#1: New battery needed or something else? Author: MNARAA, Location: In a traffic jamPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:15 am ---- My car is refusing to start. Dials 'twitch' and there is a 'bong', but nothing else. Clock has also reset. The car will start fine from a push start, and will then start normally after a decent run, but if left will go back to not starting.
Is this a failed battery? Or is it likely to be an electrical fault draining a perfectly good battery? Any way to easily tell?
Also how come there is enough power to make the 'bong' and operate the locks, but not the clock?
If it is the battery is it just a matter of buying one and swapping it in? Do these things come ready charged? Or will I need a charger too?
#2: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: NorthantsBen, Location: Raunds, NorthamptonshirePosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:19 am ---- Do the dash lights dim when try turn over?
Sounds just like batt if it's ok once it running, there charged up when you buy them .
Some morning I need a jump and then ok during day Last edited by NorthantsBen on Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:20 am; edited 1 time in total
#3: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: ukskater01, Location: sutton surrey/welwyn garden cityPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:20 am ---- You need to test the voltage of the battery, if that's alright you need your alternator checked but it does sound like a bad battery
also what year is your car because if you do have to change the battery there is a certain way you have to do it, it's in the how to's I think
#4: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: E5GDM, Location: EssexPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:53 am ---- Get the alternator output checked to be sure, but it does sound like the batteries had it.
#5: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: Mrs_Howey, Location: WorthingPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:42 am ---- If you take your car to the local Halfords they can test your battery and alternator for free, and they have batteries too if you need a new one, which they can fit for you for just £4.99
#6: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: Werdnal, Location: Cornwall, UKPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:36 am ---- Any battery suppliers can usually test your battery and the charging rate to determine whether its batt or alternator fault. Mine did this when the battery failed a few months back. I had no warning, no batt light on the dash or sluggish starting - it was just dead one morning and doing the "bong" every time I turned the key.
Turned out mine was on original battery (52 reg) so think it had lasted well.
#7: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: smiddies, Location: BrightonPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:36 am ---- Saleswoman^^^
Make sure you get a trade card before going to Halfords!! It works out better!! lol
#8: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: Werdnal, Location: Cornwall, UKPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:09 am ----
smiddies wrote:
Saleswoman^^^
Make sure you get a trade card before going to Halfords!! It works out better!! lol
Use Halfrauds if you prefer, but I've always had much better service from local independant battery suppliers!
#9: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: DeadEyePaul, Location: Rugby,WarwickshirePosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:34 am ---- I don't think it's the alternator from what you mentioned above as your car works after a push start, your problem lies with the battery not storing the charge
#10: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: Lee, Location: EnglandPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:39 am ---- Test the battery yourself if you have a multimeter
#11: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: MNARAA, Location: In a traffic jamPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:03 pm ----
NorthantsBen wrote:
Do the dash lights dim when try turn over?
Dim? Go out more like, but yeah.
#12: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: E5GDM, Location: EssexPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:01 am ---- "There\'s no sense crying over every mistake.\r\nYou just keep on trying \'til you run out of cake".
Don't you mean milk?
#13: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: V9977, Location: Athens, GreecePosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:47 am ---- What?
#14: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: macca1411, Location: Westhoughton, LancashirePosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:44 am ---- The alternator only puts the power you use back into the battery, it is not a dynamo. Many people get confused between an alternator and a dynamo. A good check for the alternator is see if lights go brighter when you rev. Try just giving the battery a good overnight charge, over winter loads of people have battery problems. Everything electrical turned on, the alternator can't put enough charge back into the battery and hey presto, eventually a flat battery.
#15: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: V9977, Location: Athens, GreecePosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 6:50 am ----
macca1411 wrote:
Many people get confused between an alternator and a dynamo.
True.
Dynamo uses a comutator and can be DC or AC. Usually permanent
magnets are used.
Alternator uses additional coils instead of magnets, called exciter coils.
It is always AC (rectified to DC for charging the car battery).
The disadvantage being that some voltage has to be present in the battery
for the alternator to work at all and charge it back up.
They both serve exactly the same purpose which is to supply electrical
current from rotary movement.
I can take-off my boffin hat now thank you.
#16: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: Werdnal, Location: Cornwall, UKPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:08 am ---- Sure I read somewhere that when alternator is on the way out, they can work in reverse and actually drain current from the battery when the car is parked up. Hence get battery and alternator checked, unless you want to take a chance and get a new battery anyway.
