(Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

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BongoBongo123
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(Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by BongoBongo123 » Fri Apr 13, 2018 6:28 pm

on my petrol car I could not start this morning.

Battery was 11.5V (as good as dead), charged for 6 hours and was 12.8V (Battery Exide 2 years 11 months old)

Put it on car, it started ok, slightly doddery start... but fired up fairly quick within 1.5sec (might have had
to clear fuel from failed starts this morning)

At idle voltage across terminals was 14.2v, then when revved 14.45v

I am trying to know if the battery has gone or not. My gut feeling from the above info is the
battery is iffy. First sign of any problem was not starting this morning.. just clicks.

Starter must be ok as it started after charge, same with coil, must be ok.

So I am thinking battery dying/on edge of or possibly alternator not working (thus reason for battery losing charge)...but as volts increased
when I revved up I am thinking volts from alternator are getting to battery.

Am I likely correct in thinking most likely cause is battery is dying given those Volts vs conditions ? Thanks !
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by Bob » Fri Apr 13, 2018 6:44 pm

My money is on a duff battery.

A garage or accessory shop can easily test it for you. 8)
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by g8dhe » Fri Apr 13, 2018 10:15 pm

The simple way to check the battery, is leave the engine off - measure the voltage should be about 12.6-12.8v, now turn on the dipped headlights, the voltage will drop a little but a good battery will only drop less than about 0.5 volts and bad battery will drop 1.o or more volts.
If you have the engine running all your measuring is the output of the alternator not the battery!
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by BongoBongo123 » Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:53 am

Thanks guys !

Yes I was trying to measure the alternator by measuring across terminals when revving (even if the method was quite possibly flawed) just so see if any higher volts came out when I revved it to confirm if alternator was outputting volts (voltage increased slightly). I thought the alternator might be packed up and this the battery was not getting any juice.

I will try headlights at next opportunity.

There was zero other signs of it having any problem other than the clicks yesterday at start up, last 2 journeys were a 80 mile round trip (so it had a good charge on motorway etc) and a 4 miles shops and back and both were totally fine.

It was a tad "falter-y" when I started after charging the battery (Maybe 1 battery cell is on the edge of giving up the ghost).. I saw all the belts were spinning at least on Alternator and the extra volts when measuring when revved.

If it is battery I think I will steer clear of Exide this time round. 2 years 11months seems a bit naff.
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by Bob » Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:58 am

I've bought a few from here over the last few years:

https://www.tayna.co.uk/

They do a range from 'Budget' upwards.

Good service and happy with their prices. :wink:

Not all for Bongy. :lol:
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by BongoBongo123 » Sun Apr 15, 2018 10:16 am

Thanks Bob I was looking at that site, I will go Bosch at £75.00 this time and give Exide a miss...however curious findings with light tests..

12.3V without engine running.

11.98V without engine running with lights on.

So the drop does not seem too bad.. but 12.3V (second time 12.28V) does seem low it suggests battery is not
holding charge well.. as this says it is in the 70 pct charged zone already. (I only turned it over twice the other day
after 6 hours of a combo of fast and normal charging)

Image

40pct zone with lights on seem very low. (But I suppose it is under load then by 4 bulbs front and back)

I still get the impression that the battery is not well, does that seem right. Still not 100pct sure.

Before I buy a new battery I will double check it fires up today....to double check coil and starter motor.

Question : Does the fact that volts across terminals with engine running went from 14.2v, then when revved to 14.45v
prove the alternator is working ?

Of course these charts I presume are rough guides only, this one says 12.2V is only 60pct charged:

Image

This basic read says "Keep the engine running and retest the battery with the voltmeter. When you read the voltmeter this time, the voltage should go up to at least 13. If varying the RPMs causes the voltage to fluctuate between 13 and 14.5 volts, your alternator is in good shape; if, on the other hand, the voltage remains the same or decreases, your alternator isn’t working properly.[3]"

https://www.wikihow.com/Check-an-Alternator

So if that is correct alternator seem ok. I suppose without doing proper tests on alternator leads it is diffcult to know for certain. But it would seem to point in the direction that it is the battery. I will most likely order one Tuesday and then keep a multimeter with me whilst driving the car and
carry the old battery secured in the boot for a bit and check the volts on the new one. And/or carry charge/jump leads about to be sure.
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by Bob » Sun Apr 15, 2018 9:05 pm

Looks to me like the alternator is working but the battery duff.

Booster pack and/or jump leads are always a good back up. 8)
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by Flanners » Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:30 am

As soon as a battery starts playing up I now always buy a new one and I do not trust many of the 'testers', it's usually delusional and proves a false economy trying to pretend the battery is ok to save a few quid; ending up for me in being stranded with my motorcycle with a Ferry to catch :shock:
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by Flanners » Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:51 pm

I brought on bad Karma, went to get my TF which has been in storage since December and the battery is kaput, usually put the cars on trickle charge but forgot, just shelled out for a new one!
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Re: (Not Bongo my car only) Clicking on start no ignition..

Post by BongoBongo123 » Mon Apr 16, 2018 3:15 pm

Thanks yes everything seems to point that way. Will order a new one tomorrow. almost 3 years
seems very poor, we did have a severe winter I suppose but still seems poor..I will give Exide a miss
from now on.

Could have just been bad luck but I thought they were a quality brand.
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