Charging Issue 2013 LR2 HSE
#11
12-29-2021 | 08:27 AM
Pro Wrench
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 553
From: Massachusetts
Conclusion - All seems ok. Lesson learned - How the LR charging system behaves and never to panic.
The last six days the voltage was normal between 13V and 14.8V depending on the load.
As expected, today morning, the 6th day after the last incident and the 14th trip, the alternator output was around 12.2V (62%), goes down sometimes to 12.1V (56%) at traffic lights in drive. This intermittent drop pattern holds so far for the last three weeks and I am getting used to it.
Climate control was in auto mode and blower was in minimum. Voltage goes up to 13.5V when coasting or going downhill, but drops back down to 12.2V while driving and whenever my foot is on the accelerator.
Voltage never went below 12.1V ever, even though i was prepared to put the blower at full power incase of emergency, but never needed to.
Hope this gives an insight to other owners of the 13-15 LR2. I did change the alternator, but am now really unsure if I should have when I noticed the low voltage and the local shop said the alternator was not working. Never do that. Recommend getting a bluetooth battery monitor, as I did after the issue kept coming back and really helped me investigate and understand the trend.
Wish you all a very happy new year and a wonderful 2022 !!
The last six days the voltage was normal between 13V and 14.8V depending on the load.
As expected, today morning, the 6th day after the last incident and the 14th trip, the alternator output was around 12.2V (62%), goes down sometimes to 12.1V (56%) at traffic lights in drive. This intermittent drop pattern holds so far for the last three weeks and I am getting used to it.
Climate control was in auto mode and blower was in minimum. Voltage goes up to 13.5V when coasting or going downhill, but drops back down to 12.2V while driving and whenever my foot is on the accelerator.
Voltage never went below 12.1V ever, even though i was prepared to put the blower at full power incase of emergency, but never needed to.
Hope this gives an insight to other owners of the 13-15 LR2. I did change the alternator, but am now really unsure if I should have when I noticed the low voltage and the local shop said the alternator was not working. Never do that. Recommend getting a bluetooth battery monitor, as I did after the issue kept coming back and really helped me investigate and understand the trend.
Wish you all a very happy new year and a wonderful 2022 !!
#12
12-29-2021 | 08:46 AM
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Overlanding
Joined: Mar 2019
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Yes of course I did. But my issue was that one those specific trips, the voltage was at 12.2V and stuck at that number while driving irrespective of the load. It would only go up on regenerative braking or if blower was on full, not half not 3/4th. On all other days it varies based on load and is between 12.5V and 14.8V.
Never expected the voltage to go down that much and this is why the shop said the alternator is faulty. Now I know it is not and it does this every once in a while in a predictive pattern.
On the way back home today, all was well and voltage was changing as per load and that is normal. What is not normal as per my idea is that it should not remain at a constant 12.2V always.
Never expected the voltage to go down that much and this is why the shop said the alternator is faulty. Now I know it is not and it does this every once in a while in a predictive pattern.
On the way back home today, all was well and voltage was changing as per load and that is normal. What is not normal as per my idea is that it should not remain at a constant 12.2V always.
#13
12-29-2021 | 08:50 AM
Pro Wrench
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 553
From: Massachusetts
Yes of course I did. But my issue was that one those specific trips, the voltage was at 12.2V and stuck at that number while driving irrespective of the load. It would only go up on regenerative braking or if blower was on full, not half not 3/4th. On all other days it varies based on load and is between 12.5V and 14.8V.
Never expected the voltage to go down that much and this is why the shop said the alternator is faulty. Now I know it is not and it does this every once in a while in a predictive pattern.
On the way back home today, all was well and voltage was changing as per load and that is normal. What is not normal as per my idea is that it should not remain at a constant 12.2V always.
Never expected the voltage to go down that much and this is why the shop said the alternator is faulty. Now I know it is not and it does this every once in a while in a predictive pattern.
On the way back home today, all was well and voltage was changing as per load and that is normal. What is not normal as per my idea is that it should not remain at a constant 12.2V always.
Which model do you have that has regenerative braking? As far as I know no LR2's have any electric power generation capability in the braking system, because they have no electric motors in the wheels.
Last edited by flybd5; 12-29-2021 at 08:54 AM.
#14
12-29-2021 | 09:04 AM
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Overlanding
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 16
Likes: 5
I read that these alternators have a decoupler pulley and can also be stator activated if the PCM does not send a signal to the regulator to start providing the required voltage. I am no electrical engineer, but something along these lines. If I leave the accelerator pedal or start coasting or if the car is rolling down a hill the alternator outputs a higher voltage. The pulley acts like a regenerative brake in these cases and feels like it adds a drag to the engine. The voltage drops the moment I step on the gas and drops down to 12.2V.
All these were adopted from the Ford systems from where this concept comes from. Only difference is that Ford uses a three wire alternator control cable to its regulator. LR has only one single wire to the regulator and is controlled by the PCM based on input from the BMS sensor.
All these were adopted from the Ford systems from where this concept comes from. Only difference is that Ford uses a three wire alternator control cable to its regulator. LR has only one single wire to the regulator and is controlled by the PCM based on input from the BMS sensor.
#15
12-29-2021 | 09:06 AM
Pro Wrench
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 553
From: Massachusetts
I read that these alternators have a decoupler pulley and can also be stator activated if the PCM does not send a signal to the regulator to start providing the required voltage. I am no electrical engineer, but something along these lines. If I leave the accelerator pedal or start coasting or if the car is rolling down a hill the alternator outputs a higher voltage. The pulley acts like a regenerative brake in these cases and feels like it adds a drag to the engine. The voltage drops the moment I step on the gas and drops down to 12.2V.
All these were adopted from the Ford systems from where this concept comes from. Only difference is that Ford uses a three wire alternator control cable to its regulator. LR has only one single wire to the regulator and is controlled by the PCM based on input from the BMS sensor.
All these were adopted from the Ford systems from where this concept comes from. Only difference is that Ford uses a three wire alternator control cable to its regulator. LR has only one single wire to the regulator and is controlled by the PCM based on input from the BMS sensor.
#16
12-29-2021 | 09:20 AM
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Overlanding
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 16
Likes: 5
Yes. Wrong use of the "braking" word and not a fan of electric cars.
Now that I think about it, I can say that the culprit is the battery monitor I got to monitor for parasitic drain. I would never have noticed all this and this whole post would never exist.
But I am happy that it did help me learn about the charging system and be aware the things that go on in these cars at the battery. I will know well in advance if there is drain overnight. Now the graph is. straight line at 12.6V throughout the night.
When I got the monitor there was a drain of 1,6A and battery used to drain every 12 hours. That is another story. I could not find the faulty circuit for two weeks and the error got cleared when I disconnected the battery and shorted the terminals for 20 minutes. Everything reset to default and car is happy now.
Now that I think about it, I can say that the culprit is the battery monitor I got to monitor for parasitic drain. I would never have noticed all this and this whole post would never exist.
But I am happy that it did help me learn about the charging system and be aware the things that go on in these cars at the battery. I will know well in advance if there is drain overnight. Now the graph is. straight line at 12.6V throughout the night.
When I got the monitor there was a drain of 1,6A and battery used to drain every 12 hours. That is another story. I could not find the faulty circuit for two weeks and the error got cleared when I disconnected the battery and shorted the terminals for 20 minutes. Everything reset to default and car is happy now.
#17
12-30-2021 | 07:52 PM
Winching
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 723
Likes: 290
From: San Diego
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