Batteries usually have a code on them. Search online and you can find which of the numbers relate to the battery year code, to see how old yours is.
#17: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: E5GDM, Location: EssexPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:09 am ----
V9977 wrote:
The disadvantage being that some voltage has to be present in the battery for the alternator to work at all and charge it back up.
So can you run a car that has an alternator without a battery?
#18: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: E5GDM, Location: EssexPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:11 am ----
V9977 wrote:
What?
You cry over spilt milk, not cake.
#19: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: E5GDM, Location: EssexPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:14 am ----
Werdnal wrote:
Sure I read somewhere that when alternator is on the way out, they can work in reverse and actually drain current from the battery when the car is parked up. Hence get battery and alternator checked, unless you want to take a chance and get a new battery anyway.
Never heard that. I just thought you got both items tested so you replaced the one that wasn't working.
#20: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: macca1411, Location: Westhoughton, LancashirePosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:18 am ----
E5GDM wrote:
V9977 wrote:
The disadvantage being that some voltage has to be present in the battery for the alternator to work at all and charge it back up.
So can you run a car that has an alternator without a battery?
Yes you can. I have known people to change the battery while the engine is running. It saved them having to reset the clock and all the radio stations. Don't know how it would work on a multi-plexed system though.
#21: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: Werdnal, Location: Cornwall, UKPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:21 am ----
E5GDM wrote:
Werdnal wrote:
Sure I read somewhere that when alternator is on the way out, they can work in reverse and actually drain current from the battery when the car is parked up. Hence get battery and alternator checked, unless you want to take a chance and get a new battery anyway.
Never heard that. I just thought you got both items tested so you replaced the one that wasn't working.
I agree, but I have known people just assume its a duff battery and bung in a new one, only to get the same problem again. Hence always recommended to get both tested and not just assume batt has gone.
#22: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: E5GDM, Location: EssexPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:25 am ----
macca1411 wrote:
E5GDM wrote:
V9977 wrote:
The disadvantage being that some voltage has to be present in the battery for the alternator to work at all and charge it back up.
So can you run a car that has an alternator without a battery?
Yes you can. I have known people to change the battery while the engine is running. It saved them having to reset the clock and all the radio stations. Don't know how it would work on a multi-plexed system though.
Thats what i thought, V997's statement don't sound right to me.
#23: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: macca1411, Location: Westhoughton, LancashirePosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:41 am ----
E5GDM wrote:
macca1411 wrote:
E5GDM wrote:
V9977 wrote:
The disadvantage being that some voltage has to be present in the battery for the alternator to work at all and charge it back up.
So can you run a car that has an alternator without a battery?
Yes you can. I have known people to change the battery while the engine is running. It saved them having to reset the clock and all the radio stations. Don't know how it would work on a multi-plexed system though.
Thats what i thought, V997's statement don't sound right to me.
In theory you only require a battery to start the car, but with winter driving where you have the lights, fan, heated rear screen, wipers, radio as well as the normal running of spark plugs and computers, the alternator cannot produce enough current to cope with it all so therefore the battery provides the extra juice and it cannot be replaced. Over time the battery will go flat but 9 out of 10 times it just needs a good overnight charge and everything is OK again. Cold weather can also drain the power stored in the battery as the electrolyte cannot create the chemical reaction required to produce the current.
#24: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: MNARAA, Location: In a traffic jamPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:23 am ----
E5GDM wrote:
"There\'s no sense crying over every mistake.\r\nYou just keep on trying \'til you run out of cake".
Don't you mean milk?
No, cake. Now go play Portal, because you obviously haven't.
#25: Re: New battery needed or something else? Author: V9977, Location: Athens, GreecePosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:53 am ----
E5GDM wrote:
macca1411 wrote:
E5GDM wrote:
V9977 wrote:
The disadvantage being that some voltage has to be present in the battery for the alternator to work at all and charge it back up.
So can you run a car that has an alternator without a battery?
Yes you can. I have known people to change the battery while the engine is running. It saved them having to reset the clock and all the radio stations. Don't know how it would work on a multi-plexed system though.
Thats what i thought, V997's statement don't sound right to me.
You're right. If the car is already running the exciter coils are driven by the alternator power itself.
So the battery will be charged in that case. My mistake.
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