How long should the battery last when doors are open ?
If the tailgate/doors are left open and the courtesy lights are on, how long would you expect the battery to last ? Mine lasts approx 2-3 hours before giving up the ghost !
Is this a sign that the battery needs changing or is this normal ?
15th Jun 2009 8:24 pm
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15th Jun 2009 8:26 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
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Top tip from DiscoDunc, press & hold the front centre light switch until interior lights flash, interior lights are now off. To switch them back on repeat.
15th Jun 2009 8:30 pm
DiscoStu
Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412
Top tip for turning the lights off, Del
However the battery will still be flat in 2 - 3 hours It's not just the lights, lots of the cars' systems stay awake with the doors openDisco 5 HSE Lux
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15th Jun 2009 8:58 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
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Every little helps!!!
15th Jun 2009 9:32 pm
discoboy
Member Since: 30 Jan 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 155
If this is normal then it's a real PITA, thanks for the tips for turning off the lights. The trouble is that I was almost left stranded once and on 2 or 3 occasions since the engine only just started, not good.
Looks like I will need to invest in one of those emergency booster gadgets.
17th Jun 2009 10:59 am
NeilD
Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
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Am I right in thinking that if the door is open the car is still live - or am I mad, mad I say!?.
Member Since: 06 Apr 2006
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Looks like I will need to invest in one of those emergency booster gadgets.[/quote]
I bought one for the same reason but it didn't have enough power to turn the engine over. When the LRA chap arrived he had one which wouldn't work either, he had to use jump leads.never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly
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17th Jun 2009 11:17 am
cobblers
Member Since: 06 Dec 2008
Location: Chester
Posts: 175
DiscoStu wrote:
However the battery will still be flat in 2 - 3 hours It's not just the lights, lots of the cars' systems stay awake with the doors open
I'm interested to know more about this. I didn't realise this would be a problem, I often will leave the boot open for long periods, (but turn off the lights) I presumed it would use marginally less power than when locked even (as its not powering the alarm). It seems I may have just been lucky to not flatten the battery completely.
Is there a way of having the doors open for an extended period without consuming a large part of the batteries charge (and without disconnecting the battery)?
17th Jun 2009 12:29 pm
ad15
Member Since: 14 Dec 2008
Location: up that tree
Posts: 4866
am curois too, as well as leaving the boot open at home on a hot day, also for camping, if sleeping inside, with oztents etc etc..
is there no way of it being open and no electric drain?
17th Jun 2009 1:44 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
Quote:
However the battery will still be flat in 2 - 3 hours It's not just the lights, lots of the cars' systems stay awake with the doors open
sorry Stu, but I'm going to diagree
Not with the fact that systems stay alive, but that the battery flattens in 2-3 hours.
Went camping a few weeks ago and with the interior lights on the car struggled to start after about 2 hours of opening and closing doors. the next day I turned the interior lights off. The car doors were opened and closed many many times over an 8 hour period and the battery was still showing 12 volts and car started no problem....
why's that then ? do the interior light trigger the systems ?Duncan
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17th Jun 2009 1:59 pm
discoboy
Member Since: 30 Jan 2009
Location: UK
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Just looked in my local Halfrauds, they have a selection of 3 battery starter/booster type gadgets. The Halfrauds version contains a 16ah battery and has a 400amp/900amp peak starter and costs £69, does anyone know if this is sufficient to start a D3 ? They are rated for vehicles up to 2.5 litre ?
It might be easier and more cost effective to carry a spare battery around ! Gel type ?
17th Jun 2009 3:12 pm
Bushwanderer
Member Since: 27 Nov 2007
Location: Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia
Posts: 2050
Not scientific, I know, but when in a tropical Queensland summer, I used to leave the NSR door & the upper tailgate open (for hours) in order to reduce the load on the fridge. I didn't have any starting problems.
The fridge was running off an auxiliary battery, but that doesn't change the scenario presented above.
The key wasn't in the ignition.
Best Wishes,
PeterThe Bearded Dragon
18th Jun 2009 2:13 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
At Eastnor the other week, I was marshalling the off road course, I had the tailgate of my D3 open all day each day. I had turned the interior lights off. She started fine.
However, at Billing a few years ago, my old (54) D3 was left with the tailgate open for a long time, and it was dead.
Maybe a difference depending on model year?
18th Jun 2009 9:09 am
goodfella
Member Since: 03 Apr 2007
Location: Salford
Posts: 533
[quote="discoboy"]Just looked in my local Halfrauds, they have a selection of 3 battery starter/booster type gadgets. The Halfrauds version contains a 16ah battery and has a 400amp/900amp peak starter and costs £69, does anyone know if this is sufficient to start a D3 ? They are rated for vehicles up to 2.5 litre ?
I have the Halfords Power Pack 200 and it did not start my D3 when I flattened it camping a few weeks ago. I'll add though that it was probably only 90% charged and to begin with I wasn't earthing it correctly to the negative terminal but doing as per the manual and putting it on an engine mount.
Couldn't say for certain if it will/won't start the D3 until the next time it happens.Badda bing.......How you doin'?
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It's not just the lights, lots of the cars' systems stay awake with the doors open
