Big fuse or just low CCA?

[volospian]

I've noticed lately, in this very cold weather, that the cerb has turned into one of those comedy vintage cars, with lights that get brighter, wipers that go faster and so on the more you rev it. Also, the rev counter doesn't really work properly at idle.

Is this simply because the alternator doesn't spin fast enough at idle to add any voltage, and so everything is running off the (very cold) battery, or is this a big fuse issue?

The battery is a halfords 072 (about 550CCA I think). I only wondered about the fuse because it seems to be getting worse over that last few weeks (although I know it has been getting colder as well, which also could explain it) and I wondered if the fuse could be causing charging or voltage issues?

[Toadusmodus]

My Cerb suffers from this, despite a healthy battery and brand new alternator. I have a volt meter permanently wired up, and at idle is usually only showing just above 12v, so not enough really. As soon as you give it any beans, this will jump up to 13/14v. If you then add in having lights/heater/heated rear window/radio etc, voltage at idle will drop even lower. I wonder if there is a mod to get more voltage at idle, perhaps a different size pulley on the alt?

[volospian]

Toadusmodus said:

My Cerb suffers from this, despite a healthy battery and brand new alternator. I have a volt meter permanently wired up, and at idle is usually only showing just above 12v, so not enough really. As soon as you give it any beans, this will jump up to 13/14v. If you then add in having lights/heater/heated rear window/radio etc, voltage at idle will drop even lower. I wonder if there is a mod to get more voltage at idle, perhaps a different size pulley on the alt?

Yeah, that's my thoughts. I checked the voltage back in the summer, at idle, and it was only just over 12v. I was thinking of a new pulley too. It's not a major issue if it is just an idle issue though, I suppose, as the car doesn't sit at idle much really. I was more concerned about the charge getting through to the battery properly when it is running. Someone said the big fuse was something to do with the charging system... or something. I don't want to get up one morning and find there's not enough juice in there.

[Byker28i]

Mine did all that when my big fuse cracked. I'd check that just for piece of mind

[jammy_basturd]

Byker28i said:

Mine did all that when my big fuse cracked. I'd check that just for piece of mind

Same here.

[volospian]

Well, I've already got some somewhere in the garage. It won't hurt to change it, I don't suppose.

[chim500nj]

volospian said:

Toadusmodus said:

My Cerb suffers from this, despite a healthy battery and brand new alternator. I have a volt meter permanently wired up, and at idle is usually only showing just above 12v, so not enough really. As soon as you give it any beans, this will jump up to 13/14v. If you then add in having lights/heater/heated rear window/radio etc, voltage at idle will drop even lower. I wonder if there is a mod to get more voltage at idle, perhaps a different size pulley on the alt?

Yeah, that's my thoughts. I checked the voltage back in the summer, at idle, and it was only just over 12v. I was thinking of a new pulley too. It's not a major issue if it is just an idle issue though, I suppose, as the car doesn't sit at idle much really. I was more concerned about the charge getting through to the battery properly when it is running. Someone said the big fuse was something to do with the charging system... or something. I don't want to get up one morning and find there's not enough juice in there.

I was told by a mechanic that when you start a Cerb especially in cold weather you should drive off straight away if you can, once you have done a mile of so the lumpy low idle seems to sort itself as does the low voltage..

[volospian]

I do generally drive off pretty much straight away. I live on an estate and need to creep out at low revs so that I don't upset the neighbours too much. By the time I'm at the end of our road the idle is fine and the rev counter is fine, but the lights/wipers/etc. still brighten/speed up etc at over about 1200rpm. When I stop at a junction or whatever it all sloowwss ddoowwnn aaggaaiinn

[chim500nj]

volospian said:

all sloowwss ddoowwnn aaggaaiinn

LOL yeah they do take a while to warm properly in this cold weather especially if you are straight out onto an A or M road...