T

TY-RANGE-ONE

New Member
Hi all, I have just been away for a few days. I drove my RANGE ROVER 4.6 HSE P38 1997 about 800 miles.
It sat outside my house afterwards for 4 days.
Now there is no power to the car at all..

I thought that it was my battery (though it’s only 11 months old). Put onto the charger and it was already 100% charged!

Has anyone got any idea? Or advise me if there are any tests that I can do to find out what’s going on.

I have checked all fuses under the bonnet and under the driver's seat. Not sure how to check the relays..

Any advise/help will be appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Tyrone
:doh:
 
Put a test meter (DVM) across the battery to see if you actually have 12 volts without the charger connected. Connecting a battery charger does not necessarily meant the battery is good.

Does nothing work? Have your tried the lights etc? If nothing works it could be something as simple as corrosion on the battery terminals. If the lights work check the battery voltage with the lights on, it should stay above 12 volts if the battery is good.
 
Thanks for the quick reply, it was dark when I got in last night, using a torch I checked fuses; but was too dark to check all the leads.
Battery connections looked okay but I will check tomorrow in the daylight.
I'm going to buy a test meter after work tonight so will test battery tomorrow and try and see if there is power getting to the fuse box.

I didn’t try the lights yesterday but i did try the ignition and there were no ignition lights.
Also alarm/central locking is dead.

I will update!

Thanks again..
 
To confirm, there are no head lights working. Nothing electrical is working at all. I'm picking the tester tomorrow to see what I can find out.
Rgds
Tyrone
 
Nope, no Rats- just a dead battery! Multi meter reading of 0.12v!!
Tested all the wires and cables and all seem fine! Tried my Mrs’ battery in there and the wonderful sound of beeping came from inside! She had life again!
Couldn’t try starting as the battery I was using was completely different and I have to hold it awkwardly to get the connection.
New battery on order and should be here tomorrow....now to test the alternator as I had driven 800 miles 4 days before the battery went flat..... lets hope its not due to a power drain!!
 
TY-RANGE-ONE said:
Nope, no Rats- just a dead battery! Multi meter reading of 0.12v!!
Tested all the wires and cables and all seem fine! Tried my Mrs’ battery in there and the wonderful sound of beeping came from inside! She had life again!
Couldn’t try starting as the battery I was using was completely different and I have to hold it awkwardly to get the connection.
New battery on order and should be here tomorrow....now to test the alternator as I had driven 800 miles 4 days before the battery went flat..... lets hope its not due to a power drain!!
Click to expand...

Are you sure you didn't leave summit like an interior light on? or that the ECU wasn't kept awake?

You really need to charge the battery and then drop test it to confirm it's duff.
 
The charger was brand new so I don't know if the charger is at fault?? How could I test if I don't have another battery?? I'll try and get hold of another charger and test the old battery again...

Just put the new battery on and everything is back to normal. I tested the battery once connected = 12.40 volts; then while running = 13.91 volts and then running with headlights on = no change.

I'll be using it to get to work tonight. So fingers crossed I can get home in the morning.

My journey to work is only 15-20 mins 4 days a week so maybe this is why the battery went dead??? I’ll have to monitor the voltage this week.

I've seen in my local car parts shop a Solar panel charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket. Are these any good?? I’m thinking that as my car doesn’t get used all the time, the short journeys I’m doing are killing the battery??
(I work shifts 4 on 4 off and the car doesn’t really get used in-between...)
Would it be worthwhile to install a battery gauge so I can keep an eye on it?

Thanks for all you help and advice so far!!

Tyrone


I know that the system normally goes to sleep but in the day with my privacy glass its hard to see. i'll check when it get a bit darker to allow me to see the led in the auto selector go off.
 
Hi.

Little journeys will kill a good battery quite quickly...the 38's are lecky hungary especially over short distances as there is nowhere near enough going back in. Either a good solar panel or a battery minder (Mains supply but plugs in through the cigar lighter/power outlet) will do the trick.
 
I wasn't using my previous defender that often. If I left it more than 2 or 3 weeks the battery would be flat. I stuck a number plate sized solar charger on it and never had a flat battery again.:)


Til it got torched.:mad::mad::mad:
 
As I have to park a distance from my house I'm think I’m going to look into the Solar panel trickle battery topper upper.. Just a question to anyone who has one or knows about them; could it over charge the battery or damage it?? The one I'm looking at is- Solar-Powered 12V 1.5W Battery Trickle Charger : Solar Battery Chargers : Maplin

Let me know what you guys think. If it’s no good please let me know what's the best one for be to buy.

Thanks

Tyrone
 
TY-RANGE-ONE said:
As I have to park a distance from my house I'm think I’m going to look into the Solar panel trickle battery topper upper.. Just a question to anyone who has one or knows about them; could it over charge the battery or damage it?? The one I'm looking at is- Solar-Powered 12V 1.5W Battery Trickle Charger : Solar Battery Chargers : Maplin

Let me know what you guys think. If it’s no good please let me know what's the best one for be to buy.

Thanks

Tyrone
Click to expand...

this will not charge a flat battery,it is just for topping up a normal battery.
 
Wot Gemsdad said ^^^.


That is the same as what I used to use. Come to think of it I might well put it in my current landy.:)
 
If left on for a few days could it do any damage though? I mean once the battery if topped up would it stop charging? I might have to go to Maplins to find out...
 
TY-RANGE-ONE said:
If left on for a few days could it do any damage though? I mean once the battery if topped up would it stop charging? I might have to go to Maplins to find out...
Click to expand...

NO. I left mine on 24/7. The only time I unplugged it was when starting the engine as I didn't want to burn the diode out.
 
From Maplins website
Q) Will this cut off the current to prevent overcharging if the battery reaches full charge? - nu
A) No sorry this product does not support that.

:confused:
:confused:
 
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