wisdom needed - accumate/battery issues
Discussion
All,
some or your collective wisdom if you please.
Despite my accumate I have just found my battery flat as a pancake with no lights on the acumate at all. I checked the wall socket and it seems to have clicked itself off. I can't remember doing this, and the wife is away at the moment - no idea why she would do it either. There was some water that had come under the garage door, but nothing serious. The accumate and the extention lead socket it is plugged into where on a damp patch of the floor, but I don't think there has been any major water in there.
Now the mains light on the accumate is on, but none of the other lights are on. I know they start off faint if there is no juice in the battery, but I can't see even the slightest glimmer. I've plugged the accumate into our other car, but with no mains connection (too far away from socket) and get some faint lights on the battery strength side.
I've pulled out the carpet from the footwell (thankfully the roof was off after the last drive) and checked the fuses, and the one that the handbook says is for the cigarette lighter is okay.
Your collective thoughts? What should I prod and poke next?
Cheers,
Pete
some or your collective wisdom if you please.
Despite my accumate I have just found my battery flat as a pancake with no lights on the acumate at all. I checked the wall socket and it seems to have clicked itself off. I can't remember doing this, and the wife is away at the moment - no idea why she would do it either. There was some water that had come under the garage door, but nothing serious. The accumate and the extention lead socket it is plugged into where on a damp patch of the floor, but I don't think there has been any major water in there.
Now the mains light on the accumate is on, but none of the other lights are on. I know they start off faint if there is no juice in the battery, but I can't see even the slightest glimmer. I've plugged the accumate into our other car, but with no mains connection (too far away from socket) and get some faint lights on the battery strength side.
I've pulled out the carpet from the footwell (thankfully the roof was off after the last drive) and checked the fuses, and the one that the handbook says is for the cigarette lighter is okay.
Your collective thoughts? What should I prod and poke next?
Cheers,
Pete
When you say the switch has clicked itself off, do you mean that you have an RCD protector which has tripped? I can't explain why that happened (nothing on the car could cause that) but if it's a passive protector it may be you just had a brief power outage on the mains. Whatever caused it, that would explain the car battery going flat if it's been left with the accumate switched off for a long time.
I've tried to adjust the fit of the cigarette lighter connector on the accumate - no joy.
At present I'm half way into the passenger footwell. Relay and ECUs are out just enough to get to the fusebox, but I'm not past the point of no return yet! I could actually get everything back in right now without too much hassle. The next step, to expose the battery terminals, is the one I hate doing...
In terms of the wall socket turning itself off, I've no clue how or why. I haven't checked on the Griff for a few weeks, and the accumate normally keeps it ready to rock and roll. My previous house (I move house every year or so due to work) had the garage round the corner with no power, so the battery went flat a couple of times. The accumate has brought the battery back from flat as a pancake before. This is a new battery that I had fitted in Aug, because the last one had been flattenend a couple of times, and was a few years old.
I may leave it on the accumate for a 12 hours or so and see if I get a flicker of something. I hate messing about in the footwell!
Is there anyway I can confirm that the accumate hasn't gone tits up?
Cheers for your help,
Pete
At present I'm half way into the passenger footwell. Relay and ECUs are out just enough to get to the fusebox, but I'm not past the point of no return yet! I could actually get everything back in right now without too much hassle. The next step, to expose the battery terminals, is the one I hate doing...
In terms of the wall socket turning itself off, I've no clue how or why. I haven't checked on the Griff for a few weeks, and the accumate normally keeps it ready to rock and roll. My previous house (I move house every year or so due to work) had the garage round the corner with no power, so the battery went flat a couple of times. The accumate has brought the battery back from flat as a pancake before. This is a new battery that I had fitted in Aug, because the last one had been flattenend a couple of times, and was a few years old.
I may leave it on the accumate for a 12 hours or so and see if I get a flicker of something. I hate messing about in the footwell!
Is there anyway I can confirm that the accumate hasn't gone tits up?
Cheers for your help,
Pete
V8_GWA said:
Is there anyway I can confirm that the accumate hasn't gone tits up?
Not easily. I don't have an accumate, so cannot be too specific. Could you try measuring the voltage across the accumate (cigar lighter plug) terminals with the accumate plugged in to the mains?I assume then it does not have a "power on" light?
You could try turning something (low power, maybe radio) on and see if it makes a difference whether or not the accumate is plugged in.
Not my area of expertise (not sure I actually have one to be honest), but can you actually measure the output from an accumate with no battery connected to them? I believe what makes them conditioners rather than chargers is that the current they supply is dependent on the charge in the battery rather than just pumping a constant trickle charge in.
If I use a multimeter on an accumate plugged into the socket in the kitchen but with no battery in the system, will it actually show any current?
Just once, I'd like to end up living down the road from my brother the mechanic! I'm sure he prefers me being a couple of hours away though!
Pete
If I use a multimeter on an accumate plugged into the socket in the kitchen but with no battery in the system, will it actually show any current?
Just once, I'd like to end up living down the road from my brother the mechanic! I'm sure he prefers me being a couple of hours away though!
Pete
As I say, I don't actually own one, so am not sure whether you would see a voltage.
If you don't fancy digging out the battery terminals, I would put the accumate on now, and see whether you have any life in the battery tomorrow. Maybe in a couple of hours you could see if there is any life in it at all (interior light or radio).
If you don't fancy digging out the battery terminals, I would put the accumate on now, and see whether you have any life in the battery tomorrow. Maybe in a couple of hours you could see if there is any life in it at all (interior light or radio).
