Numpty battery question...R500

[gra001]

Thought I`d go for a blat this crisp day. So, master switch on, turn the key and just continuously flashing alarm LED and clicking. Given the freezing weather guessed battery was flat so hooked up the charger, gave it a couple of minutes and all OK. Took the charger off whilst waiting for oil temperature to rise and after 10 mins or so engine cuts out and couldn`t restart. Hooked up the charger again and it started and continued to run with charger still hooked up. "charging" still showing on charger so does that mean that there was not enough juice in the battery to keep it running??

[James.S]

Pretty sure that if the battery doed not have a lot of juice in it the immobiliser kicks back in and shuts it down.

[ewenm]

Is your alternator working?

[gra001]

ewenm said:

Is your alternator working?

Mmmmmmmm, no idea. Everything was good before the cold weather. Just been and taken charger off. "charging" light now out and just "maintaining".

[ewenm]

gra001 said:

ewenm said:

Is your alternator working?

Mmmmmmmm, no idea. Everything was good before the cold weather. Just been and taken charger off. "charging" light now out and just "maintaining".

Have you got a multi-meter?

If so, test the voltage of the battery with the charger disconnected, and then when you try to start the car - I had a battery that looked fine until any load was put on it then the voltage just plumetted. That one had to be replaced.

When the engine is running the alternator should be providing 14.4V (I think) across the battery terminals.

[sjwb]

Drop a volt meter across the battery and if (no load) it is below 12v it is discharged. With the engine running (2000 rev/min ish) voltage should be between 13.5 to 14.2 or thereabouts.
In other words if the off to on condition changes similat to the above, your alternator is working. Note I did not say, or mean to imply, correctly.

[gra001]

sjwb said:

Drop a volt meter across the battery and if (no load) it is below 12v it is discharged. With the engine running (2000 rev/min ish) voltage should be between 13.5 to 14.2 or thereabouts.
In other words if the off to on condition changes similat to the above, your alternator is working. Note I did not say, or mean to imply, correctly.

Thanks Ewen and Steve. No meter so I`ll get it running again and see how it goes. If it dies I`ll invest in the meter and check.

Just a thought....car has done about 3500 miles. How long should an alternator last???

Edited by gra001 on Thursday 20th December 16:20

[_TC]

I would leave the battery on charge for 24 hrs and see what happens then. i would say the battery is duff rather than the alt. If its still a problem, get a new battery first.
Batteries dont like going flat and if they discharge more than once they rarely work properly again.

Just my 2p's worth.

Ed.

[ewenm]

gra001 said:

sjwb said:

Drop a volt meter across the battery and if (no load) it is below 12v it is discharged. With the engine running (2000 rev/min ish) voltage should be between 13.5 to 14.2 or thereabouts.
In other words if the off to on condition changes similat to the above, your alternator is working. Note I did not say, or mean to imply, correctly.

Thanks Ewen and Steve. No meter so I`ll get it running again and see how it goes. If it dies I`ll invest in the meter and check.

Just a thought....car has done about 3500 miles. How long should an alternator last???

Edited by gra001 on Thursday 20th December 16:20

I'd expect the alternator to be fine and the battery to be dead (as _TC says). My alternator died after about 60k miles but I've had a few batteries in that time.

[gra001]

Thanks guys.

[thinfourth2]

_TC said:

I would leave the battery on charge for 24 hrs and see what happens then. i would say the battery is duff rather than the alt. If its still a problem, get a new battery first.
Batteries dont like going flat and if they discharge more than once they rarely work properly again.

Just my 2p's worth.

Ed.

If the car was running and it died then i would still suspect the alternator

If the battery was duff then the alternator should keep the car running.

For example you can get a car running and then take the battery out and it will stay running (not recommended by the way but it can get you out of a tight spot)

[gra001]

Just realised the "Stack" dash shows battery level. Advice given above for meter reading...I`m assuming the stack should read the same as those figures with engine off and then running? Can someone confirm?.....thanks

[_TC]

thinfourth2 said:

_TC said:

I would leave the battery on charge for 24 hrs and see what happens then. i would say the battery is duff rather than the alt. If its still a problem, get a new battery first.
Batteries dont like going flat and if they discharge more than once they rarely work properly again.

Just my 2p's worth.

Ed.

If the car was running and it died then i would still suspect the alternator

If the battery was duff then the alternator should keep the car running.

For example you can get a car running and then take the battery out and it will stay running (not recommended by the way but it can get you out of a tight spot)

In theory yes but i think that if there is a duff battery in the car then it will cause a drain. i believe old cars with dynamos can have the battery disconnected after use though.
Still, its always worth checking all items of the electrical system.
Ed.

[scooterscot]

Simple check start engine switch on lights rev engine a little 2000rpm and you should see the lights get a little brighter if the alternatot is working.The alternator is set to be about 1 volt higher than battery voltage but limited to approx 14.7volts (battery should be at 13.6v)