We all know that Defenders are not exactly secure and we are gradually adding security features into the build. A previous post cover the fitting of alloy door and bonnet hinges with security bolts as a visual deterrent.
The Perentie had a standard battery isolator fitter on the passenger seat box just behind where your legs would be; this just had a regular red plastic key. I ordered one that had an actual key from Land Rover Defender Security.
Removing the old isolator left a huge hole in the seat box. So I made up an aluminium plate and mounted the new switch in that.
When I moved the battery, I had left sufficient slack in the main cable to allow me to cut and link the main starter cable into the isolator – sometimes forward thinking works…………
There was not loads of room to crimp the heavy battery cables, so I enlisted the help of Benita to hold the wires whilst I crimped – we added some solder to the joint, just to make sure! – Benita was in charge of the heat, we used her cooking blow torch.
The seat box was later trimmed with carpet; overall a neat job.
However, when the starter motor failed, which is covered in another post, we identified that the isolator had also failed. This became apparent when we were checking for current at the starter motor; one of the initial checks. We needed to bypass the isolator to continue fault finding.
Land Rover Defender Security did send me a replacement, which did sit on the shelf for a while before I got around to fitting it. It was a job that I did not really want to do as it involved removing the carpet that I had carefully laid.
Anyway, I did the job and then when testing the device realised that they had sent me keys that did not fit it! – I should have checked.
I did send them very polite e-mail asking for a solution and received no reply. I then called a couple of times only to be put through to voice mail – two calls, two messages – no response. I then sent both devices back “signed for” asking for a refund to date – no response. So I will not be ordering from them again.
I hope the door locks I bought from them are OK – more about that later………….
I got another identical unit from e-bay – £10 cheaper – works just fine.
A learn here is that the isolator cuts power to anything the is powered by the main starter battery, which includes the radio – which promptly forgets all of the settings the you have carefully programmed into the endless menus. So I will be running a supply to the radio from the leisure batteries once they are fitted.
48 States of Gray 
Very good Nigel xx
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