Alternator or not?

[lacroupade]

Ok need to sanity check something.

Wifes truck is having a problem with battery going flat - charged it for her at the weekend and within three days, having been driven about 40 miles in total, its flat as a witches tit.

Driven in daylight so virtually zero current consumption except maybe heater fan and its a decent, not very old heavy duty battery.

No warning lights and alternator belt is present and tight.

If anyone has got a handle on the voltages etc.. that I should be seeing at the battery that would be great, but at the moment, despite the lack of anything obvious, I'm leaning towards something discharging it.....any culprits that people have experienced that might not be as bleedin obvious as an interior light on??

On behalf of a maiden in distress LOL

 

[Toolbox]

Does your charging light come on when you turn the key on before you start?

 

[lacroupade]

Does your charging light come on when you turn the key on before you start?

Good point Jeremy, cars in wales with wifey and she's out with the girls tonight (at least thats what she says!), I'll get her to check when she comes in.....can you remind me which light it is?

What is that light telling you exactly, I'm assuming that since theres no charge being generated at that point its just checking the 'charging circuit'?

 

[extreme-4x4]

, cars in wales with wifey and she's out with extreme tonight (he's bigger than me she says!), I'll get her to tell me if she comes .....hope extreme can remind her it is fun ?

:wasntme

 

[Adz]

:wasntme

:doh

:clap

:jesterbg

 

[ssteve]

Ok need to sanity check something.

Wifes truck is having a problem with battery going flat - charged it for her at the weekend and within three days, having been driven about 40 miles in total, its flat as a witches tit.

Driven in daylight so virtually zero current consumption except maybe heater fan and its a decent, not very old heavy duty battery.

No warning lights and alternator belt is present and tight.

If anyone has got a handle on the voltages etc.. that I should be seeing at the battery that would be great, but at the moment, despite the lack of anything obvious, I'm leaning towards something discharging it.....any culprits that people have experienced that might not be as bleedin obvious as an interior light on??

On behalf of a maiden in distress LOL

about 14 volts charging, check all connections on batt and alt

ssteve

 

[rossco]

Grab a volt meter and take a reading on the battery with out the motor running, and then start the motor and take a reading while the motors is running see what voltage is.

With the motor running you voltage should go up to about between 13 -14v.

If no change in voltage when running then your alternator is not charging

The other thing you can do is take the voltage of the battery before you go to bed and record it and then take another reading in the morning and compare voltages. If a big difference you have some thing draining the battery.

 

[lacroupade]

Thanks guys, I'l dig my meter out and pay a conjugal visit at the weekend!

Keep you posted! :thumbs

 

[Adz]

Dont forget the obvious cheack your earths too :augie :thumbs

 

[lacroupade]

Will do Adz. Not been down there yet though

I still suspect a drain of some sort though, and now I think about it, she was complaining that the "washer bottle empty" warning light was on, even though the bottle was full.

So I'm assuming a short - weird cos I can see the float switch would want to draw current to power the warning light, but if the ignition is off I'd have thought it wouldn't. Still, sparks are funny things so I think I'll try snipping the bastard off and see where that gets me. :augie