Clueless

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Crisnsatch
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Clueless

Post by Crisnsatch »

Hi all, 1984 1.9 water-cooled petrol auto. Had the van since August. Flew through mot in November but now probs. Apart from leak (planning on new rad and stainless water pipe kit) we are having an electrical nightmare. The van always needs jump starting now and the horn, temp gauge and dipped beam headlights do not work. Every other light works fine, as does the wind screen wipers. There is no stereo and there has not been issues with any type of electrical drain. The battery was fairly new, I tried it yesterday, wouldn't start as usual. Been stood 2 weeks, multimeter gave a reading of 9.6 on the dead battery and after jump starting, gave a reading 13.7. Couldn't get a reading from the alternator and to be honest... didn't really know how or what I was doing. Let van run for 25 - 30 mind, revving every so often. Engine nice and hot but temp gauge moved about a mm. Headlamps and horn still didn't work. The last time I did this, the headlamps decided to work again but next day only one worked and day after none! Yesterday after shutting it off for a while, tried restarting and totally dead again. Not even any clicking of relays etc. Battery, alternator or both? Damp in the electrics? Earth crowns are like new? Any help or advice for this clueless VW owner will be very gratefully received. Apologies for the War and Peace and any typos. Doing this on phone with sausage fingers and an annoying predictive text! :roll:

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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

13.7 on batt shows its charging, usually a bit higher but it's charging a dead batt so bound to be a bit lower
9.6 on.a dead battery means its dead forever, it will never hold charge again, get a new one and buy a smart charger.
can you keep the van on charge when not used?

if not then disconnect batt when not in use until further test have been done.


You need to measure current draw when everything is off but you need a multimeter, do you have one? if not you need one.

no point chasing other gremlins until you have sorted the batt and tested parasitic current.
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Crisnsatch
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Re: Clueless

Post by Crisnsatch »

itchyfeet wrote:13.7 on batt shows its charging, usually a bit higher but it's charging a dead batt so bound to be a bit lower
9.6 on.a dead battery means its dead forever, it will never hold charge again, get a new one and buy a smart charger.
can you keep the van on charge when not used?

if not then disconnect batt when not in use until further test have been done.


You need to measure current draw when everything is off but you need a multimeter, do you have one? if not you need one.

no point chasing other gremlins until you have sorted the batt and tested parasitic current.

Hi, yep, have a multi meter, that's how I got the readings yesterday. So, a new battery is the best place to start? I don't have the facility to charge when not in use, so will have to unhook in future when not in use. The blowers, fog, side and hazard lights all working fine once van has been jump started but not dip / main beam, horn or temp gauge. Would a new battery help sort these issues?

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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

what is the max current the multimeter can measure?

you can't do this measurement with a dead batt.

when you have a new one connect earth but.before connecting positive check everything is off and measure the current from pos lead on van to pos terminal on batt, leads on multimeter usually need moving make sure you move back for voltage measurements.

tbis tells you if something is drawing power when van is not used and killing your batt.

new batt get the biggest you can fit
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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

just checked mine

type 100
278mmx175mmx175mm about 70Ah
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Crisnsatch
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Re: Clueless

Post by Crisnsatch »

itchyfeet wrote:what is the max current the multimeter can measure?

you can't do this measurement with a dead batt.

when you have a new one connect earth but.before connecting positive check everything is off and measure the current from pos lead on van to pos terminal on batt, leads on multimeter usually need moving make sure you move back for voltage measurements.

tbis tells you if something is drawing power when van is not used and killing your batt.

new batt get the biggest you can fit

The meter I have has the following specs, only a cheap one and first I've ever owned or used...

Specifications:
DC Voltage 200mV/2V/20V/200V/600V±(0.5%)
AC Voltage 200V/600V±(1.0%)
DC Current 200μA/2mA/20mA/200mA/10A±(1.0%)
Resistance 200Ω/2kΩ/20kΩ/200Ω/2MΩ±(1.0%)
TriodeMeasurement Yes (PNP/NPN Triode hFE)
Input Resistance 1MΩ
Battery Type 9V( Not include)
Max. Display 1999
Display Size 45 X 20MM
Dimensions 145 x 70 x 40mm

So to understand, when I buy a new battery, with everything off, hook up black negative lead but leave red positive lead off. Touch multi meter onto red lead to get a reading? Sorry for coming across as dumb but this is all very new to me. :shock:

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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

The blowers, fog, side and hazard lights all working fine once van has been jump started but not dip / main beam, horn or temp gauge. Would a new battery help sort these issues?

No I don't think so but you have to start with the battery.
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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

Crisnsatch wrote:
So to understand, when I buy a new battery, with everything off, hook up black negative lead but leave red positive lead off. Touch multi meter onto red lead to get a reading? Sorry for coming across as dumb but this is all very new to me. :shock:

great its 10A meter

will draw you a diagram
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Crisnsatch
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Re: Clueless

Post by Crisnsatch »

itchyfeet wrote:
Crisnsatch wrote:
So to understand, when I buy a new battery, with everything off, hook up black negative lead but leave red positive lead off. Touch multi meter onto red lead to get a reading? Sorry for coming across as dumb but this is all very new to me. :shock:

great its 10A meter

will draw you a diagram

Thanks very much for your help :ok

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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

Image
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Crisnsatch
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Re: Clueless

Post by Crisnsatch »

itchyfeet wrote:Image

Thanks very much, I will get a new battery and do exactly as the diagram shows. Mine only has probes though and not crocodile clips. What reading should I have, when trying this... Zero?

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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

0.1A maybe typical but as a camper you may have stuff on standby
measure for a minuite or three and see if it varies clock takes some but it's common for things like stereos to take more on standby. I have a propex and it takes power when first connected but then goes into standby automatically so thats OK


if its alot more after allowing some time then check everything is indeed off or on standby if it won't go off totally. (some things power up on like steroes) then start pulling fuses one by one to see which circuit is taking it.
There are some unfused circuits but we can move on to those if its a problem.

hopefuly its fine and you just have an old duff battery and some other circuits to fix later.
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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

you don't need a croc clip you have two hands just touch each probe on where shown.
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itchyfeet
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Re: Clueless

Post by itchyfeet »

multimeter will be fused but be careful not to let the pos lead touch body or fuse will blow
fuses can be very expensive in multimeters.

also remember to move probes back to voltage position immediately after use if not next time you measure volts you blow the fuse....we have all done it.
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Crisnsatch
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Re: Clueless

Post by Crisnsatch »

itchyfeet wrote:multimeter will be fused but be careful not to let the pos lead touch body or fuse will blow
fuses can be very expensive in multimeters.

also remember to move probes back to voltage position immediately after use if not next time you measure volts you blow the fuse....we have all done it.

Thanks again, I'll get a battery next week and take it from there. Don't have a radio and only a rock n roll bed in rear. No camping equipment or cabinets etc. The guy I bought it from changed the dash and the wiring all looks new. The only thing that is permanently on in the van is the digital USB charger he put in place of the normal cigarette lighter socket. It always has a voltage reading on the display. That and the digital clock of course.

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