Alternator or battery fault?

[brorabongo]

Now I off looking for the biggest battery I can fit.

This should do the trick Donald, this is the one that I have got in my Bongo.

Use the Motaparts.Com website rather than the electronic catalogue to find Motaquip Battery part no.VBZ44 (12v 105A). Using the Quick order facility it shows that the current cost of this battery is £57.06 + vat with a standard delivery of £13.98 unless you can source one locally.


Tony

Cheers Tony, I'll be looking as soon as I get off of here.

the short run theory cannot be Broras problem, maybe his actually needs some small ones....LOL EH!!!! Donald... what did you think of my local shopping centre then ?

Good parking, and It was free that day aswell!! Managed to stay clear of the Cadbury's shop. and noticed the Black and Decker shop's not there anymore.
Think it was only ever filled with none buying customers, wasting time whilst the other half goes around the center.

Sorry I did not give you a shout whilst I was in your area, Next time I promise.

[johnzbenson]

Definitive Battery status:
1.When fully charged and with the engine switched off a DC voltmeter across the positive and negative terminals will read 12 volts to 12.25volts dc.
2. With the side lights on for ten minutes if the battery is in good condition the voltage will remain above 12 volts dc.
3. A car battery will last and have capacity for three years guaranteed- if the battery is over six years of age dont be surprised if it lets you down especially after a cold snap.- if it does accept the pain and buy a new battery!
4.To confirm a battery is receiving a charge a DC voltmeter should read greater than 13.5 volts across the battery (ideally 13.8 volts) when the engine is running if it isn't its a charging problem
5. Anyone who recommends topping up the acid in the 21st century should not be listened to- they have obviously been taking it!
journeys less than 10 minute in duration will eventually flatten your battery- it takes at least 15 minutes to put the charge back into the battery after starting and this time is lengthened if you have the aircon/heater/lights on etc.

look after your battery- when starting leave your lights off for a minute- consider if you need the aircon on or any other electrical loads.

[mikeonb4c]

Definitive Battery status:
1.When fully charged and with the engine switched off a DC voltmeter across the positive and negative terminals will read 12 volts to 12.25volts dc.
2. With the side lights on for ten minutes if the battery is in good condition the voltage will remain above 12 volts dc.
3. A car battery will last and have capacity for three years guaranteed- if the battery is over six years of age dont be surprised if it lets you down especially after a cold snap.- if it does accept the pain and buy a new battery!
4.To confirm a battery is receiving a charge a DC voltmeter should read greater than 13.5 volts across the battery (ideally 13.8 volts) when the engine is running if it isn't its a charging problem
5. Anyone who recommends topping up the acid in the 21st century should not be listened to- they have obviously been taking it!
journeys less than 10 minute in duration will eventually flatten your battery- it takes at least 15 minutes to put the charge back into the battery after starting and this time is lengthened if you have the aircon/heater/lights on etc.

look after your battery- when starting leave your lights off for a minute- consider if you need the aircon on or any other electrical loads.

I like this post. I reminds me neatly of what I can do with my multimeter to check all is OK.

[Kitegirl]

I too am having problems that we can't work out whether they've caused by an incapable relay system, or a shot alternator..

Am having intermittent times when the battery won't start, even after driving 200 miles and only stopping at services for the loo..

Also, the leisure battery isn't lasting long, and blows the 30amp fuse all the time.

Most recently when we're driving and have lights, stereo and maybe phone charger on, the stereo is switching off and the internal lights are low..

It's mighty worrying

Sounds very odd to me, like its leaking away massively somewhere (intermittently?). Unless handy with a multimeter etc. youselves I'd get an auto electrician onto it pronto. It oughn't to be that difficult for a pro. to track down

Thanks for that.. had my friend round this morning who's handily an auto elec.. he says it's the main battery that's at fault.. apparently it's going very low on 'the number on the thingy thing' when you try to turn it over.. so is pulling power from leisure battery... and blowing the fuse.. I still don't know why the leisure battery isn't lasting long..

Anyways, as a starter for 10 he's going to replace the main battery for me.. all I need to know now (since it's all in Japanese on mine) is WHAT SIZE MAIN BATTERY DO I NEED? Is there a common/optimum size?

Many thanks, this place is invaluable.

Dee

[mister munkey]

The type you need to match the original is an 068 but I'm sure that someone will have a better option . . . .

