Second battery to help my half dead transit van
- Thread starter tommyl18
- Start date
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The new battery will come back to life, and as said, a low current initial charge is preferable...avoid battery booster packs!
With the charged battery back on, disconnect the alternator. If charge holds, the alternator is duff. If the charge doesn't hold, then its not the alternator but elsewhere. Therefore, removing each fuse at a time and checking for discharge is the way to go. John
With the charged battery back on, disconnect the alternator. If charge holds, the alternator is duff. If the charge doesn't hold, then its not the alternator but elsewhere. Therefore, removing each fuse at a time and checking for discharge is the way to go. John
ive put the old battery back on as there was nothing wrong with it once it had been recharged properly and the van started no problems and the alternator was charging the battery at 14 volts. I turned the engine off disconnected the live cable from the battery and put my volt meter across the positive terminal on the battery and on the cables on the alternator and all 3 cables were drawing 4 amps when the engine was not running and ignition off?
I think Burnerman had it. I haven't had experience of alternator fault causing it, but try that, if not alternator, then take out all the fuses and see if the drain stops
If so, put them back one at a time and see when it starts again.
That will tell you what circuit is causing the drain
Since it occurs with engine off, it is probably (unless a wiring fault) a permant live, for example radio, brake lights, interior lights, alarm, horn, starter motor thick cable.
If I were you I would also start asking around for a recommended local auto-electrician in case you can't quickly trace and fix it yourself.
If so, put them back one at a time and see when it starts again.
That will tell you what circuit is causing the drain
Since it occurs with engine off, it is probably (unless a wiring fault) a permant live, for example radio, brake lights, interior lights, alarm, horn, starter motor thick cable.
If I were you I would also start asking around for a recommended local auto-electrician in case you can't quickly trace and fix it yourself.
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ive disconnected the alternator and the draw off the battery went from 3.6 amp to 700 mamps so ive ordered a new alternator but just wondering is 700 mamps still a high draw when it is not running?
If I read your post correctly, the load with the alteernator connected was 3.6A and it fell to 0.7A when you disconnected it.
They are both considered massive parasitic loads.
Have a look at the following links.
http://tinyurl.com/ycvpvlj
http://tinyurl.com/yexngd9
They are both considered massive parasitic loads.
Have a look at the following links.
http://tinyurl.com/ycvpvlj
http://tinyurl.com/yexngd9
thanks for the link im going to check all the fuses and read the output can i safely assume then that from the reading off the alternator that the alternator is definetly part of the problem
Its not just the interior lamps on, is it? Once had one with a glovebox light that didn't go off
John
ive got a feeling it might be the wiring loom for the towbar because theres no cap on it and its recently been used for the 1st time and if waters got on the connectors that could be drawing some current
That's not always the case;
No2 is fog lamp/auxilliary and is usually used for the fog light but, some people have it wired constant live so that it can be used to charge a battery in a caravan especially if they don't have a 12S socket.
It probably isn't wired like that though but it's worth knowing.
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