Dead battery and Anderson connector questions
Discussion
Hey gang,
Long time lurker, first time poster. After years of owning mk1 MX5s I bit the bullet and bought my first TVR (from HHC), a Japanese re-import one too just to be extra brave. Picked it up a week before lockdown, perfect timing.
Anyway, roll forward what feels like 10,000 weeks and today I pressed the keyfob and...nothing. Much swearing and googling I've got into the car.
Under the bonnet the previous owner has installed an Anderson connector and a battery isolation switch (which I should have thrown months ago obviously). I've finally got round to ordering a decent battery charger (CTEK MXS 5.0) because my cheap and cheerful one got left out in the rain.
And thus, finally, the questions: I'm waiting to see what come sin the box with the CTEK, some seem to come with a cigarette lighter adapter which might work. If not, has anybody else bought/made an Anderson connector for a battery charger? What are the chances I've flattened the battery so hard it never recover? Can you screw up alarms etc by cutting the power completely?
Roll on the first proper trip out - the A66 beckons.
Long time lurker, first time poster. After years of owning mk1 MX5s I bit the bullet and bought my first TVR (from HHC), a Japanese re-import one too just to be extra brave. Picked it up a week before lockdown, perfect timing.
Anyway, roll forward what feels like 10,000 weeks and today I pressed the keyfob and...nothing. Much swearing and googling I've got into the car.
Under the bonnet the previous owner has installed an Anderson connector and a battery isolation switch (which I should have thrown months ago obviously). I've finally got round to ordering a decent battery charger (CTEK MXS 5.0) because my cheap and cheerful one got left out in the rain.
And thus, finally, the questions: I'm waiting to see what come sin the box with the CTEK, some seem to come with a cigarette lighter adapter which might work. If not, has anybody else bought/made an Anderson connector for a battery charger? What are the chances I've flattened the battery so hard it never recover? Can you screw up alarms etc by cutting the power completely?
Roll on the first proper trip out - the A66 beckons.
- CC
The CTEK comes with a 2 pin waterproof connector to attach the supplied options for connecting to the battery. One of these is connector to ring terminals. I found the neatest solution was to extend this to lead from the battery, via the sill carpet and eventually into the boot where it is attached to the lining with some velcro. So, when you get into the garage you need only pop the boot and plug in the charger.
The Anderson connector could be useful for a jump start, without the need to access the footwell, which also usually requires pretty long jump leads. If you get an Anderson plug off ebay for a fiver and stick it on the end of a pair of jump leads, it would be a great thing to keep in the car for a really convenient jump start.
Dougal.
The Anderson connector could be useful for a jump start, without the need to access the footwell, which also usually requires pretty long jump leads. If you get an Anderson plug off ebay for a fiver and stick it on the end of a pair of jump leads, it would be a great thing to keep in the car for a really convenient jump start.
Dougal.
I have 2 Aldi conditioners for my cars - have worked fine for at least 3 ye4ars.
Water proof Anderson connectors are available - check out a recent thread on the problems with them and setting fire to the car.
Where on the A66 are you? There are a number of us at the Teesside end and an active TVR group - meet (when Covid allows) at the Parkmore 2nd Sunday at 11:00 You don't need to be a TVR member to join us
Water proof Anderson connectors are available - check out a recent thread on the problems with them and setting fire to the car.
Where on the A66 are you? There are a number of us at the Teesside end and an active TVR group - meet (when Covid allows) at the Parkmore 2nd Sunday at 11:00 You don't need to be a TVR member to join us
I have an Anderson connector and a Battery Isolation switch on my Chim located under the passenger side dash . I find them very useful. My Accumates have Anderson connectors and so does my Snap-On Power Pack . My Tuscan vert has the usual Anderson connector on the chassis (and is well maintained and greased regularly !!) and I did manage to drive 30 miles with a lead to an RAC borrowed spare battery in my passenger footwell , when my alternator failed completely !!! . So I'm a fan .
