Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Ken T on 21 March 2011, 21:10:31

Title: Just found 0.5V
Post by: Ken T on 21 March 2011, 21:10:31

I previously mentioned how my battery seemed flat, despite having a recon alternator fitted (at vast expense by H***** :'( ). checking at the weekend showed the volts across the battery was about 12.3V when the alternator was putting in 35A, not really much good. However a little looking revealed :

(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t155/lapbits/PICT3850.jpg)

Looks a bit suspect. Probing with a DVM into the lead past the melted bit and the battery revealed over 0.5V drop. I took off the terminal and bent it over :

(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t155/lapbits/PICT3852.jpg)

Half the strands came loose. So that was the cause of the flat battery, and all the duff starting, alarm going off, etc.

I fitted a replacement, cheap and cheerful one, not very good as the 2 screws go straight into the wire, but it was all I could get on a Sunday, and after a quick 20min drive all back to normality :

(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t155/lapbits/PICT3853.jpg)

Thats one thing less to fix, now if I could fathom out that damn lambda probe .........

Ken

Title: Re: Just found 0.5V
Post by: Lazydocker on 21 March 2011, 21:13:09

Yep, common fault. I must admit I went moths with mine like it and had several people try to tell me that the Alternator was knackered... :-[ ::)

Title: Re: Just found 0.5V
Post by: mrgreen on 23 March 2011, 00:25:56

oh i've been there before but i replaced it all,starter and battery on my transit only to find the frailed wires,  i think the fix which should have costa tenner cost €160! that woulda been cheaper at the garage! :(

Title: Re: Just found 0.5V
Post by: Ken T on 23 March 2011, 18:58:23

Yes, I nearly went out and bought a new battery before I checked this.

Its funny how you always find the real cause after you have spent all the dosh on un needed parts, like my getting a replacement lambda sensor  :-X

Ken

Title: Re: Just found 0.5V
Post by: hoj on 24 March 2011, 18:38:16

happened to me also

Title: Re: Just found 0.5V
Post by: Simon72 on 24 March 2011, 22:13:42

Quote

I fitted a replacement, cheap and cheerful one, not very good as the 2 screws go straight into the wire, but it was all I could get on a Sunday, and after a quick 20min drive all back to normality :

Ken

If the screws are going through the cable then an easy fix to prevent this is to use a little bit of 15mm house hold copper water pipe, either shim it either side of the wire or if possible totally sleeve the wire and then screw on to that ;-)
Also when you do this smear a little copper slip on the end of the wire when you sleeve it.