Problem that i need help with
Discussion
I have a 97 5.0L Chimaera, and when i turn the ignition key to the notch before turning the engine over the oil light and the battery light should come on but the battery light does not.
However when the engine is started the alternator is whistling and seems to be charging the battery as the engine has not died yet.
When the ingnition is turned to the first notch and the electics are still on the battery light comes on.
Does anyone have any suggetions as to what could be causing it.
Also the interior dashborad lights seem to be brighter than normal.
However when the engine is started the alternator is whistling and seems to be charging the battery as the engine has not died yet.
When the ingnition is turned to the first notch and the electics are still on the battery light comes on.
Does anyone have any suggetions as to what could be causing it.
Also the interior dashborad lights seem to be brighter than normal.
Bunglist said:
when i turn the ignition key to the notch before turning the engine over the oil light and the battery light should come on but the battery light does not......................
.......When the ingnition is turned to the first notch and the electics are still on the battery light comes on.
Are you saying your car has an "ACC" position then?.......When the ingnition is turned to the first notch and the electics are still on the battery light comes on.
Cheers for the help for starters.
However i have just checked the current coming off the Alternator and it is just over 14 amps and the battery is giving off just under 12amps.
Chances are it is just one of those niggles, but all seems ok apart from the Battery Light not coming on at the 2nd key postion.
What does anyone else think? Would it be OK just to leave it and see how it goes, or should i check something else out?
However i have just checked the current coming off the Alternator and it is just over 14 amps and the battery is giving off just under 12amps.
Chances are it is just one of those niggles, but all seems ok apart from the Battery Light not coming on at the 2nd key postion.
What does anyone else think? Would it be OK just to leave it and see how it goes, or should i check something else out?
Bunglist said:
Cheers for the help for starters.
However i have just checked the current coming off the Alternator and it is just over 14 amps and the battery is giving off just under 12amps.
Chances are it is just one of those niggles, but all seems ok apart from the Battery Light not coming on at the 2nd key postion.
What does anyone else think? Would it be OK just to leave it and see how it goes, or should i check something else out?
It's not clear to me from your description exactly what the symptoms are. I suggest that the two things you should find out are (1) is the battery being charged, and (2) does the no-charge warning light work.However i have just checked the current coming off the Alternator and it is just over 14 amps and the battery is giving off just under 12amps.
Chances are it is just one of those niggles, but all seems ok apart from the Battery Light not coming on at the 2nd key postion.
What does anyone else think? Would it be OK just to leave it and see how it goes, or should i check something else out?
Judging by your post I would guess that you aren't competent to test it for yourself (this is not a dig at you) so I suggest you take a drive round to your local automotive electrician and ask him to give it a quick glance over. You may find that he can put your mind at rest very quickly.
Agreed, distinguishing between amps and volts is fairly significant 
But if you wish to persevere, most of us here will try and help advance your understanding.
12v from battery & 14v from alt is about right... The ign lead to the warning LED is @11-13v with engine not running, and goes up to 14v with the engine running (alt charging). The lead from the alt to the LED should be 0v when not running (once it has excited the coils) and then at 12v when charging. If your LED glows a bit with the @+2v PD that is not uncommon
Dave
But if you wish to persevere, most of us here will try and help advance your understanding.
12v from battery & 14v from alt is about right... The ign lead to the warning LED is @11-13v with engine not running, and goes up to 14v with the engine running (alt charging). The lead from the alt to the LED should be 0v when not running (once it has excited the coils) and then at 12v when charging. If your LED glows a bit with the @+2v PD that is not uncommon
Dave
Thanks for your help on this.
But i got our electrical engineer at work to check it all for me, i was just not sure if it was amps or volts, but anyway the point i was making was that the alternator seems to be working and the battery seems be in good health.
What i tried to explain (although probably not very well) was that when you put the key in the ignition and turn it to point 1 it will bring on the dash lights (IE all the coloured ones for the blower controls) and the oil and battery warning lights but the engine is not running, then when you start the engine at point 2 the oil & battery light go out.
My problem was that the battery warning light has stopped coming on when the keys are in the ignition and at point 1 before starting the engine.
But when you turn the engine off, the battery warning lights comes on.