Lead acid batteries generally do not recover if discharged beyond a certain point but no harm in giving it a go, you have nothing to lose.
I have owned my Griffith for 18 years and while in the garage it always has its power isolated, far from causing problems it ensures that nothing including alarm/immobilisers etc. do not discharge the battery. It always starts first time when de isolated.
Be aware that Anderson connectors are available in different patterns apart from different sizes for different current ratings.
I recently ordered some expecting them to fit the one on the car but due to a different plastic body moulding they would not mate.
Better to order a pair of Anderson plugs to ensure compatibility, they are cheap enough on eBay.
I have owned my Griffith for 18 years and while in the garage it always has its power isolated, far from causing problems it ensures that nothing including alarm/immobilisers etc. do not discharge the battery. It always starts first time when de isolated.
Be aware that Anderson connectors are available in different patterns apart from different sizes for different current ratings.
I recently ordered some expecting them to fit the one on the car but due to a different plastic body moulding they would not mate.
Better to order a pair of Anderson plugs to ensure compatibility, they are cheap enough on eBay.
Edited by Loubaruch on Monday 18th May 11:39
The (boring) adventure continues. Battery charger came, but not lighter adapter in the box. Turns out it's int he pictures on Amazon but not listed in the content. Bought one of those,and it turned up last night. I fired it all up, charger said everything was all go but I didn't want to leave the car unlocked outside over night so I unplugged it all.
Came back this morning, plugged it all in again and.. nothing. Battery charger waits 2 mins then goes into sleep mode, apparently because it can't see the battery. 2 hours of fiddling later I've got to go to work. I was assuming it's a loose connection between the lighter socket and the battery, but if I use the M8 cable that also came with the charger to carefully connect to the socket the charger gives an error light for "wrong polarity" when I get them the wrong way round (negative to the centre of the plug) so I guess it must be connected to the battery after all.
Fingers crossed for lunch time experiments, time to go earn enough money to own this thing
Came back this morning, plugged it all in again and.. nothing. Battery charger waits 2 mins then goes into sleep mode, apparently because it can't see the battery. 2 hours of fiddling later I've got to go to work. I was assuming it's a loose connection between the lighter socket and the battery, but if I use the M8 cable that also came with the charger to carefully connect to the socket the charger gives an error light for "wrong polarity" when I get them the wrong way round (negative to the centre of the plug) so I guess it must be connected to the battery after all.
Fingers crossed for lunch time experiments, time to go earn enough money to own this thing
Some success - by clipping directly onto the battery I've got a battery charger/conditioner to start it charging! It flagged up as a "won't hold charge" error for a while so I left it all plugged in and it seemed to start taking a charge. fingers crossed. CTEK MXS 5.0 - not cheap, seems like good kit.
Some success, still not running. After 48 hours attached to the battery charger I gave it a try. First turn of the key and you can hear the fuel pump prime, second turn and the starter motor goes bananas and the engine almost catches but not quite. A few more goes and once it caught for a second or two, then stopped. Battrey light is now on, so I've stuck it back on to charge (via the lighter socket, much easier) and am hitting the forums and google again.
Daft question: my driveway slopes and she's parked bum down. Total difference in height is maybe a foot. Is this likely to cause problems getting fuel to the engine? Seems like a long shot.
Daft question: my driveway slopes and she's parked bum down. Total difference in height is maybe a foot. Is this likely to cause problems getting fuel to the engine? Seems like a long shot.
The fuel pump is electric providing pressure so the slope is not an issue. If the car is parked on a slope where the passenger side is much higher than the driver's side, however, on a low fuel tank, it can be an issue. This happened to me, the supply is from the bottom left hand side of the tank. You should hear it run for a few seconds after disabling the immobiliser to establish pressure in the fuel rail, but it sounds like this is OK.
To confirm fuel supply up to the engine, there should be a Schroeder valve (like a tyre pressure valve) on the fuel rail close to the injectors. If you give this a quick jab, you should get a little squirt of fuel and therefore see residual fuel pressure, even for a while after the engine stops.
