Starting problems - Change over Relay?

[Justin_Elliott]

Hoping someone can help me with this. I've got the MOT booked for tomorrow and I was hoping to avoid a huge repair bill!

I've just got back from Holiday to find the cruiser had flat batteries (both @ ~4v)

I've taken both out in turn and fully charged them overnight (both now ~12.8v).

However, when I turn the truck key I can hear a few clicking sounds (presumably various relay's switching etc..) and the starter motor engaging. As the key turns the instrument lights drop (as the voltage drops to approximately 10v)...

So in the belief that one of the batteries may be duff I attempted a jump start - which worked fine, but only when connected to the passenger side battery (LHS if that makes a difference).

When started it all works fine... but after ~20+mins driving it's no different (although alternator is charging ok)....

Anyone got any ideas what to go look for?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Chas]

I had recently exactly the same problem Justin, back off holiday, clicks but no go, but I didn't hear the motor engaging, traced in the end to fubarred starter motor, fitted a spare motor and problem solved.

 

[BRE Fabrications LTD]

Sounds like your battery is poked.

Starter clicking means it's not getting enough current. If batteries are drained completely, unless it's a deep cycle, chances are it has been killed.

Replace your battery and go from there.

 

[Justin_Elliott]

Thanks, will give it a go!

 

[Paul]

Did you get the 12,8v with them connected? Sounds a little low to me unless something is draining them.
Might take more than one night to get them fully charged,is the level in them ok?
If you have leads you can connect them both at the same time on the charger to save swapping them over all the time.
Might be worth doing a check on the truck to check for something draining them.

 

[Justin_Elliott]

Connected a 'spare' battery in lieu of the passenger side (must remember to remind wife her car is battery-less!) - and fired up straight away... So I'm guessing it was/is a duff battery.

Strange as they're both only a few years old and can't work out what drained them (no lights left on etc...). Will plug into the 'intelligent charger' for next few days and see if that show's it's got some life left?

I presume I should disconnect one terminal and measure the current (repeating on both batteries)... but what is a good 'resting' current drain?
(As these batteries do read slightly differently (~0.3v) I'll let them settle prior to measuring anything as I expect this will be a little higher for the next few hours... )

As I'm now running one 95AH and one 75AH will this be ok for more than a few days (whilst I source a replacement) or could this also cause some harm?

Thanks again for the help....

 

[joinerman]

You should ONLY jump start on the drivers side battery

 

[Justin_Elliott]

Purely for educational reasons - why?

 

[joinerman]

Don't know !, there's a warning label on the passenger side battery cover on mine & iv'e seen it on others saying DO NOT JUMP START FROM THIS BATTERY, use driver side.

 

[andyw]

 

[Justin_Elliott]

As far as I know, mine's not got that warning label... Or if it does its not big enough or covered under too much grime!

Thanks for the heads up - Will be more careful in future...

Anyone got a good recommendation for a replacement battery to run alongside a Varta G8 (830cca / 95AH)

 

[frank rabbets]

The answer is to put a voltmeter on one battery and get the wife to crank the engine. Battery voltage should not drop below 10v. Then do the same with the other battery. I found one of mine dropped to 3v!!

Frank