I have a 1989 Royal Lounge 2.0 EFI fitted with a DVD player, two head rest monitors and a flip down roof monitor which I am unable to use because when we were returning from our holiday this year I had it switched on for about 5 hours so the kids could watch DVD's. We got home without any problems but when the wife closed her electric window it went up very slowly. I put it down to the summer heat causing the window to stick but when I had to go out latter the Townie battery was flatter than a billiard table. I put it on charge but after an all night charge it was still flat. I bought a new battery and all was fine until my 6 year old son wanted to watch a DVD on the way home from school. We got home without any problems but the next morning when I had to go to work the (new) battery was flat. I had to take the day of work and charge the battery but again it took no charge. I have now disconnected the DVD and fitted another new battery but my kids want to watch DVD's. The standard battery obviously can't handle the power needed by the DVD. Is there a beefy battery available for the Townie? I have so far been unsucsesful in finding one.
- (#13862) Bill, 21 Oct 04 16:59
Bill Your petrol engined vehicle probably does not require the same "beef" as it's diesel engined counterpart and the amp hour rating of your battery is probably quite low. When I wanted a new battery, for my diesel Masterace, I could only find, even from the Toyota dealer, a 70 AH battery which had the dimensions to allow it to fit into the battery box. The diesel starter is 2KW and, consequently a higher capacity battery is required. (unless I am wrong here and your petrol engine starter is of the same rating). However, I finally located an Exide, code EX1017SE of 88 AH capacity. It is a tight squeeze and just fits the Masterace battery box and I still had to cut the two lifting lugs off and fit a Nylon lifting strap instead but, in service,with this battery, I have never had any problems with battery power supply. Exide have a very helpful website and I believe that they have even higher capacity batteries of the same physical dimensions. Others with more knowledge of these matters might advise but, it seems to me that you need a battery of at least 80/90 AH capacity and, your existing new battery might be well below that.
There is quite a lot on suitable batteries in Ace Answers.
- (#13862) John Davis (Leics), 21 Oct 04 17:25
You have a charging problem!!!
We have DVd, with a screen at each end of rear cabin, plus a screen in dash. As well as an uprated HiFi system. We run all of this no problem. Indeed it has been used for up to two hours without the engine running.
Therefore, if yours is flattening the battery, it either has an incorrect installation, which is causing a huge current drain. Or your charging circuit is faulty & not providing ebough current to the electrical system.
Regards Rob.
- (#13862) Rob Drinkwater, 22 Oct 04 12:36
thanks for the info guys. i think my problem is a battery problem and not a charging problem because the dvd and monitors were profesionally installed and i have had no problems with the battery loosing charge with the dvd and monitors disconected. i will look at the exide web site and see what they can do for me. rob, is your ace a diesel and what amperage is your battery? the new battery in my efi ace is a 60 ah.
- (#13862) Bill, 23 Oct 04 08:35
The correct battery for a toyota diesel (most take the same one...) is around the 90A/Hr mark. Check in the archives, I've posted the Exide and Varta numbers in the past.
- (#13862) David Miller, 23 Oct 04 13:38
Bill,
It's completely irrelevant whether it's a petrol or a diesel, the fact is, the DVD is running the battery down.
What we are now saying is, the DVD system consumes more power than the alternator is capable of delivering, i.e. you are then using some current from the battery in addition to all that the alternator can supply, thus the battery would go flat during driving!
This scenario suggests one of two things, either:-
The alternator is not charging the battery sufficiently!
OR
The DVD system is incorrecly installed & has a HUGE current draw, the monitors should take 9-12 watts each, the DVD drive should take 15-30 watts.
So 3 monitors at around 1 amp each, then a DVD at around 2 1/2 amps, should give a current draw of around 6 amps maximum, no problem at all for a good alternator.
You need to get the output of the alternator checked & the current draw of the DVD system checked, one or other will cure your problem.
Regards Rob.
- (#13862) Rob Drinkwater , 23 Oct 04 14:00