An area for non Suzuki Jimny related chat. Keep it clean etc. as this is a public forum with young readers.
It's not a jimny so I need help.
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26 Jan 2024 10:12 #253773
by DrRobin
2020 blue SZ5 (one of the last to be registered in the UK)
Ex 2011 Blue Jimny SZ4
Northumberland Jimny Blog
Replied by DrRobin on topic It's not a jimny so I need help.
I have had a lifetime's experience of a flat/draining battery on my Boxster. For the first 8 years of my ownership it eat a 75-80Ahr battery in about 18 months, didn't matter what battery I would buy it would go through them.
Boxsters have a reputation for a high current draw when they are sitting there doing nothing and after a week it switches the remote central locking off to save power, that doesn't work. It will flatten a fully charged battery in about 5 weeks, just stood there. The Jimny is pretty much the same.
I bought a solar panel (for both cars), as Martin says get a big one, mine are mono-crystaline 20W panels and still don't really maintain the charge, but do help.
I also bought a Ctek MXS 5.0, that helped bring the charge up after the car has stood for 2 or 3 weeks without use.
After years of struggling with my Boxster I finally found out what was the main problem, the alternator started to go and was clearly faulty for some time because when it had a new alternator and then another new battery, that one lasted for around 4 years and was replaced in the early days of Covid and is still going strong nearly 4 years later.
I also bought a battery tester, Ancel BA201, it shows state of charge (just voltage really), but measures starting current (CCA), alternator charging and ripple, they are very useful. I don't use it much but tested a neighbours battery and alternator the last week, he was having starting problems, his battery was a bit down (50% charge) but the CCA was only half it's quoted value. He borrowed my Ctek and after a full charge his car is now fine.
The other thing I did on both my Boxster and Jimny was to measure current draw with the car locked and no lights on. You can do it with a multimeter on a current scale by inserting in line with the battery lead (don't try to start the car). My Jimny measured about 50mA after everything had switched off. I am lucky I also have a DC current clamp, so don't need to disconnect anything, but these are a bit expensive for every day DIY use.
50mA per hour is 1.2Ahr per day, you can see how the Jimny battery at 45Ahr will discharge in just over a month. My Boxster was significantly more than that, about 1A for 30 mins after you lock it, then falling back to around 150mA for a few hours before dropping a bit. No wonder it flattens it's battery.
Not been funny and you might not want to say, but do you lock your Land Cruiser, if not it will draw a lot more current and it gets even worse if you leave the keys in the ignition, but not switch on.
I would suggest measuring the current consumption with it unlocked (no lights on) and then locked. If the current is high, check it on the forums and see if it is normal.
If it is normal, then Roger's suggestion of disconnecting the battery, or pulling the main fuse is the only way, unless you want to trickle charge with a Ctek, it's what I used to do with my Boxster when I wasn't using it for a few weeks.
Robin
Boxsters have a reputation for a high current draw when they are sitting there doing nothing and after a week it switches the remote central locking off to save power, that doesn't work. It will flatten a fully charged battery in about 5 weeks, just stood there. The Jimny is pretty much the same.
I bought a solar panel (for both cars), as Martin says get a big one, mine are mono-crystaline 20W panels and still don't really maintain the charge, but do help.
I also bought a Ctek MXS 5.0, that helped bring the charge up after the car has stood for 2 or 3 weeks without use.
After years of struggling with my Boxster I finally found out what was the main problem, the alternator started to go and was clearly faulty for some time because when it had a new alternator and then another new battery, that one lasted for around 4 years and was replaced in the early days of Covid and is still going strong nearly 4 years later.
I also bought a battery tester, Ancel BA201, it shows state of charge (just voltage really), but measures starting current (CCA), alternator charging and ripple, they are very useful. I don't use it much but tested a neighbours battery and alternator the last week, he was having starting problems, his battery was a bit down (50% charge) but the CCA was only half it's quoted value. He borrowed my Ctek and after a full charge his car is now fine.
The other thing I did on both my Boxster and Jimny was to measure current draw with the car locked and no lights on. You can do it with a multimeter on a current scale by inserting in line with the battery lead (don't try to start the car). My Jimny measured about 50mA after everything had switched off. I am lucky I also have a DC current clamp, so don't need to disconnect anything, but these are a bit expensive for every day DIY use.
