Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: bubble1973 on 23 August 2010, 11:56:14
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Hiya again. I've been having a problem with my 2001 2.2 cd auto.
When im driving in the night, the battery light glows really dimly. It gets brighter when i put more things on, ie wipers, air con and then wont restart when i turn off the engine, so it is competly draining the battery.
I am using the car as a private hire vehicle so as well as the usual things, i have a radio, meter and a sat nav almost always plugged in.
Can i get a more powerful alternator as i really need to keep the air con on when working to keep the windows from misting up (hint to everybody, dont bother with rain x anti mist, useless!!). At the moment i am having to keep the engine running all night so as not to get stranded.
Many thanks in advance.
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Have a read of this:-
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1225724099
and this:-
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1153772945
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Thanks for the quick reply. Not sure if there is a problem with the alternator as when i use the car in the day, with no lights, wipers etc on it seems fine. I just dont thing the alternator I've got just doesnt seem to be up to all the electric systems on at the same time, so was wondering if there was a more powerful/ upgraded one i could replace mine with?
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Thanks for the quick reply. Not sure if there is a problem with the alternator as when i use the car in the day, with no lights, wipers etc on it seems fine. I just dont thing the alternator I've got just doesnt seem to be up to all the electric systems on at the same time, so was wondering if there was a more powerful/ upgraded one i could replace mine with?
Follow the links supplied and find out. I bet you'll find there is something wrong, and it'll probably be an easy fix. :)
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Thanks for the quick reply. Not sure if there is a problem with the alternator as when i use the car in the day, with no lights, wipers etc on it seems fine. I just dont thing the alternator I've got just doesnt seem to be up to all the electric systems on at the same time, so was wondering if there was a more powerful/ upgraded one i could replace mine with?
There's an upgrade police spec, but your alternator should be easily capable of powering what you're asking of it. I'd say you need to get yours looked at. :y
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...i need to keep the air con on...to keep the windows from misting up.
Maybe worth changing your pollen filter.
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In addition, I would say check the security of the grounding strap between engine and chassis. Run the car with plenty of electrical load and see if any connections get hot. Check the voltage between alternator casing and chassis is not more than 0.5 volts or so.
If all seems well, it could be a failing alternator (single diode failure in the rectifier, for example). I would expect this to be evident in the charging voltage under load though.
Kevin
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.. and the alternator is more than capable of running the loads you mention. Something is not right. Run through the checks in the links posted and report back what you find. :y
Kevin
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Do as Kevin suggests. Odds on it`s your voltage regulator, about £12
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Went to a friends garage and got these results with a multimeter. Hope they make sense!
Battery without engine running = 12.52
Engine idling = 13.65
Engine idlling with full load = 12.35
Engine fast idling(2500 revs) = 13.84
Engine fast idling(2500 revs) with full load = 12.52
When you say check the security of the earth strap, am i simply checking that the bolts are tight?
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mine 97 model (alternator re-conditioned), engine idling 14.4 volt
xenons and climate working 13.9 volt (idle not 2500 rpm ) ..
I dont think your voltage is adequate.. :-/
in my other car (clit I had a similiar situation, changed the alternator completely but still cant solve , then we connected a direct cable from alternator to battery positive terminal..
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Sorry, i forgot to mention that i first noticed the battery light coming on really dimly a few months ago, whilst using the heated rear window, but not to the extent that it was causing the car not to start. I swapped it with an identical alternator from a friends omega that was being scrapped, and still the light came on, really dimly. My friend stated that he had never noticed a light coming on when he was using his car.
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I dont think your voltage is adequate..
Agreed.
Assuming it's not the battery positive terminal coming loose in its' crimp, or an insecure grounding strap, I'd say the alternator is faulty.
Kevin
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Sorry, i forgot to mention that i first noticed the battery light coming on really dimly a few months ago, whilst using the heated rear window, but not to the extent that it was causing the car not to start. I swapped it with an identical alternator from a friends omega that was being scrapped, and still the light came on, really dimly. My friend stated that he had never noticed a light coming on when he was using his car.
probably your problems arise after the engine become hot.. clean all battery terminals, connections, ground connection but if you cant solve test with a direct cable from alternator to battery.. if the voltage goes up your cabling must be the problem..
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If a direct cable does seem to fix it, can i use the cable as a permenant solution?
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If a direct cable does seem to fix it, can i use the cable as a permenant solution?
yes.. I'm using for clit ;D
ps be careful when connecting cables.. any spark can cook some electronics..
