Dual Battery Installation in LR3

[unseenone]

The door sill pieces don't slide when snapped down. It's better to have a body trim tool, especially with a rover. Just pop them up carefully to give yourself access. On thing to watch out for is losing the metal clips from the top piece. I have lost one several times. A small magnetic fish helps fish them out when you pop it up, don't panic.

http://trim-pad-remover-816.korotkevich.biz/

I don't think 30 minutes is realistic, but you will be happy when you are finished.

 

[DiscoNels]

Thanks Jerdog53 and Unseenone, this will help. So the white buttons pop out eh? Who knew? I'll give it a go this Friday (taking the day Off) when I install the Traxide and make another attempt to run my power wires from under the dash to the rear. Need to get my fridge/freezer mounted between the rear seats too. Oh, and convert my truck from winter mode (no roof rack and street tires so I can fit in my garage in Access mode), to off-road warrior mode with lift rods, mud wheels, the roof rack and all the goodies mounted on top (spare tire, shovel, Hi-lift, jerry cans, and TRED's). It's going to be a long weekend.

 

[unseenone]

Have you considered running the fridge between the two left hand side tie downs? Take note of the location of my fridge and where I put the rear marine plugs in the pictures. The plug location is a definite improvement.

I know you can accomplish with a screwdriver or butter knife, but the right tool, with the right shape makes a huge difference. I am amazed at how often I use that tool on the LR. You can pick one up cheap at most auto parts stores.

Good luck with the project, looking forward to the updates.

 

[DiscoNels]

Well people, after a very long day I was able to install my Traxide D3-AU kit. Thanks for all the help and pointers. The first trouble was finding a suitable ground for the short green wire running from the USI-160 module since the wire is ridiculously short. I mounted in the same place as Jerdog53. I ended up extending the wire and found an unused earth bolt right in the center of the firewall above the rear of the engine, worked perfectly. The rest was very straight forward. The biggest pain in the ******** was running the white wire for the control switch through the firewall. I ended up taping it to the power wires I pulled through last weekend but pulled the rubber plug thru the wall into the cabin!!! Ugh!!! So that was fun getting back in place.

Anyway, running the 8# power wire (my own supply) from front to back thru the wire channel in the floor was laborious but I managed to get it done. Thanks for the tip on popping up those white buttons, worked like a charm and gave me easy access and allowed me the opportunity to retrieve a few lost trim clips that fell thru the holes. I got my power wire all the way to the back for a future "power panel project", but terminated it on a 12v cig socket for my fridge/freezer. Since it's my birthday, and I've put in over 15 hours over the last two days getting my truck ready for the wheeling season, I'm taking the day off but still need to mount my fridge freezer between the rear seats. That's all I've got left to do, until my power panel project.

Looking forward to running my fridge for a few days without worry of getting stranded somewhere.

 

[jerdog53]

Glad it worked out for you!

 

[Alex M]

I'm currently installing the USI 160. I can't tell where you secure the yellow and green earth cable. The directions say to a bolt that is on the mudguard in front of the cranking battery, but I'm not seeing anything.

 

[DiscoNels]

I'm currently installing the USI 160. I can't tell where you secure the yellow and green earth cable. The directions say to a bolt that is on the mudguard in front of the cranking battery, but I'm not seeing anything.

I had to extend the length of this wire because I couldn't find anywhere to ground to the body anywhere near where I mounted the USI-160 (I mounted mine in the same location as seen in the photo on Page 1 of this thread). I ran the extended wire to an unused earth bolt dead center behind the engine under the "shroud" (or whatever you call it. It looks exactly like the bolt the battery negative cable runs to the body. So look to the rear of the engine and then up under the lip and you'll see what I'm talking about. Worked perfectly.

 

[Alex M]

That's obnoxious. I really don't want to have to get more cabling tomorrow. So much for plug and play.

Right now I'm in a pretty serious battle to get to this grommet. I'm sorry to say the grommet is currently winning.

 

[Alex M]

Well I finally got the grommet out (had to use needle nose pliers the reach it). Everything is done except for connecting the batteries once I extend the ground.

The last thing, however, I'm having trouble with is getting the grommet back on. I went with the directions which had you cut into it and then somehow magically it appears in place.

For those of you that did it my way, I'd appreciate to know what method you used to get it back on, or the number to a little person or child I can hire to fit their hand back there.

 

[unseenone]

It's a two person job normally. If the grommet is expanded because the wire feed is too big it won't work well. I've removed and fit several times. The trick on putting it back on assuming the cut out in the plug is big enough it to get someone inside the car. As you need to remove that wire look plate to make enough room for your hand. While you hold the wire/against the rubber plug, the other person can pull lightly to get it started/or if lucky it will pop in. If you get it "mostly" seated, you can use an extra long fat bladed screwdriver or some extra long non pointed object to assist by jabbing the "lip" portion of there it is hanging, while your assistant helps by pulling lightly in the right direction. Away from where it is not quite seated.

Repeat until successful. The scrapes/cuts on your hands should heal up pretty well in about a week. If you have giant hands, have your assistant with smaller hands do the engine side seating. The extra long reach tool should be at least 18" long. Your actual experience may vary. No Land Rovers were harmed in seating this plug.

 

[Alex M]

Thanks for the detailed response. To be clear, what is the person inside the cab pulling on? Did you attach a coat hanger to the grommet?

 

[DiscoNels]

I was able to wrestle my grommet back into place by standing inside the open drivers door (or maybe it was closed), reaching to grab the wires under the hood with my left hand and using my right had to pull the wires under the dash in the cabin and by moving back and forth I was able to get the rubber grommet to seat properly.

Sounds like you're making it harder than it is, use any means to push the grommet into place, done.

 

[Alex M]

Well, I tend to have a knack for making things more complicated than they need to be.

I finally got it in place. I used some electrical tape and a flat head screwdriver to get it into place. I'm not too confident as to how well it's in place. I'll place check it after a few drives.

 

[unseenone]

As long as it is seated into the groove all the way around, it should be fine.. I would have suggested wire and tape, or a screwdriver.. I'm glad you got it..

 

[krick3tt]

What was your source for the battery terminal protectors at the starting battery switch box?