Alternator ?

[Kenny]

My battery keeps losing its charge - had to replace recently as went totally flat adn could not charge. Do not use the car that often nowdays and went to start the other day and battery flat.

Prior to replacing the battery the car was used every day.

Could this be the alternator ? If so what to replace with Standard or HD due to the winch, what sort of price are these things.

Thanks

Damian

[Sooty]

Hi Damian
First of all even if the battery is new do not rule out the fact that it may be faulty, it happens.
Check that there is not something running the battery down whils't the vehicle is standing idle (put a multi meter on 10amp range in series with the battery)DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE WHILE THIS IS CONNECTED.If you have a coded radio be sure you have the code before you disconnect the battery and if you have an immobilizer fitted make sure disconnection of the battery will not effect this.
Before you start spending money on altenators etc check the following:-
Put a volt meter on the battery and check that the voltage goes up to at least 13.5-14volts when engine is running on fat idle (about 1500rpm).
Put a volt meter between the negetive battery post and a good earth point on the body, chassis and engine, there sould be no voltage to speak of, if there is you have bad earths which will cause both charging and opperating problems.
If it turns out to be the altenator you can get new brushes but that will depend on the condition of the commutator connections.
This list is only a start of your fun so don't spend your money until you are reasonable sure you are right in you diagnosis.
Good luck.

[DEANO3528]

What Sooty said!
I replaced my 4 month old battery under warranty, and it died again just before xmas, again at around 4 months. Bearing in mind the batteries are fairly cheap (£40 for 072) I immediately put the blame on that after ensuring the alternator was charging ok. After a jump start it was charging around 14.4v dropping to 14.15 with lights on, so I figured that's good enough but stil not convinced it was the battery. I have loads of relays etc on Shed running the spit charge and various lights, sockets and aux battery and suspected a dodgy split charge relay. However after a check as Sooty detailed above, no loss was evident. I eventually found out that the culprit was the A-bar spotlight relay jamming open (although I never noticed the spotlights on unless switched on). With the dead battery (well 9-ish volts) I noticed a very faint clicking when I was removing the earth lead. When i put the new battery on and connected it up the spotlights came on by themselves!!

[Kenny]

Put a multi meter on 10amp range in series with the battery

What exactly do I do ?

The rest makes sense and I'll try that.

Thanks

Damian

[Kenny]

OK - done some tests. Engine off and I get about 13v. Start the engine and stays at 13v. Run from negative to earth and nothing.

I am thinking alternator. It has been on the car from start (1989) and I have got it very, very muddy and wet in the past and never cleaned it out.

Any thoughts please.

Damian

[Sooty]

If the battery is at 13v with engine off then the battery seems ok, if it stays the same when engine is on fast idle than you are right in thinking that it is alternator.
The next stage is to remove the alternator, remove the brushes, check the commutator connection, clean out the inside and replace the brushes with new ones (if the commutater is ok) and reasemble.
Refit the alternator.
If the battery still not charging, put the old brushes back in and get an exchange unit.

[Kenny]

Many thanks - on the phone tomorrow to try and get some brushes.

Damian

[Range Rover Blues]

Depending on which alternator you have I'd suggest a trip to your local breakers for a spare unit.  You don't need to be looking at Land Rovers either, many european built cars have the same unit, for example many Cavaliers, Rovers etc.  Notably not Ford as they use the 3-blade multiplug on most alternators.
I'd expect to pay £15 with some sort of returns policy.

[Wanderer]

What was that Bev?
Replacement is a reversal of the removal procedure?
 :D
Ed

[Sooty]

What was that Bev?
Replacement is a reversal of the removal procedure?
 :D
Ed

Yes Mr Haynes

[hobbit]

:)

[Dirty Gertie]

You have my utmost sympathy; been there, played that game - no fun at all!!!
Her Landyship was plagued with electrical problems for several months; it was horrible!! :shock:  What made diagnosis worse was the fact that it was starter motor, battery and alternator, all failing, well, she is  a 12 year old Landie!! (I've only had her 18 months, so I don't know when things were, if ever, replaced) Plus, an Italian meal of wiring, due to the copious amounts of 'bling' (added by previous owner, whose strong point is, most definately not wiring!!:shock: )
The wiring was a nightmare! The I.C.E. was wired direct to the battery; single feed - no hi/low, so, of course, no switch. Power was draining via the C.D changer, so that was disconnected, I hate electrickery, so a very kind friend came and sorted it out for me, Pete found various horror stories, nestling within H.L's loom!
She's had a new  starter motor & battery,  and various alternator component transplants,( including a new one which went up in smoke within 2 minutes, and yes, I had earthed it!!)  I finally fitted one from a rangie, and at last she was charging at  14.5v !!! :lol:


 \:D/  \:D/  <sing> Oh Happy Day!!</sing>  \:D/  \:D/
I sincerely hope yours is a simple alternator/brushes/ swap, cos I had a pigging nightmare!!!


Oh, I forgot to say, in the middle of all that palaver; the immobiliser also once decided to immobilise totally as soon as I arrived on site for an off road weekend it had to be removed in the field!!

[Kenny]

Sounds like a lot more wiring than on Animal, CD Changer ? Immobiliser ? crikey is this a land rover or a luxury Merc or BMW 4x4 ;)

Reminds me still got an earth wire to re-fit having replaced the wing. I wonder what it's for as everything seems to work  :oops:

Damian

[Dirty Gertie]

Sounds like a lot more wiring than on Animal, CD Changer ? Immobiliser ? crikey is this a land rover or a luxury Merc or BMW 4x4 ;)



Damian

Yep, she's all Landy!!  She was previously owned by a bit of a 'bling' merchant, (and lived in a rough area of London; hence the immobiliser!) but the refinements are very enjoyable!

[Range Rover Blues]

Ours was previously owned by a cretin.  I don't think any job was done properly or with full understanding of what was actually being done!
Just when you think you have got to the bottom of it, something else goes wrong.
You have my simpathy, if you lived near enough I'd offer to help.