Help PLEASE Guys; battery not charging

[T40ORA]

I noticed on a run tonight that the display was reading 11.6V instead of the usual 13.6V. On the way home it was dropping further. Stopped to collect a takeaway and it would not start again.

Got it jump started (called out the wife with the leads.....ooooo, she's not happy) and home (after just stopping and needing another jump).

As it's only 2 years old and has plenty of use, I'm guessing that it's a charging problem not a dodgy battery. It's too late and dark to do anything now, but I'm assuming that it might be a fuse problem; seem to remember threads about alternator fuses? Could this be the problem - is this the dreaded 100amp fuse? If so, where is it and is there a spare?

It's on trickle charge at the moment. I'm (supposed to be) taking it the 85 miles to Dulford for it's 24k service tomorrow but not sure if it will make it.

Any suggestions PLEASE will be very welcome.

PS Been on trickle charge since Friday night and battery still not full. Is this norml from 8.5 V or does it sound more like a battery problem?

Edited by T40ORA on Friday 6th July 23:53

Edited by T40ORA on Sunday 8th July 13:15

[marT350T]

It is the 100 amp fuse that has blown I had exactly the same problem 3 weeks ago

Remove airbox and you will see a black fuse holder off the alternator. 2, 8 mm bolts to slacken and then remove and replace old fuse. only takes about 30 mins.

I got my spares off ebay

Remember to disconnect battery first !

Edited by marT350T on Saturday 7th July 07:16

[T40ORA]

marT350T said:

It is the 100 amp fuse that has blown I had exactly the same problem 3 weeks ago

Remove airbox and you will see a black fuse holder off the alternator. 2, 8 mm bolts to slacken and then remove and replace old fuse. only takes about 30 mins.

I got my spares off ebay

Remember to disconnect battery first !

Edited by marT350T on Saturday 7th July 07:16

Ah bugger. Thanks for this Martyn.

Bloody timing is impecable; supposed to be driving 85 miles down to Dulfords for it's service this morning and need it back before Thursday for the Bristol/Hants Gang on the Green. So won't have time to get the fuse today, and can't drive it without the fuse. I guess it's not a standard fit one then, so no trip to Halfrauds or Motabitz?

BTW to disconnect the battery, do you have to go in from under the wheel or passenger footwell? In 2 years and 24k miles of motoring I've never had to fiddle with anything so it's all theoretical to me.

Cheers

BTW Just found your old thread about this.

Edited by T40ORA on Saturday 7th July 07:40

[marT350T]

Some people say that you can get to the battery without removing the passenger wheel but I always jack the car up put it on a axel stand and disconnect battery that way.

Hope you get it fixed

[T40ORA]

Thanks Martyn; as a matter of interest why do I need to disconnect the battery? I only ask as my existing jack won't fit under so I'll have to try to get one of those low jobbies which aren't cheap.

BTW I've sourced a fuse, so off to collect it shortly.

[marT350T]

It is only a safety thing really.

There shouldnt be a problem if you manage to keep the both cables attached to the fuse holder but my old fuse had welded itself to one of the bolts so I have remove a cable and on checking it it was still live.

I have heard too many stories about things arcing / shorting and creating havoc with ecu's etc so I thought it to be worthwhile.

[T40ORA]

OK thanks. Checked my jack and it does fit under so tomorrow I'll be investigating airbox etc to see that I can actually do the job, and if so up it will go and the battery will be disconnected.

Sort of looking forward to having a go, but knowing how badly I normally cock things up maybe I shouldn't be!

[custardkid]

check the alternator belt is tight as mofo, had the same issue, thought it was the alternator but it wasn't, the belt looked tight, but wasn't you need to get a big bar under it and give it a good bit of tension.

custard

[T40ORA]

Bugger! Eventually got there; slow but sure. Looks like I've found the carrier - by a cluster of 6 leads which I would have said were from the distibutor (or whatever the equivalent is) off to the plugs.

Flipped it open and inside..........is a :125 amp fuse! Held in by two small nuts/bolts.

Help; am I in the correct place? Just off to the local Motabitz/A1 store who stock a similar sounding fuse (125 at about the same length) in caes but any help would be much appreciated.

