Battery

[jims-terrano]

Well my battery is giving me trouble again so I'm cutting my losses. Put it on charge last night at about 11 o'clock and off again about half 7 this morning. Cranked over good and strong this morning so I drove to work about18 miles. Came out to start car at lunch time and it would hardly turn so I just got it started. I've worked out that if I drive around with nothing on (ohh her mrs) like the blower or radios then it seems to cope but as soon as I've had blower on for my trip it seems to flatten it. It's annoying because the current battery is only just over a year old and last time I took it back the guy was adament that there is nothing wrong with the battery.

Anyway I can get a Varta Battery 95amp for £80 locally with a 2 year warranty.

Am I doing the right thing by getting this new battery and are Varta's any good?


Jim T

 

[lacroupade]

Well my battery is giving me trouble again so I'm cutting my losses. Put it on charge last night at about 11 o'clock and off again about half 7 this morning. Cranked over good and strong this morning so I drove to work about18 miles. Came out to start car at lunch time and it would hardly turn so I just got it started. I've worked out that if I drive around with nothing on (ohh her mrs) like the blower or radios then it seems to cope but as soon as I've had blower on for my trip it seems to flatten it. It's annoying because the current battery is only just over a year old and last time I took it back the guy was adament that there is nothing wrong with the battery.

Anyway I can get a Varta Battery 95amp for £80 locally with a 2 year warranty.

Am I doing the right thing by getting this new battery and are Varta's any good?


Jim T

Doesn't sound right, your alternator should be putting plenty enough poke in to charge the battery and run the blower....are you sure its charging OK and there are no current leakages anywhere? Have you got another car you can test the battery on for a day or two? Personally I'd invest half an hour with a good auto electrician first or you might be back where you started - at least he can confirm the battery status for you if nothing else, then you'll know you bought a pup....

 

[Terranosaurus]

Have you checked what cvoltage you're getting when the engine is running?

You should be getting over 12v imeadiately even with a titally flat battery and then after a bit of a drive it should rise to around 14v. If it doesn't then your alternator is knackered - its not a totally fool proof test but will show up obvious alternator problems.
Does your HAM rig have a start up volt meter like mine? Thats more than accurate enough for this test.

If it is the alternator get yourslef over to Star Batteries by the motor auctions at Oulton - you'll get a better battery for much less there. They sometimes have the Numax CXV batteries in which really are the dogs, or they will order em in. I aid £57 for my last one which was the 113A/hr version, X-eng want £89 for the 86Ahr version to give you some idea how cheap Star Batteries are,

 

[extreme-4x4]

check your belt and connections

 

[ronypony]

Have been having similar problems myself.Battery charged up fine overnight but after a day or two I would go out and the motor wouldn't start.Evetually decided the alternator was playing up.Took a chance and bought one of fleabay...this turned out to be a mistake..the bloke sent me one for a petrol engined Mav..I clearly stated my vehicle was a diesel and provided all correct part numbers from casing which I asked him to check against the one he had for sale...assured me numbers matched...had to send it back and he sent me the diesel one eventually...but I lost out on postage...which annoyed me somewhat...paying for his mistake...in the mean time (cos by now I had lost trust in the bloke) I had my original one refurbed at £70...scrappy one was £50 incuding extra postage costs.
Fitted the scrappy one while my original was away being refurbed.Things seemed ok for a few days until I went out one morning and the car wouldn't even turn over...battery was flat as pancake...Fitted refurbed one and now everything is as it should be...charging up nicely...the scrappy one is gubbed as they say up this way...very annoying...but as they say buyer beware...... so only myself to blame

I would check out the alternator or have it checked to ensure its putting out a full charge..having said that I bought a battery from Halfords for an old Granada I had...it turned out to be knackered and had to take it back the next day...the shop fella was suprised when I told him the battery would not charge up...he used a hefty looking tester which confirmed that one of the cells was up the spout. So dont rule out anything....even a brand new battery

 

[jims-terrano]

This has been going on for several months but seemed to ease off with the weather getting warmer but this last two days I've been using it for work, not sure why wife hasn't moaned whilst she's been using it.
A few months ago I spent ages disconnecting the battery over night, I've disconnected my lives to the back (so no ham rig). I tested battery voltages before and after use but could not tell for sure whats wrong. I need to get this sorted.