V8_GWA said:
In terms of the wall socket turning itself off, I've no clue how or why.
Well that will remain a mystery then but if the accumate has been switched off it explains why the battery has gone flat.V8_GWA said:
Is there anyway I can confirm that the accumate hasn't gone tits up?
If you switch it on but don't connect to the battery I expect you'd find 12V ish across the output terminals if it's working.V8_GWA said:
How would reversing the polarity involve swapping the connections round in the accumate cigarette lighter connector? Is there an easier way that my addled brain can't see?
Cheers
Two bits of old wire or the leads from your multimeter?Cheers
Ah, hang on. Does the fag lighter connector just go directly to the Accumate, or does it still use the little white connector too?
Its the latter I was on about crossing the wires over.
More strangeness! I measured the output of the optimate with it plugged into the wall but with no battery and got about 0.01V. I then plugged the cigarette jack into the female socket on a portable power pack thing I have. The optimate then started doing the things that I would expect in terms of lights etc and was showing 20 V on the multimeter.
Intrigued, I went to plug it back into the car, and as soon as I did the alarm started chirruping away. I couldn't turn the alarm off with my key fob, so I unplugged the optimate and retired to the kitchen before I really annoy the neighbours!
Am I right in thinking that a small key I have on my keyring (which I have never used before) may turn off the alarm sirens?
Cheers,
Pete
Intrigued, I went to plug it back into the car, and as soon as I did the alarm started chirruping away. I couldn't turn the alarm off with my key fob, so I unplugged the optimate and retired to the kitchen before I really annoy the neighbours!
Am I right in thinking that a small key I have on my keyring (which I have never used before) may turn off the alarm sirens?
Cheers,
Pete
V8_GWA said:
More strangeness! I measured the output of the optimate with it plugged into the wall but with no battery and got about 0.01V. I then plugged the cigarette jack into the female socket on a portable power pack thing I have. The optimate then started doing the things that I would expect in terms of lights etc and was showing 20 V on the multimeter.
Intrigued, I went to plug it back into the car, and as soon as I did the alarm started chirruping away. I couldn't turn the alarm off with my key fob, so I unplugged the optimate and retired to the kitchen before I really annoy the neighbours!
Am I right in thinking that a small key I have on my keyring (which I have never used before) may turn off the alarm sirens?
Cheers,
Pete
You need to charge the battery up with it disconnected Intrigued, I went to plug it back into the car, and as soon as I did the alarm started chirruping away. I couldn't turn the alarm off with my key fob, so I unplugged the optimate and retired to the kitchen before I really annoy the neighbours!
Am I right in thinking that a small key I have on my keyring (which I have never used before) may turn off the alarm sirens?
Cheers,
Pete
The alarm doesn't like being bought up to voltage slowly.Right, just come back from latest tinkering. The small key I have fitted into the top of the alarm box. I'm assuming that this turns off the alarm or the siren or both. Its the Foxguard original by the way.
I've plugged the optimate back in and the alarm no longer chirrups, but I don't have any lights on the optimate.
confused of Dorset
I've plugged the optimate back in and the alarm no longer chirrups, but I don't have any lights on the optimate.
confused of Dorset
You need to figure out if your accumate packed up or the battery did or both. Best way to do this is measure the voltage on the accumate when it's not connected to the battery. It should be around 14 Volts. Check if it has an internal fuse that might have been blown.
The other test is to disconnect the battery (best to get the earth cable)of the terminal and measure it. It's probably very low, but it should give you an indication. It's important to load the battery without the car earth connection. In that way you discount the car circuit. It's possible that you have a short cut somewhere that drains the battery or even destroyed it. The accumate can not compensate the required load and hence does not charge anymore. If you are lucky the battery will be recharged next day and you can start your search for the short circuit. You can already get an idea if something is wrong when you measure the resistance (Also earth disconnected from battery!) between plus and disconnected earth cable. By taking out fuses one by one you can check if the resistance changes.
Good luck,
Peter
The other test is to disconnect the battery (best to get the earth cable)of the terminal and measure it. It's probably very low, but it should give you an indication. It's important to load the battery without the car earth connection. In that way you discount the car circuit. It's possible that you have a short cut somewhere that drains the battery or even destroyed it. The accumate can not compensate the required load and hence does not charge anymore. If you are lucky the battery will be recharged next day and you can start your search for the short circuit. You can already get an idea if something is wrong when you measure the resistance (Also earth disconnected from battery!) between plus and disconnected earth cable. By taking out fuses one by one you can check if the resistance changes.
Good luck,
Peter
V8_GWA said:
Right, just come back from latest tinkering. The small key I have fitted into the top of the alarm box. I'm assuming that this turns off the alarm or the siren or both. Its the Foxguard original by the way.
I've plugged the optimate back in and the alarm no longer chirrups, but I don't have any lights on the optimate.
confused of Dorset
Aaaaah, you should have said it was doing this in the first place. Or did you (in which case I apologise but I've had a few wines now and can't be @rsed reading it all back again I've plugged the optimate back in and the alarm no longer chirrups, but I don't have any lights on the optimate.
confused of Dorset
)You're battery is flat and the accumate is trying to charge it, only the alarm is taking all the charge the accumate is pulsing to it - hence the chirruping of the alarm as it comes to life briefly then dies as it uses up all the battery power.
My guess is now you've turned off the alarm you will need to leave it a couple of days to charge, but you should test it tomorrow to see if its got some charge in it.
If it still has no power tomorrow you may need to disconnect the battery terminals and try to charge it.
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