FFRR - Alternator or battery failure?

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Originally Posted by drivesafe

I know where Wooli is and unfortunately, the is no electronics store nearby. I was going to suggest you try to get one of those cigarette socket type volt meters so you could keep a constant eye on your voltage. OK then, just make sure you battery voltage does not get below 11.8v You will probably get fault messages once it's below 12.2v just ignore them. Your system should not fail even if the voltage gets down to 11.0v but it can take just a few minutes to discharge the battery from 11.8v to below 11.0v, so keep an eye on the voltage. If you can get your hands on some speaker wire, you could set up a jumper lead, connecting from your battery into the cab and have your multi meter on all the time. MAKE SURE IT IS NOT NEAR ANY SHARP EDGES! Or if you have something with a cigarette plug on a lead, you could cut this up and use it to connect to your multi meter. You can always reconnect the lead once you are home. No matter what you do, it is imperative that you watch the voltage.

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Great idea. I'll try to lever out a cig lighter and fix the multimeter probes to the terminals. I have some electrical tape.

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Originally Posted by rar110

The charger finished its recondition process. It's now sitting at 13.3v.

I'm now doing the other battery.

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stick a 25A load on the battery and time how long it takes to get to 10.5V. that many minutes should equal your RC rating.

then charge it again.

this is the most important factor for the situation you're in.

if you can do that 3 times in short order and the time stays within about 10% of the batteries nominated RC then the battery is OK.
20% is workable
50% is as good as cactus but will provide some use as a backup battery/light duty battery

temp will effect your results you want to do the test at 25 degrees

Now for some basics.

If you can, leave the battery charger connected to your cranking battery till you are about to start the motor.

While you have the charger connected, turn everything off in your RR, like interior lights, A/C, entertainment system.

From memory, turning off the entertainment system will also turn Bluetooth off. If Bluetooth remains on, check your manual and turn it off, it is power hungry.

Have your RR packed and ready to go while the charger is still connected.

Just before you start your motor, remove the charger, start your motor and go.

BEST OF LUCK!

Thanks again. I'm not sure how I would put a 25 amp load on the battery. I will read up about shutting off the Bluetooth.

How do I get the cig lighter out, does it just lever out from the top. My preference is to use the cig lighter in the centre console or ash tray.

The battery is currently sitting steady at 12.3v with the motor running.

My plan is to put the other battery in the cargo area and connect it to the end point of the heavy +ve lead behind the panel and an earth point to support the main battery. I will use some very heavy jumper leads I had made up with insulated alligator clamps.

I suggest that you disable the air suspension to prevent it lowering when the voltage gets too low and will also save some battery draw. Remove the 20A suspension fuse and there should also be 2 x 5A suspension system fuses so remove those to stop annoying 50 kph warning messages. Only the 5A ignition feed fuse for the suspension ecu needs to be removed but no harm removing both as the 2nd one only protects the compressor relay sense wire in the event of it shorting to earth somewhere.

I replaced my alternator a few months ago at about 90 000km as a preventive measure. They are known to fail at about that mileage. It is not a 15 minute excercise to replace, lots of stuff to remove from the engine bay including draining engine coolant, etc.

I found an easy access point to under the two cig lighter sockets at the rear of the centre console. The panel below the sockets pulls away to reveal the + & - wires. The plugs and spade for the + & - are also different to help ensure the correct wire is fitted to the correct terminal.

I'll fit the multimeter to these wires to monitor the voltage.

the 25A load thing is for when you get back and test the battery not something to do before you go....

if the battery comes up ok then you know you're looking for a vehicle related fault.

I expect Drivesafe's suggestion was to get a voltmeter that plugs into the lighter socket, not to replace the socket. They're readily available.

EG http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-In-1-Ca...item3ce7e029db

Hi Graeme, thats what I was going to suggest rar110 get.

Wooli is a nice little village but its in the middle of nowhere, so he couldn't get one before he sets off today.

His Cig socket voltage source will give him the info he needs, and removes having to stop to get a voltage reading.

I hoped you would reply and give him some more power saving ideas, good one.

We can no only wait and see if he gets home OK!