Any smart Auto Sparkies out there???

[swbpatrol]

Any advice would be great here.
I have a 88 SWB TD42 Patrol the last 3 months i have had a problem. 3 times i have jumped into the car and the main battery has been flat. The first time the girlfriend had it and it went flat while she was at work and no she never had the lights on so i thought it was weird i took it to the auto sparkys and they replaced the battery he thought it was faulty. Put the new battery and went for a 25 min drive and all was good 3 hours later a flat battery. Then i replaced the second battery as it was bowing at the edges and thought it could be draining the main one flat then all has been good for 3 weeks (testing the battery's daily) of driving everyday then i went to jump in one day and it flattended the main dead flat in 7 hours after a 40 minute drive???? I can not see any links between the different times it has happened and Auto sparkie is getting sick of me and what the could drain a brand new N70Z battery in 3 hours of just sitting there???????????????? Help me as im to scared of heading bush and it happensplease

Chris

[Tiny]

check the alternator, it could be faulty and not charging and could also be draininfg the battery.....get out the multi meter and check charge, it will run at about 13.5v when charging

[swbpatrol]

done that already and it charges fine but has anyone seen an alternator play up every now and then???? This is driving me mad

[Tiny]

done that already and it charges fine but has anyone seen an alternator play up every now and then???? This is driving me mad

and prolly for some time to come!!!!

[drivesafe]

Hi swbpatrol, first off, screw what the auto elec thinks. It is his job to resolve your problem.

Having said that, I’m with Tiny, sounds like a diode is on the way out or has gone in your alternator.

You could put a multi meter on the NEGATIVE wire using the amp set up. Be warned though, it sounds like you are pulling a lot of current and most multi meters will only take a maximum of 10 amps through them.

Make sure the amp input on your multi meter is fused then the only damage you will do is blow the fuse, but it will still tell you that something is pulling high current.

You will then have to go around the vehicle and try and find out what is causing the drain.

Start by taking the vehicle for a good drive and before you stop the engine, measure the volts at the battery to see if you have been charging it.
Then connect your multi meter as an amp meter to the battery and see if there is a current flow.

If so and if it is easily done, disconnect the alternator positive wire but leave every thing else connected to the battery. If the meter no longer shows a discharge, you have done the auto elects job for him ( I’d be finding another A/E anyway ).

It this doesn’t work then you will just have to remove fuses and see if this points you in the right direction.
Cheers and have fun.

[Tiny]

I can not think of anything that would pull enough amps bar a fault alternator to flatten the battery that soon.....if there is a short curcuit then fused would blow andthat would be that

What drivesafe said find a new a/e with some brains and some work ethic and you will prolly find they will get to the bottom of it for you quickly.

electrical can drive you insane if you don't know where to look, so save the hassle and get somone to go right through it

[swbpatrol]

thanks heaps guys so it sounds like a alt problem so im on the hunt for a new auto sparky now. Just one other thing d ou think it happens all the time and just over times the battery has enough or it is just tempramental?

[Tiny]

thanks heaps guys so it sounds like a alt problem so im on the hunt for a new auto sparky now. Just one other thing d ou think it happens all the time and just over times the battery has enough or it is just tempramental?

electrical things tend to be intermittant just to make tracing them even harder, quite possibally

[drivesafe]

Hi swbpatrol, not sure what your last post ment.
Cheers

[CRUSHU]

Check your starter motor, can give the symptoms of flat battery.

[swbpatrol]

nah the battery is definantly flat (RED)

I meant before do you think the alternator always plays up and starting and stopping just drains it until it just gets to flat to start or is the alternator only playing from time to time??

Chris

[drivesafe]

Hi again swbpatrol, with the symptoms you posted, I suspect that a diode is the problem but a GOOD auto electrician is the person to see.
It may be something as simple as a loose wire, but I doubt it not with the way the batteries are going flat.
Just roughly, where are you located.
Cheers

[swbpatrol]

im in kalgoorlie WA

[drivesafe]

Hi again swbpatrol, I deal with A/Es in different places all over Australia but Kalgoolie is not one of them. Sorry but I can’t help you there but still go looking for a better one and when you find it, make sure you tell everyone how good the last one was ( not )
Best of luck and Cheers

[Woop]

The early versions of the Hitachi Alternator -with LR160 437 Reg, had very fragile diode packs. The diodes are 'moulded' into the heatsink making them very difficult to replace individualy or test as you almost always break them when de-soldering to test.. The regulator itself seems reliable.

Usually at night, you will see the charge lamp glow very faintly when the engine is idling with a dead diode.. . Get the Auto-lec to replace with the later diode pack which is stronger. Also oil leaking past the vacuum pump oil seal can contaminate the slip-rings. Make sure the plastic connector at the back of the Alternator is secure.

Nick

[swbpatrol]

thanks Nick and everyone else for your help. Im on the hunt for a good AE at the moment and i think i have found one as he has a comp MQ with custom coil suspension and loves 4X4 and camping as much as me and he sounds honest.

Chris

[drivesafe]

Hi swbpatrol, best of luck and don’t forget to let us know how you get on.
Cheers

[swbpatrol]

just an update:
Took it to another highly recommended Auto Saprky and he cannot see any problems with it its charging and not drainnig and told me when it happens again to call him and he will come to me and check the problem. Could it all be this hard????

[Tas_Dean]

Could it all be this hard????

Yep!

The problem is very likely to be intermittent (sometimes)!

[bilby]

just an update:
Took it to another highly recommended Auto Saprky and he cannot see any problems with it its charging and not drainnig and told me when it happens again to call him and he will come to me and check the problem. Could it all be this hard????

i had this same problem with mine . the auxillary battery had 2 collapsed cells and was draining the main starting battery thru the wiring overnight

sounds like u need an isolator switch put between them

[Rainbow Warrior]

What sort of battery isolator system do you have?

It's possible the batteries are staying linked, one is shagged and you are effectively jump starting off the good one while it can.