Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Wayne]

Hi guys

just popped to the bank, came out and turnt the key in the ignition, all i got was a click!
called Green Flag out, only took em 15 minutes to get to me! result!
the guy used a booster pack and she started
he tested my Alternator reading, its only puttin out 13.1 volts, he said it should be a minimum of 13.7??
is this correct, i aint got a clue, so thought you guys would know maybe?

i hardly use my car, the last time i used it was 5 days ago, she`s just been sat on the drive, i dont do many long journeys, only main short ones 15 miles max, then she`s left for another week...
probably do about 3000 miles a year, if that!
since joining the Gym, i cycle everywhere! lol
she`s got 69100 miles on the clock on a 1998 S plate, Omega 2.5 V6 Estate

its getting colder, so maybe this is some of the prob?
if i cant leave a car for a week or so, gotta be something wrong, nothing could be draining the battery could it?

[mark.adams]

I had the same on the day of the cars last MOT.
I bought a s/h one from ebay for £29 and threw it in, now no problem.

[feeutfo]

how old is the battery Wayne? They dont last forever, and is it the correct one? Suggest read the numbers off the top and post em up with the age to the best of your knowledge.

I'm sure others will be along with help on Alternator readings, i'm not the best with sparks. :-)

[KillerWatt]

he tested my Alternator reading, its only puttin out 13.1 volts, he said it should be a minimum of 13.7??
is this correct, i aint got a clue, so thought you guys would know maybe?

Acceptable voltage readings at battery terminals, with headlights on at 2000 rpm are considered to be 13.8V - 14.4V.
His statement of 13.7V minimum is spot on.

its getting colder, so maybe this is some of the prob?
if i cant leave a car for a week or so, gotta be something wrong, nothing could be draining the battery could it?

There are a few electrics pulling a few milliamps, but nothing to drain the battery in a week.

Your problem is that the alternator isn't charging the battery enough, hence you struggle on cold mornings when the mills are really needed.
There is no need to change the battery at this time because battery f**ked or not, you would still see 13.8V minimum on the battery terminals if the alternator was working correctly.

If it should transpire that you still struggle to start after replacing the alternator, then either the lack of sufficient charge has killed the battery, or the battery was simply on it's ar$e at the same time the alternator failed (aka, s*it happens).

[Wayne]

Thanks very much guys
my battery was bought on 7th January 2008
it cost me £80 and was a good one
this is the one i got exactly

http://pmd.varta-automotive.com/pmd2/showBatterieDetail.do;jsessionid=DBEF07A062EE5F7A5CD1E779BCDFBE31?ArtikelNr=5724090683132


National Tyres sold it me in Oxford
(Abingdon Road Branch)

[TheBoy]

short journeys, particularly with lights/blowers/rear window/seats on will not keep the battery charged.

[Wayne]

so what do i do? lol
i cant be the only one who makes short journeys, i have no need to make long journeys whatsoever

[TheBoy]

so what do i do? lol
i cant be the only one who makes short journeys, i have no need to make long journeys whatsoever

battery charger is the old fashioned way....

[Wayne]

or booster pack fully charged left in the boot?

and give my battery a charge once a month ?

[Abiton]

so what do i do? lol
i cant be the only one who makes short journeys, i have no need to make long journeys whatsoever

Mend the alternator first.  There's a guide in the Maintenance Guides section. 
Here's the link: http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1153772945

Probably/possibly just a contact that needs cleaning.  Once that's working properly you may find that you do get sufficient charge into the battery, even on short journeys.

[Wayne]

Thanks, but i will get my mechanic to look at it and print him out the maintenance guide, not at all mechanically minded, so not even gonna attempt tampering with anything

anyway, i found this on Ebay
brand new for this price?
but....  is it any good?
he has good feedback and sold a load of em to Omega owners on his feedback
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Calibra-Omega-Vectra-2-5i-V6-Alternator-LRB320_W0QQitemZ320371523474QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item4a97a17f92

[Marks DTM Calib]

Might not be the alternator....if the battery is VERY flat then the alternator regulator will drop the volts to limit the charge current to the alternator max.

The correct test would have been an off load measure of battery voltage and then a further measurement (which they did do) of the running voltage.

[Andy H]

Lack of use is your main problem.

Before you condemn the alternator you might like to check that all the battery leads are good. The crimped connections on the big battery leads are prone to deterioration on Omegas.

I have an old Range Rover which doesn't do enough miles. After ruining a perfectly good battery by letting it go flat too often I now leave one of these on the dashboard which seems to do the trick.



It cost me £10 from Maplins http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358

[Wayne]

Guys

charged my battery for 24 hours
car started 1st time, no clicking noises!
took it up to mechanic mate and done a voltage test
everything is normal, tried the tester with just the engine runnin at 2500 - 3000 revs, then turnt everything on, climate, both heated seats, lights, etc etc etc etc

both alternator and battery are fine

im beginning to think that something in the car
(when left for 7 - 14 days is draining it)
i know that my Alarm is faulty, as i have to press the little "running man" symbol on the dashboard to on when i lock the car...
otherwise the alarm goes off at 3am when a bit of a gale hits it!

when you lock the Omega, you press the key once which locks the car? but if you press it twice, what does that activate?
tonight i have pressed the "running man" and just pressed the key fob once instead of twice, do you reckon than may stop the drain?
cant think of anything else it could be?
could it be the Power Sounder? or something like that?
can i turn this damn Alarm and Immobiliser off completely?

[ffcgary1]

Wayne, if you press the key fob button once it locks the doors and boot, press it again and the deadlocks are activated. Your battery may be ok but lots of short journeys mean that the alternator may not put back into the battery what was taken out in the process of starting the engine. Is the new battery the correct ampage and cca ampage for the car as it is not always the case that garages know or even fit the right one. Check the figs on the battery and then check on here as to what should be on it. Also the cold weather will also affect the performance of the battery at cold start.