50mA per hour is 1.2Ahr per day, you can see how the Jimny battery at 45Ahr will discharge in just over a month. My Boxster was significantly more than that, about 1A for 30 mins after you lock it, then falling back to around 150mA for a few hours before dropping a bit. No wonder it flattens it's battery.
Not been funny and you might not want to say, but do you lock your Land Cruiser, if not it will draw a lot more current and it gets even worse if you leave the keys in the ignition, but not switch on.
I would suggest measuring the current consumption with it unlocked (no lights on) and then locked. If the current is high, check it on the forums and see if it is normal.
If it is normal, then Roger's suggestion of disconnecting the battery, or pulling the main fuse is the only way, unless you want to trickle charge with a Ctek, it's what I used to do with my Boxster when I wasn't using it for a few weeks.
Robin
2020 blue SZ5 (one of the last to be registered in the UK)
Ex 2011 Blue Jimny SZ4
Northumberland Jimny Blog
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26 Jan 2024 10:29 #253775
by Lambert
Temeraire (2018 quasar grey automatic)
One of the last 200ish of the gen3s, probably.
ADOS Attention Deficit Ooooh Shiny!
Replied by Lambert on topic It's not a jimny so I need help.
It's always locked I don't trust the natives. As for all these tests that's why it is and has been back at the dealer and I have to trust they are trying to help me. And as I said I don't want them to give me a charger for it as that's only masking the problem and I don't have the time to turn up at my parents with little notice just because they are wanting to take the car out and I have to come and sort it for them.
I would almost be inclined to shift it on but then what do I buy that will do what it does in the same footprint and won't bankrupt me. I'm just feeling a little bit painted into a corner with no obvious way out.
I would almost be inclined to shift it on but then what do I buy that will do what it does in the same footprint and won't bankrupt me. I'm just feeling a little bit painted into a corner with no obvious way out.
Temeraire (2018 quasar grey automatic)
One of the last 200ish of the gen3s, probably.
ADOS Attention Deficit Ooooh Shiny!
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26 Jan 2024 11:41 #253778
by DrRobin
2020 blue SZ5 (one of the last to be registered in the UK)
Ex 2011 Blue Jimny SZ4
Northumberland Jimny Blog
Replied by DrRobin on topic It's not a jimny so I need help.
Good luck with the dealer. Unless it is an easy fix they will do whatever is quickest/cheapest for them and if they don't employ an auto electrician it will be a trickle charger.
Robin
Robin
2020 blue SZ5 (one of the last to be registered in the UK)
Ex 2011 Blue Jimny SZ4
Northumberland Jimny Blog
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26 Jan 2024 12:48 #253780
by Lambert
Temeraire (2018 quasar grey automatic)
One of the last 200ish of the gen3s, probably.
ADOS Attention Deficit Ooooh Shiny!
Replied by Lambert on topic It's not a jimny so I need help.
To be fair the dealer is being very accommodating. It now with Toyota UK.
Temeraire (2018 quasar grey automatic)
One of the last 200ish of the gen3s, probably.
ADOS Attention Deficit Ooooh Shiny!
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26 Jan 2024 12:59 #253781
by jlines
Replied by jlines on topic It's not a jimny so I need help.
When it’s fixed defo get a charger on it like a Ctek if it’s not being used daily. Doesn’t take long to flatten a battery especially on newer vehicles which require more power for their tech etc. On the Rangies you can flatten the stop/start battery within a week or so of the car not being used. Also I noticed on my old evoque the battery would become sluggish after a week of sitting. At my our tractors/forklift struggle mainly because they don’t run very far so don’t get the chance to charge up.
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- Roger Fairclough
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26 Jan 2024 13:33 #253782
by Roger Fairclough
Replied by Roger Fairclough on topic It's not a jimny so I need help.
Using a vehicle only 4 times a year is not what it was designed for, so accept that it will do the things that you don't want it to do and sneak round the corner and out flank it ie fit a C-tek or similar and leave it permanently on charge.
Roger
Roger
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