voltage drop

[ghost123uk]

There is nowt wrong with those chargers. If they are showing that they have entered a charging phase (LEDs or summat) then they have "kicked in". It's only a very flat battery that causes them to not "kick in".

[ZsZ]

I should clean my contacts and wire ends with this method:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkw_52rFHU8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Living in the city centre (and being 15 min walk away from the parking lot where the van is) is not the best doing this kind of gadgeteering.

[ZsZ]

Tried that salt ans vinegar method in the video on one of my spare harnesses. Impressive results:

turned this:


into this:


and this:


into this:

[Oldiebut goodie]

That is only cosmetic cleaning - the corrosion to be concerned about is inside the crimped area which cannot be cleaned easily. New terminal is the only cure. Even hot flux inside cannot be guaranteed to be be efficacious in every case. (With apologies to The Scaffold and Roger McGough)

[ZsZ]

Today I had a call from the rebuilders. My girlfriends father (who works there) told me that the rotor was burnt and that caused the fault of the regulator. The rear bearing housing was also damaged. Now they are gathering parts and in a few days I will get a repaired alternator.

Yesterday I got my batteries home. The brand new starter was at 12.54V which is about it was when I got home without the alternator. I've put on the charger in the evening and in the morning the charger indicated full (green LED on Lidl charger) About 1.5 hours after I read 13.40V
The leisure was at 13.05V and I am charging it since 9'o clock.

That is only cosmetic cleaning - the corrosion to be concerned about is inside the crimped area which cannot be cleaned easily. New terminal is the only cure. Even hot flux inside cannot be guaranteed to be be efficacious in every case. (With apologies to The Scaffold and Roger McGough)

Then cut old terminal, deoxidate the wire with the electrolyte, crimp on new terminal and solder it? That is better?

[Oldiebut goodie]

Yes - I prefer to solder as this prevents the corrosion developing in that crimp. Use shrink tubing also as this gives support to the solder/cable joint, preferably adhesive lined stuff if you have it. If the wire is black just rub flux into it with your fingers and it will soon clean it. (I usually ditch that wire though as if the corrosion has wicked up inside it will never get any better and could cause problems in the future)

[CovKid]

Anything exposed to the elements gets soldered and shrink wrapped on mine. I'd use vinegar on terminals plugged to earth crown though as its generally the spade part that causes all the problems. I have a new earth point to go in over the Summer though. Was never keen on what VW fitted.

[ZsZ]

OK!

I charged the leisure for 24 hours with the Lidl charger. The green light didn't came on, so I took it off the charger. After an hour rest I've read 13.30V. After 2 hours the reading was 13.20V
I think that battery is not in its best shape...
I will measure it a few hours later

May I try to charge it further?
Could this caused the alternator fail?

Update: after 4 hours the voltage dropped to 13.10V

[ghost123uk]

I would double check those readings with another meter. I haven't heard of a battery "holding" a voltage as high as that after a rest. 12.9 Volts is normal.

[Smcknighty]

Covkid what earth point are you putting in out of interest? A bolt type thing or have you managed to find a replacement for the spades one?

[ZsZ]

I would double check those readings with another meter. I haven't heard of a battery "holding" a voltage as high as that after a rest. 12.9 Volts is normal.

OK! I have only a cheap LED digital voltmeter from Ebay now ( like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/LCD-DC-3-2-30V- ... SwpDdVP1YZ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) that reads 13.0V
Checked some other DC sources with both and looks like the multimeter reads around 0.2V higher

I've just ordered a new multimeter with a clamp style ampermeter and will borrow my brothers professional multimeter.

[syncroandy]

Re. earths for the front lights or any other significant current-consumers, I recommend ring terminals:

[ZsZ]

Re. earths for the front lights or any other significant current-consumers, I recommend ring terminals:
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Just was thinking about that especially for the cooler vent and the headlamps.

And managed a small load test on my leisure battery. I plugged on my 12V 30W soldering iron. After 1 min the voltage dropped to 12.70V measured with the multimeter and 12.5V measured with the voltmeter. After another minute it dropped to 12.60/12.4V
After disconnecting the soldering iron the voltage rised to 12.80/12.6V

After that I plugged the soldering iron on for 10 mins and watched the voltage. in 4 mins it dropped to 12.52/12.3V and raised 12.60/12.4V in the last minute. After disconnecting the solderer the voltage raised to 12.78/12.5V

[CovKid]

One from starter body to vehicle. Helps reduce gearbox nose corrosion.

Covkid what earth point are you putting in out of interest? A bolt type thing or have you managed to find a replacement for the spades one?

[ZsZ]

OK, I had time in the last few days so I think I solved my voltage problems.
I cleaned and soldered some wires, removed the aftermarket trailer turn signal converter and rewired the turn signal system as the factory setup.

On the positive side: cleaned and soldered the battery to starter, the battery to junction box and the junction box to fusebox cables.
On the negative side I cleaned the battery to engine cable, cleaned and soldered the gearbox to body cable, and cleaned the ground posts and connectors behind the fusebox.

Now I have 14,48V at the battery, 14,47V at the P post of the fusebox, 14,40V at the radio connector. and 0,5V drop when I switch the heater fan or the headlights or the front cooler vent.

some pics:
Starter cable starter side:

now re crimped and soldered

GB to body ground:


after the vinegar-salt treatment:


soldered: