auto electrical question
05-14-2009, 09:15 AM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
auto electrical question
the battery in my Omega has started draining to nothing in a few hours
I have a mulitimeter thingy in the garage
does anyone know what I need to connect it to, and what sort of reading I should be looking for, in order to check if the alternator is charging it
it's not the fanbelt - the alternator appears to run off the cambelt and looks self-tensioning
I can't see anywhere where there could be a drain when the ignition is off (any ideas?)
battery is under 4yr warranty but I'd like to know about the alternator before taking the battery back for checking/replacement
thanks
I have a mulitimeter thingy in the garage
does anyone know what I need to connect it to, and what sort of reading I should be looking for, in order to check if the alternator is charging it
it's not the fanbelt - the alternator appears to run off the cambelt and looks self-tensioning
I can't see anywhere where there could be a drain when the ignition is off (any ideas?)
battery is under 4yr warranty but I'd like to know about the alternator before taking the battery back for checking/replacement
thanks
05-14-2009, 09:23 AM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Leeds
Posts: 4,860
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
18.8v ? That seems a lot?
It should read 12. something when the ignition is off, and late 13. something or more when running.
If it's showing 12 when running then there's an alternator problem, if it's showing 13-14 when running and it's still going flat then it's a battery issue.
It should read 12. something when the ignition is off, and late 13. something or more when running.
If it's showing 12 when running then there's an alternator problem, if it's showing 13-14 when running and it's still going flat then it's a battery issue.
05-14-2009, 09:26 AM
#4
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,905
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by rralston,May 14 2009, 06:23 PM
18.8v ? That seems a lot?
It should read 12. something when the ignition is off, and late 13. something or more when running.
If it's showing 12 when running then there's an alternator problem, if it's showing 13-14 when running and it's still going flat then it's a battery issue.
It should read 12. something when the ignition is off, and late 13. something or more when running.
If it's showing 12 when running then there's an alternator problem, if it's showing 13-14 when running and it's still going flat then it's a battery issue.
05-14-2009, 09:27 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Peshawar
Posts: 4,305
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Touch the probes onto the battery terminals with the meter on
dc.
Post up the voltages running and not running.
( not running wait a few minutes after having say the headlights on for a minute)
Russ.
dc.
Post up the voltages running and not running.
( not running wait a few minutes after having say the headlights on for a minute)
Russ.
05-14-2009, 09:29 AM
#6
Banned
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Gaspode,May 14 2009, 05:17 PM
Take a reading with car with nothing runninng. You should get a reading of 12.6 - 13.8V
With the car running... about 14V+
Just my 0.02
With the car running... about 14V+
Just my 0.02
with the meter connected to each terminal?
Trending Topics
05-14-2009, 09:37 AM
#10
Registered User
Originally Posted by Gaspode,May 14 2009, 05:32 PM
A flat battery is about 10-11V
If the multimeter doesn't say 'Volts DC', it'll be the range where there is a 'V' and one/two flat lines, rather than a sine wave next to it. I'm not sure how much you know about electrics, so please forgive me if I'm teaching you to suck eggs!