Dunno how to tell if this one is blown, as the 100 amp one that I have is just metal so pretty obvious. The 125 has a plastic bit in the middle.

Also, the nuts/bolts holding it look fine but one of those by the carrier looks a bit rusty/corroded.

All contributions gratefully received....

[marT350T]

T40ORA said:

Bugger! Eventually got there; slow but sure. Looks like I've found the carrier - by a cluster of 6 leads which I would have said were from the distibutor (or whatever the equivalent is) off to the plugs.

Flipped it open and inside..........is a :125 amp fuse! Held in by two small nuts/bolts.

Help; am I in the correct place? Just off to the local Motabitz/A1 store who stock a similar sounding fuse (125 at about the same length) in caes but any help would be much appreciated.

Dunno how to tell if this one is blown, as the 100 amp one that I have is just metal so pretty obvious. The 125 has a plastic bit in the middle.

Also, the nuts/bolts holding it look fine but one of those by the carrier looks a bit rusty/corroded.

All contributions gratefully received....

Alright mate, you can check if the fuse has blown by using a avo meter on the resistance setting.

I have heard about people fitting 125 amp fuses to stop them blowing so regular.

[T40ORA]

Ta. Just taking the wheel off to get to the battery.

Any suggestions of a damage free way to get the wheel actually OFF? Nuts off (the wheel, not me) but whell isn't budging despite yanking etc. Wooden mallet from inside...?

[marT350T]

If the nuts are that tight I use a socket set with an extension peice and I cant move it by myself out comes the mallet !

[T40ORA]

My nuts are very loose ta!

Well, I managed to get it all done. Took it for a 12 mile spin. Battery still loosing charge.

So I'm guessing that the battery must be knackered, which I wouldn't expect after only 24k miles and just over a year but I can't see what else it can be.

BTW the problem with the wheel is that after the nuts are off, I can't get the wheel off the hub. Tried a mallet from the inner side of the wheel but it still wouldn't budge, which means that getting a new battery on will be a tad difficult....

Looks like I'll be starting another thread (or searching first) to check (a) if there could be some other cause, (b) what battery do I need?

Ho hum. There goes a wasted Sunday. STill, next time I'll be able to do it a whole lot quicker.

[Targarama]

Let the car down off the jack very slowly and very carefully with the wheel nuts loosened off. The weight of the car should 'crack' the joint with the hub.

[T40ORA]

Targarama said:

Let the car down off the jack very slowly and very carefully with the wheel nuts loosened off. The weight of the car should 'crack' the joint with the hub.

Ah! Brilliant!

[T40ORA]

One last thing; if it isn't the 100amp (or 125 amp) fuse that's gone can it be anything other than the battery?

I checked the belts as suggested but seemed all OK.

[T40ORA]

helipilot said:

Check the voltage coming off the 2 terminals on the back of the alternator. It should be around 13.7v or so. Had my alternator go recently and i'm told it is fairly common. If not try the other 100 amp fuse (located in the passenger's footwell behind the carpet where your feet rest).

Hmmm. Looks like my trip to Dulfords might be postponed then.

Thanks

[custardkid]

i've got a 100amp fuse behind the passenger footwell carpet (but not one in the battery box?!?!), worth a look???

custard

[T40ORA]

'Twas the alternator. Zero output.

Resorted to the RAC to recover me to Dulfords where it was going for it's 24k service; couldn't locate an alternator available today and had to get it there for them to start work tomorrow or it would not have been ready in time for Gang On The Green this weekend.

Can't say that I totally enjoyed the learning experience this weekend as it did sort of take-over everything. But it was just that, a learning experience. And I feel a better person for it.

Well OK, maybe just a slightly better prepared and more knowledgable TVR owner.

One question though; what is the difference between the fuse in the passenger footwell and the one behind the airbox? All I know is that they "do similar things" isn't very technical.

Thanks for the help Guys.

BTW The 125amp fuse is apparently a good thing; the alternator is a 100amp Landrover jobbie and although it doesn't actually put out 100amp if it did surge your fuse would go unnecessarily.

[SEN 18]

ITS good to here your the Tam will soon be happy again Lee.