Battery Question

[Rachelkgr]

Weirdly, the battery was flat this morning!

I think the charge is showing 13.8v!

I was idling most of day before whilst messing with Suspension, does the idle not charge well?

or is my alternator not doing its job?

I did park my Rangie on a different part of the road, so it was close to house, wondered if the House wireless may have switched the BECM on?

Battery is newish, and I cleaned the earths a while back.

Any views?

 

[Saint.V8]

Start Engine...let it fast idle for a minute or two...then get it up to 2K RPM and test Battery voltage whilst at 2K....should be in the region of 14.2V

Engine idle may not be sufficient to put a charge into the battery...but it shouldn't cause a drain either.... it should be enough to slowly trickle the battery and run all the vehicle systems...

It is a common misconception that running the engine or taking the car for a run will charge the battery....it certainly doesn't put sufficient ummpphh into it for a good charge.

A new battery wouldn't be too much of an issue, but an old battery certainly wouldn't get any appreciable charge into it with engine at idle!

 

[donp38]

totally agree with St.

If the check shows good Voltage and is charging, check your battery is all ok and I would put it on a CTEK to ensure battery is fully back to strength before the winter weather gets you.

 

[Datatek]

Depending on the alternator, there may be little charge at idle, so if you were messing with the EAS it may have been using more power than the alternator was producing. A £15 smart charger from Aldi is a good investment if you park where you can use it.

 

[Grit Valve]

More than likely all those stop starting and fiddling .
Is what took your power.
Fully charge it or lose it.

 

[Rachelkgr]

Thanks guys, will check the volts tomorrow, suspect it is pushing out 13.8v.

Defo, all the messing about will have drawn on the battery.

Someone bought me a solar panel that plugs into a EOBD socket.
Wondering if the Rangie socket is compliant?

 

[rodntod]

Thanks guys, will check the volts tomorrow, suspect it is pushing out 13.8v.

Defo, all the messing about will have drawn on the battery.

Someone bought me a solar panel that plugs into a EOBD socket.
Wondering if the Rangie socket is compliant?

Hi Rachel,
This is worth a try.
My car was showing exactly the same ,13.8v.Suspected the alternator,and replaced it with one from Emmotts.Just the same,so a friend suggested connecting a jump lead or basically another earth from the alternator body to the negative battery terminal.Eh voila, 14.2-3v. So,bought a new earth strap at £4,bolted it on and it's been great ever since.Hope this might help.

Ed

 

[Rachelkgr]

Hi Rachel,
This is worth a try.
My car was showing exactly the same ,13.8v.Suspected the alternator,and replaced it with one from Emmotts.Just the same,so a friend suggested connecting a jump lead or basically another earth from the alternator body to the negative battery terminal.Eh voila, 14.2-3v. So,bought a new earth strap at £4,bolted it on and it's been great ever since.Hope this might help.

Ed

Thanks Ed, good plan!

 

[Datatek]

Thanks guys, will check the volts tomorrow, suspect it is pushing out 13.8v.

Defo, all the messing about will have drawn on the battery.

Someone bought me a solar panel that plugs into a EOBD socket.
Wondering if the Rangie socket is compliant?

I would be disinclined to try and back feed anything via the OBD socket, better to clip direct onto the battery.
With the engine at 2K rpm for a couple of minutes you should see 14.2 volts unless the battery is very flat or faulty or as the other guy said there is a bad connection.
I fitted a live socket in the boot of mine so I can leave a solar panel on the rear shelf to keep the battery charged if i leave the car at the airposrt for example.
You can also charge the battery through the caravan socket is it has the 2S connector fitted.

 

[Rachelkgr]

Thanks Keith, I do have two sockets on my tow bar. The panel does have crocodile clips also, so can do a connection that way.

 

[Rachelkgr]

2001 DHSE....

So checked bettery today. Since the flat battery start the other morning, she has been fine on starting. I fitted a Heavy Duty Battery a few months back.

I plugged in Hawkeye, she showed 13.8v at idle.

At 2000 rev, still got 13.8v

I tried the jumper lead, on the alternator body connected to Negative Terminal on Battery.....13.8v!!!

I put an avo accross the terminal on the battery whilst engine on (at idle), the avo showed 15v.

So am I ok?? Is Hawkeye wrong.

Rach

 

[Grit Valve]

2001 DHSE....

So checked bettery today. Since the flat battery start the other morning, she has been fine on starting. I fitted a Heavy Duty Battery a few months back.

I plugged in Hawkeye, she showed 13.8v at idle.

At 2000 rev, still got 13.8v

I tried the jumper lead, on the alternator body connected to Negative Terminal on Battery.....13.8v!!!

I put an avo accross the terminal on the battery whilst engine on (at idle), the avo showed 15v.

So am I ok?? Is Hawkeye wrong.

Rach

Mine only puts out 13.9 but its been fine for two years now

If it ain't broke ... X

 

[Saint.V8]

Hawkeye will only read the voltage supplied to the Diagnostics or Instrument pack which is regulated to be lower than the Charge voltage....

On the L322 you can bring up the system (electrical ECU system) voltage on the Dash and this is around 13.8V (same on my Bimmer too) yet with a DVM on the battery or Alternator the actual Charge Voltage is higher at 14.4V or thereabouts.

 

[wammers]

2001 DHSE....

So checked bettery today. Since the flat battery start the other morning, she has been fine on starting. I fitted a Heavy Duty Battery a few months back.

I plugged in Hawkeye, she showed 13.8v at idle.

At 2000 rev, still got 13.8v

I tried the jumper lead, on the alternator body connected to Negative Terminal on Battery.....13.8v!!!

I put an avo accross the terminal on the battery whilst engine on (at idle), the avo showed 15v.

So am I ok?? Is Hawkeye wrong.

Rach

Think your AVO needs calibrating 15 volts is too much. Even the later petrols with the 150 AMP alternator should not be more than 14.5. 13.8 is ok but not perfect. Mine read 13.8 at battery. I stripped alternator cleaned slip rings in lathe and fitted a new control unit and brushes. Now 14.2 at idle.

 

[Rachelkgr]

Thanks guys.....going to pop out with my other Avo....!!! Will let you know

 

[Rachelkgr]

So with a digital AVO (the other was a cheap needle type)!!

Across battery teminals at idle......13.92V

Guess that's ok for now.....

 

[The Mad Hat Man]

or take it to yo local Halfords - they can check it and give yu a printout of the reslts.

Get em to check the alternator at the same time.

 

[Datatek]

Thanks guys.....going to pop out with my other Avo....!!! Will let you know

As Saint said the voltage will be lower on the Hawkeye from the OBD connector. An old AVO is not likely to be that accurate when you are looking for tenths of a volt, invest in a cheap DVM but it sounds like all is OK.

 

[wammers]

So with a digital AVO (the other was a cheap needle type)!!

Across battery teminals at idle......13.92V

Guess that's ok for now.....

Not too shabby at a that Rach.

 

[donp38]

I would ensure your battery is fully up to strength however..