Troubleshooting your charging system

[BaZa®]

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[Gypsy]

After a couple of recent breakdowns and battery ,leads plugs etc replaced
in between ,finally checked the charge system .The cold weather brought it to a head and tho engine spun over not quite enough to spark up while out for a ride [,ok in warmer weather ,odd stumble on start happened] this was the gremlin .

Attachment 7968



As you can see one wires all burnt n shorted 2 sections burnt and also wire sticking in air had come off completely
Did meter test for resistance and that showed fnek all ,,got motor runnin and did ac test and both probes in stator holes zilcho ,so that proved it

[Uncle Odd]

Originally Posted by dynamet1

Just a word of caution before you do all this! (and tend to look on the black side) My optimate was showing the red light for "Desulphating" just lately when put on charge after a night out and was after a day or even longer going onto the red "weak battery" light. After spraying the connector from the optimate to battery with some WD40 - all seems to be ok now. Doh!!

Just wanted to say how invaluable this thread has been. All the techi stuffs way over my head but the WD40 worked a treat

[Stuarty]

Looks like it might be time to revisit the charging system

[Stuarty]

The battery was completely flat yesterday (2v) wouldnt even power a light. Dunno what happened.

Anyway, after 15 hrs charge tried the advice offered by Kiwidave and got a fright. Initially the battery was showing 17+ volts. After disconnecting the reg plug, checking it - 0.03v and 0.08v - and reconnceting and checking the battery again it was showing 13.5v on fast idle.

Didnt get any increase in volts at the battery when engine reved but the headlight did brighten.

Have stuck it on Optimate for now.

I guess I need to keep an eye on this.

Once again, great info

[Stuarty]

After much searching and scratchin me baldy bonce I think I may have found the prob. I followed KDs instructions completely except the bit about checking the wire from the reg/rec to battery. Purely by chance I stumbled across the bare wire as it sparked against the frame. The insulation was gone and the wire itself had broken.

As a test measure I joined the rec wire using bullet connectors and checked the battery again with engine running. At engine off the battery read 12.6v, engine at tickover it read 13.7v and when revved there was just over 14v at battery terminals. The 14v is a bit of a disappointment. Wonder if its the reg thats gone?

Moral of the story: if I had followed the goddamn instruction I would have got to the HnS without having to be recovered home then take the car to the rally