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72 type3 battery drain fault,

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MrScooter Seriously Crusin Dubber

157 posts · joined Sep 2006 ·

#793535
Help please directing me in the right direction, my type3 square's battery is being drained flat as of lastnight. The battery meter Gage shows that it is charging but when you stop the engine, No go! No startup.. Will start off a jumper ( had to do this 3 times today) also it appears that I have no brake lights, all other lights work.
While driving all other electrics work ok so I'm guessing that the alternator is... Ok?? Help please mick

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#793552
check if you have between 13 and 14v while running. If not just rev it a little ( its normal for a generator to kick in after revs are up)
If its still below 13-14v then either your brushes on the gen are worn out ( thats most common prob) or more serious problem with your regulator or generator.
if it tests ok then your battery has shat itself. actually what you describe is how most batteries die, ie. they wont hold any capacity of charge.

Another thing that can keep draining your batt is something is drawing current all the time. Connect a multi meter in series with the battery and one of the leads.
Switch it to amperes prior to connecting the test leads and see how much amps are drawn ( must be less than few 10's of mA) Do this ONLY with nothing running and have the interior light off.

Hope that helps.

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

zocstar Officially Full-On Dubber

279 posts · joined May 2010 ·

#793562
Battery is not holding charge. Time for a new one. And then look at your brake light.
'69 Squareback

MrScooter Seriously Crusin Dubber

157 posts · joined Sep 2006 ·

#793625
Changed battery and still have fault. However the old battery was dated 2003.

zocstar Officially Full-On Dubber

279 posts · joined May 2010 ·

#793627
earth cable?? between battery and body.
what is your cranking voltage?
'69 Squareback

modulus Veteran Volks Folk

2,009 posts · joined Jul 2003 ·

#793657
Hi Scooter,
Run a multimeter across the battery poles to measure voltage.
1. At idle you should have 13.4+ V.
2. Try again at 2000 RPM; should have come up to 13.6 or so.
3. Repeat 1. and 2. with your radio, wipers and headlights on. You should not get a drop of more than, say 0.3 V.
If you're much less than this, you regulator and generator require further investigation. If you're not getting enough charge while running, even a good battery will be drained in a short time.

I've just gone through all this, and got my regulator replaced which has made a world of difference.

hth
Peter Hill
1975 Type 2 Double Cab
modulus.com.au

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 ·

#793699
If the above dien't work,disconnect the battery overnight and reconnect in the morning to restart.If it starts ok then chase a leak-ie interior light etc

MrScooter Seriously Crusin Dubber

157 posts · joined Sep 2006 ·

#793746
Ok there is a hum comming from the alternator when everything is turned off.. So is that the regulator letting battery volts back to the alternator?

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#793750
alternator or generator?

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

MrScooter Seriously Crusin Dubber

157 posts · joined Sep 2006 ·

#793771
Sure it's an alternator, oops I mean generator. Found a broken lead coming off the alternator, repaired and re attached this morning. Still no brake lights. No hum from alt. But seemed to be drawing alot of current acording to my multimeter..

MrScooter Seriously Crusin Dubber

157 posts · joined Sep 2006 ·

#793875
hey just a question, is the regulator suppose to get hot? cause mine is... smells a bit funny too...

MrScooter Seriously Crusin Dubber

157 posts · joined Sep 2006 ·

#794169
ok it was the regulator!!!

all fixed


next problem is i have no brakelights
no its not the bulbs

1500S Custom Title Time!

1,418 posts · joined Mar 2005 ·

#794261
Pull the wires off the switch on the master cylinder and direct connect them. If the lights now work then it's the switch. If not the fault is between switch and fusebox. Process of elimination.

DH