LR4 car camping / dead battery

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mbw

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Thanks for chiming in umbertob. If anyone has a battery tender they like, post that too. The dual battery charger I have on my boat seems to work great, but that is a hardwired system and I assume they make them more specific to cars. (MinnKota MK 220D)
 

Daniel Hull

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Battery drain does seem to be very high on my 2011 also. I had the original battery fail at 2 years and dealer installed replacement. On car camping trips I can easily get the low battery warning if there is a lot of in and out of the car, so I try to keep it to a minimum. I think there is still quite a bit of juice left when the low warning comes on though. I also got the warning at a drive in theater with nothing running but the radio and a bit of overhead light here and there...made it about 3/4th of the way through Gravity. I have a deep cycle AGM Group32 that I carry in a custom battery box and use that on camping trips to run my fridge and inverter. By not having it in the car I can pull it out and keep the fridge near the tents/kitchen and not have to enter the truck as much.
 

NASdiesel

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Why not carry a battery jump pack, similar to what Expedition Exchange sells? Would be easy peace of mind.
 

mbw

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Why not carry a battery jump pack, similar to what Expedition Exchange sells? Would be easy peace of mind.

I think its for two different things though. The jump packs are great for helping out other people and for piece of mind in case you are in trouble.

On the other hand, a hardwired second battery is more for running gear while the engine is off and making it convenient to run pumps/fridge/lights at a camp site or something without another battery pack getting in the way.

I would say if you can pull it off, get both. When I get some time, maybe after boating season, I might tackle this 2nd batt project. We already have some ideas for some camping/overlanding next summer in CO that I want to be ready for.

(I am sitting at a rover dealer in Des Moines right now getting a few things fixed. They say it takes 1 hour+ to get the software (main ecu) reflashed/updated.)
 

bromhead

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So, i car camp a lot and have had my battery fail on me twice and require a jump start. LR diagnosed it as a bad battery and swapped it out...the car was about 2 years old. As far as i can tell, the key fob was not very close to the vehicle over the weekend...but, about two months later, something strange happened. I came back from week long trip and tried to start my car in the long term parking lot. it wouldn't turn over...i got that infamous ticking sound...while waiting for AAA, I pulled out the rechargeable light that i have instead of the lighter and the car then started! I drove all of 2 miles home and the next day the car still started up normally. Have no clue what the issue is, but needless to say, I no longer use the rechargeable light....if I didn't know better, I would say that Lucas (Electronics), prince of darkness has struck again....
 

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