To confirm fuel supply up to the engine, there should be a Schroeder valve (like a tyre pressure valve) on the fuel rail close to the injectors. If you give this a quick jab, you should get a little squirt of fuel and therefore see residual fuel pressure, even for a while after the engine stops.
I used the smaller 50a Anderson connectors like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG4JkG5Cqf4
I ran 16mm2 twin core cable from the battery in the passenger footwell and fused there, all the way to the boot, I made the cable long enough to create a 3ft tail out of the back of the car.
I back the car into my garage, open to boot, pull out the tail of cable, and connect it to my Ring SmartChargePro RSCPR50 using the little 50a Anderson connectors.
The smaller 50a Anderson connectors on the left are ideal, they're compact, safe, convenient and easy to use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuaL9v72d_Q
While it may be tempting for those not confident to create a proper direct to battery connection to hook their charger up through their cigarette lighter socket, I'd strongly advise against this lazy approach. Anyone who's looked at TVR's wiring efforts and specifically the feeble cable gauge they used for cigarette lighter socket will tell you you're literally playing with fire if you connect your charger there!
The proper way to charge a battery safely is to create a fused connection direct from the charger to your battery, use connectors and cable that are man enough for the job and don't what ever you do rely on TVR's 20 year old wiring!
My advice on batteries is to spend a little more and go with AGM technology, AGM batteries hold their charge better, can take many more deep discharge situations than traditional flooded/wet lead acid batteries, so the end result is a battery that lasts way longer. I fitted my Odessesy PC1500 8 years ago and its still in perfect health, indeed I fully expect it to last at least a further 8 years.
Here's me fitting my Odessesy PC1500 back in 2012 when my PH name was Chimpandtonic, eight years on this battery is still as fit and healthy as the day I fitted it.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
This is a proper full sized pure lead AGM battery with huge cranking power and endurance....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG4JkG5Cqf4
I ran 16mm2 twin core cable from the battery in the passenger footwell and fused there, all the way to the boot, I made the cable long enough to create a 3ft tail out of the back of the car.
I back the car into my garage, open to boot, pull out the tail of cable, and connect it to my Ring SmartChargePro RSCPR50 using the little 50a Anderson connectors.
The smaller 50a Anderson connectors on the left are ideal, they're compact, safe, convenient and easy to use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuaL9v72d_Q
While it may be tempting for those not confident to create a proper direct to battery connection to hook their charger up through their cigarette lighter socket, I'd strongly advise against this lazy approach. Anyone who's looked at TVR's wiring efforts and specifically the feeble cable gauge they used for cigarette lighter socket will tell you you're literally playing with fire if you connect your charger there!
The proper way to charge a battery safely is to create a fused connection direct from the charger to your battery, use connectors and cable that are man enough for the job and don't what ever you do rely on TVR's 20 year old wiring!
My advice on batteries is to spend a little more and go with AGM technology, AGM batteries hold their charge better, can take many more deep discharge situations than traditional flooded/wet lead acid batteries, so the end result is a battery that lasts way longer. I fitted my Odessesy PC1500 8 years ago and its still in perfect health, indeed I fully expect it to last at least a further 8 years.
Here's me fitting my Odessesy PC1500 back in 2012 when my PH name was Chimpandtonic, eight years on this battery is still as fit and healthy as the day I fitted it.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
This is a proper full sized pure lead AGM battery with huge cranking power and endurance....
Thanks for the tonne of detail @ChimpOnGas at some point I might bite the (financial) bullet and relocate the battery (and maybe the rest of the rats nest), and as part of that I'd replace with an Odyssey one, they do seen the bees knees. Agreed on the lighter socket - definitely not a good plan. Having clipped directly to the battery terminals (once I finally got to them) it's held a charge finally.
Car is now turning over but not catching, so new problems to solve.
Car is now turning over but not catching, so new problems to solve.
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