AAAArrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh SHORT CIRCUIT!

[Blue_Joe 0]

Bloody thing........

 

Gone to get in the car a few minutes ago and couldn't even unlock it using the alarm fob as the battery appears to be COMPLETELY dead.

 

I've noticed this over the last week sometimes I would come to the car after not using it for a day and the battery would be dead enough not to be able to start it, but at least let me in the doors.

 

Now it appears to have gone completely. I have an Ultima Red Top battery and a brand new 90Amp Alternator.

 

I did notice yesterday that after the long drive to Manchester that the battery was particulalry hot, but then sort of forgot about it in all the excitement.

 

Once I have got into it (it's delocked!!!!) how do I go about isolating it???

[Supercharged 2]

Battery hot? - have you looked at the alternator output?

[Yandards 0]

Could be a million and one things with all the work you have done Sam.

 

Go with Supercharged's suggestion of checking the alt output first though. As the battery is continualy being drained it will probably be shagged too - so a new one there.

 

Assuming there is a drain on the battery with no ignition on then try the following. To check for a drain pull the fuses one at a time whilst checking load on the battery - soon see which circuit is pulling the power and that should narrow it down a bit.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

My boot light staying on killed my Optima over 3 days, so might want to check that if not already.

[saysomestuff 0]

Something funky's going on with my leccies too so will try this fuse pulling lark - are we talking just multimeter sets to amps put across the battery?

[Blue_Joe 0]

Got it all sorted now - wasn't a short circuit - just a knackered Optima Battery

[dinkus 10]

Oh damn, I thought this was talking about the film :( :lol:

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Don't put your ammeter across the battery !!!! There will be a large puff of smoke and you may be lucky enough to drop it before it gets v. hot.

Wire it in line, i.e. disconnect one of the battery leads and re-connect it through the ammeter.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[PhillT 0]

Roger Blassberg, why's that then? I do this all the time on my Mk1 and never had a problem :oops:

[Roger Blassberg 0]

In ammeter mode, the internal resistance of the meter can be extremely low, dependent on the range selected. If you short out the battery (i.e. connect it in parallel to the battery), full current can flow, and that can be hundreds of amps. Only use an ammeter in series connection, relying on the other resistances in the circuit to control the current.

 

If you are switched to voltmeter mode a very high resistance is switched into the multimeter so as to cause minimum voltage drop in the circuit being tested when connected in parallel.

 

Best wishes

 

RB