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Meiang



Member Since: 29 Apr 2011
Location: Perth
Posts: 402

Australia 2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 HSE Santorini Black
Battery Electrolyte Level Checking

The battery which the dealer put in my 2010 TDV8 under warranty is a Jaguar/Landrover branded unit. The no load voltage is around 12.2-12.3v which seems a bit low and I have been telling the dealer for some time as it has been this way since they put it in. There is no obvious way of checking the electrolyte level. I removed the white stickers on top of the battery which exposed a cover which runs the length of the battery in the centre and is about 60mm wide. The battery vent plugs into this cover. I tried to remove this cover to expose what I though would be fill caps below. No matter how I tried the cover would not come off,. To do so I think would damage the cover as it is very firmly fixed in place.

Any Ideas.

Post #502802 Sun Aug 14 2016 1:41pm
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fkarim



Member Since: 14 Apr 2012
Location: London
Posts: 2216

United Kingdom 

It is probably a maintenance free battery. Does it say AGM anywhere on the battery or stickers? For the ones where you are expected to top-up electrolyte level they make the filler caps easily accessible. You certainly don't need to take it apart to check/fill the liquid! Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

Post #502803 Sun Aug 14 2016 1:51pm
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Meiang



Member Since: 29 Apr 2011
Location: Perth
Posts: 402

Australia 2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 HSE Santorini Black
Battery Electrolyte Level Checking

The sticker on the battery indicated the following:
12V 90Ah
850 A (EN)
AGM/VRLA/MF

Landrover Part No. BH42-10655-BA

I found this a usefull link on information of AGM batteries:

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article...ss_mat_agm

Post #502805 Sun Aug 14 2016 2:11pm
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fkarim



Member Since: 14 Apr 2012
Location: London
Posts: 2216

United Kingdom 

Right, so it IS an AGM battery => no top-up required. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

Post #502808 Sun Aug 14 2016 2:32pm
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Meiang



Member Since: 29 Apr 2011
Location: Perth
Posts: 402

Australia 2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 HSE Santorini Black
AGM Batteries Dont Like Heat

A lot of AGM batteries sold in Australia have their warranty void if they are mounted in the engine bay. Also AGM batteries here have a bad reputation for not lasting especially in turbo diesel vehicles where the under bonnet temperatures get very high.

The issue seems to be heat. So why would LR/RR specifiy their use. They may be OK in a cold climate but what about hot climates.

The engine bay in my TDV8 gets seriously hot in summer and there is no ventilation around the battery area. On a hot day the mechanical fan is always running hard when driving around town.

A battery lasting no more than 2 years is simply not acceptable especially when the LR replacement is close to $600 (UKP 350).

Battery life seems to be a real issue on these cars. I wonder if it is because the battery in its current location is getting too hot. A lot of vehicles here have cool air directed around the battery to stop it getting overheated. Maybe the RRS needs a modification to keep the battery cool. We might find the batteries last a lot longer.

Post #502812 Sun Aug 14 2016 2:53pm
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JOCK55



Member Since: 01 Sep 2015
Location: INVERNESS
Posts: 415

United Kingdom 2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Firenze Red

Maybe you should export some of your excess sunshine to the UK and the mods would be done by LR PDQ!

Old Jock 2018 (MY19) Jaguar F-Pace R-Sport 300PS Petrol in Caesium Blue with many bells and whistles.
2015 RRS HSE SDV6 Firenze Red with Santorini Panoramic Glass Roof, gone but not forgotten.

Post #502818 Sun Aug 14 2016 4:44pm
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fkarim



Member Since: 14 Apr 2012
Location: London
Posts: 2216

United Kingdom 
Re: AGM Batteries Dont Like Heat

Meiang wrote:
A lot of AGM batteries sold in Australia have their warranty void if they are mounted in the engine bay. Also AGM batteries here have a bad reputation for not lasting especially in turbo diesel vehicles where the under bonnet temperatures get very high.

The issue seems to be heat. So why would LR/RR specifiy their use. They may be OK in a cold climate but what about hot climates.

The engine bay in my TDV8 gets seriously hot in summer and there is no ventilation around the battery area. On a hot day the mechanical fan is always running hard when driving around town.

A battery lasting no more than 2 years is simply not acceptable especially when the LR replacement is close to $600 (UKP 350).

Battery life seems to be a real issue on these cars. I wonder if it is because the battery in its current location is getting too hot. A lot of vehicles here have cool air directed around the battery to stop it getting overheated. Maybe the RRS needs a modification to keep the battery cool. We might find the batteries last a lot longer.

Unless it is within your circle of control or circle of influence, "let it go" would be my sincere advice Thumbs Up Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

Post #502819 Sun Aug 14 2016 5:39pm
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RRSTDV8



Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 8978

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Orkney Grey

Have you tried charging the battery? Driving around, especially if short distances, will never recharge it fully unless you can get a long run in to it. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Post #502833 Sun Aug 14 2016 8:05pm
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Barryp



Member Since: 05 Nov 2011
Location: Sydney
Posts: 261

Australia 2013 Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 SE Fuji White

Not sure but I think the 2010 models had the Battery Monitoring System (BMS) fitted. If so it should have been reset if a new battery was fitted. Certainly my 2011 has BMS and I did the reset with my 11D tool.
Regards
Barry 2017 Range Rover Sport TDV6 L494 SE Fuji White
2011 Range Rover Sport SDV6 L320 SE Fuji White Loved but GONE
2010 TRAKKA Motorhome Fiat Ducato GONE (What a dud, don't buy one)
2006 Discovery 3 SE TDV6 Automatic Chawton White/Ebony. Loved but GONE
2006 BMW X5 diesel White/Charcoal, Bought new, Gone after 12 years! Was Excellent.
Ex Member Range Rover Club NSW

Post #502842 Sun Aug 14 2016 9:16pm
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Meiang



Member Since: 29 Apr 2011
Location: Perth
Posts: 402

Australia 2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 HSE Santorini Black
AGM Batteries Dont Like Heat

I charged the battery yesterday and it took about 7h to be fully charged using my C-Tek battery charger. I checked the battery voltage this morning before starting the car and my multimeter indicated 12.44v. Took the car on the school run (about 10km return trip). Plugged the battery charger back in when I got home and the battery charger has now been on for over an hour and the C-Tek unit indicates that it is not fully charged.

My daily drive at the moment is two 10km return trips doing the school run.

Post #502857 Mon Aug 15 2016 1:27am
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Meiang



Member Since: 29 Apr 2011
Location: Perth
Posts: 402

Australia 2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 HSE Santorini Black
Battery Management System

My August 2010 build TDV8 does not have the BMS system installed. The plug and lead are installed but no module is present on the battery positive lead.

Post #502859 Mon Aug 15 2016 2:18am
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Hog



Member Since: 03 Dec 2015
Location: Wassenaar
Posts: 254

Netherlands 2012 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Lux Buckingham Blue

Meiang >>. good that you are back on the road again anyway! Try a so called deep cycle battery like an " Optimum"
Excellent US product

Post #502902 Mon Aug 15 2016 4:29pm
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Hog



Member Since: 03 Dec 2015
Location: Wassenaar
Posts: 254

Netherlands 2012 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Lux Buckingham Blue

I mean " Optima"

Post #502903 Mon Aug 15 2016 4:31pm
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