Is there a reliable test that I can do on the alternator?

Jim T

 

[Terranosaurus]

This has been going on for several months but seemed to ease off with the weather getting warmer but this last two days I've been using it for work, not sure why wife hasn't moaned whilst she's been using it.
A few months ago I spent ages disconnecting the battery over night, I've disconnected my lives to the back (so no ham rig). I tested battery voltages before and after use but could not tell for sure whats wrong. I need to get this sorted.

Is there a reliable test that I can do on the alternator?

Jim T

Voltage test with engne running as described above. If you want e to have a look Jim, as far as I know I'm around all weekend, am just 2 mins form Squires where we met before.

 

[tezzer]

when you go nad buy a battery have a look and see where they store them, if they on the floor, leave alone and walkout, it will knacker them in no time, always buy off the shelf or rack, this is what may have happen to your battery.:thumb2

tezzer

 

[lacroupade]

when you go nad buy a battery have a look and see where they store them, if they on the floor, leave alone and walkout, it will knacker them in no time, always buy off the shelf or rack, this is what may have happen to your battery.:thumb2

tezzer

you can't leave us hanging like that Tez! why so?

 

[elty001]

you can't leave us hanging like that Tez! why so?

maybe because they are too dirty:nenau:lol:lol:lol

 

[jims-terrano]

Might be stored on a concrete floor they are cold, very cold.

Well I took her out for a run tonight and it measured 12.7V when I'd just turned engine off. I came home with the lights and blower running and the wipers. I will test the volts again in the morning and see what it's like and then try starting it. The plastic filler caps on the batter are flush with the top of the battery but there is residue that looks like it's dried up acid that has somehow weaped out of the battery.

Simon thanks for the offer I might just do that mate, send us a PM with your phone number on so I can call just in case I do come over.

Jim T

 

[zippy]

you can't leave us hanging like that Tez! why so?

the cold ground knackers them. Something to do with voltages and charge at certain temps. Batteries should be stored fully charged on shelves or certainly off the garage floor.

regards
Lee

 

[extreme-4x4]

you need to clean all the connections from battery to starter inc earth
and alternator to battery all of them with sand paper so they shine

thats the problem im sure

 

[jims-terrano]

I'll try and have a go at that tomorrow extreme, Ta

Jim

 

[lacroupade]

then vaseline them all.

 

[jims-terrano]

then vaseline them all.

I like it rough I only have axle grease:lol

Jim

 

[tezzer]

you can't leave us hanging like that Tez! why so?

it's something to do with electrosis, electrolyt, sod it chemical reaction and it damages the plate, batteries are completely knackered if left on floor for to long.:thumb2


tezzer

 

[rossco]

Might be stored on a concrete floor they are cold, very cold.

Well I took her out for a run tonight and it measured 12.7V when I'd just turned engine off. I came home with the lights and blower running and the wipers. I will test the volts again in the morning and see what it's like and then try starting it. The plastic filler caps on the batter are flush with the top of the battery but there is residue that looks like it's dried up acid that has somehow weaped out of the battery.

Simon thanks for the offer I might just do that mate, send us a PM with your phone number on so I can call just in case I do come over.

Jim T

If you took it for a run and the charge is 12.7 when you came back,sounds like your alternator is charging but the battery is not hold the charge over time so your plates inside are on the way out, basically a knackered battery.

Ill be interested in your reading in the morning first thing before starting it up.

 

[jims-terrano]

This is nuts!!! 12.7 volts again and she started up fine but not that chilly outside:nenau

This is difficult because I know that if I leave it it's gonna let me or the wife down sometime. I'm off all this week so I might monitor it for a few days and see what happens. I guess cleaning contacts and greasing them wont harm either (better disconnect battery first though).

Jim T

 

[jims-terrano]

Just been out for a run and here's the readings.

With the engine running 14.20V rising slightly when AC cuts in?
Engine running and lights, blower and heated rear screen 13.7v slowly dropping 0.01V every couple of seconds (is this right)

And 13.8v with engine off and nothing switched on.

Jim T