Does that explain it a bit better.
SO my question is, as everything seems to be working IE the alternator & Batttery, is there anything else i should check as the battery warning light is not behaving as it has been for the last 3 years.
Or
Is it possibly a gremlin that will not effect anything else?
But i got our electrical engineer at work to check it all for me, i was just not sure if it was amps or volts, but anyway the point i was making was that the alternator seems to be working and the battery seems be in good health.
What i tried to explain (although probably not very well) was that when you put the key in the ignition and turn it to point 1 it will bring on the dash lights (IE all the coloured ones for the blower controls) and the oil and battery warning lights but the engine is not running, then when you start the engine at point 2 the oil & battery light go out.
My problem was that the battery warning light has stopped coming on when the keys are in the ignition and at point 1 before starting the engine.
But when you turn the engine off, the battery warning lights comes on.
Does that explain it a bit better.
SO my question is, as everything seems to be working IE the alternator & Batttery, is there anything else i should check as the battery warning light is not behaving as it has been for the last 3 years.
Or
Is it possibly a gremlin that will not effect anything else?
Did your electrical engineer give you any diagnosis?
You should find that the battery reads about 12V with the engine stopped and between 13V and 14V with the engine running. If that's what you have, this indicates that the alternator is charging the battery. That's good news because it means you aren't in immediate danger of getting stranded. If you still see 12V *at the battery* when the engine is running, it isn't being charged and you need to find out why. (Any bets that it's that sodding fusible link again?) In the meantime be aware that if you continue to drive it like this the battery will eventually run down and the car will die.
If the system is working as designed, the no-charge warning light should come on when you switch the ignition on with the engine stopped. If yours doesn't do this (even if you find it *is* charging the battery) then there's something wrong and I suggest you find out what.
Finally I repeat my suggestion that you get an automotive electrician check it to see whether you have a problem.
You should find that the battery reads about 12V with the engine stopped and between 13V and 14V with the engine running. If that's what you have, this indicates that the alternator is charging the battery. That's good news because it means you aren't in immediate danger of getting stranded. If you still see 12V *at the battery* when the engine is running, it isn't being charged and you need to find out why. (Any bets that it's that sodding fusible link again?) In the meantime be aware that if you continue to drive it like this the battery will eventually run down and the car will die.
If the system is working as designed, the no-charge warning light should come on when you switch the ignition on with the engine stopped. If yours doesn't do this (even if you find it *is* charging the battery) then there's something wrong and I suggest you find out what.
Finally I repeat my suggestion that you get an automotive electrician check it to see whether you have a problem.
Thanks for your reply GreenV8S.
In the past i had the 100amp fuse blow and thought it was the alternator, so changed that and found the problem was still there, then i found out about the 100amp fuse.
So i have had experience with the engine dieing on me and not knowing why.
But this time everything seems to be working fine, i have the 12 volt reading when the engine is stopped and i have just over 14volts when the engine is running.
The problem is the dash battery warning light, does not seem to come when it should.
In the past i had the 100amp fuse blow and thought it was the alternator, so changed that and found the problem was still there, then i found out about the 100amp fuse.
So i have had experience with the engine dieing on me and not knowing why.
But this time everything seems to be working fine, i have the 12 volt reading when the engine is stopped and i have just over 14volts when the engine is running.
The problem is the dash battery warning light, does not seem to come when it should.
A possible cause could be the voltage regulator cct. This used to be a separate unit in older cars but is now probably built into the alternator. I am new to TVRs and not got a Bible yet (hope to have after xmas) so I am not sure where it is.
It may be worth cleaning all connections to the alternator as first step and then getting an auto electrician to check as has been suggested
Good Luck
Trevor
It may be worth cleaning all connections to the alternator as first step and then getting an auto electrician to check as has been suggested
Good Luck
Trevor
Are you absolutely sure the light you are looking at is the battery charge warning light? There has been plenty of confusion mixing up oil/ign/alarm lights in the past.
Best way to check is to pull the spade term (thin wire) off the back of the alt, which should prevent the light coming at all (and charging BTW).
Dave
Best way to check is to pull the spade term (thin wire) off the back of the alt, which should prevent the light coming at all (and charging BTW).
Dave
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