Inductive key charging
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Rock Crawling
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 256
Likes: 51
From: Belfast, N. Ireland
Inductive key charging
Hi all, hoping someone can answer a question or two about the inductive key charging circuit.
I recently fitted new batteries in both of my keys. They are the proper batteries of the same make and type as those originally fitted and until now, both have been working well, but it appears that the one which I'd been using most as the main key may not have been charging as the battery has gone flat. There were no the warnings in the message centre indicating the battery was low. At the moment my 2nd battery is working OK, but I'm concerned that if it is not being charged I'll have keys that won't work and i'll be back to entering via the passenger door.
Can anyone shed some light on the circuit that charges the key. Is it the transponder circuit, which doubles to charge the batteries? Is it possible for the the circuit to cease to charge, or would there be other systems effected if it did, for instance inability to start the car?
Is there any way to test the inductive coil?
Does anyone have the part Nē for the transponder?
I recently fitted new batteries in both of my keys. They are the proper batteries of the same make and type as those originally fitted and until now, both have been working well, but it appears that the one which I'd been using most as the main key may not have been charging as the battery has gone flat. There were no the warnings in the message centre indicating the battery was low. At the moment my 2nd battery is working OK, but I'm concerned that if it is not being charged I'll have keys that won't work and i'll be back to entering via the passenger door.
Can anyone shed some light on the circuit that charges the key. Is it the transponder circuit, which doubles to charge the batteries? Is it possible for the the circuit to cease to charge, or would there be other systems effected if it did, for instance inability to start the car?
Is there any way to test the inductive coil?
Does anyone have the part Nē for the transponder?
I wonder out load, if there is a bad wire connection in the usual circuits that could effect this, or possible a bad wire / part in the column.
your comment makes the most sense though Tom, as evidently the old ones were charging right...
your comment makes the most sense though Tom, as evidently the old ones were charging right...
Thread Starter
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Rock Crawling
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 256
Likes: 51
From: Belfast, N. Ireland
I've thought of that guys and will be revisiting the circuit board to redo the soldering.
From what I've read it's easy to solder a joint, but, though it looks good, is defective. Read somewhere on one of the D3 forums, where someone who used to solder as part of his job, had to redo the soldering on his key battery and then it worked perfectly.
Still would love to know for sure, if the transducer coil doubles as the inductive charging coil, seems likely, but just not sure. Maybe there are 2 coils stacked together??
From what I've read it's easy to solder a joint, but, though it looks good, is defective. Read somewhere on one of the D3 forums, where someone who used to solder as part of his job, had to redo the soldering on his key battery and then it worked perfectly.
Still would love to know for sure, if the transducer coil doubles as the inductive charging coil, seems likely, but just not sure. Maybe there are 2 coils stacked together??
Last edited by Alphamale; Oct 18, 2015 at 05:35 AM.
Pro Wrench
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,475
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What message came on where?
As to the coil circuit, no where(that I can find at least) does it actually say how the coil charges, however it does state that the coil inside the key serves a dual purpose for both inductive charging and code transmission. Considering that there are only 4 wires going to the coil on the ignition switch, 2 are for illumination, and 2 are for the 125kHz coil itself, I don't see how it could be any other way than both for pinging/receiving the transponder code, and also exciting the charging circuit. So, if the engine starts, the charging circuit on the truck should be in tact.
As to the coil circuit, no where(that I can find at least) does it actually say how the coil charges, however it does state that the coil inside the key serves a dual purpose for both inductive charging and code transmission. Considering that there are only 4 wires going to the coil on the ignition switch, 2 are for illumination, and 2 are for the 125kHz coil itself, I don't see how it could be any other way than both for pinging/receiving the transponder code, and also exciting the charging circuit. So, if the engine starts, the charging circuit on the truck should be in tact.
Thread Starter
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Rock Crawling
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 256
Likes: 51
From: Belfast, N. Ireland
I've asked the same question on an other site (D2BC.Co.UK) and got the following answer form someone there who is very knowledgable on electronics.
"Any coil which generates a magnetic field can be used for inductive charging, only the power is the question, afaik the D3's transponder coil is used by the fob's internals for charging purpose too just that it has not wery much charging power... actyually the battery in the fob will be charged even if you keep the other fob close enough to the barrel it's not necessary for the key to be in the ignition as long as the engine is running with the other key...it's good to alternate fobs for charging reasons or hook the second fob to the other to hang near the ignition on a longer drive...if the problem is that the battery in the fob got weak the problem is with the fob not with the coil as long as it's not immobilised, that battery is replaceable but fiddly, unless the problem is on the fob's PCB
so if the problem is with weak battery in the fob that's what you need http://cellpacksolutions.co.uk/online-s ... d-battery/"
It seems therefore that the transducer coil doubles as the primary inductive coil, in the same way as the secondary coil in the key serves a dual purpose.
So assuming the primary induction circuit is working then my problem is either to many sort runs, being insufficient to recharge the battery sufficiently or the PCB is defective. I'm going the keep the two keys together for a while and see if the discharged one will recharge.
"Any coil which generates a magnetic field can be used for inductive charging, only the power is the question, afaik the D3's transponder coil is used by the fob's internals for charging purpose too just that it has not wery much charging power... actyually the battery in the fob will be charged even if you keep the other fob close enough to the barrel it's not necessary for the key to be in the ignition as long as the engine is running with the other key...it's good to alternate fobs for charging reasons or hook the second fob to the other to hang near the ignition on a longer drive...if the problem is that the battery in the fob got weak the problem is with the fob not with the coil as long as it's not immobilised, that battery is replaceable but fiddly, unless the problem is on the fob's PCB
so if the problem is with weak battery in the fob that's what you need http://cellpacksolutions.co.uk/online-s ... d-battery/"
It seems therefore that the transducer coil doubles as the primary inductive coil, in the same way as the secondary coil in the key serves a dual purpose.
So assuming the primary induction circuit is working then my problem is either to many sort runs, being insufficient to recharge the battery sufficiently or the PCB is defective. I'm going the keep the two keys together for a while and see if the discharged one will recharge.