Thread: HELP - No Electrics

Originally Posted by HowardSmall

I have a 1999 Defender TD5 Extreme with factory alarm system. Just put in a new battery. Voltage OK, polarity correct. After installation I have NO electrics - none, no lights, no ignition, no instruments, nothing.


I am guessing there is some sort of security issue here but have no idea how to get it running again.


Thanks,


Howard - with car stuck in drive...

Doesn't sound like an alarm to me - as you don't have parkers, which I don't think would be affected by an alarm?

Does your positive terminal have a mega fuse that you could have blown during install? What about your earth? Nice and tight? Remembered to connect it?

All connected OK. So far as I know there is no master fuse on a Defender.


The battery has a second set of terminals to which my radio is connected and it works OK. There is 12.5V on the leads from the battery. I guess I will have to trace it and find where the voltage stops...


Howard

Originally Posted by n plus one

Doesn't sound like an alarm to me - as you don't have parkers, which I don't think would be affected by an alarm?

Does your positive terminal have a mega fuse that you could have blown during install? What about your earth? Nice and tight? Remembered to connect it?

After researching the possible causes, going over the wiring diagrams and power connection charts, crawling under around and in the Defender, pulling out the engine bay fuse block (which is not in the engine bay but under the driver's seat) I found the cause.


The +12V for the engine bay fuse block goes directly from the battery to the block under the driver's seat. It is cunningly coloured black to disguise it as a negative lead. So, instead of connecting it to the positive post I connected it to the negative post which, of course, meant that there was no power to anything connected via that fuse block - just about everything!


I hate posting this but figure I owe anyone who read my earlier post an explanation...


Howard

Be careful with that terminal. It handles a lot of current, and if it's not perfectly connected will heat up to the point of melting the fuse box.