glowplug relay

[adam]

Am i correct in thinking that there should be more than 10 volts at my glowplug busbar Is it meant to be 12 volts

And if i am right about my 2 questions above and bearing in mind my glowplugs are sound, would that be the reason the bongo is a bi7@h to start at the moment Does that mean i need a new relay

Anybody know

[Vanmanerik]

I would say you need a new battery.

Details from a previous post about batteries:-

A battery in a healthy state of charge with engine switched off should read 12.25 volts with a standard voltmeter.
with the engine running the voltage across the battery terminals should read around 13. 8 volts representing a charge being delivered to the battery.

I thing a glowplug needs a minimum of 11.5 volts to work.

Hope this helps.

[mikeonb4c]

Interesting thread - keep us posted Adam

[adam]

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:53 pm Post subject: battery condition guide

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I read a comment by one of our members recently, He said he thought his battery was ok cos it gave a voltmeter reading of 'just over 12 volts'
I really got into battery management when we lived on a narrowboat for 6 years and volts/amps became a fixation. Te following may be of interest:-
Battery voltage % of battery charged specific gravity
11.64 0% 1.10
11.88 20% 1.14
12.09 40% 1.175
12.30 60% 1.21
12.51 80% 1.245
12.72 100% 1.28
With engine running voltage should read about 14volts
The above voltage readings should only be used when the battery has settled ie. about an hour


Thats a quote from hcallow on another thread so 12.25 volts would mean jusr over 50% of the battery is charged surely this is not considered healthy

My battery is reading 12.29 volts so is it my battery or relay causing my slugish starting or dare i say neither:?:

[adam]

[quote="adam"]Am i correct in thinking that there should be more than 10 volts at my glowplug busbar Is it meant to be 12 volts

ANYBODY

[Ian]

I thing a glowplug needs a minimum of 11.5 volts to work.

That's what I've been told as well.

[Vanmanerik]

Should there be more 10 volts at my glow plug busbar?
ANS: YES

[adam]

Thanks guys.

I did test the batterys vanmaneric and they are both healthy so i think its the relay. The relay still kicks in when the ignition is switched on I can hear it and also see when it happens with my voltmeter. (it does turn off as well)

Does everybody agree that if the batterys are healthy but there is only 10 volts at the busbar that it is the relay that is failing

Would anybody be prepared to have a look with a voltmeter to see what voltage they get at the glowplug busbar on there bongo I know its a big ask but this difficult starting is begining to get me down

Thanks

[haydn callow]

I had a duff battery and a good battery on my bongo connected together and they gave a reading of 12.26 volts. Starting was ok but did take a couple of seconds. Once I had sussed the duff battery and fitted a new one the reading is now 12.6+ volts and starting is instant and I can stop start forever without a problem, before after about 4 stopstarts things got very slow. Carn't check glowplug busbar at moment cos Bonggo is having her (they are girls ar'nt they) bottom done.

[haydn callow]

adam! did you isolate each battery to get a reading?? If not you could have the same as me in above !!

[francophile1947]

Adam
Might be a stupid suggestion, but have you checked/cleaned the electrical connections?

[adam]

adam! did you isolate each battery to get a reading?? If not you could have the same as me in above !!

Cheers hcallow

I did isolate and test each battery in turn. I will be able to realy prove its not my batterys tommorow when i test them in the morning after 12 hours of doing nowt.

[adam]

Adam
Might be a stupid suggestion, but have you checked/cleaned the electrical connections?

Oh yes franky

[francophile1947]

Thought so, but sometimes the obvious (and cheapest) solution gets overlooked.