S2 Battery Replacement

[JohnW]

Hi,

Two questions:
1. If I remove the battery from my S2 TD5, do I need to do anything unusual?
I'm concerned that the alarm may go-off, or I may lose the BCU memory / settings.

2. What's a good replacement battery? I'm tempted to go for a main dealer battery - Do you know if these are made up from consituent chemicals to order, or whether they're just delivered with a shelf-life?

[Newsreader]

Disarm the alarm, make sure the ignition is off and remove the key from the ignition. :)

[ncooper]

Any 110 ampere hour battery will do,given that the terminals are in the right place and it's the correct size to fit into the carrier.

To give you an idea,I have recently bought two at my local tyre/battery supplier for £70 each,inc vat.
I suspect the main dealer option will be the most expensive.
Regards,
Nick.

[ncooper]

To give you an idea,I have recently bought two at my local tyre/battery supplier for £70 each,inc vat

....and,most of them will fit the battery for you, free of charge.
Nick.

[JohnW]

Disarm the alarm, make sure the ignition is off and remove the key from the ignition. :)

Thanks All,

Bern - Long time, no chat!
Sorry to sound like a total nonce.... How do I disarm the alarm? By unlocking the car using the remote?

J.

[ncooper]

Yes,just unlock the car,take the key out and disconnect the battery,earth first,ideally.
Nick.

[NomadABC]

Unlike the DI, you don't run the risk of damaging your hearing :D.

Get a battery from an independant supplier with a 3-yr guarantee. Don't go to the main dealers or Halfrauds. You will pay through the nose for the same battery, as neither manufacture their own!! £70 tops.

[poseidon]

The disco Series 1 handbook issues dire warnings about not disconnecting the battery for more than 10 seconds. That involves a convoluted battery change over using jump leads to ensure electrical continuity, as it's just not possible to remove the old unit, replace with a new one and get terminals reconnected in 10 seconds, is it? It took me nearly 5 minutes just to haul the old battery out, as it's awkward to get a grip on and heavy for a straight lift held only by fingertips.

Also, the disco 1 battery is type 072, as originally fitted. Apparently that's now a discontinued battery model and is replaced by type 069. Of course, the 069 fits the space, but it doesn't accomodate the battery securing bracket from the old 072. Mine is now wedged in place with a piece of wood. Cost just over £50 from local supplier......Keith

[Newsreader]

The disco Series 1 handbook issues dire warnings about not disconnecting the battery for more than 10 seconds.
Whereas the Disco 2 handbook says ...
Disarm the alarm, make sure the ignition is off and remove the key from the ignition. :)
;)
Also, the disco 1 battery is type 072, as originally fitted. Apparently that's now a discontinued battery model and is replaced by type 069.
072 isn't discontinued. It's the standard battery for a Defender.

[JohnW]

OK, took the battery out and it's reading a full 12 volts - and the battery condition meter was reading 75% - Now I'm worried - I'll probably be back with starter motor questions :D
(Was getting ultra-slow cranking, then nothing but a ticking noise thereafter).

Battery currently on garage floor - Should I have put it back in the D2 sooner? I'm hoping all the BCU settings will survive a bit longer!

Will be making that trip to the money-pit on Saturday morning... at least I get to commute by train Monday-Friday :rolleyes:

[Lacy]

OK, took the battery out and it's reading a full 12 volts

Don't pay too much attention to an off load voltage reading......even an almost completely knackered battery will read 12v with no load on it......it's only when you apply a heavy load such as a starter motor, that the voltage will dip on a knackered battery.....in fact a good, fully charged battery should read higher than 12v in any event.......each cell of a lead acid battery, when fully charged, should be (I think) 2.2V.....which means a full battery should read nearer 13.2V off load.

[ncooper]

Was getting ultra-slow cranking, then nothing but a ticking noise thereafter).



Classic symptom of a knackered battery I would have thought.Probably a cell has failed.
Recommend you go and buy a new one, I expect that when you have,your concerns about the starter motor will just go away.

Regards,
Nick.

[JohnW]

Gents,
Thanks for all the useful advice.
My stress levels (and British Rail coffee consumption) have been duly reduced!

J.