New alternator - still not charging - Page 3

Stickman · 2nd January 2015, 10:48

Having now invested in a voltmeter I've checked voltage at the battery b4 start up and after a frosty night too !
Voltage at battery was 11.78
With car running and battery under load @ 2000rpm with everything possible switched on the voltage at the battery was 14.29
The obd still has the charge rate at 13.80
The battery is only around 18 months old and an exide item.
The charge fault icon and battery light are back to an intermittent state now and more likely to be present when the weather is colder.
This is now looking likely to be the battery
Ho hum onwards

Regards
Chris

SD1too · 2nd January 2015, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stickman

This is now looking likely to be the battery

Charge it on the bench for 24 hours Chris. It's wintertime (much current demand on batteries) and you have a diesel (requires loads of starter motor current), so it probably needs it. Mine was discharged the other day.

I use the 75 only for long journeys and take care to cancel the HRW, all the precautions which I recommend to others, but the car had been standing for several weeks. It still surprises me how this can happen. The constant drain, 24 hours a day, to keep ECUs and alarms functioning must, I think, play a part. My sat. nav's video module cooling fan also runs on (by design) for several minutes each time the car is locked which cannot help.

Still, it's charged up and ready to go again now. Try it Chris. Recharging is much more satisfying than buying a new battery, and easier on the wallet too.

Simon

Stickman · 3rd January 2015, 04:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD1too

Charge it on the bench for 24 hours Chris. It's wintertime (much current demand on batteries) and you have a diesel (requires loads of starter motor current), so it probably needs it. Mine was discharged the other day.

I use the 75 only for long journeys and take care to cancel the HRW, all the precautions which I recommend to others, but the car had been standing for several weeks. It still surprises me how this can happen. The constant drain, 24 hours a day, to keep ECUs and alarms functioning must, I think, play a part. My sat. nav's video module cooling fan also runs on (by design) for several minutes each time the car is locked which cannot help.

Still, it's charged up and ready to go again now. Try it Chris. Recharging is much more satisfying than buying a new battery, and easier on the wallet too.

Simon

Thx Simon
Yr words have somewhat confirmed my next move m8

Regards
Chris

GED75 · 3rd January 2015, 12:43

a few weeks ago i started to get the red charge fault light up on the dash,it only did this in cold damp weather,in the last couple of weeks ive also had the low battery light flash up,then last weds the car wouldnt start flat battery,checked with my multimeter and it was showing 11.5v,i tried to charge the battery with my inteligent charger over a 12hour period it managed to raise the voltage to 11.7,then switched itself off this is normally a sign of a bad cell /battery,funny thing is the battery was only 12months old it was a exide 71amp which i got from ecp,ive since exchanged the battery at ecp like for like and invested in a non intelligent charger,and im happy to say its been ok for the last couple of days ,fingers crossed, also my alternator readings were the same as yours,

Stickman · 4th January 2015, 10:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by GED75

a few weeks ago i started to get the red charge fault light up on the dash,it only did this in cold damp weather,in the last couple of weeks ive also had the low battery light flash up,then last weds the car wouldnt start flat battery,checked with my multimeter and it was showing 11.5v,i tried to charge the battery with my inteligent charger over a 12hour period it managed to raise the voltage to 11.7,then switched itself off this is normally a sign of a bad cell /battery,funny thing is the battery was only 12months old it was a exide 71amp which i got from ecp,ive since exchanged the battery at ecp like for like and invested in a non intelligent charger,and im happy to say its been ok for the last couple of days ,fingers crossed, also my alternator readings were the same as yours,

Thx GED very much for yr post m8
Yr experience has some interesting similarities with my scenario

My battery is an exide too and also bought new from ecp
Last week after a couple of sub zero nights swmbo battery died - exide battery again sourced from ecp of similar age (only 12 mths old-almost to the day)
Regards
Chris

GED75 · 4th January 2015, 10:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stickman

Thx GED very much for yr post m8
Yr experience has some interesting similarities with my scenario

My battery is an exide too and also bought new from ecp
Last week after a couple of sub zero nights swmbo battery died - exide battery again sourced from ecp of similar age (only 12 mths old-almost to the day)
Regards
Chris

very similar bought battery 27/12/13 failed 30/12/14

Stickman · 13th January 2015, 15:01

Update
It seems now the battery is fully charged I have a happy car again

Charge fault icon + battery light is now gone
Regards
Chris

SD1too · 13th January 2015, 16:55

Great stuff. Thanks for the feedback Chris. Hopefully others will be encouraged by it to recharge rather than replace.

