whats current draw when ignition is on, but not running v6 ?

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whats current draw when ignition is on, but not running v6 ?

by crinklebender » Fri May 25, 2012 4:22 pm

huddy blell, am i ever going to get to drive this thing. always repairing never driving :alright: I like messing around with motors, but dont think my overcomplicated lifestyle and lack of driveway, lockup etc suits having an older car more complex than me ! 1500 miles driven in nearly 5 years and £1000 spent speaks for itself !! OK it was a junker when i got it.

right rant over.. I replaced rocker gasket and all OK so far running wise, then i notice battery light is fading when running and glowing when revved. Its a new battery so im thinking alternator, but its putting at 13.8v at idle, still could be on its way out.


So I start investigation, unplugged about half the fuses and relays and take a current reading after its gone through its startup checks. These are

1.2 A when ignition is on
normal drain of 50ma when ignition off. All doors closed, lights off.

1.2A is a heavy draw is it not ? Anybody now the standard ignition on (engine not running) current draw, and usual culprits for a current drain ?

especially after me yanking the manifold and its wires about when replacing the thing, maybe one of the fuel rail wires got yanked or something, but still...1.2A quite a lot for a car with nothing on. its a 94 redtop v6 BTW.

heated seats disconnected or at least it looks like they are, strange its got heated seats and the wires going to them, disconnected... but the buttons for them arent on the console.
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Re: whats current draw when ignition is on, but not running

by crinklebender » Fri May 25, 2012 5:43 pm

mm a lot of fuss over nothing i guess. perhaps it was the sun, I was looking at the meter out there in blazing heat, then thinking 1.2A in 240v terms ...that would have been equivalent to 300 watts...with half the car electrics unplugged.... stupid ! :axed:

I live in hope i am going to drive this car all fine no problems for at least 6 months, will be my new tag here. Well the idea is just keep replacing bits, keep replacing bits, eventually ill get there.

its running and driving, handling, pretty sweet for first time in 5 years, starting to feel like a minted v6 i had previously.

hope so considering i replaced half the suspension and wheels back to stock, almost entire fuel system, brake lines replaced. rebuilt the body decay that the pre 95 are prone to, new sensors, belts, gasket, servicing exhaust etc. Dont think there are many of the pre galvanised ones v6ers thats still on the road.
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Re: whats current draw when ignition is on, but not running

by crinklebender » Fri May 25, 2012 6:43 pm

Ok i just checked, plugged all fuses back in (except car hifi)

Now the resting current with no ignition on and doors close is up to 100 Milliamp.. way too high from what i know. No alarm going off.

Now the ignition on (not starting car) spikes and i can hear the ABS relays its briefly 5amps and dies down to 3 amps on tickover.

This all seems tad high.

battery was 12.6 volts before i fired up engine, as ive been starting her a few times without driving or idling.

then running at 14.5 volts on tickover

Then at 2000 or up crazy readings 15-16 volts. The battery light in dash grows bright.

Its brand new battery, seems OK.

1. when car is not running the readings are high like a leak somewhere.

2. When engine is running the alternator is putting out too much juice.

That these two are occurring together make me suspect ground or other leak causing alternator to overvolt.
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Re: whats current draw when ignition is on, but not running

by crinklebender » Fri May 25, 2012 9:19 pm

well i just got a 0.02 volts AC reading from the doblo which has newer regulation technology

according to a couple of online sources the AC volts at the battery will be over 0.5V at 3000 RPM, if one alternator diode is guffed.

I revved up the cally while taking the AC and max reading i got was 0.1V and 0.08 on idle..

So kooks like damn regulator, causing overcharge all i have done here was eliminate the diode as a power drain. Akks what a job that alternator is.... :x

knowledge/kb_show.php?id=37

I got too much on my plate, anybody up for this job (thats done it previously). I reckon i have the early delco alternator.

Interesting guide here to diagnosing alternators diodes if anybody has undercharging or power loss.

http://www.pvv.org/~syljua/merc/TooSeptST07.pdf
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Re: whats current draw when ignition is on, but not running

by crinklebender » Fri May 25, 2012 11:29 pm

mmm i was looking down at alternator and there is a thin loose wire dangling above it. Maybe I yanked that out when I pulled of the manifold for the rear rocker cover gasket. The battery light started coming on after that.

the regulator is in the alternator so it fits that the regulator cant keep its voltage down if its reference voltage wire gets pulled out.
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Re: whats current draw when ignition is on, but not running

by crinklebender » Sat May 26, 2012 1:13 pm

Ok well to conclude the saga for the contribution of knowledge to calibra owners i was right about that regulator feed wire causing the problem, so careful next time you remove manifold, as that wire is bound up in all the pipes etc.. I snapped it by accident when removing manifold.

Today Jacked up the drivers side and that snapped wire dangling above alternator fed right inside to the alternators terminals, I found the other half with a feed coming from the dashboard (obviously the battery light).

Reconnected it, but no avail in that alternator still overcharging. I did read a 0.05 v signal now going to the alternator regulator, from the battery light cable (was expecting 12v but what do i know). the return voltages i read back from the alternator regulator were all over the place.

without the regulation signal to keep it on an even keel, its looks like the alternator has overheated internally and fried itself or the regulator. Tried putting a variable resistor to shove down the voltage going to the regulator, to test if it responded to volt changes and fool it into downgrading the regulator output, but no dice. Battery voltage did not alter.

result of breaking that cable, duffed alternator. :bazooka:
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