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[Diamond Black Geezer]

So, managed about 3 years and 3 months from my genuine Vx battery, bought over the counter at the dealer.

Had some PAS issues which seemed to point toward alternator, (certainly something electrical) replaced the regulator tiddly, and left the battery on a charger, after a few hours of resting it read a healthy 12.7v. Next morning, started up fine, clicked the headlamps on, to discover the MID went off briefly, and she nearly stalled seconds later (dropped to approx 200rpm for a split second!)

Battery now reading 12.47v.

So unless I've missed something, that's not ideal...

[Kevin Wood]

You know what you need to do...

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90619.0

 

[zirk]

Ive never rated VX Batteries, they just dont seem to last, especially when left attached to a for long periods. Ive allows rated Varta and Exide in the past, but Im starting to find the Cheap Shite ones from ECP have been performing just as well as the expensive ones these days.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

haha, thanks, I've done that (very good) test, and redone it.

will do another one when back from work (will give me chance to get the battery on charge beforehand, too)

at present seems to be
as i say above, after a night left in the cold and a short run = 12.47v

6. batt voltage at idle = 14.06v (reading 13.95v and slowly dropping, after the test)
7. batt voltage at 2k rpm = 14.14v and v steadily climbing
8. batt voltage at idle + load = 13.55v and falling
9. batt voltage at 2k rpm + load = 13.66v


hmmmm....

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Ive never rated VX Batteries, they just dont seem to last, especially when left attached to a for long periods. Ive allows rated Varta and Exide in the past, but Im starting to find the Cheap Shite ones from ECP have been performing just as well as the expensive ones these days.

next door's astra has a genuine vx one (most likely the factory original) and there's a little sticker on it - varta! so to those with battery badge snobbery it does defeat the argument a touch (not that id say varta are a 'bad' make of battery, just that there are people who would go vx over them.... me included 3 years, 3 month ago!)

[zirk]

haha, thanks, I've done that (very good) test, and redone it.

will do another one when back from work (will give me chance to get the battery on charge beforehand, too)

at present seems to be
as i say above, after a night left in the cold and a short run = 12.47v

6. batt voltage at idle = 14.06v (reading 13.95v and slowly dropping, after the test)
7. batt voltage at 2k rpm = 14.14v and v steadily climbing
8. batt voltage at idle + load = 13.55v and falling
9. batt voltage at 2k rpm + load = 13.66v


hmmmm....

If your going to fully charge the Battery, afterwards leave it to settle somewhere cold for a day or two disconnected, then test again, otherwise you could just be chasing numbers on your volt meter with a freshly charged battery. 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

yes indeed - as I say today's test it was fully charged the night previous, I checked voltage after being on charge every few hours, and it leveled out at 12.7v, and didn't drop any after that for several hours) I then fitted it that night and (regrettably didn't have chance to re-test voltage before setting off this morning) but read 12.47v upon my return from dropping my other half off in town.

[zirk]

As said, leave it at least 2 days somewhere cold, not the night before.

on a battery left alone for a while, 12.6 or more should be a good battery

[Diamond Black Geezer]

looks like this Sunday-Mon will be the best chance to have the battery charged, then leave standing for 48hrs


So, in the meantime the issues chronologically are...

PAS cut out about a month/6 weeks back. Pulled up, switched off, back on, everything fine for week or two.

PAS did it again, seemed to be battery and EML came on. No death of speedo or anything, which suggests not ABS ECU, but if I'm understanding symptoms incorrectly let me know...

PAS has died maybe 5 times in last 6 weeks. Seemed to happen after being stood for a few days each time, and maybe early mornings with heated screen, dashcam, heated seats and lamps on etc... Hence my wondering it's electrically-related

Don't understand why a 'lack of electricity' would cause the PAS to die, as it's hydraulic. ALso doesn't make sense why stopping the engine, then re-starting it would cure it - surely the battery is weaker after an engine restart than 10 seconds prior whilst running?

2nd to last time it did it, the engine revs died and she stalled. Many lights came on (Mrs DBG was driving)

The most recent time (ie: battery was fully charged the night before) the engine nearly stalled, and when I clicked the headlamps on the MID blinked out for a second. I promptly knocked the lamps off for the journey duration!

Want it to be a duff/bad lead/earth etc, somewhere really. That's a free fix. 

[Nick W]

Have you checked the PAS pump, belt and all the other pulleys it drives? A seized AC compressor can stall an engine for example.


As for the battery, a voltage check doesn't tell you much about the battery's condition. That requires a drop test.

[Kevin Wood]

Unusual for the PAS to die, although it's possible that the servotronic box could be getting low supply volts and ejecting toys from its pram. The worst you'd get is min assistance, though, which is far from no PAS at all.

IME, you get codes in the ABS system first when the voltage gets low, followed by the auto box going into limp-home. I have driven mine until it has go so low on volts that it stopped, and I don't think the PAS had a single hiccup. I was fully clenched at the time, though (just made it onto my driveway), so might not have noticed.

[TheBoy]

Ive never rated VX Batteries, they just dont seem to last

I've had good results with both TC and Genuine batteries.  But I always make sure a battery doesn't go flat, as that what kills all batteries.

That said, the Rover was still on its original battery when written off at 12yrs old.  The Rover GSi I had before was on its original batt after I shifted it on at 8/9yrs old. And my original Acclaim was on its orig batt when I shifted that on at 10yrs.

Maybe I'm just kind on them

[YZ250]

Ive never rated VX Batteries, they just dont seem to last

I've had good results with both TC and Genuine batteries.  But I always make sure a battery doesn't go flat, as that what kills all batteries.
.........
Maybe I'm just kind on them

Or maybe constantly high rpm keeps them well topped up. 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Well this is so strange, like I say, symptoms are the PAS just dies, then starts working again perfectly upon restarting. I've searched on here plenty before posting when you search for 'PAS dies' / 'pas not working' etc battery tends to come up, however I'm surrounded by people - my MoT tester, a mechanic mate, my missus all who thik I'm barking up the wrong tree.

Always known my alternator wasn't 100% but still 'within tolerance' (however changed the regulator now anyway)

I'm wondering if it could be as simple as a poor connector, sat lathered in road grime and PAS fluid? there's an earth point beneath the PAS pump, correct?

[Andy H]

Servotronic relay maybe ? or the fuse that feeds it?