Simon

Stickman · 25th March 2015, 05:55

Thx guys for all yr help and support throughout my ongoing charging (or apparent lack of) saga but in way of an update I can now report good news

Back in January I reported in my last post following a recharge with the battery all was well - unfortunately that situation proved to be short lived

At the next cold spell the relevant dash lights reappeared

Moving forward to a couple of weeks ago I had some much needed time off from my busy work schedule and was determined to get to the root of this problem once and for all.
I removed the front bumper and based on advice from this very forum then traced the loom back behind the headlight (offside) had to remove the washer bottle too in order to get a proper look
I stripped back the insulation and low and behold not ONE but TWO wires that had chafed through and were obviously shorting out each other !
Furthermore there was in fact a THIRD wire completely snapped

Repaired said wires, put it all back together + hey presto all is fine and dandy now it seems

Regards
Chris

SD1too · 25th March 2015, 08:59

It's weird Chris; this only seems to happen on diesels!

Simon

2nd January 2015, 10:48	#21
Stickman Posted a thing or two Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Bordon Posts: 1,856 Thanks: 250 Thanked 403 Times in 352 Posts	Update Having now invested in a voltmeter I've checked voltage at the battery b4 start up and after a frosty night too ! Voltage at battery was 11.78 With car running and battery under load @ 2000rpm with everything possible switched on the voltage at the battery was 14.29 The obd still has the charge rate at 13.80 The battery is only around 18 months old and an exide item. The charge fault icon and battery light are back to an intermittent state now and more likely to be present when the weather is colder. This is now looking likely to be the battery Ho hum onwards Regards Chris

3rd January 2015, 12:43	#24
GED75 Gets stuck in ROVER 75 CDTI & TRIUMPH TIGER 1050se Join Date: May 2013 Location: wigton Posts: 675 Thanks: 72 Thanked 35 Times in 33 Posts	a few weeks ago i started to get the red charge fault light up on the dash,it only did this in cold damp weather,in the last couple of weeks ive also had the low battery light flash up,then last weds the car wouldnt start flat battery,checked with my multimeter and it was showing 11.5v,i tried to charge the battery with my inteligent charger over a 12hour period it managed to raise the voltage to 11.7,then switched itself off this is normally a sign of a bad cell /battery,funny thing is the battery was only 12months old it was a exide 71amp which i got from ecp,ive since exchanged the battery at ecp like for like and invested in a non intelligent charger,and im happy to say its been ok for the last couple of days ,fingers crossed, also my alternator readings were the same as yours, __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

13th January 2015, 16:55	#28
SD1too Doesn't do things by halves Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur Auto (1999) Dealer launch model. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Former Middlesex Posts: 20,394 Thanks: 1,587 Thanked 3,749 Times in 3,181 Posts	Great stuff. Thanks for the feedback Chris. Hopefully others will be encouraged by it to recharge rather than replace. Simon __________________ "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble." Sir Henry Royce.

25th March 2015, 08:59	#30
SD1too Doesn't do things by halves Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur Auto (1999) Dealer launch model. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Former Middlesex Posts: 20,394 Thanks: 1,587 Thanked 3,749 Times in 3,181 Posts	It's weird Chris; this only seems to happen on diesels! Simon __________________ "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble." Sir Henry Royce.

13th January 2015, 15:01	#27
Stickman Posted a thing or two Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Bordon Posts: 1,856 Thanks: 250 Thanked 403 Times in 352 Posts	Update It seems now the battery is fully charged I have a happy car again Charge fault icon + battery light is now gone Regards Chris

25th March 2015, 05:55	#29
Stickman Posted a thing or two Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Bordon Posts: 1,856 Thanks: 250 Thanked 403 Times in 352 Posts	Thx guys for all yr help and support throughout my ongoing charging (or apparent lack of) saga but in way of an update I can now report good news Back in January I reported in my last post following a recharge with the battery all was well - unfortunately that situation proved to be short lived At the next cold spell the relevant dash lights reappeared Moving forward to a couple of weeks ago I had some much needed time off from my busy work schedule and was determined to get to the root of this problem once and for all. I removed the front bumper and based on advice from this very forum then traced the loom back behind the headlight (offside) had to remove the washer bottle too in order to get a proper look I stripped back the insulation and low and behold not ONE but TWO wires that had chafed through and were obviously shorting out each other ! Furthermore there was in fact a THIRD wire completely snapped Repaired said wires, put it all back together + hey presto all is fine and dandy now it seems Regards Chris