What the?...crackle in boot

[Malx]

A question to put my mind at ease if i may.
Sitting here this evening enjoying the tv when the cerb's alarm goes off. Never happened before and living in the middle of nowhere i grabbed the maglite, boots, extra torch and headed out expecting to be mugged.
Thankfully the alarm went off and there was no one about. a few seconds later i hear a noise from the car. It sounded like an electrical crackle but quite low pitched. (If that makes sense). Sounded very similar to the boot lock solenoid but slightly different.
The alarm then goes off again. Disarmed it and continued to listen to the strange noise behind the rear drivers side wheel.

Fearing an electrical fire i've disconnected the battery until it's light and i can test the car.

I had a quick look in the boot and the noise wasn't coming from the solenoids above the fuel tank but more from inside the arch.

Anyone had anything similar?

[Gazzab]

Could it be from the alarm or immobiliser. Maybe the alarms built in battery going flat? Or maybe your car battery is low and so causing some electrical probs. Otherwise the fuel pump I guess?

[Malx]

Battery draining did spring to mind however it's only been sitting for about 10 days. It's sat longer in the past and old battery died without the alarm going off/on

Hope it is that simple and not the electrics.
Guess i'll find out at the weekend.

[Gazzab]

I am now convinced it's the battery!

[Malx]

Well thats a lot better than the "Don't start it what ever you do!" i was expecting.

[shoggyraminator]

If you live in the sticks like I do then check for ferking mice in the car. They eat cables, trim and anything else they can get their teeth into. Look for small black droppings like bits of broken lead from a thin pencil, or set a trap to be sure.

I've had them in the enging bay of my Omega eating the HT leads and in the boot of my Alfa GTV eating the rubber seals. So far the Cerb has been fine but it is always kept in the garage.

[Malx]

The other half thought it could be mice but i can't see any evidence of them. we had them in the house a few weeks ago but got the mouse man out to deal with them. They are in the back of my mind and traps are laid, cats kept hungry etc

[shoggyraminator]

They are a complete pain in the you know what. I've even had the rubber boots on the drop links eaten before rendering them useless as they dried out (of grease) in next to no time. Peanut butter or something sweet, like soft rock, is the best trap food for the little XXXX.

[B16 VRM]

It could possibly be the alarm siren. I think it has an internal battery that has gone. I had something similar, siren making weird noises. Talk to Carl Baker about a replacement. http://www.tvruk.tv/ . A DIY job, siren is in the rear drivers side wheel arch.

Edited by B16 VRM on Thursday 17th December 14:05

[JensenA]

B16 VRM said:

It could possibly be the alarm siren. I think it has an internal battery that has gone. I had something similar, siren making weird noises. Talk to Carl Baker about a replacement. http://www.tvruk.tv/.DIY job, siren is in the rear drivers side wheel arch.

I agree - The alarm is in the drivers side rear arch. And when the alarm battery is on the way out it will start making odd noises. Mine started 'chirping', and going off at random intervals, a bit embarrassing when stuck in traffic in the middle of a busy town, smiling, and shruggin your shoulders inanely at all the other motorists and passers by, glaring at you as though your a stupid deaf bd and are blissfully unaware of whats happening. Give Carl Baker a ring.

[Gazzab]

Yeah I posted this possibility earlier.
I had a similiar prob on a year old Chim due to water ingress to the siren.
The alarm is pretty easy to get to and to remove and work on etc...... Easiest way of all though is to drive to Carl Baker. Although I would try charging the car battery and checking its health. A low battery (10 days without use can flatten a TVRs battery) will often do strange things to the electrics.

[Byker28i]

Incidently, the best bait for mice is milky way. It's sticky enough to sty on the trap whilst they attack it, without noticing they are about to be whopped on the head by a sprung loaded bar.

7 from the loft and 8 from the garage so far. There's no way a mouse is getting near my car.

[FarmyardPants]

I'm picturing your cerb with a circle of traps around it, a razorwire electric fence, and a gun turret in the corner.

[Malx]

Thanks Guys, with what you have all said it sounds like the alarm battery. <phew>

The mice we caught loved peanut butter. I used the humane traps for a while and it was a struggle to get them out, they would rather sit in the trap eating the bait.

I might mine the area to keep them out, or dig a moat around it.

[FUBAR]

Ive just picked up my 7 shot semi automatic 12 bore shotgun from the gunsmith this morning . Considering the damage it would cause, Im guessing I should stick with peanut butter?

[Allandwf]

Byker28i said:

Incidently, the best bait for mice is milky way. It's sticky enough to sty on the trap whilst they attack it, without noticing they are about to be whopped on the head by a sprung loaded bar.

7 from the loft and 8 from the garage so far. There's no way a mouse is getting near my car.

Mars Bars work best for me!

[Gazzab]

Allandwf said:

Byker28i said:

Incidently, the best bait for mice is milky way. It's sticky enough to sty on the trap whilst they attack it, without noticing they are about to be whopped on the head by a sprung loaded bar.

7 from the loft and 8 from the garage so far. There's no way a mouse is getting near my car.

Mars Bars work best for me!

Have to be a massive trap to catch you.

[Dave_M]

Malx said:

..... or dig a moat around it.

Hmmm, thinking of running for parliament?

[Byker28i]

Gazzab said:

Allandwf said:

Byker28i said:

Incidently, the best bait for mice is milky way. It's sticky enough to sty on the trap whilst they attack it, without noticing they are about to be whopped on the head by a sprung loaded bar.

7 from the loft and 8 from the garage so far. There's no way a mouse is getting near my car.

Mars Bars work best for me!

Have to be a massive trap to catch you.

Imagine the size of the trap for Fubar



Scats, £6 rat trap, don't bother with the humane traps, I'm convinced they just come back. One trap in the loft, one in the garage near the car, regularly baited. Our own fault, we stored the dog food and bird seed in the garage for a while and the mice think it's warm and there's food in there now. Although I've either killed them all or they've decided it's too dangerous now.

[Malx]

Dave_M said:

Malx said:

..... or dig a moat around it.

Hmmm, thinking of running for parliament?

Yes, and you fools can pay for it <Evil MP laugh>

The humane traps were fun at first but the mice do come back. We had to drive them to the other side of the village and lte them go there. The mouse man said that i you release them within a mile of your house they'll come back.

Althought, there is this...
Reworked mouse trap