start.

G

Thanks for the response. Mine is a little problematic as I am finding my very small 40 L fridge cutting off after only one night sometimes as the actual SOC gets too low stops. This is Simply seems to be because I’m starting at Too low point in the Delta is insufficient to run for more than 24 hours. When I first got it three days, no problems.