2 x P38's with flattening batteries ?

[zim]

Evening,

Both my boss and I have p38's, which we both leave parked up for 3 weeks at a time (for the last 3 years)....and both always start perfectly fine when we come back to them.

But last Thursday, i parked up at Gt Yarmouth port in our own designated car park....came to it early Monday morning to find a flat battery. Jumped a spare on it, to get me up n running. (Went for an 80mile drive, so i'm confident it had a decent charge by the time i got back)

Then my boss mentioned the following day that his had battled to start.... so we tried his last night to find that also flat. Checked mine today (Friday) and it's flat

My battery is about 3 months old.

Put a voltmeter on mine when i'd just got it started tonight using another battery, and it was at 13.8v (a little low i guess, but this was still charging up my flat bat), his was charging at 14.5 (but he did go out for a drive on Weds night, compared to me on Monday)... Checked my alt about 10mins later and it was putting out 56A.

So from this i'm confident there is nothing wrong with either charging system.

..... answers on a postcard please ?

I'm sure i've read somewhere on the internet about P38's sometimes getting interferance to the alarm receiver ? Does this ring any bells to anybody ?

Tonight it's parked up alongside the rig about 400yds from the car park, so i'll check tomorrow if she fires up ok ???

Cheers

Gordon

[stuck]

Gordon,

I'm guessing you have a clip on ammeter capable of measuring DC, have you done the obvious and measured the battery drain with everything turned off?

Mick.

[zim]

I'll have to do that later today.... I was in a rush yesterday so didn't have the clamp whilst in the said car park.

Any ideas what the draw should be with all the ecu's sleeping vs when they're being woken up ?

G

[David Sparkes]

Use YWY500170 as your search term in this and any other forums you choose, or even Google it.

You could do worse than start with Landywiki at http://www.landywiki.co.uk/index.php?title=P38A_Keys_and_Security

It is all of interest, but section 1.8 appears relevant.

Also http://www.landywiki.co.uk/index.php?title=BeCM on the Sleep Test.

You will also find information on the Rangerovers.net site, both the 38A forum and the 38A Section of the main site.

Your clamp meter may not be effective at the low currents expected (mA).

If you don't find them elsewhere the numbers you ask about are in the RAVE CD, see the Technical Archive on this site.

The important 'number' is YWY500170.

[pete3000]

Yup try http://www.mez.co.uk/page12.html bit on rf receivers. This interference was a problem for my brothers p38.

Confirmed with a radio scanner on 433mhz.

Easy test at night/dark park up and switch off. close doors and sit watching the gearshift indicators. The park led will glow faintly while becm is awake. if your becm goes to sleep after 2mins it will go out and stay out until you open a door.

If you have interference it will go out briefly then re light, then again after 2 mins etc until flat battery and annoying alarm events etc.

Solution of removing antenna lead connector from unit works, or you can buy a new spec rf receiver at £165.00

Pete

[zim]

Cheers for the replies... I'll have a look for the going out lights.

I popped out before with my clamp. (and yes, it's not gonna measure mA i realise that) and i didn't fancy having to reset the radio so didn't use an inline ameter....

But found that i had about a 0.5 - 0.6 amp draw which stopped after a short while here at the rig, but didn't stop at our car park.

With all the electrics on i managed to get the car drawing 96A (2 x seats, 2 x heated windows, fans, compressor and lights). The alt was putting out 93A which isn't too bad. Idling with nothing on, it was drawing about 20A. The alt seems to output about 10A more than what the car was drawing

Regards

Gordon