Here are the pictures for the IOD mod., and apologies for them not being the best I've ever done.
I've also included a picture about sulphation, or more accurately about a common bugbear, "hard crystalline sulphation". Now if you want to make your battery last a lot longer and start the engine better in winter weather, you'll do yourself a favor to read this well. Lifting a diesel battery might give you a hernia, but lead-acids are surprizingly delicate, chemically and electrically

>> If you don't keep your battery very close to 100% charge all the time, hard-sulphation can start after only one day in hot weather.
>> Hard-sulphation shows a higher charge voltage, fooling the alternator/charging system into assuming the battery is fully charged when it isn't. This leaves the battery undercharged, making more hard sulphation, making it worse and worse over time. It's a classic feedback effect. This is why there are so many complaints about GV's 'flat batteries', as the hard sulphation acts like an insulator, preventing proper high-current discharge for the starter motor.
>> It isn't all about the "parasitic-load" either, this ever-on small current draw even when the vehicle isn't in use. The battery self-discharges too. This small current can be up to 40 or 50mA, and when the parasitic is added, there can be an effective current draw in the order of 80mA or so.

What can you do to ensure your battery is kept healthy?

Not difficult:The following is for those who don't use their GV every day.

>> Plug into the L.H. cigar lighter socket a small power supply giving a regulated 13.8volt dc. (14volt for a silver-calcium-calcium battery) with a current capacity of an amp or so. Keep this float-charge on 24/7, esp. in winter if you can.
>> Plug into the L.H. cigar lighter socket a solar panel charger up to 10watt or so. The smaller panels have a blocking diode, so they can't take current out of the battery. Remember these panels won't make much current in diffused daylight (mine only make 28mA like this), and of course nothing at all when the sun goes down. These panels can be a godsend if you live in a flat or otherwise can't get mains/powerline to the vehicle.

In WINTERTIME, the battery loses efficiency with the cold, and the engine friction goes up alarmingly. A double-whammy effect. I made a primitive mod. for this deep-winter problem. After cutting a section out of the engine bay undertray, I can play an electric fan-heater on the sump and on the engine generally for half to one hour to make starting somewhat easier. The mod. is on here called "Winterizing your GV".

I wonder how many people will be reading this in January?

Leedsman.

 

Addendum to IOD mod:--
After switching the IOD "on" with the secret switch, only use the driver's door first after giving the IOD circuit time to initialize, say a good few seconds. If you open the side door first, it sets off the alarm. It then takes about 5mins for it to time out.

After switching "on" the IOD and sitting on the driver's seat, switch on the ignition so the dash-lamps illuminate, wait a few seconds while the heater comes on fully-electrically, then start.

If the alarm does go off, you can silence it by switching the IOD "off". But you'll still need 5mins. or so for it to time out.

When I'm out shopping, calling on people etc., I don't switch IOD "off". The saving is far too miniscule to be useful.

Leedsman.

Further addendum: --
Ignore the above as the control micro appears to "change it's mind" and set off the siren. This procedure appears to work better --

The latest procedure is to -- open the door with the key with IOD "off", -- switch on ignition, -- allow 10 secs or so for micros to initialize, -- then start engine. Go to the secret switch I have external to the car and switch "on" the IOD system. The turn-indicators will flash with a hesitation after TWO flashes, then go out. There will be NO siren. All will then be as normal. No lifting of bonnet/hood. With this current-saving system, the vehicle starts ok after a week of parking.

 

Sorry...... but what's this all about

 

Great mod.
But since I discovered NOT to turn my key all the way counter-clockwise to the ACC position I learned that my battery stays ok for starting even after ~10 days of parking.
If hat situation gets worse (like in winter) I will consider this mod.
great job Mr L.

 

Natgriff....Leedsman has a power leakoff problem when standing that flattens battery. His is however like a virus where the usual answers don't work.

 

Chrysler Grand Voyager - flat battery | Technical matters | Back Room Forum | Honest John

Acknowlegements to "Honest John" for this website and comments on GV's battery discharging problems. A number of people have found pulling out the IOD fuse was the only way of stopping battery discharge when parked for a few days -- professional Chrysler dealers could find no fault. There seems to be reams and reams on that site about discharged batteries failing to crank on the GV.

The most popular (if that's the right word) cause of improper battery drain is Vmaxxer's point about taking out the ignition key in the "accessories" position due to a slightly worn ignition lock. But there are maybe half a dozen other causes too, as the Honest John and many other postings generally highlight.

I seem to have a mad-micro somewhere that decides to start doing things when it shouldn't, probably when I'm tucked up in bed like another poster's experience.
After all, if the Toyota people with all their brains can't find a real reason for their "sudden acceleration" syndrome, what chance me finding and fixing a microprocessor-board problem? (And I don't believe Toyota's explanation about jammed carpet under the pedal...) And it's not just Toyota with micro problems, BMW and Mercedes also have had same, followed by flat batteries.
I'm just glad I don't have to pay for it all...

Leedsman.