I recently completed the Traxide dual battery install in my LR3, While I note that everyone else seems to do the install in a couple of hours, I think it took me closer to a couple of weeks, or maybe two months if you include me thinking about it.
No fault of the kit however; it is just that with temperatures running in the -10C (+15F) to -20C (-5F) range, simple things take me longer. Actually most of the time was spent trying to figure out what battery to use.
I wanted a cranking battery, (so I could self boost), so that suggested something similar to the Interstate cranking H7 that is already in the LR3 rather than some sort of high class AGM or spiral type. I also like to be able to see into the individual cells and add distilled water if necessary - even to so called maintenance free.
I ended up with a BCI Group 40R battery from Deka, (made in Pennsylvania USA). It was about the electrically largest battery I could find that would mechanically fit and have the OEM look. To me that meant recessed battery posts and a top profile such that the supplied Land Rover OEM battery bracket would fit without any modification. The Group 40R is about 10.25" (260mm) long at the bottom and does not have any protruding tie down ridges on the ends; on the sides, yes, but not the ends.
The 40R is only about 7" (180mm) high, (H7 is 7 5/8” 190mm) which allowed me to insert a 1" (25mm) high battery spacer taken from a similar battery under the 40R to raise the unit above those angled nibs at the front bottom of the surround. (I did not want to try to grind them out at -20C and am afraid of weakening the plastic as well.) The spacer allows the battery to move forward and as such, there is about 1/4" (5mm) of free space between the end of the battery and the brake reservoir and also space at the front end for the vent hose.
I can still get the Land Rover cover on as the overall height of the battery and spacer just clears the underside of the cover. In the jpg’s in my gallery, you will note that the battery cables are bolted to the underside of the battery post clamps - that is why.
I also attached a jpg of the OEM cranking battery to show the 1/2" (10mm) hole that I drilled in the plastic surround to allow the cable from the 40R to access the H7 main battery and still allow the cover to latch on properly.
For the same reason, the Traxide relay case is mounted in the Aux battery surround at an angle to allow for cable space, and hence the cover to close.
I have attached labels to the case covers regarding the Aux battery installation as my LR3 is dealer serviced. Dual battery installs are a bit rare here in Alberta - well LR3's are rare, even at the LR dealership. Sports however are just about a pandemic.
One label on the Aux battery cover says that to disconnect the aux battery, unplug the Blue Anderson located by the Brake Reservoir.
As to why I chose the Traxide kit, www.traxide.com.au (five days by Mail from Oz), my feeling is that the LR3 electrical system is "different" from most USA or Far East spec vehicles, (maybe all vehicles), and I think that whatever is in the Traxide relay box may just understand that. I noted that not only does my Aux battery ground cable connect to a stud on the inside fender, the main battery does the same thing - none of that ground to the engine block stuff that is so common with lesser machines. As such, I think that difference in grounding philosophy means there are other more subtle differences that I neither know about nor understand. I think Traxide does.
The pdf attachments are of data that I found useful in my search for a battery that would fit OK and allow me to put the cover back on. The Caterpillar battery dimension pdf is the most useful of the bunch. It provides cross reference between US and EU battery sizes as well as shows profiles of the various available cases – even shows the ridges at the bottom sides and ends of the cases for each battery group; also the post layout and profile of the top surface of the battery.
No fault of the kit however; it is just that with temperatures running in the -10C (+15F) to -20C (-5F) range, simple things take me longer. Actually most of the time was spent trying to figure out what battery to use.
I wanted a cranking battery, (so I could self boost), so that suggested something similar to the Interstate cranking H7 that is already in the LR3 rather than some sort of high class AGM or spiral type. I also like to be able to see into the individual cells and add distilled water if necessary - even to so called maintenance free.
I ended up with a BCI Group 40R battery from Deka, (made in Pennsylvania USA). It was about the electrically largest battery I could find that would mechanically fit and have the OEM look. To me that meant recessed battery posts and a top profile such that the supplied Land Rover OEM battery bracket would fit without any modification. The Group 40R is about 10.25" (260mm) long at the bottom and does not have any protruding tie down ridges on the ends; on the sides, yes, but not the ends.
The 40R is only about 7" (180mm) high, (H7 is 7 5/8” 190mm) which allowed me to insert a 1" (25mm) high battery spacer taken from a similar battery under the 40R to raise the unit above those angled nibs at the front bottom of the surround. (I did not want to try to grind them out at -20C and am afraid of weakening the plastic as well.) The spacer allows the battery to move forward and as such, there is about 1/4" (5mm) of free space between the end of the battery and the brake reservoir and also space at the front end for the vent hose.
I can still get the Land Rover cover on as the overall height of the battery and spacer just clears the underside of the cover. In the jpg’s in my gallery, you will note that the battery cables are bolted to the underside of the battery post clamps - that is why.
I also attached a jpg of the OEM cranking battery to show the 1/2" (10mm) hole that I drilled in the plastic surround to allow the cable from the 40R to access the H7 main battery and still allow the cover to latch on properly.
For the same reason, the Traxide relay case is mounted in the Aux battery surround at an angle to allow for cable space, and hence the cover to close.
I have attached labels to the case covers regarding the Aux battery installation as my LR3 is dealer serviced. Dual battery installs are a bit rare here in Alberta - well LR3's are rare, even at the LR dealership. Sports however are just about a pandemic.
One label on the Aux battery cover says that to disconnect the aux battery, unplug the Blue Anderson located by the Brake Reservoir.
As to why I chose the Traxide kit, www.traxide.com.au (five days by Mail from Oz), my feeling is that the LR3 electrical system is "different" from most USA or Far East spec vehicles, (maybe all vehicles), and I think that whatever is in the Traxide relay box may just understand that. I noted that not only does my Aux battery ground cable connect to a stud on the inside fender, the main battery does the same thing - none of that ground to the engine block stuff that is so common with lesser machines. As such, I think that difference in grounding philosophy means there are other more subtle differences that I neither know about nor understand. I think Traxide does.
The pdf attachments are of data that I found useful in my search for a battery that would fit OK and allow me to put the cover back on. The Caterpillar battery dimension pdf is the most useful of the bunch. It provides cross reference between US and EU battery sizes as well as shows profiles of the various available cases – even shows the ridges at the bottom sides and ends of the cases for each battery group; also the post layout and profile of the top surface of the battery.
