Battery life

[jlglr4]

I believe there are low battery warnings for the tire pressure monitors and the key fob as well as for the aux/main batteries. I’m not sure what the particular messages are that you get with each type of warning. I seem to think the main battery warnings says something like low battery - start engine or something like that.

 

[Land Rover Joe]

Since getting my LR4 in 2010, I have probably put in something like 6 batteries, including the larger truck batteries (recommended!) I also use the TRAXIDE dual system to help out (also highly recommended!) However, these trucks are simply power hungry. I am putting in a new alternator with my engine rebuild (I am on the original and am sure it has seen better days) so that is always a consideration, but the reality is that these vehicles have a lot of ECU's and need a lot of juice. One thing I learned (the hard way) was to buy a digital battery maintainer and use it in the garage (obviously impossible if you are parked in the street). Especially important to hook that thing up before beginning any work on the vehicle. I probably killed my first two batteries tinkering with the truck thinking "Oh, I will just do this little thing" and then two hours later...still working. And the computer cannot go into sleep mode / low power when you are opening and closing doors and whatnot.

Hope that helps and the gang has a lot of great suggestions for bigger / better batteries.

 

[gsxr]

I don't think it's normal for LR4's to eat batteries quite that rapidly. My previous battery (H7 / 94R) lasted about 7 years. When it failed suddenly, I replaced it with the larger H8/49 AGM, which is still going strong after 4 years. I do keep the truck plugged into a maintainer with full-time desulfation, and pop the hood when parked in the garage to avoid heat soak, which might help battery life slightly. But replacing batteries every 2-3 years? I'd want to figure out why.

 

[16FujiDisco]

I don't think it's normal for LR4's to eat batteries quite that rapidly. My previous battery (H7 / 94R) lasted about 7 years. When it failed suddenly, I replaced it with the larger H8/49 AGM, which is still going strong after 4 years. I do keep the truck plugged into a maintainer with full-time desulfation, and pop the hood when parked in the garage to avoid heat soak, which might help battery life slightly. But replacing batteries every 2-3 years? I'd want to figure out why.

This is my routine as well.

We have 3 cats but now both work from home, so we’d have dead batteries everywhere if I didn’t tender them.

 

[bbyer]

Yes, per above replace the alternator. The link below has a couple of files within that discusse the charging system setup on my LR3. I expect there is not much difference between the 3 and 4 with regards to the electrical system. Well, I guess it did get even more fussy.

In brief, the internal regulator within the alternator is probably sick. While Ford calls them a Smart Regulator, in reality the regulator design is to me, very dumb. Rather than like the old days where the regulator used to communicate directly with the battery, now the regulator sends its signals to the engine computer (ECM, Engine Control Module) and the alternator located regulator gets its instructions back from the engine computer, not the battery.

The thinking behind this design is pollution controls related and while it might work re emissions, it does not do a very good job of looking after the battery. Effectively, the battery never gets to more than an 80% State of Charge (SoC). This might be a good concept for your cell phone battery but does not work very well for our mobile 4x4 computers masquerading as Land Rovers.

In any case, something goes wrong with the electronics in the regulator and the only practical fix is a new alternator, and hope that the regulator within is good.

My story/education is that my 3 used to eat taillights when it was new.

Every six months or so, I was replacing a bulb back there (use only genuine Land Rover). After watching my ScanGauge voltage readout being high 14 volts as a norm, I decided to install a rebuilt alternator.

That solved the taillight problem but I eventually realized the system voltage was now charging most days at closer to low 13 volts than 14. I figured it was again the regulator so replaced that alternator with another and all good for many years.

Also the dash red alternator light is controlled by the ECM, not the alternator or whatever like it used to be, hence when it goes on, you really do not know what it signals other than maybe an unhappy ECM.

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[bbyer]

I don't think it's normal for LR4's to eat batteries quite that rapidly. My previous battery (H7 / 94R) lasted about 7 years. When it failed suddenly, I replaced it with the larger H8/49 AGM, which is still going strong after 4 years. I do keep the truck plugged into a maintainer with full-time desulfation, and pop the hood when parked in the garage to avoid heat soak, which might help battery life slightly. But replacing batteries every 2-3 years? I'd want to figure out why.

You are cheating. Yes, keeping the battery on a maintainer is an excellent way of keeping your battery good for a long time - my complements.

I get maybe four years out of my Interstate H7 (fits easier) but only use a maintainer in the winter and not everyday - more like a week at a time. My 3 is a daily driver but as the battery never gets to a near 100% state of charge per my post above, I try to help it out in the winter.

I admit to not being as diligent as you are and have sort of resigned myself to a new battery every four years or so.