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just like to say my wifes omge has been like this for ages now and if any thing that has large curent drwa on wen slow runing or idaling but never had a problem with batter being flat ect
thgis could be somthing sill y thet the 2.2 do rahter than other models i can alo rmeber my old cav sports being like this when u upgraded to bsh alternaor from an ac and that was bentesed to find nothing rong
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Had this happen to me this week. Turned the heated rear window on at night and the charging light glowed a bit. Started pricing up alternators. :-[
Anyway, I had some time next morning to check voltages at the battery, using the excellent maintenance guide as previously mentioned. My voltages were all about 0.5V down in comparison, but the big give away was the positive terminal got hot with the engine running. Cleaned both terminals with wire wool and greased them. Seems to have cured it.
Though now I have bragged about it.........time will tell.
Hope it works out for you, plenty to check before parting with cash, :y as mentioned.
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Had this happen to me this week. Turned the heated rear window on at night and the charging light glowed a bit. Started pricing up alternators. :-[
Anyway, I had some time next morning to check voltages at the battery, using the excellent maintenance guide as previously mentioned. My voltages were all about 0.5V down in comparison, but the big give away was the positive terminal got hot with the engine running. Cleaned both terminals with wire wool and greased them. Seems to have cured it.
Though now I have bragged about it.........time will tell.
Hope it works out for you, plenty to check before parting with cash, :y as mentioned.
A common problem.
Normally it's where the large cable enters from the cable tray across the front of the engine. This connection is crimped, and I suspect vibration couple up the cable from the engine eventually loosens the crimped connection.
If it plays up again, get an auto electrician to re-make the crimped connection, or an easier solution might be to buy a battery terminal with screw connections and re-make it yourself.
Kevin
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I haven't noticed the battery connection getting hot, will feel it today, but i did notice the jump lead connection that was on my battery positive was really hot when i took it off. The battery connection seems tight, but it doesnt have any grease on it, which grease should i use? Where is this thick cable you are taking about Kevin? Did you mean under the battery tray?
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Did you mean under the battery tray?
No, it's the main thick wire into the battery positive terminal and comes from the alternator and starter motor. Runs in a plastic tray across the front of the engine and up to the battery terminal.
Kevin
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Just checked after a 20 min drive and the positive battery terminal was boiling hot. I saw what you meant about that crimp, played about with it while holding the multimeter on the battery terminals and it didnt seem to alter the reading, but you can see a few strands in the cable snapped and there was a sticker wrapped around it that had melted. Think im going to try a new cable from the alternator directly to the battery, along with a new battery clamp, and see where i go from there. Is there any specific cable i need to get, or could i just find it in Halfords?
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Ideally, see if there's enough length to chop the last few inches off the existing cable to discard the burnt bit and then fit a new battery terminal.
If not, you'll need the connectors for the other end of the cable as well, or just buy a new cable from Vauxhall.
Kevin
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Ideally, see if there's enough length to chop the last few inches off the existing cable to discard the burnt bit and then fit a new battery terminal.
If not, you'll need the connectors for the other end of the cable as well, or just buy a new cable from Vauxhall.
Kevin
I'd go for a new cable as it's a ptential fire risk.
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Just looked on Halfords website and priced up a new battery terminal and cable for under a tenner so i think i'll give that a go. Many thanks for all the advice, and i will report back with hopefully a good result!
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Had this happen to me this week. Turned the heated rear window on at night and the charging light glowed a bit. Started pricing up alternators. :-[
Anyway, I had some time next morning to check voltages at the battery, using the excellent maintenance guide as previously mentioned. My voltages were all about 0.5V down in comparison, but the big give away was the positive terminal got hot with the engine running. Cleaned both terminals with wire wool and greased them. Seems to have cured it.
Though now I have bragged about it.........time will tell.
Hope it works out for you, plenty to check before parting with cash, :y as mentioned.
A common problem.
Normally it's where the large cable enters from the cable tray across the front of the engine. This connection is crimped, and I suspect vibration couple up the cable from the engine eventually loosens the crimped connection.
If it plays up again, get an auto electrician to re-make the crimped connection, or an easier solution might be to buy a battery terminal with screw connections and re-make it yourself.
Kevin
Thanks for that Kevin.
My terminal still is warm too, though no charging lamp on. Looks like a new cable and terminal would be safer for me too. :y
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Just another quickie, somebody mentioned replacing the regulator in the alternator at a cost of approx £12. Where would i get one of these? Is it a vauxhall part or from the maker of the alternator?