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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: GrpB Tom on 03 November 2012, 14:32:16

Title: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: GrpB Tom on 03 November 2012, 14:32:16
Have discovered my battery is dead - 2volts. Was tip top last night when parked up. Dicky alternator?

Also alarm has been going off when I get into the car. Have to step out and lock the car for it to go off. Doesn't happen all the time though. Very odd. Clearly an electrical issue.

Has anyone suffered similar problems?
Thinking alternator might be the source for both.
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: RobG on 03 November 2012, 14:34:43
Have discovered my battery is dead - 2volts. Was tip top last night when parked up. Dicky alternator?

Also alarm has been going off when I get into the car. Have to step out and lock the car for it to go off. Doesn't happen all the time though. Very odd. Clearly an electrical issue.

Has anyone suffered similar problems?
Thinking alternator might be the source for both.
Try removing the powersounder, may well be cause of battery problems.
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: tigers_gonads on 03 November 2012, 14:37:57
Glovebox light or as rob says, powersounder ?? but tbh if your loseing 10 volts overnight, either your batterys totaly knackerd or you have a big short to earth somewhere.
Alternator regulator is a good place to start.
Is the alternator charging ok ?
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: RobG on 03 November 2012, 14:47:02
Testing alternator http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90619.0
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: GrpB Tom on 03 November 2012, 16:45:05
Battery is two years old so should be ok. This is the second time it has been charged from dead. I will go through the process and report back.

Where is the power sounder located and how do you turn it off? Fuse?
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: RobG on 03 November 2012, 16:48:41
Battery is two years old so should be ok. This is the second time it has been charged from dead. I will go through the process and report back.

Where is the power sounder located and how do you turn it off? Fuse?
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90675.0
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: tigers_gonads on 03 November 2012, 16:58:07
No fuse for the sounder.
Feed comes from the ecu loom iirc
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: dbdb on 03 November 2012, 18:29:52
May be a silly question but did you check the parking lights didn't get left on? Easy to do on pre facelift migs just by leaving the indicator stalk up or down when pulling the key.  However your 3.2 elite should warn you I think.  Mind you it shouldn't completely flatten a battery overnight anyway, nor would the glove box or boot light.

Standard batteries don't survive very many complete drains.
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: GrpB Tom on 04 November 2012, 01:31:04
It beeps when the indicator switch is on so have discounted that. This is only the 2nd time it has happened. have left the car for over a week and it started 1st time. Its clear the fault is intermittant. What would be the likley suspect? Alt reg top of my list..
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: symes on 04 November 2012, 01:48:49
did you remove powersounder ? My old mig did that(flat battery) turned out to be faulty light switch-but it was a 94 p/f/lift
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: GrpB Tom on 04 November 2012, 10:41:16
Power sounder hasn't been removed. Was going to do the battery checks but its chucking down with rain at the moment. Of interest why would the power sounder drain a battery? If its live doesn't something sound? Keen to know the rationale behind remvoing the power sounder.
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: GrpB Tom on 04 November 2012, 13:19:26
Managed to get the tests done.
Results in numerical order as per the recommended test sequence.
3. 13v across terminals
4.11.4v engine off load applied (lights,front screen blower,rear demist,fog and heated seats)
5.dropped to 9-10v cranking no load
6. 13.7v at idle
7.Engine speed 2k rpm no load 14v
8. Loads added as before 12v
9.Increased rpm to 2k 13v
10. Positive terminal on battery very hot. Negative cool. Started to rain again postponed checking other earth points,etc
Looks like a duff battery and a dodgey + terminal.
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: RobG on 04 November 2012, 13:44:01
Managed to get the tests done.
Results in numerical order as per the recommended test sequence.
3. 13v across terminals
4.11.4v engine off load applied (lights,front screen blower,rear demist,fog and heated seats)
5.dropped to 9-10v cranking no load
6. 13.7v at idle
7.Engine speed 2k rpm no load 14v
8. Loads added as before 12v
9.Increased rpm to 2k 13v
10. Positive terminal on battery very hot. Negative cool. Started to rain again postponed checking other earth points,etc
Looks like a duff battery and a dodgey + terminal.
Crimping at cable end to battery dodgy
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: Kevin Wood on 05 November 2012, 16:34:44
Managed to get the tests done.
Results in numerical order as per the recommended test sequence.
3. 13v across terminals
4.11.4v engine off load applied (lights,front screen blower,rear demist,fog and heated seats)
5.dropped to 9-10v cranking no load
6. 13.7v at idle
7.Engine speed 2k rpm no load 14v
8. Loads added as before 12v
9.Increased rpm to 2k 13v
10. Positive terminal on battery very hot. Negative cool. Started to rain again postponed checking other earth points,etc
Looks like a duff battery and a dodgey + terminal.
Crimping at cable end to battery dodgy

Agreed. Fix that first before worrying about the battery. It's probably just discharged due to the poor charging voltage it's been receiving.
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: Entwood on 05 November 2012, 16:48:24
Managed to get the tests done.
Results in numerical order as per the recommended test sequence.
3. 13v across terminals
4.11.4v engine off load applied (lights,front screen blower,rear demist,fog and heated seats)
5.dropped to 9-10v cranking no load
6. 13.7v at idle
7.Engine speed 2k rpm no load 14v
8. Loads added as before 12v
9.Increased rpm to 2k 13v
10. Positive terminal on battery very hot. Negative cool. Started to rain again postponed checking other earth points,etc
Looks like a duff battery and a dodgey + terminal.
Crimping at cable end to battery dodgy

Agreed. Fix that first before worrying about the battery. It's probably just discharged due to the poor charging voltage it's been receiving.

Also agreed .. plus, as you will have to disconnect the battery to sort out the dodgy terminal, give the battery a 48 hour charge whilst off the car, this will ensure it gets a "full" charge and might well save it, however if it has been standing discharged for too long it may well be beyond redemption. Cost you nothing to try ..... :)
Title: Re: Battery going dead - overnight
Post by: dbdb on 06 November 2012, 01:33:06
yes connection shouldn't get hot like that.  In fact your battery could be OK the symptoms may just be that connection (if you genuinely get a 2V reading on a battery off load then it is dead).  If the battery is damaged some battery chargers have a  'recover' function which is a last resort - it whacks a lot of volts in (up to 16!) to fix sulphation. Sometimes works.