[haydn callow]

I thought 12 volt to 12.25 volts across the terminals at rest meant the battery was almost flat.....I used to have a chart with the exact numbers on.......12.6 volt rings a bell for a good battery

[haydn callow]

Just looked it up.....12 volt across the terminals means 40% capicity is left and 12.25 means there is 60% left...this is at 25C and +/- a couple of %.
As a battery will be on the verge of becoming damaged below 40% then to all intents your battery is flat at 12 volts.
Also when you recharge a battery you will be lucky to get 90% into it (12.65)
100% would be approx 12.85 volts after 1 hour at rest
SG is probably a better indicator.

[mikexgough]

The type you need to match the original is an 068 but I'm sure that someone will have a better option . . . .

or a Yuasa Professional 030....0r 335.... dependent on your motor factor.....keep away from halfrauds or you will be doubling the cost...

[brorabongo]

The main Battery (and only battery I have) fitted last week.....

UKB 249, 5 series 90Ah. Thats whats written on the receipt from the motor factors.
No name on Battery itself, just the Type 249 and 90Ah bit.

[chiefster1976]

There seems to be a few people having the same problems..
I too are having my car battery going flat after approx 4-5 days..
The battery is an old jap one, but had it checked by a battery dealer and he found it to be charging o.k..
Unfortunatly the battery is loosing 900 miliamps (whatever that means) lol...hence flatening the battery over time...
SO somehow i need to find the voltage drop!!! where would one start???
I have added a PMS 3H unit and a leisure battery(both batteries charge) and used a voltage sensitive relay as well, so we have charge on both batteries but the car battery is loosing 900 miliamps...
where should i start to find whats making the draw???

Maybe its just because its an OLD battery???

[haydn callow]

Radio..centre strip light (I belive they can draw current even when off if tube is old) (don't understand that myself)
Put a multimeter inline with your main battery cable and just observe whilst switching things on/off

[g8dhe]

centre strip light (I belive they can draw current even when off if tube is old) (don't understand that myself)

If the switch is set to OFF then the circuit also suggests that it won't draw any current ! However if if left on DOOR and / or there is a fault (moisture most likely) then there is a possibility that it could draw some current, but I would be surprised if its significant.

[mikeonb4c]

Radio..centre strip light (I belive they can draw current even when off if tube is old) (don't understand that myself)
Put a multimeter inline with your main battery cable and just observe whilst switching things on/off

I agree - it sounds mighty odd. I could understand it if what was really happening was the tube had failed (closed circuit failure) and the switch was left in the 'on' position. Could be that, but it all got lost in the translation?

[Ian]

Continuing the story of flat batteries. Today at Mission Control we have had not 1, not 2, but 3 separate enquiries about flat batteries. As usual, I refer to a bit of paper stuck on the wall, tell people to avoid Halfrauds, and go to a good local Auto Factor and ask them for either a 95 a/h or 105 a/h battery type 068 or 249.

A few minutes ago, 1 of these autofactors rang and said, for future reference, we should ask for type 335. Which was a tad confusing.

Can anyone out there with a knowledge of the various battery reference numbers clarify what all these numbers mean. And what is a CCA ranking (cold crank something???).

[mikeonb4c]

And what is a CCA ranking (cold crank something???).

I personally think it is a term being pushed to the fore by the likes of Halfrauds, which makes my nose twitch. Because I'm concerned that CCA may be used to disguise a deficiency in the underlying quality/durability/capacity of a battery. We know that this is the cynical way in which cheap goods are made to sound good in modern marketing. I'll be happy to have a BF member (who I might trust and respect) tell me I'm wrong but I'm sure you understand why I feel suspicious.

Which doesn't answer your question. I think CCA (cold cranking amps) is essnetially trying to explain how good the battery is at providing peak power (e.g. when turning starter motor), measured when cold (as it would be on a winters morning). A leisure battery might well have low CCA even though it has identical AmpHr capacity. Its a bit like two watering cans, each having the same capacity but one (the high CCA one) not having a sprayhead on it and so able to deliver water at a high rate; the other having a rose so only able to deliver at a slower rate, albeit for longer. My worry is that by quoting only CCA, you could reduce the size of the watering can and - provided it still delivered water at the same rate - you may not have to reveal to the purchasor how much water it holds. Conversely of course, quoting AmpHr only for leisure batteries may disguise the fact that an attempt to draw more than the lightest current could cause a voltage drop, and even lead to reduced effective capacity. At which point we really need a battery expert on here to discuss it