More Red Hot Battery Terminals - Project Elite

[JamesV6CDX]

The battery terminals/leads on the Elite are still getting red hot, when the engine is running. I've tried a new battery, no difference.

With JUST the ignition on, and no engine running, they don't get warm.

However as soon as engine is started, they get hot VERY quickly.

Alternator is charging at 13.6v

We popped off the Aux belt, and with the engine running but the alternator not turning, the terminals didn't get hot.

Alternator FUBAR'd?

[The Barge Captain]

13.6 sound s a little low.  It could be that the rectifryer   is donald, and allowing the battery to pull so much current that it is dragging the voltage down

[TheBoy]

Measure the voltage at alternator. I suspect you have Tunnie's problem - poor connection between the cable and the actual battery connector.

[tunnie]

Measure the voltage at alternator. I suspect you have Tunnie's problem - poor connection between the cable and the actual battery connector.

Yup, as per James's other thread thats what i think too.... Kevin Wood can also comment as he mentioned my alternator cable was hot, although the terminal itself was warm.

James have you got any tools to professionally re-crimp thick wires? - I mean really thick wires!

[JamesV6CDX]

Ok, tonight has shown 13.6 volts if you put the meter on the battery terminals...

However if you stick the positive prove into the cable a little way into the loom.. it's 14v..

The connection where the positive cable (from alternator) goes into the battery round terminal looks very suspect..

Tomorrow it will be renewed, I'll post progress...

[TheBoy]

Ok, tonight has shown 13.6 volts if you put the meter on the battery terminals...

However if you stick the positive prove into the cable a little way into the loom.. it's 14v..

The connection where the positive cable (from alternator) goes into the battery round terminal looks very suspect..

Tomorrow it will be renewed, I'll post progress...

Same issue as Tunnie

[JamesV6CDX]

Ok, tonight has shown 13.6 volts if you put the meter on the battery terminals...

However if you stick the positive prove into the cable a little way into the loom.. it's 14v..

The connection where the positive cable (from alternator) goes into the battery round terminal looks very suspect..

Tomorrow it will be renewed, I'll post progress...

Same issue as Tunnie

We have a lot in common...

[tunnie]

Ok, tonight has shown 13.6 volts if you put the meter on the battery terminals...

However if you stick the positive prove into the cable a little way into the loom.. it's 14v..

The connection where the positive cable (from alternator) goes into the battery round terminal looks very suspect..

Tomorrow it will be renewed, I'll post progress...

Same issue as Tunnie

We have a lot in common...

How are you going to re-crimp it? The terminal connection is sealed, and the wire is very thick so needs to get very hot (as TB mentioned)

Be very interested to see how you do this... my 2.2 has the same problem!

[Martin_1962]

He will have spare cable.

0.4v drop

That could be quite a heat source!

[Auto Addict]

Bad connection, or faulty + cable.

[HI2DVY]

As posted in your other thread...

You have a high resistance joint at the positive connection to the battery. Disconnect the battery (both terminals) and measure the rsistance from the Alternator to the end of the positive cable. The resistance should be negligible. While measuring the resistance wiggle the cable and battery clamp and see if the resistance varies. It shouldnt but sounds like it probably will. This should help identify exact location of problem and determine whether it is the cable or the connector.

HTH

Dave

[Kevin Wood]

This sounds exactly like Tunnie's problem. The battery positive terminal has a thick wire crimped onto it which leads across the front of the engine to the alternator and starter motor. The rest of the car is fed from a cable bolted to the terminal which leads to the positive distribution box that lays on top of the battery.

All the current to feed the car electrical system and charge to the battery must therefore pass through the crimped connection. In Tunnie's case we only had about 13v across the battery with the engine running, regardless of revs. In the minute or two we spent measuring it, the battery terminal got too hot to touch. The insulation on the wire had also discoloured.

I'm not sure if you will be able to see the change in resistance with a multimeter. We are talking fractions of an ohm here but it's worth a try. The other test is to look at the battery voltage with engine running, and a little bit of electrical load (headlights, climate, etc), and again wiggle the cable. The fact that it gets hot is indication enough that there's a bad connection, though.

This wire also carries the current to the starter motor so, not only does it prevent the battery charging fully, it also reduces the current available to the starter motor.

As to a remedy I wouldn't bother trying to re-crimp it. You need a serious crimping tool to make connections that big and they'll probably fail in the same way. In addition, the end of the wire will have been cooked and will have a higher resistance anyway, as a consequence.

I would suggest either replacing the whole section of cable with one in good condition or cutting the wire 6" or so back from the connector, joining a new section of cable using a brass ferrule and solder, insulating the joint well with heat shrink sleeving and tape, and then fitting a new battery terminal with screw terminals.

You'll find all the required parts here //www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk or in a motor factors.

Cheers,

Kevin

[Martin_1962]

You need a lot of heat to solder the cable!

[theolodian]

Can't you get new terminal ends from Halfrauds that clamp on with set screws?  That cable in the terminal end is toast by now, soldering won't be as good as cutting it off and getting to good cable.

[Kevin Wood]

Can't you get new terminal ends from Halfrauds that clamp on with set screws?

Yes. This is what I would recommend.

That cable in the terminal end is toast by now, soldering won't be as good as cutting it off and getting to good cable.

Yes. I recommended removing 6 inches and making a join with solder to a new section. Alternatively it may be possible to re-route the cable, free up some length, and make do with cutting the damaged bit off the end. Tunnie's cable tooked like it was routed less than directly. Then again, if it's loomed up with other cables, you might have to undo that and route this cable separately.

The neatest solution by far would be to replace the entire section of cable, either with new or from a breaker.

Kevin