Vehicle & Technical > Defender

Alternator ?

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Kenny:
My battery keeps losing its charge - had to replace recently as went totally flat adn could not charge. Do not use the car that often nowdays and went to start the other day and battery flat.

Prior to replacing the battery the car was used every day.

Could this be the alternator ? If so what to replace with Standard or HD due to the winch, what sort of price are these things.

Thanks

Damian

Sooty:
Hi Damian
First of all even if the battery is new do not rule out the fact that it may be faulty, it happens.
Check that there is not something running the battery down whils't the vehicle is standing idle (put a multi meter on 10amp range in series with the battery)DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE WHILE THIS IS CONNECTED.If you have a coded radio be sure you have the code before you disconnect the battery and if you have an immobilizer fitted make sure disconnection of the battery will not effect this.
Before you start spending money on altenators etc check the following:-
Put a volt meter on the battery and check that the voltage goes up to at least 13.5-14volts when engine is running on fat idle (about 1500rpm).
Put a volt meter between the negetive battery post and a good earth point on the body, chassis and engine, there sould be no voltage to speak of, if there is you have bad earths which will cause both charging and opperating problems.
If it turns out to be the altenator you can get new brushes but that will depend on the condition of the commutator connections.
This list is only a start of your fun so don't spend your money until you are reasonable sure you are right in you diagnosis.
Good luck.

DEANO3528:
What Sooty said!
I replaced my 4 month old battery under warranty, and it died again just before xmas, again at around 4 months. Bearing in mind the batteries are fairly cheap (£40 for 072) I immediately put the blame on that after ensuring the alternator was charging ok. After a jump start it was charging around 14.4v dropping to 14.15 with lights on, so I figured that's good enough but stil not convinced it was the battery. I have loads of relays etc on Shed running the spit charge and various lights, sockets and aux battery and suspected a dodgy split charge relay. However after a check as Sooty detailed above, no loss was evident. I eventually found out that the culprit was the A-bar spotlight relay jamming open (although I never noticed the spotlights on unless switched on). With the dead battery (well 9-ish volts) I noticed a very faint clicking when I was removing the earth lead. When i put the new battery on and connected it up the spotlights came on by themselves!!

Kenny:
Put a multi meter on 10amp range in series with the battery
--- Quote ---

What exactly do I do ?

The rest makes sense and I'll try that.

Thanks

Damian
--- End quote ---

Kenny:
OK - done some tests. Engine off and I get about 13v. Start the engine and stays at 13v. Run from negative to earth and nothing.

I am thinking alternator. It has been on the car from start (1989) and I have got it very, very muddy and wet in the past and never cleaned it out.

Any thoughts please.

Damian

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