So placing the battery on charge as per above insructions is there a need to remove it? I presume from earlier posts the answer will be, yes

So how do I keep the cars alarm/imoboliser on? And my insurance valid

Is my battery charger suitable?
http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/ring/rs...6-amp.aspx Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Seems an awful lot of fuss for a flippin battery
Mine is just over three years old and never missed a beat, summer and winter (down to -30C sometimes) and covered in snow in the mountains for up to a week at a time. Have never needed to or even the thought of charging the battery other than what Freely does herself. If and when it dies I will just buy another.

Several years ago a BMW I owned for 8+ years, was started every day for transport to work and only needed a new battery at the end of my ownership. However in the old days of Austin Minis and Ford Capri's, battery charging was a fairly normal thing occasionally but these days seems rather dated. Makes me think that this discussion in 2010 about needing to charge batteries on a Freelander 2 forum is pretty unnecessary.  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Modern Cars:
Never needed to use anything other that the car's alternator to refresh the battery, and, they have usually last 5+ years depending upon the individual model of car.

Motorbikes:
Different story - Itaiian or British both need to have their batteries tendered to Optimate Chargers during winter to give them "life support". Even then if I get 3yrs I'm happy and at 4 years I get rid because I don't want a battery related roadside breakdown on a motorbike along some minor road in a foreign land miles away from any garage / recovery service. Why - because sod's law dictates that it will happen in a monsoon, or, on a baking hot day. Being drenched in a tropical storm or roasted like a chicken off the beaten track is no fun.

So like Andy the FL2 stays outside in all weathers and temperatures - last winter it started every day no problem down to -27°C and up to 40°C in the summer and I expect it to do so again and again until year 5. And when the time comes to change batteries I'll put an Odessey Battery in there as I've found these to be the best performers Car or Bike.

Now I'm off to put the ski rack on - time for the season's first ski with daughter (mum at work)

An interesting subject but as a few others have said, what a hassle to go about charging it every few weeks never knowing if you have prolonged it's life anyway. When it gives up I will buy another, simple.

npinks wrote:

So placing the battery on charge as per above insructions is there a need to remove it? I presume from earlier posts the answer will be, yes

So how do I keep the cars alarm/imoboliser on? And my insurance valid

Is my battery charger suitable?
http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/ring/rs...6-amp.aspx

I might look in to them as I work half mile from home, and require my car for short trips of between 20-60 a day,

Turning out to be a interesting thread  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

npinks wrote:

I might look in to them as I work half mile from home, and require my car for short trips of between 20-60 a day,

Turning out to be a interesting thread

athelstan wrote:

Modern Cars:
Never needed to use anything other that the car's alternator to refresh the battery, and, they have usually last 5+ years depending upon the individual model of car.

Motorbikes:
Different story - Itaiian or British both need to have their batteries tendered to Optimate Chargers during winter to give them "life support". Even then if I get 3yrs I'm happy and at 4 years I get rid because I don't want a battery related roadside breakdown on a motorbike along some minor road in a foreign land miles away from any garage / recovery service. Why - because sod's law dictates that it will happen in a monsoon, or, on a baking hot day. Being drenched in a tropical storm or roasted like a chicken off the beaten track is no fun.

So like Andy the FL2 stays outside in all weathers and temperatures - last winter it started every day no problem down to -27°C and up to 40°C in the summer and I expect it to do so again and again until year 5. And when the time comes to change batteries I'll put an Odessey Battery in there as I've found these to be the best performers Car or Bike.

Now I'm off to put the ski rack on - time for the season's first ski with daughter (mum at work)

Has anyone ever thought why the supply cables from the starter motor have such a large csa ( cross sectional area).
Its because the lower the voltage the higher the current that flows with in. Thats why our national grid supplies are arround 400 to 600 KVA.
If the voltage was any less then it would not be possable to supply the country with power.
Raising car voltages from the battery will solve some current problems but will creat a whole lot of new ones.
First problems have been with 24v mostly on small trucks etc were upping the voltage to 24v intails serries linking out two 12v units, get it wrong and theres fireworks.

Hi superspark

some very valid points you have raised here.

Here in SA the locally available batteries are of dubious quality at best. In a motor car without periodic charging, a battery lasts here for about 18-24 months if you are lucky. If it is a weekend driver, 6 - 9 months. Apart from the quality issue, there are other factors, such a (high) temperature etc to be taken into account.

When we buy a battery from the local parts store, then it is charged between 40-60% at best. If I now commission such battery in a vehicle without periodic recharging you can now see why batteries here don't last.  With kind regards
DiscoGeorge
1998 Disco1 ES 300Tdi with twin TrueTracs
2005 Disco3 TDV6 S
And some more serious stuff

DiscoGeorge,
Yep, Arnage. I was with the team from day one.
Fabulous project, possibly the best i've been on. So much done with so few.
The way it should be!

Pegleg wrote:

DiscoGeorge,
Yep, Arnage. I was with the team from day one.
Fabulous project, possibly the best i've been on. So much done with so few.
The way it should be!

Hi pegleg

1 example each of Arnage and BY614 (with Mulliner Pack) both in the family collection.  With kind regards
DiscoGeorge
1998 Disco1 ES 300Tdi with twin TrueTracs
2005 Disco3 TDV6 S
And some more serious stuff

Good to hear it!!!
I wondered why you guessed so correctly!!
The batt man ECU on your cars are different. The one for Arnage was designed by Lucas Rists (i worked for them)
But Arnage is such a wonderful car. The fusebox in the LH A post came from RR/Disco 98My, a fusebox and a half.
The fusebox on the RH A post and in the boot came from LMXX (Rover 800) with a new PCB circuit and massive 13oz copper to sink the heat.
A designers paradise.

DiscoGeorge wrote:

Hi Athelstan

Battery charging only gains awareness, when the car's battery drops below 20% charge retention.

The negative impact a partially discharged and/or sulphated battery has on the electronic functions of a motor car are a completely different can of worms ....

Hi Athelstan

that is your take on this issue and you are entitled to that. But other forum members are also interested in the "how" and "why".

It is for them that I am going more into detail. You would however do well to make sure, especially on your Ducati that the traction control is not thrown off course by incoherent voltage signals. If it can happen on a Porsche, then it can happen on a Ducati to!  With kind regards
DiscoGeorge
1998 Disco1 ES 300Tdi with twin TrueTracs
2005 Disco3 TDV6 S
And some more serious stuff