electrical help!

[westcoastjonny]

Hi guys, I'm new to Chim ownership and whilst out on a blast yesterday it just stopped. I mean everything. Not a guage working, not a sausage from the remote locking or ignition. It was running fine and then just gave up with no warning.

The roof panel is of course locked in the boot so I'm trying to get this sorted fairly urgently!

It has been suggested that it could be "the main earth" having become disconnected, but a quick search suggests that there are several, some of which will be tricky to find for a keen but seriously limited DIYer like me.

I have removed the battery from the footwell and there appears to have been some rather enthusiastic splicing under there to get a big speaker thing in behind the seats.

I don't want to mess with what I'm not sure of but I was wondering if the secondary black cable which comes off the negative terminal is the earth that connects behind the petrol tank. This has been spliced into to take an earth to the speaker thing, but goes no further than that. Could this mean that the speaker is now the earth and a crucial "main" earth has been compromised or am I completely wrong? I wanted to remove the silly speakers anyway, but don't want to remove if the earth on it is important to the running of the car.

Sorry for thinking out loud but I'm a bit out of my depth here and would appreciate any help or advice. Thanks, Jon

[miniman]

So absolutely no electrics?

Firstly, do you have a voltmeter? Worth checking the battery, it could be completely dead, e.g. if the alternator hasn't been charging. Should show at least 12.5v with no load connected.

The "main fuse" referred to is the 100A fuse located on the chassis (normally) - see here: http://www.chimaerapages.com/resources_fuse.php

[westcoastjonny]

Thanks for that, checked the main fuse and its intact, While I was down there found what looked like an earth point on the chassis and gave it a good clean. No luck though...

The battery should be fine and we also tried a boost pack before towing it home so I don't think it's that....

[miniman]

Earthing points normally:

- engine block beneath alternator
- front end of chassis beneath radiator, offside
- top of chassis ahead of the gear level, nearside
- rear end of chassis behind fuel tank, nearside
- rear of engine block, nearside

Not sure if there is an "accident cut-off" type switch anywhere.

[loud430]

mine died last week when i put my lights on one night, after checking earths/fuses/relays we found that the main two brown wires onto the back of the fuse box was only supplying 2 volts, seems to have gone between the starter motor & the fuse board. we put a couple of fused wire from the battery straight to the fuse board & she fired up. shes now at the auto electricians for a thorough inspection & possibly new alarm. my cars a 93 if that helps.

[swallet]

Mine did this last week.

Had put the trickle charger on over night and went to start in the morning. Radio etc came on fuel pump primed.
Turned ignition - a pop noise and then all dead, no electrics.

Thought I’d blown a fuse - nope all good including 100amp.
Checked battery 12.6v, so OK.

Couldn’t understand.

Checked battery terminals and the +ve terminal was loose.
Jiggled it and all electrics back on. Tightened up fully and it started up first time.

I guess the connection at the +ve terminal was solid enough to power the accessories but when the starter motor started to draw some big amperage it must have arc’d out. Obviously the connection worked a little loose when I pulled the battery tray out to fit the charger.

Worth checking the really simple things first.

Good luck!