Charging Issues - possibly?
Discussion
I have, for a while, had issues with my Yellow-Top losing charge much faster than I would expect. There is another thread back somewhere that recounts my 3 year old Yellow-top refusing to charge at all, until I got it recycled through one of the agents. Since then, and although I invested in a C-Tek that seems to charge it OK, the battery does not seem to perform as I would expect.
I can leave it with the charger disconnected for a couple of days to find that it has lost sufficient charge so as not to be able to turn over the LS7, or it struggles.
There is another angle to this story though... I originally bought the engine from a US supplier about 5 years ago now, and during the install process, we found that the Alternator was not working. This was replaced, but I found that the new one was not the same - The original was 145amp output VALEO ALTERNATOR
The one they sent was only 100 amp Bosch . However, at the time I was persuaded that it would be fine.
When the car is running the meter tells me that the voltage is around 13.9 but will drop to 13.3 when the fans cut in or running aircon.
With a fully charged and conditioned battery using the C-Tek, I can go out for a spin with no problems, but if I stop somewhere, then on trying to start, first crank, the cranking 'rebounds', as if the compression is too high to turn over. BUT as soon as I try the second time, it turns over just about ok (albeit not too enthusiastically), and the engine fires into life.
I may be paranoid, but I don't feel very confident at the moment to do a long journey, or make many stops..... until I get to the bottom of this!
Battery or Alternator? - is voltmeter as expected?
I can leave it with the charger disconnected for a couple of days to find that it has lost sufficient charge so as not to be able to turn over the LS7, or it struggles.
There is another angle to this story though... I originally bought the engine from a US supplier about 5 years ago now, and during the install process, we found that the Alternator was not working. This was replaced, but I found that the new one was not the same - The original was 145amp output VALEO ALTERNATOR
The one they sent was only 100 amp Bosch . However, at the time I was persuaded that it would be fine.
When the car is running the meter tells me that the voltage is around 13.9 but will drop to 13.3 when the fans cut in or running aircon.
With a fully charged and conditioned battery using the C-Tek, I can go out for a spin with no problems, but if I stop somewhere, then on trying to start, first crank, the cranking 'rebounds', as if the compression is too high to turn over. BUT as soon as I try the second time, it turns over just about ok (albeit not too enthusiastically), and the engine fires into life.
I may be paranoid, but I don't feel very confident at the moment to do a long journey, or make many stops..... until I get to the bottom of this!
Battery or Alternator? - is voltmeter as expected?
Not sure of my alternator output (supplied with the American Speed LS7 I have). When my engine is running even with air con, fans etc on my voltmeter reads 16v (maximum on the gauge). When I go to turn the engine on its normally reading around 12v.
Never have any problems starting up the LS7 even after 3 weeks sitting with the immobiliser on (it doesn't seem to use very much power at all).
I have a red battery supplied by the factory with the kit.
Mark
Never have any problems starting up the LS7 even after 3 weeks sitting with the immobiliser on (it doesn't seem to use very much power at all).
I have a red battery supplied by the factory with the kit.
Mark
I am coming to the conclusion that my yellow top is knackered. Suspect it was never the same since the charge problem a year ago.
Anyway, looks like I will go get an Odyssey extreme 40, despite the fact the Megastore that happen to be on my doorstep, are trying to shoehorn me into another yellowtop at a cut-down price.
Anyway, looks like I will go get an Odyssey extreme 40, despite the fact the Megastore that happen to be on my doorstep, are trying to shoehorn me into another yellowtop at a cut-down price.
They are fine if conditioned properly. The ctek conditioners mention odyssey batteries in their instructions and tge settings to use.
Wish I'd read them before I killed mine though
I still think the factory should include a warning notice or sticker with all those they supply - it's not common knowledge about the charging and it would cost the factory pence.
Wish I'd read them before I killed mine though
I still think the factory should include a warning notice or sticker with all those they supply - it's not common knowledge about the charging and it would cost the factory pence.
New Odyssey performing flawlessly!
Can even use my alarm system for the first time when parked up for a few hrs... what a difference.
All I need now is to find out the real guff ref my ctek especially as it hasn't got a '*' or mcycle setting.
Think a call to Odyssey and ctek is the next step.
few more little gremlins to sort out next...
Can even use my alarm system for the first time when parked up for a few hrs... what a difference.
All I need now is to find out the real guff ref my ctek especially as it hasn't got a '*' or mcycle setting.
Think a call to Odyssey and ctek is the next step.
few more little gremlins to sort out next...
I have a yellow top and I had some doubt about it holding charge, Like you I would start the car go for a drive and stop for a short while, then when trying to re-start the starter needed a couple of prods to get the engine to turn over.
Once the engine was cold no issue again.
I replaced my starter motor and guess what?
Starts on the button regardless of hot or cold engine, turns out that heat-soak can be an issue and gradually degrades the starters performance!
I wouldn't read too much into your voltage problem, My Ultima volt meter always suggested I was only just charging when running and if any peripheral was switched on it showed discharge.
I have since switched all my gauges to SPA and now show up to 13.5 volts with no load applied.
At a push I can get the gauge to show discharge with air-con and rad fans running at tick over but once on the move the reading rises to about 12.8 Volts.
Once the engine was cold no issue again.
I replaced my starter motor and guess what?
Starts on the button regardless of hot or cold engine, turns out that heat-soak can be an issue and gradually degrades the starters performance!
I wouldn't read too much into your voltage problem, My Ultima volt meter always suggested I was only just charging when running and if any peripheral was switched on it showed discharge.
I have since switched all my gauges to SPA and now show up to 13.5 volts with no load applied.
At a push I can get the gauge to show discharge with air-con and rad fans running at tick over but once on the move the reading rises to about 12.8 Volts.
on my green car I have a bosch starter motor on the turbo gear box with the exact same engine and same yellow top battery, what a difference !!!
The Bosch starter cranks like hell no comparison to the starter motor I got from the factory for my orange (first) car........if the factory starter fails i will for sure try to source a bosch unit.
The Bosch starter cranks like hell no comparison to the starter motor I got from the factory for my orange (first) car........if the factory starter fails i will for sure try to source a bosch unit.
spatz said:
on my green car I have a bosch starter motor on the turbo gear box with the exact same engine and same yellow top battery, what a difference !!!
The Bosch starter cranks like hell no comparison to the starter motor I got from the factory for my orange (first) car........if the factory starter fails i will for sure try to source a bosch unit.
Have you got a PN?The Bosch starter cranks like hell no comparison to the starter motor I got from the factory for my orange (first) car........if the factory starter fails i will for sure try to source a bosch unit.
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