Discovery 2 electrical problems.

Hello,
I am new to the forum and hope I have posted this in the right place and someone can help me please ?
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I have a 2002 Discovery 2.This had a new OEM battery 2 years ago which recently went flat in one week without the Discovery being driven.I took it in to the main dealer and asked for a replacemnet as it had a 3 year warranty.They said it was not a faultly battery and could be the alternator,wiring or a fuse.They would not let me have my car back unless I paid for half an hours labour which was £70.00.Which I thought was a rip off.The orignal battery cost £168.00.
They told me the alternator is only putting out 20Amps which seems a lot to me,but I do not know.I do have a high Amp meter to test this as my DVM only goes to 10Amps.The light on the dash showing no charge never comes on.

Looking on this forum my alternator readings seem good>?

So i checked all the fuses witha DVM and earth connections.With my meter I get 14.77volts at 2000rpm with no load,if I put on the AC,lights and HRW it goes to 14.67 rpm at the same revs.


If I charge the battery up on my charger it reads 12.95v when charged and over 5 days it drops to 11.97 like today but started still.

I am at a loss as to what is wrong and hope you can help?,I think it could be the battery still and the main dealer was trying to avoid replacing it under warranty,but am not sure what else to do.the battery is a sealed type.
Worried now every time i go out will it start.
Thank you

Is it flat every day or does it take a week to go flat every time . I only ask as my d2 td5 always goes flat if left more than a week without starting . .it takes a lot to get them going And how many miles are you using it in a day to day . Cuz after a flat batt a short run is not enough to give the batt a good charge .

Vanmancan said:

Is it flat every day or does it take a week to go flat every time . I only ask as my d2 td5 always goes flat if left more than a week without starting . .it takes a lot to get them going And how many miles are you using it in a day to day . Cuz after a flat batt a short run is not enough to give the batt a good charge .

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^^^ +1...and what power has it(i mean AH and CCH)?

if you have a multimeter set it to DC Amp, disconnect battery neg. lead an pt the A-meter with + on the lead and (-) on the battery terminal(without ignition on)... up to 0.1A it's acceptable drain(the less the better) , report back with the stationary drain and i'll tell you more

Thank you both for your replies.I put my meter as you described and got 1.45Amps,which is not in line with your figure!.I did it several times and each time it is was within 0.01 of this.

I hope this means something to you?

I do use my Discovery on long runs and do not run around town.I have left once for 2 weeks when i went away for work,came back and it was fine,but now.!
Thank yopu.

Silver2 said:

Thank you both for your replies.I put my meter as you described and got 1.45Amps,which is not in line with your figure!.I did it several times and each time it is was within 0.01 of this.

I hope this means something to you?

I do use my Discovery on long runs and do not run around town.I have left once for 2 weeks when i went away for work,came back and it was fine,but now.!
Thank yopu.

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sounds like you have a power drain from somewhere,have you fitted any new electrical items recently?

yes, that's a stationary drain which "eats" your battery... even if the battery is 100AH let's say 1.5 A will drain down 60A of it in 40 hours ... you have to trace the drain... it's not easy, you have to remove fuses one by one with the a-meter connected and see on which one the drain drops to identify the circuit...start with the big fusible links in the engine bay first if you want to DIY or find a good independant auto electrician...avoid maine steelers(they are expensive and incompetents... IMO)

Thank you I will do this and report back.I will try myself.May I ask how do i remove a fusible link?...just pull out?
I am not familiar with them. I saw a thread on here where somebody had current leaking past a alternator because of Dioide failure which got me thinking.

If I get stuck i will try to find an auto electrician, is it okay to drive do you think,it seems to go fine its just when its left.I have not put anything on it at all,its a standard Disco.
Thanks again this has given me great encouragemnet.

just pull out the fusible link... i wrote about the diode thing, if it's so it could disturb electronics due to the AC component in DC...but usually a diode failure will not generate such big drain...it goes max to 1A

Thank you when the rain stops,I will do this and report back.
Many thanks

Hello,
well more confused now.I started this morning as it was dry after a wet weekend.I had to use the Disco over the weekend and did 150 mile round trip and he went fine.I did check battery volts before and after it was 12.2v at start and 12.65 when i got back.

I set my meter up today across the terminals and could not get any drain like i did before?.I changed range and the maximum I could get was 0.1.
Checked meter by using other functoion to make sure all was well and it is working as usual it seems..

But since my long drive and return again battery is droping volts as its gone down to 12.15 now from Saturday morning.

I hope you help me?
thank you

that voltage drop is not relevant... every battery will lose voltage... important is to keep the ampage and be able to start.... if the drain is 0.1 and stays there it means the battery will get weak in around 400 hours as it will lose about 40A... and the vots will bwe around 12 though

i asked before and you didnt answer... what AH and CCA has the battery???

From my earlier post,it was my fault fuse had come loose inside my DVM.

So while its stopped raining for a bit.


I have removed all fuses and links and pulled out all relays and put back in and cannot get any diffrence?

I did notice that if I opened any door the drain jumped up by another 1.25volt but interior lights were not on?

I went back looked at the central locking diagram and did all these fuses again.

Sadly battery is still loosing charge,I am hoping someone can suggest next move? Thank you.

Silver2 said:

From my earlier post,it was my fault fuse had come loose inside my DVM.

So while its stopped raining for a bit.


I have removed all fuses and links and pulled out all relays and put back in and cannot get any diffrence?

I did notice that if I opened any door the drain jumped up by another 1.25volt but interior lights were not on?

I went back looked at the central locking diagram and did all these fuses again.

Sadly battery is still loosing charge,I am hoping someone can suggest next move? Thank you.

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did you mean A not volt didnt u

when you open a door the SLABS ECU is activated for about 30 minutes and this might consume something but not over 1 A in normal conditions

besides did you remove FL1 (150A) too?

and by George why dont you tell me the AH and CCA of the battery...i want to help believe me

Sorry missed out the other information about battery.its says 12v,110A/H,RC195mins,800amps on it.

I hope this is correct and a number which is YGD10086D
Sorry I did not post earlier.

Silver2 said:

Sorry missed out the other information about battery.its says 12v,110A/H,RC195mins,800amps on it.

I hope this is correct and a number which is YGD10086D
Sorry I did not post earlier.

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big amp battery then.

Yes I did mean Amps,I took out all the ones which pushed in,3 were bolted in with torx x bolts I think in the engine compartment.i could not pull these out and assumed they were bolted in.i need to get a big terx bit to get them out which I will do.

Silver2 said:

Yes I did mean Amps,I took out all the ones which pushed in,3 were bolted in with torx x bolts I think in the engine compartment.i could not pull these out and assumed they were bolted in.i need to get a big terx bit to get them out which I will do.

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where abouts are you silver2?

Silver2 said:

Yes I did mean Amps,I took out all the ones which pushed in,3 were bolted in with torx x bolts I think in the engine compartment.i could not pull these out and assumed they were bolted in.i need to get a big terx bit to get them out which I will do.

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yes...i have a feeling that removing FL1 will reduce the drain

Helllo,
I have been delayed doing this waiting to get the Torx bits,I got them yesterday and you were spot on with FL1 removed the drain was .02 on my meter.!

Not sure where to go from here as studying the diagrams in my manual FL1 seems to be involved in lots of wiring diagrams and bits.

Can you tell me what I need to do please?

next step put FL1 back and undo the wires from the alternator and measure then... might be the cause of the drain