2014-2016 Traxide Dual Battery Kit Lessons Learned

[bbyer]

Hi buyer, been a long time between chats.

That is a good idea about the stickers.

I produce and supply one with my L322 Range Rover kits but never conceded them for the D3 kits.

I will work on producing some over the Christmas break.

I will post up my artwork and anybody can copy it for their own use, or for those not able to produce stickers themselves, I will be happy to post some over to you.

My stickers were somewhat long winded but service types seem to understand, or at least question why they are there - dah!

The starting battery sticker says #1 Main Cranking Battery Under this Cover

The auxiliary battery sticker says #2 Auxiliary Battery Under this Cover

I also put two stickers on each lid; one on the front edge where the release clips are and the second on the top of the cover closer to the fender/wing than not.

This might seem like overkill but the first guy in the shop to open the bonnet is the new junior guy rather than someone who has seen it all. Finding the bonnet release is a major deal and getting both latched later, even bigger.

Not only are dual batteries unusual here, but so are dual bonnet latches.

Re dual batteries, about the only vehicles that have them locally are the larger diesel pickups and they are rarely found in the shops that the LR might frequent.

Over here, the RR Sports are common as they make an even better grocery getters than the 3 or 4 and their drivers rarely do the dual battery mod.

I have since put stickers on the engine air filter cover giving the air filter changed mileage and date as well as a request not to check the air filter - that I do myself.

I find the service types properly unscrew the cover but then tip it up to glance under rather then undo the round parts at the MAF sensor.

What they do not realize is that they may have dislodged the rubber gasket seals in the MAF round pipe connecting the air cleaner housing to the engine intake. The ensuing air leak bypasses the MAF sensor etc. That shows as a significant drop in mileage. I suppose one should be positive and say it saves the air filter from getting dusty however I prefer changing air filters to engines.

I regard the dual battery hookup as necessary on a Land Rover as I find that these AGM batteries do not give you the the slow death warning of the older lead acid with caps batteries. The AGM just quits - something I think snaps inside and a 12 volt battery becomes either a short circuit or a 2 volt battery. It is instant anyway. If you are lucky, the engine will not turn over - no interior lights - nothing.

When it does the short circuit thing, the smell is pretty bad and under the lid, the battery gets hot and fattens - not pretty - that is what the vent hoses are for I guess - those I keep connected.

Either failure mode is when it is nice to have the Traxide kit installed and just to be able to disconnect #1 and run off #2.

I enjoy following your posts on AULRO - you guys sure are lively.

Below is a link to the full meal deal D3/D4 Traxide kit with the control module. That I might get yet, then I will not even have to get out of the 3 and lift the bonnet.

http://www.traxide.com.au/diy-dual-...dbs-kits/d3d4-triple-battery-kits/d3-tb1.html

 

[Robin Parsons]

Have you already performed the battery reset function with a scan tool? If eco light comes on for low battery. It will not go away without code erase and battery reset.

 

[Michael Gain]

The ECO light is not on for low battery.....

I do not think that a reset will appease the BMS if the LIN input is not connected to anything...

I'll give it another shot though.

Have you already performed the battery reset function with a scan tool? If eco light comes on for low battery. It will not go away without code erase and battery reset.

 

[AdventureTim]

Tim,

I'm sure you're right. I just don't know what it is supposed to see. I.e. if a resistor or something else would trick it.

I have access to all of the diagrams on Topix, but have not downloaded them all. Did you need something specific? I have no problem digging it up for you!

I can't be sure, I'm afraid. If it is like other busses in the system, it would need a serial message rather than a passive component like a resistor.

I would think there's some way of disabling the ECO option entirely by updating the right CCF so it wouldn't even look for that module, but from my recollection, past efforts by others on the forum to disable the ECO mode haven't succeeded. It could be worth sending an email to GAP Diagnostic and see if they've figured it out.

Thanks for the offer of the diagrams! Another forum member hooked me up with a downloaded copy they had.

 

[Michael Gain]

Well, for giggles, I dissected the power supply distribution box. I wanted to see if I could trace the individual connections to better understand the start / stop system, and how it may integrate with the gateway module.

Super fail for me. Maybe a computer / electrical professional can chime in, but I just put it back together and threw it back in my spare parts him.

The PSDB:

Fusible link cover and screws removed:

Cover removed. You can see the engineering marvel that this is. Tons of resistors, capacitors, and some fun MOSFETs:

And now, the back. The gold bridges hold the MOSFETs. There is some discernable circuit tracing, but not enough to be useful:

 

[Stuart Barnes]

I think I’ll just keep pressing the eco button.

 

[Michael Gain]

Well, because I'm a slow learner, I am going to reconnect the PSDB and actually measure voltage, amperage, etc from the three wires in question----probably what I should have done first. This will tell me what the outputs are, and what the gateway module expects to see.

I can then find a converter that reducing the 12v appropriately (if necessary)

It's definitely been a fun journey.

I think I’ll just keep pressing the eco button.

I'm just trying the integrate the traxide kit completely---which I think I have--- the non-functional ECO is a bonus

 

[Stuart Barnes]

Well, because I'm a slow learner, I am going to reconnect the PSDB and actually measure voltage, amperage, etc from the three wires in question----probably what I should have done first. This will tell me what the outputs are, and what the gateway module expects to see.

I can then find a converter that reducing the 12v appropriately (if necessary)

It's definitely been a fun journey.



I'm just trying the integrate the traxide kit completely---which I think I have--- the non-functional ECO is a bonus

I’m with you brother. I just wish lr offered a dual battery setup from factory. People would pay a premium for that. As for the stop start. Their newer products have an always off mode in the software you can select.
Even if they inhibited the stop start when in “sport” mode that would have been fine. But no. We must faff around until someone has a eureka moment.

Anyway I take my hat off to you for putting this out there for the rest of the community.

 

[Michael Gain]

Thanks, brother!

I’m with you brother. I just wish lr offered a dual battery setup from factory. People would pay a premium for that. As for the stop start. Their newer products have an always off mode in the software you can select.
Even if they inhibited the stop start when in “sport” mode that would have been fine. But no. We must faff around until someone has a eureka moment.

Anyway I take my hat off to you for putting this out there for the rest of the community.

 

[bbyer]

I noticed the three large studs, two of them being tagged as Bat 1 and Bat 2.

I assume that they connect to nothing right now but it suggests LR did think of an aux battery.

I wondered what those three studs were to do?

Thankfully, my 3 does not have Start / Stop - had not yet been regarded as a good idea - sounds like the concept has since fallen out of favor - kind of like seat belt buzzers that do not go off.